Suugaku Joshi Gakuen Ep 8

5 episodes left to watch and review! I wonder what math problems are waiting to be solved. :3

This episode starts out with Nina and Sayuri fighting. Supposedly, Sayuri threw the mentaiko bread to Nina, but it ended up flying out of the window instead. Sayuri was just trying to help, but Nina is upset with her. Sayuri ends up saying a whole bunch of mean things about Nina and Nina says Sayuri should apologize to the god of mentaiko. ^_^" (Even though her bread was safe and sound on the window ledge. @.@) Since Sayuri stormed off, Kazuki runs after her and ends up following Sayuri into the "Elite Area". Sayuri wants Nina to apologize to her, but doesn't at the same time since that would be so unlike Nina and Sayuri doesn't want to see that kind of Nina. (What complicated feelings, eh?)

Once Sayuri actually lifts her head and clears her mind a bit, she realizes that they are in forbidden territory, but Kazuki is confused. They try to leave, but get caught in the process by 3 elite students, who are Yotsuya Yuko (played by Hagiwara Mai from ºC-ute), Komaba Satoko (played by Nakajima Saki, also from ºC-ute) and Mita Tomoko (played by Okai Chisato, also from ºC-ute --> This means that all members from ºC-ute have been featured in Suugaku Joshi Gakuen!)

These elite students have classical music playing behind them and lift their glasses with their index finger one by one, saying how they don't permission to be in this special area of the school. Kazuki is still confused and Sayuri begins to explain that the school is divided into Inner Circle and Outer Circle. The elites are part of the Inner Circle and they are very rich (get all the nice stuff: teachers, classrooms, etc), and everyone else is part of the Outer Circle. Because Sayuri wasn't able to explain why they were in their area, Sayuri and Kazuki get tied up. Satoko talks about how Sayuri may be helpful to them for the Intramural Math Battle, which pits the Inner Circle vs the Outer Circle students. Whichever side wins will be able to have additional classrooms, etc. When the elites find out that Kazuki is the "dumb transfer student", they let him go and Kazuki is extremely upset. 

Satoko tells Sayuri to become their spy and divulge information about who on the Outer Circle is good at what kind of math so that the Inner Circle can win. Satoko's goal is to turn the entire school into an Inner Circle. Sayuri refuses, but Satoko insists that no one is coming to save her. Sayuri remembers her fight with Nina earlier and becomes discouraged, but she still refuses to help Satoko. Someone alerts Satoko that the "weeds" are coming, but to Sayuri's dismay, only Mami and Kazuki come to save her. Although not much saving can happen if Mami and Kazuki are in a restricted area...

The nurse talks to Nina about how it's ok to fight since it means that she's made friends and she's not alone anymore solely looking for her sister and that the nurse prefers Nina's smile and laughter from meeting so many wonderful people. Nina accepts the nurse's advice and goes to search for Sayuri and the others. Nina finds them to see Kazuki and Mami tied up as well. Sayuri is upset that Nina has come to save her, but is happy when Nina says that she's the hero saving her cute sidekick. Aww... Nina challenges Satoko and if Nina wins, then she gets Sayuri back. But if Satoko wins, Nina has to leave the school. That's a lot of pressure, and of course Nina cannot lose this battle. 

The situation: Sayuri is in one of 3 classrooms (A, B or C) and Nina has to choose the correct room. Simple premise, but extremely difficult to "solve". Mami mentions that this is all based on luck. 1 out of 3 chance of winning is unfair, but Satoko says that this is the challenge that Nina accepted. Nina goes with her instincts and picks Classroom A. Satoko says that she'll show one room where Sayuri is not in and Yuko opens Classroom B to show that it is empty. Satoko lets Nina choose again between A and C, but Nina doesn't understand why and at this point, it's 50/50. Satoko's plan is to make Nina agonize so that she won't be able to clearly see the answer. Nina is still confused why Satoko would show her that B didn't have Sayuri in it. Psychological battle continues!

Nina figures out that the probabilities for A and C are not 50/50 and chooses Classroom C and opens the door to find Sayuri. Sayuri is so happy that Nina was able to find her. Mami says that Nina has great luck, but Nina says that's it was logic, not luck. 

Nina explains that each classroom had a 1/3 chance of being correct. So A would be 1/3 and B+C would be 2/3. That's simple. Satoko showed that B didn't have Sayuri, which means that B+C still equals 2/3, but since B is zero, C is 2/3, which means there is a higher probability that Sayuri is in C than in A. This is called the Monty Hall Paradox. Based on Wikipedia, this is used in the show "Let's Make a Deal" that uses the exact same premise and more often than not, changing your answer will allow you to win the bigger prize.

Nina wins and Satoko lets Sayuri per their agreement. Nina compliments Satoko for such a good math problem, and Satoko wants Nina to join the Inner Circle. Nina refuses because she likes her class (influence from the nurse) and Satoko says that they are rivals then. Satoko even takes off her glasses when she shakes Nina's hand. (Quite respectful.)

Of course when Nina wins, there is always a punishment for the loser. The punishment this time is tickle torture. They remove 3 elite girls' glasses and begin to tickle with their fingers, feather duster, a back scratcher, and all sorts of other things. ^_^" I guess if you're ticklish and tied up to a chair, this would not be fun at all.

Sayuri and Nina make up, but Nina sees the figure of her sister and runs after it, only to lose sight of it. Is Nina getting closer to finding her sister and seeing what her sister saw when she became the Math Boss? We'll just have to see.