Negative Positive Angler Episode 9 – The F Word

I was 31 years old when I truly understood the plight of the woke. I never gave any consideration to hurtful words or slurs. Whenever someone complained about those, I told them to grow up. Unfortunately for me, karma taught me a lesson. Hearing “FG Knot” in an anime gave me a panic attack. Negative Positive Angler episode 9 used the forbidden word faster than Phil Anselmo raises the forbidden hand. And I’m not sure how to feel about that.

Negative Positive Angler Episode 9 – Bet You Can’t Tie An FG Knot

The past few episodes of this show haven’t done much for its initial premise. But for an episode that didn’t feature any fishing or grand development, this week’s episode was quite enjoyable. As a typhoon barrels towards Japan, the Everymart crew finds themselves trapped indoors to weather the storm. Or at least most of them, as Hana is having none of that and tries to go fishing. But she’s stopped by Takaaki. Never be like Takaaki and Arua; if you never fished in a storm, you’re not living (DISCLAIMER: Anime Corner does not condone this statement).

What do Japan and Florida have in common? Excellent fishing and drinking at work during inclement weather. Apparently, the Sunshine State and the Land of the Rising Sun look at catastrophic weather and see it as a minor inconvenience. So the Everymart crew gets a load on in the employee room, while Hiro is stuck behind the cash register practicing an FG knot. And I felt for Hiro in that scene. That’s something no man should ever have the displeasure of living through.

As the day progresses, Hiro receives a big surprise when his loan sharks enter the convenience store. However, instead of a confrontation, their boss unexpectedly faints, prompting Hiro to welcome them into the store. After they clean up, the group shares a warm meal together, along with drinks and some cosplay fun. This little bonding moment leads to the power of friendship prevailing as Hiro’s former loan sharks offer him genuine help should he ever need it.

The Fishing Corner

The anguish at my inability to tie an FG knot aside. Negative Positive Angler Episode 9 gave us some helpful tidbits of information. Fishing really is better during bad weather; everything the show mentioned was spot on. The winds and tides associated with bad weather push baitfish and smaller fish onto the shore, inlets, and estuaries, and big fish follow. And the turbidity of the water bolsters your chances of catching something.

There are two main reasons for this: poor visibility and faster currents. When the visibility is poor, fish are less hesitant to strike something odd-looking. And when there are faster currents, fish move more erratically. This means you don’t need to be as precise with your lure movements. That said, fishing in inclement weather is a dangerous endeavor. I’m not going to tell anyone not to do it, as fishing flooded rivers for tarpon and hitting the coast for barracuda when tropical storms are incoming are some of the happiest times of my life. When you’re tying two lines together, the FG knot is the way to go. The more you do it, the easier it gets. I just like to poke fun at it since people (myself included) struggle with it; it is always a joy.

Negative Positive Angler Episode 9 — Overall Comments

After the last two episodes, I thought this show was losing its spark. But when I heard Hiro mention why he liked fishing, it made me tear up. That was the “bingo” moment. Hiro described the comforting tiredness that follows a fishing trip, explaining how the moment your line hits the water, all your worries fade away, leaving only the bugs and the warmth of the sun. That’s the essence of angling. That said, Hiro still has two pressing issues that the show isn’t really addressing, and that’s slightly problematic. With three episodes left, I’m 50/50 on how this can go.

Screenshots: Crunchyroll
©NEGAPOSI-ANGLER PROJECT