S1E09: Snowy Mountains Area

Episode 9 - Snowy Mountains Area
ゆきやまちほー (Yukiyama Chihō)
Episode Data
Air Date		March 7th, 2017
Introductions		Silver Fox, Ezo Red Fox
Previous		Episode 8 - PPP Live
Next		Episode 10 - Lodge

Snowy Mountains Area (Japanese: ゆきやまちほー; Hepburn: Yukiyama Chihō) is the ninth episode of the Kemono Friends anime series. It introduces Silver Fox and Ezo Red Fox.

Summary

At the beginning of the episode, the protagonists are trapped in a snowstorm. Serval can't handle the low temperature and starts to lose consciousness while Kaban tries to save her.

In a flashback sequence, Kaban and Serval are seen to arrive in the Snowy Mountains with the Japari Bus. During their trip Lucky mentions that there are hot springs on the other side of the mountain, explaining that it is a place where Friends can relax themselves in warm water. As always, Serval starts to get excited about this news, but unfortunately, the Japari Bus gets stuck in the snow shortly afterwards. Fortunately, Boss finds a set of tracks for the bus in an abandoned cabin and puts them over the tires, allowing them to continue their journey. Along the way Boss gives a quick explanation about the climate of the Snowy Mountains Area and how trees have difficulties growing here unless they are coniferous. Serval decides to leave the vehicle with Kaban to get closer to the snow because neither of them had encountered it before. They are initially amazed by how cold the snow is and they take their time to play together.

While they are playing, they notice a mysterious white smoke flying up into the sky. The smoke is coming from the hot springs so they take another path to find the source, leaving the Japari Bus behind them. Boss delivers another explanation about the animals who live in this area, specifically mentioning their long white fur.

As the group continues on their way they get stuck in a snowstorm which completely freezes Boss. By chance, Kaban remembers that earlier when she was playing with the snow it stuck to itself, and that Boss had mentioned that it was possible to build things using snow. She then works with Serval to build an igloo using this knowledge. After they finish building they go inside to wait until the snow storm vanishes.

Ezo Red Fox and Silver Fox first appearance in the igloo

While they are waiting, Kaban hears unknown voices from outside the igloo, when suddenly a new Friend pushes her head inside the igloo, scaring both Kaban and herself as she didn't expect to see Serval or Kaban inside. After this small incident, the new Friend calmly introduces herself as Silver Fox and also introduces her friend Ezo Red Fox, who was hiding behind her. Silver Fox then explains that Ezo Red Fox heard noises coming from inside the igloo, and says that when a fox notices a sound in the ground they jump in the air and bury their head in the snow to capture their prey. Ezo Red Fox contradicts what Silver Fox just said and says that she instead feels the "magnetic fields" that all animals give off.

Silver Fox begins to worry about Kaban and Serval because of the low temperature outside, so she gives them hot water bottles to warm themselves. Ezo Red Fox starts to complain and demands a hot water bottle simply because she wants to be warmer than she already is. The storm finally disappears but Ezo Red Fox wants to stay in the igloo a bit longer, showcasing her laziness to the others.

Afterwards, the Friends make their way to the hot springs. During their walk, Serval gets surprised by a geyser and yet again gets excited and tries to guess where the geyser came from. She happily makes an incorrect guess, stating that the geyser with the sea. When they get closer to the hot springs, Serval impatiently jumps in one them, but quickly discovers that it was a cold puddle instead. Not sure what to make of the two of them, Silver and Ezo Red Fox propose that they warm their feet in a true hot spring this time. While they do this, Ezo Red Fox spots the problem with the extractor that she and Silver Fox originally came to fix.

At The Library, Fennec Fox and Raccoon manage to find Northern White-Faced Owl and Eurasian Eagle-Owl to ask if they can enter the mountain to do research. They remind the pair that it's a forbidden area, however they change their mind and decide to help them after talking it over more.

Silver Fox quickly finds the source of the problem with the extractor and begins to try to repair the machine, which had been clogged by sulfur. Ezo Red Fox states that this is a problem because high amounts of sulfur are thought to attract Celliens. Kaban and Serval are off exploring on their own when suddenly Boss shares another recording of Mirai. In the recording, Mirai states that Celliens are able to eat Sandstar and that the friends absorbed by the Celliens may lose the skills and traits they received from the Sandstar, or even be wiped out. As an unexpected surprise, Mirai doesn't seem to be alone as another voice can be heard before the recording cuts off.

Silver and Ezo Red Fox accomplish their goal and fix the extractor. While the water slides down the hot springs, Serval notices that the mountain where the eruption of Sandstar began is not very far away. Silver Fox refers to the mountain as "sacred", she did wanted to visit it but the area is protected by the professors.

The crew slide down the mountains with a sled to escape the cerulean's attack

Suddenly the Friends are threatened by an invasion of Celliens, so Kaban find the resources needed to build a sled to escape from the incoming threat. During their escape, Ezo Red Fox treats the situation as a video game, directing the others in which way to lean in order to steer. They soon reach the Japari Bus and escape the Celliens without any Friend getting hurt.

They head back together to the hot springs building maintained by the foxes. When they enter, Ezo Red Fox runs away from the other Friends to go to her Japari Arcade and return to her video games. The Friends then take a warm bath to relax themselves. In the spring Capybara is introduced, who is delighted to see the hot springs working again. Kaban is hesitant about entering the spring with her clothes on, which is the first time that any of the Friends present knew that their clothing could come off. Silver Fox informs Serval and Kaban that a bigger sled can be found at the harbor. Kaban, Serval, and Boss return to the Japari Bus and say their last words to Silver and Ezo Red Fox before leaving to continue their adventure. Boss suggests to stay the night in The Lodge before they continue along their way.

Fennec and Raccoon soon reach the stage where PPP perform. While Raccoon complains about her stolen hat, the penguins and Margay talk about how Sandstar can transform not only animals but also any objects that were once part of an animal into a Friend, specifically mentioning that that is how New Zealand Giant Penguin became a Friend.

Major Events

• Discovery of the Snowy Mountains Area.
• Kaban and Serval meet Silver Fox and Ezo Red Fox.
• Recording of Mirai and the other mysterious voice.
• Attack from the Celliens.
• Serval, Ezo Red Fox, Silver Fox, and Capybara learn that their clothes can come off.

Animal Talk Segments

Silver Fox's animal talk

Ezo Red Fox's animal talk

Casts

Major Characters

• Kaban
• Serval
• Lucky
• Arai-san
• Fennec Fox
• Royal Penguin
• Emperor Penguin
• Gentoo Penguin
• Southern Rockhopper Penguin
• Humboldt Penguin

Minor Characters

• Silver Fox
• Ezo Red Fox
• Northern White-Faced Owl
• Eurasian Eagle-Owl
• Margay
• Mirai

Background Characters

• Capybara

Trivia

• When Ezo Red Fox turns on the arcade machine, the title theme for the 2015 Kemono Friends mobile game can be heard.