Cosmopolitan City / Showdown / Even If You Don't Fight / Covered in Cats / Don't Run (Japanese: 「国際都市」 「対決」 「たたかなくても」 「ねこまみれ」 「逃げないで」) is the eleventh episode of Azumanga Daioh.
Kagura helps a male foreigner move his luggage to the train station, struggling yet succeeding to communicate her intent. Yukari takes notice of this, attempting to demonstrate the proper way of handling such a situation, but fails to comply. Tomo draws an insult regarding Kagura's encounter. However, Tomo herself did not know that I.T. was abbreviated for information technology. Kagura joins Sakaki on the way to school, and starts talking about mountain bikes, but Sakaki is distracted by blooming flowers. Kagura challenges Sakaki in competitive eating at lunchtime, but Sakaki refuses to eat at faster than normal
speed. Sakaki hits one of Kagura's pitches in softball during gym class, as the ball lands on Chiyo's head in the outfield. When it comes time to take physical measurements, Tomo is excited over an increased bust size. Sakaki becomes upset when Kagura draws on a Neco Coneco advertisement in a magazine when they are looking at pictures of mountain bikes. On the way home, Kamineko headbutts and bites Sakaki, but Kagura manages to shoo it away. At home, Sakaki daydreams of being in a meadow with cats, who initially growl at her but eventually turn friendly. She reads in the magazine of a road where cats gathers, and she sets out by bike to the location. When she returns and meets Chiyo and Kagura, she is bandaged in several places. Later on, as Sakaki and Kagura are walking, Kagura begins scaring away any cat that crosses their path, but Sakaki wants to face and overcome this problem on her own. After approaching Kamineko again, Sakaki is able to pet it, despite having been bitten already. Kaorin finds Sakaki at the arcade, unaware that Sakaki has been playing the crane game to collect more plush cats.
Kagura shows that her English skills are bad. Although English is taught in regular middle schools and high schools, the majority of Japanese are not fluent in English. This is because not all high schools may require English, especially in the more technical, career-oriented/vocational high schools (for students who don't intend to go on to college). In addition, English is not necessarily required in college, so, after high school, many people gradually lose the English they learned.
Incidentally, though, the foreigner she helps also seems to be bad at speaking English, or at least his voice actor was straining to hide his accent.
Japanese schools are generally quite involved in the health of their students and keep track of it regularly. This includes measuring height and weight. Measuring bust size, however, is probably not part of the usual practice at most schools.
Kagura asks Tomo what the abbreviation "I.T." stands for.
Kagura mentions that she saved up her New Year's allowance. Giving some extra money to children is a traditional part of New Year's celebrations.
Sakaki's room is full of cat-related products, such as stuffed animals and a book informing her of a place where cats gather.
Sakaki visits an arcade.
Unanswered Questions
What happened to the German man Yukari ran away from.
Where Chiyo-chan learned the facts she informed her classmates of.
Which colours Kagura considered for her mountain bike.
If Kimura not asking Osaka how it went when she took her measurements meant that he was less interested in her than Kagura.
Which part-time jobs Kagura took in order to get the money required for buying a mountain bike.
Where Sakaki could find bandages and a sling on such short notice after being attacked by cats.
What the friend of Kaorin's who appears in this episode thought was a big surprise.
Whether Sakaki actually could and did teach Kaorin to play racing and fighting games.
Memorable Moments
Kagura failing to get her message across when wanting to help a foreigner (likely American) with his luggage. The whole thing is seen by Yukari, who tries to demonstrate how it's done, only to fail as well because the foreigner she was trying to help was from Germany, and Yukari is an English teacher.
When Kagura and Sakaki discuss flower names, Kagura mistakes it for a competition.
Tomo reveals that Yomi skipped breakfast when it was time to get weighed.
Kagura tries to help Sakaki with her Kamineko problem.
Sakaki's day dream about being able to pet cats successfully.
Sakaki gets bitten by Kamineko, but keeps on petting it anyway.
Quotes
Ohhhh … I'm convinced.
— Kagura and Tomo (when Yomi said I.T. was short for Internet Technique)
You should chew your food thoroughly whenever you're eating, you know.
— Sakaki (to Kagura)
ALL RIIIIIIIGHT!!! We're taking physical measurements today!! I'm going in with spirit!
— Tomo
So, how'd it go?
— Kimura (to Kagura, after she took her measurements)
Nothing … I just felt like it. Although … Doesn't it look pretty cool!?
— Kagura (to Sakaki, on the way she scribbled on the Neco Coneco advert)
Really … cats like that need to be disciplined. You just gotta hit them and make 'em understand.
— Kagura (on Kamineko)
Ohh, you saw her too? Yeah, Sakaki was going all out! She was putting more energy into it than I've ever seen from her!
— Kagura (to Chiyo)
Oh, so do you like get bitten by cats all the time or just with me?
