Original Air Date: October 4th, 2017
After meeting the members of the Elite Ten and declaring his intentions to challenge each of them, Soma decides to defeat Terunori Kuga, the 8th Seat, in the sales competition during the Moon Banquet Festival by setting a booth too. Only problem is that Soma apparently is way in over his head about how festivals work at Tootsuki, and Kuga's true level.
This episode provides examples of:
- Comically Missing the Point: Soma thinks on the way home that maybe he should have challenged the Elite Ten when they got calmer. Megumi quietly refutes that wasn't the problem exactly.
- Continuity Nod:
- The season picks up from the Top 8 from the Autumn Election meeting with the Elite Ten upperclassmen. Since that was in an OVA, Megumi does a recap of the event for the viewers.
- Megumi tells Soma that she and Miyoko Hojo met at the Autumn Election. Hojo still respects both Megumi and Soma after proving themselves in the tournament.
- Cool Bike: This chapter shows Soma on his new scooter for the first time, riding back home along Megumi on her bicycle.
- Delayed Reaction: Erina notices a distracted Soma sitting next to her at a lecture and starts giving him a "The Reason You Suck" Speech before realizing that he hasn't even noticed her. Soma only greets her after she gets frustrated for being ignored.
- Foil: While Hojo and Kuga both specialize in Chinese Cuisine, she explains to Soma that she separates herself from Kuga and the Chinese RS because she doesn't like their focus solely on Szechuan style. Both are also a serious Huge Schoolgirl versus a histrionic short guy.
- Impossibly Delicious Food: Soma sees that not only the Chinese RS, personally trained by Kuga himself, is capable of replicating the exact same Mapo Tofu plate ten times, at the same pace and exact flavor, but it's also so spicy, that it's impossible to stop eating, despite the painful hotness.
- Oh, Crap!: The episode ends with Erina telling Soma that he will be expelled if the booth loses money... right after he sent his formulary right next to Kuga's and thinking he alone can manage it.
- Suicidal Overconfidence: Everyone who talked to Soma about his booth could tell that he was in over his head, underestimating the festival. Both Hojo and Megumi got worried when Soma thought he could manage the booth without a staff, Erina already knew he was in trouble by choosing to challenge Kuga directly, and even the administration asked him if he was sure about renting the space in front of Kuga's.
