10 Second Anime - Amanchu! Advance - Episode 8

Ai meets Mato-chan in a shared dream of Peter's Neverland.

Episode 8 - "The Story of Fleeting Unfulfilled Desires"

Hmm.

There was an okay "aha!" moment when it was revealed that it was Mato-chan who named Peter and the second part of that revelation was that he was her Peter Pan who lived in a dream world called Neverland. It's only okay, because at first blush, it gets a good reaction, but looking back on it later, it feels too obvious and hamfisted. But, even later than that, you realize it was a world and a character named by a Japanese high school girl who had read Peter Pan, so it levels out into an okay reference.

On a more meta analysis, because Peter's world was the dream of a baby that was always supposed to end at some point, the manifestation of a flood coming from a pirate ship is probably Mato-chan's fault. She's the one who brought in the Peter Pan references, and it was Captain Hook on his ship who kidnapped the Lost Boys, which was a metaphor for them growing up and leaving Neverland. I've seen some other analysis that attempts to tie Captain Hook and Peter Pan together as the same person, only that Captain Hook is the adult version of Peter trying to get his child version to grow up. Whatever the case, Peter Pan's story of not wanting to grow up meshes neatly with wanting a high school moment never to end.

This Neverland is also a mind bender through time. Mato-chan said visitors to the dream world come from different places and time periods. Ai definitely came from the future. I can see this world resolving itself in the infant's present, as a future Mato-chan and Ai help close the dream and the present day "Peter" can recognize them from his long past dream self's memories. I hope this is where this is going, because it's a big deal that both Peter and Towano-sensei saw Ai's "blue stripes."

Heh.

Katori-sensei sounds like a jilted lover calling Peter a "nasty ghost who takes away kids who don't want to grow up."

Ane-chan kick! She's so self-conscious about being attracted to some guy. And she's also so mopey. This is like a week's worth of emotions about a guy in the span of five minutes.

Um, isn't this the night before the Dream Festival? Why would Hikari and Futaba think it's okay to wait until Ai wakes up? She could sleep all night!

Obviously, this is the lame justification for Ai to overhear Futaba's lessons on how to move around a dream world. They may as well flash the words "THIS IS IMPORTANT" all over the screen right now.

Oho! Towano-sensei also says "blue stripes." Makoto is not helping by trying to downplay the panty shot...

These kids fall asleep so easily. Must be nice...

Wow. So surreal. It's Ai's hometown, but there's water everywhere.

Definitely the past - there's a phone booth!

This is kind of weird to hear Mato-chan's voice as a teenager. It's the same voice actress who does Akeno from High School DxD, and they're giggling the same way.

Lots of sitting around talking to explain this Neverland dream of an abandoned baby.

Cats are important here too.

Whoa! That's a pirate ship! Ah! This is Peter Pan in Neverland!

Peter came up with a convoluted plan to expand his world to lessen the flooding. This doesn't stop the flooding though. And Mato's objection to bringing in strangers in a world that might close on them is a good one. Of course, just like arguing on the internet, any sensible objection to a plan means your intentions are evil.

Hm hmm. Mato-chan in a mini-skirt and thigh-highs. Growing up in this show means fitted long skirts, apparently.

So, they're just not going to actually say Peter Pan. Peter and Neverland just came from "a story she loved," says Mato-chan.

Well, now we know why Ai had to listen in on Futaba explaining flying brooms to Hikari. This is S-Class Pro Dreamer stuff here to get to a flying ship. IT WAS IMPORTANT.

Oh my God! That black cat statue holding the infant is Cait Sith from ARIA!

It looks like the water is coming from the baby in those balls of light. The baby is just naturally growing up.

Aw. The baby cries when Peter is sad. Obviously the same person somehow.

Mato-chan made a promise to Peter she couldn't keep. Even Peter knows that.

Ai is going to be a Dream Warrior! She needs to go back! Futaba will tell her how.

Really? A three episode arc just to get Towano-sensei's hair out of his eyes? Ahem, I mean, wow! Three episodes dealing with magical shared dreams!