The Last Member

Someone is ridding the planet of Chimera Animals all on her own, and it isn't any of the girls working at the cafe. Ichigo and the others believe it is Zakuro Fujiwara, a beautiful and talented model who happens to be Mint's idol. Ryou has the girls enter an audition that has Zakuro scheduled to accompany the judges. Unfortunately, Pudding's arrival causes the audition to have disastrous results ruining any chances of talking to Zakuro.

Late that evening, Masha awakens Ichigo with the news that the last Mew may be in danger. She rallies the other girls, and they all make haste to a large cathedral where they find Zakuro praying. Suddenly, black crows enter the church shattering it's beautiful stained glass windows. Along with them is a snickering Kish. He orders the hundreds of birds to attack the girls, but Kish has other plans for Zakuro. Knowing the beautiful model is also a Mew, Kish instructs a large bird-type Chimera Animal to kill her.

Mew Mew Zakuro Metamorphosis.

Zakuro transforms. Her speed and agility is amazing as she finishes off the Chimera Animal and slightly injures Kish. He leaves in a frustrated huff. Mint and the others beg Zakuro to join them, but she rudely refuses stating that "she doesn't need any friends!" Mint looks on in stunned disappointment as Zakuro walks out.

To be continued!

The Heart to Believe

After their encounter with Zakuro, Mint has been acting as if she's in a miserable daze. The others have a talk with Ryou and Keiichiro. Ryou casually tells Ichigo that it is up to the Mew Mews to convince Zakuro to join them. Ichigo says she will go see Zakuro directly, but Ryou warns her that Zakuro may be an enemy. Ichigo doesn't believe that to be true.

Elsewhere, Kish is making his apologies to their leader. He says he will erase the Mew Mews when they meet up with the fifth member once more. However, he doesn't want to erase Ichigo. "She will prove useful to their side," he says.

The girls try many different ways to talk to Zakuro (shopping mall appearance, watching for her vehicle). Finally, they are led to a building where Zakuro sits in a waiting room. Just before they had arrived, Kish was trying to get Zakuro to join him, telling her she could get revenge for what they did to her body. Mint, Lettuce, and Pudding walk in on her and Kish. Ichigo runs in just as Kish sends an attack at her friends resulting in their disappearance. Only Lettuce's glasses remain. Kish disappears but not before telling the two remaining girls to fight....the winner will join him. Zakuro refuses, saying it doesn't concern her and coldly walks out.

Back at the Mew headquarters, Keiichiro's investigation finds that Mint and the others are fine but in a different dimension. However, they don't have much time left. Ichigo is forced to either fight Zakuro or tell the beautiful model that she believes in her....as a friend would. If all goes well, Zakuro may be able to create a slit in the other dimension with her whip of light. Ichigo runs off to attend a live broadcast of Zakuro's.

Just before the live broadcast, Ichigo is able to speak with Zakuro. Unfortunately, the older girl refuses to help Ryou and the others, because they selfishly bathed her in the bright light without asking (Yep, they really should have asked before transforming the girls into Mews....don't you think?). Ichigo watches as the broadcast gets underway. Unbeknownst to her, Kish has shown up and used one of the stagehands to create a snake-like chimera. Masha begins to shout, "Alien!!" When Ichigo goes to investigate, Kish tackles her to the ground making it impossible to transform.

On the stage of the live broadcast, chaos erupts when the large chimera enters. At the same time, Ichigo knees Kish in the gut allowing her to escape....
Mew Mew Strawberry! METAMORPHOSIS!!!
Mew Ichigo tries to protect Zakuro (who is tangled in a real snake as part of the live broadcast). Unfortunately, the strong chimera wraps itself around Mew Ichigo. "Run Zakuro," Mew Ichigo pleads, "you're a friend!" This shocks Kish, and the chimera drops Ichigo to the ground. Kish tries to convince Ichigo to join him saying Zakuro has run away. In fact, Zakuro went to the other dimension to save the other girls.

Mew Mew Zakuro! METAMORPHOSIS!!!
Ribbon..... Zakuro SPEAR!! Thanks to Mew Zakuro, the girls are saved and join Ichigo. However, they're powers alone can't destroy the chimera and Ichigo is still weak. The pink-haired Mew wishes for strength. Suddenly, Mew Ichigo's strawberry bell resonates as all five of their powers combine. It's strength allows Mew Ichigo to destroy the chimera and amaze Kish, who exits quickly.

After the fiasco, Mew Zakuro says she will consider being friends with them delighting the younger girls especially Mint. As they are hugging, the cameras begin to focus on them. The announcer calls the Mews super heroes and broadcasts them on TV. On the streets outside, Masaya happens to see Mew Ichigo. Luckily Mint grabs Ichigo before she gives away too much information. However, now all of Japan knows about Tokyo Mew Mew, the protectors of justice!!

Identity Revealed

Ichigo is sleeping in class again. This time she has a dream whereby everyone is adoring her as a Mew Mew. Then Ayoma-kun appears in her dream, and he is not happy with her identity. Just as she shouts, "it's not me!," the teacher awakens her.....how embarrassing. A short time later at lunch, Ichigo overhears the other students discussing the Mew Mew's, and she can't help but smirk.

After school, Ayoma asks Ichigo if she would like to accompany him to Inohara Park. On their way Ichigo's heart begins to pound causing her ears to appear. Ayoma turns to see Ichigo submerged in a bush. When the coast is clear (ears disappear), Ichigo jumps up and is in awe of the beautiful cherry tree that stands before her. The tree's colors have changed even though it is only June....an unusual phenomenon. Then Ayoma tells her to listen to the cicada's chirp. As their conversation comes to a close, Ayoma says that since Ichigo accompanied him to the tree, he is hers for the rest of the day.

At the cafe, Ichigo is smirking again but working very hard. Everyone is happy to see Zakuro on her first day at the cafe. Ichigo wonders if a celebrity will cause a commotion, however, Lettuce explains that the beautiful model's personality is so poor no one will know that it is her. Shortly after Keiichiro arrives holding a Mew Mew cake for them to enjoy. It is to celebrate all five Mew Mews coming together. Unfortunately, the little party is interrupted by Ryo. He orders everyone to the basement for a meeting. "Now that all five Mew Mews are together," he says, "the real fight begins. The enemy will be getting more serious."

The next scene shows Kish sitting by the cherry tree basically stating that playtime is over.

In the cafe's basement, Ryo explains how some advanced technology is trying to recreate the Earth to their advantage. These beings don't care if the animals living on this planet become extinct. He is convinced, however, that these aliens can be stopped. The fact that five people (who converted the Red Data animal's power) are brought together by fate to fight the enemy, convinced him. After Ryo's speech, Ichigo asks how long they are going to be like this. The older boy responds, "when all of the aliens are defeated." It's unknown how long that will be.

After a night of worrying, Ichigo leaves her home the next morning feeling energetic. At the cafe later that day, Keiichiro discovers some disturbing data. Something is destroying the carbon dioxide level of the Earth's atmosphere. The plants will begin to spit out poisonous material. They have isolated the five sources and tell each Mew Mew that they will be working independently to destroy each one. Ichigo sees that the cherry tree in Inohara Park is one of them and volunteers to take care of that one.

Mew Mew Strawberry.....Metamorphosis! Each of the girls transform!

At Inohara Park, Ayoma is gathering vegetation and comes face to face with Kish. The alien puts the boy to sleep with his poisonous air. Ichigo arrives claiming she will stop Kish from destroying their planet. Kish says he will kill her by his own hands, and the two get into battle. Ichigo's agility helps her to strike a crushing blow to Kish's cheek. The alien boy is totally impressed! Suddenly, Ichigo notices bright colorful streams of light coming from the other four sources. She knows she must do things in unison and grabs her strawberry bell. Kish begs her to stop but.....

Ribbon Strawberry Check!!!

The union of the five Mew Mew's erase the alien's destructive force. After Kish bids farewell, Ichigo turns to the tree echoing, "I'm sorry." Suddenly, a familiar voice utters her name. She turns...shocked to see Ayoma standing before her. Ichigo places her hands over her mouth and thinks, "This can't be. Why?"

NOTE: That is how it ends. Ayoma isn't supposed to admit that he knows her identity until many, many more episodes. Why it isn't like this in the English version is a mystery to me.