Episode 5

I've got a tail, too, you know? (しっぽなら、わらわのがあるじゃろ？ Shippo nara, warawa no ga arujaro?) is the fifth episode of the Sewayaki Kitsune no Senko-san anime. It aired on May 8th, 2019.

Summary
Shiro does her best to please Nakano but gets a little more than she bargained for. Later, Senko scrubs Nakano's back for him.

Plot
Nakano leaves from his work and boards his daily night train. On the train, he expresses his desire for Senko's fluffy tail and wishes he could do something to return the favor. With kindhearted thoughts, Nanako returns home to a casual "welcome home", only to unexpectedly meet Shiro sitting next to a prepared meal table with Senko.

Shiro immediately introduces herself as the "Inari demigod fox, Shiro". Senko interrupts and explains that she neglected to mention Shiro would be showing up. Nakano doesn't mind the inconvenience and decides to eat the already prepared meal with Shiro. While eating, Nakano glares at Shiro, gawking at her white tail. Shiro notices and claims her tail is proof of "pure blood". Nakano, fazed by the statement, is interrupted by Senko, wiping food off of Shiro's face. Nakano continues his praise and learns that fox demigods receive many fried tofu offerings, making it a daily food for them. After a long talk, Senko politely asks Shiro to leave. Shiro refuses and states she has "business" with Nakano. Taking a lewd and uncomfortable approach, Shiro grabs Nakano's chin and whispers that she has "a treat" for him:

''"I'll let you pet my head!" ''

Nakano agrees to the head-patting procedure, promptly being assured that no lightning strikes will occur. Senko becomes jealous and shyly asks to be head-patted as well. Nakano happily agrees, in fact, a state of euphoria quickly rushes over him as he imagines being lifted into the sky with Shiro and Senko in hand. Returning to reality, Shiro applauds him on his head-patting skills but still believes he is not fully satisfied. With that in mind, Shiro produced a ring of fox-fire and formed a mind-controlling fox-magic pentagram. Senko demands that she stops, but Shiro continues and hypnotizes Nakano into informing her of his greatest desires. Nakano monotonously decrees that he wishes to "fluff" her tail. "Nothing but that!" She exclaims, running away and phasing through walls into Kōenji's apartment.

Kōenji, tiredly, exclaims that she would love to pet cats all day. She imaginarily pets a cat she calls Tama, blaming it on her late-worked self. Coincidentally and at the same time, Shiro phases into her room, running from Nakano. Kōenji stares at Shiro, standing in the room and rubs her eyes. Finally, believing that Tama had come to life, she grabbed Shiro and exclaimed that her imaginary cat came alive. To Kōenji's dismay and amazement, Shiro walked off, casually apologizing for the interruption.

Back at the Nakano residence, Senko is trying to cheer up Nakano from his loss of Shiro's fluffy tail. Senko allows Nakano to "fluff" her hair, and immediately he becomes relaxed and enjoys the experience. Off in the distance, Shiro is glaring from outside the window. She states that she'll never pamper Nakano again.

Senko quietly prepares a bath. After the bath is prepared, Senko walks out of the bathroom and points out that the bath is ready. Nakano makes small talk and then asks to enter the room first. With a visible aura of darkness, Nakano enters the bathroom. Senko notices the darkness and devises a plan to remove it.

After Nakano entered the bath, he relaxed and wished he could fall asleep under the heat. Unknowingly, Senko is undressing outside the door. Finally, Senko opens the door to the bathroom, clothesless, asking to wash his back. Nothing happens at all for a few seconds, and Nakano simply says: "No, thanks" and closes the door. Refusing, Senko phases through the door and reluctantly, Nakano complies. Wanting to return the favor, Nakano asks if he can wash Senko's back as well, to which she agrees. Nakano then realizes something very exciting to him: "I'll be able to see the base of her tail!"

Senko gently washes Nakano's back and is reminded of his youth. After a moment of mostly silent washing, Nakano switches places with Senko and washes her back. Nakano gawks at Senko's tail while he's washing. The moment he rinses her back, however, the tail, to his surprise and dismay, is completely drenched and has lost its "fluff".

After the wash, Nakano and Senko bathe together, and Nakano teaches Senko the basics of using a hand as a water gun. Once again being reminded of his youth, Nakano enjoys himself like a child in the bath. Senko, realizing this, told him the truth of why she entered the bath with him. She stated he was too "out of it" and was worried that he would "drown in here [the bath] alone". Nakano, thinking he is at fault for making Senko worry, promises to make himself better in the future. Senko declines: "I'm here to keep you from drowning!"

After the talk, Senko alluded to the need for Nakano to come to a special fox hot spring. Nakano agreed that he would love to come.

The bath concludes, but Nakano still is wondering if Senko's battered tail will recover. Happily, with the use of a hair drier, Senko recovered her tail, stating it was most important to her. Seemingly, this was the same to Nakano as he ran and clenched her tail, fluffing it for a long time.

Trivia

 * In the "Super Senko-san Time" section of the show, Senko states that her tail is a "sensitive" part of her body.
 * This is the first time fox-magic has been used in the anime.