The Mitsubas' cost-cutting plans don't turn out as well as planned...
Freeze in the cold and eat steaks (寒さこらえてステーキ食べようの巻) is episode 103 of the 1981 Ninja Hattori-kun anime.
The family are saving money because of the snow - by not using any heating or buying warm food at all!
Synopsis[]
One snowy day, at lunchtime, Mrs Mitsuba prepares warm chicken curry. Kenichi says that he wishes that they had steak, and Mrs Mitsuba replies that they have to save money for the snow, and that they can't buy steak because it's too expensive. Hattori also suggests that they cut off the heating to save money. Little does the Mitsuba family know that they are in for trouble...
Later, when Mrs Mitsuba is washing the dishes, the temperature suddenly drops. She finds out that Kenichi has turned off the heating. When Mrs Mitsuba asks why he did that, Kenichi replies that they are all "cost-cutting", as they call it. Later on, in the master bedroom, Shishimaru and Mr Mitsuba are watching a cooking show on television, when the temperature goes down. Hattori says that they are on a money-saving mission.
That night, when a freezing Kenichi goes to bed, he decides to turn the heating on - but Hattori stops him. Kenichi sneezes. More trouble arises later on when Mrs Mitsuba is so cold that she can't do the dishes, and Shishimaru is used as a makeshift blanket by Mr Mitsuba.
A few nights later, Mr Mitsuba comes home from work to see Mrs Mitsuba wearing a jumper to warm up. Later on, after Mr Mitsuba gets into his warm suit (a dressing-gown, jumper and scarf), they all eat dinner. Kenichi, clad in a blue-grey ninja suit, comments on the food. Mr Mitsuba inquires as to why Hattori and Shinzo don't feel cold, and Hattori says that they use Ninja Techniques to learn how to withstand extreme weather. Mr Mitsuba and Kenichi are so astonished that they start shivering. They run into the bathroom and jump into the tub for a hot bath - only to find that the water is freezing! Shinzo reminds them that they are "cost-cutting" - when all they are doing is making everyone suffer.
The next morning, the sun rises. While Kenichi and Mr Mitsuba enjoy the sunshine from Kenichi's bedroom window, Hattori and Shinzo go out for a walk. As the clouds cross the sun, Mr Mitsuba and Kenichi move to the warmest place possible. Suddenly, it gets cold again.
Later that day, Mr Mitsuba finds a thousand Yen and uses it to buy steak. That night, Mrs Mitsuba cooks the steak and gets ready to serve it to the family - but then she, Hattori, Shinzo and Shishimaru find poor Mr Mitsuba and Kenichi in bed with nasty colds. Hattori realises that it was all because of their extreme nature that Mr Mitsuba and Kenichi have fallen ill.
Characters[]
Memorable dialogue[]
Kentaru Mitsuba: When I was just a little boy, I asked my mother, what will I be... (shivers) Oh, it's shivering like anything. I want to be warmed up... oh, no, we are cost-cutting, right?
Mrs Mitsuba: Sorry for my appearance, honey, but you're welcome home.
Mr Mitsuba: Oh, whatever it is... thanks to you, I became sober!
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Kanzo Hattori: (to Kenichi) We are cutting costs.