Was It Worse Than the Fire Itself? The Legendary "Nagasawa-kun's House Catches Fire" Episode of "Chibi Maruko-chan"—The Heartbreaking Encouragement Party

Everything about the “encouragement party” held for Nagasawa-kun (voiced by Chafūrin) after his house burned down was just terrible! Episode 116 of the first season of the anime “Chibi Maruko-chan,” titled “Nagasawa-kun’s House Catches Fire,” stands as one of the funniest episodes in the series, but in another sense, it might well be considered a “trauma episode.”

One day, Maruko (voiced by TARAKO) goes to watch a nearby fire with her grandfather (voiced by Kei Tomiyama). To their shock, the house burning is that of Maruko’s classmate, Nagasawa-kun. Seeing Nagasawa-kun crying out, “My house, my room! Everything will burn and disappear!” Maruko is moved to tears herself.

Even this part is unbearably heartbreaking, but Part B goes even further. On the suggestion of Maruo-kun (voiced by Nobuo Tobita), Maruko’s class decides to hold an “encouragement party for Nagasawa-kun.” Just as Maruko comments, “I feel like it would be better not to do anything extra and just leave him alone,” the party only ends up making everyone unhappy.