Returning Japanese II

Returning Japanese II is the twenty third episode of King of the Hill Season 6, 131st episode overall.

Summary
After the awkward moment between Hank and the stranger, Cotton happily greets the stranger and declares that he's the man's father, before asking his name. The man announces himself as Junichiro (which Cotton can't pronounce) and informs the group that he already knows of Cotton and that his mother Michiko isn't there and will be back tomorrow. Cotton gives Junichiro the card for the hotel and the group leaves. Outside the building Hank confronts his father about the fact that he had another son which forces Cotton to reveal the story of he and Michiko: After the American victory in Japan in World War II, Cotton was sent to the hospital where he had his feet attached to his knees. While there he met Michiko, a Japanese nurse who was assigned to him and the two fell in love at first sight. Since the solders were forbidden from "fraternizing with the conquered women" they kept the romance hidden. Things were okay until the Armed Forces took Cotton to be shipped back to the States. Cotton tried to stay behind but he was knocked unconscious and forced on the boat heading out leaving a crying Michiko behind, but apparently left something inside of her: their son Junichiro.

Back at the hotel, Hank is happy that he has a Japanese half-brother. Bobby who can't sleep goes outside to an arcade where he spots and plays a step-dancing game. While playing he befriends a Japanese schoolgirl in a traditional sailor fuku uniform and they begin to play together. Later that night, everyone is in a dining room in the hotel where Junichiro and Michiko along with an unknown person arrive. While having dinner, Cotton tells Michiko about what he did after the war and she in response tell him that after he left she had a hard time raising Junichiro alone, but found a man willing to help her: Wataru (the unknown person). Hank tries to be friendly to Junichiro, but since he works with robots and Hank works in propane they can't find anything to relate with each other. The T.V. producer filming this event tells the group that Cotton has been invited to a ceremony promoting peace between the U.S. and Japanese forces by the Japanese Emperor. Cotton is delighted with everything that has happened so far and asks for Michiko and Junichiro's forgiveness over what happened to them in the past. Junichiro however refuses to forgive Cotton saying that what he did was unforgivable. Cotton demands the he take back his word, but Junichiro refuses by renouncing his American heritage. This pushes Cotton over the edge and becomes extremely livid, he re-declares war on Japan and rampages out of the room. Hank tries to defuse the situation, but Junichiro coldly rebuffs him and leaves.

The next day Bobby gives his mom the slip and heads to the arcade to be with the schoolgirl again, and after another round of the dancing game, Bobby tells the girl that he has to go, but she takes him to a photobooth where she kisses him and the two agree to meet up later. Hank goes to Junichiro's workplace and asks for his help to find their father. Junichiro refuses at first, but then joins his brother once Hank points out the consequences if Cotton is caught. During their search for the crazed Cotton, they struggle at first due to culture clashes between the two men, but the half-brothers eventually come to an understanding and bond over a beer, their jobs, and the fact that both Hank and Junichiro have narrow urethras. The two brothers eventually catch up to Cotton at the bullet train station, but they are too late as he has boarded the train with plans to spit on the face of the Emperor at the ceremony. Should this actually happen, Junichiro's business reputation would be ruined, as no one would want to do business with the son of such a disrespectful man, so Hank agrees to thwart Cotton for Junichiro's sake. It is difficult to track down Cotton until Junichiro shows Hank ways connections are made in Japan. Back at the hotel Bobby tries to get away again to meet with the girl but Peggy won't let him and forces him to go with her on a sightseeing trip, meanwhile at the arcade, the girl realizes the Bobby is late and sadly begins to play the dance game with another boy.

At the ceremony the two brothers see the ceremony is crowded. Junichiro now tries things the American way, being brusque in pushing past the spectators, making their way to where Cotton is. Hank tries to talk his father out of spitting on the Emperor, but the veteran won't listen. However once Junichiro calls the war hero his father, Cotton is stunned. Junichiro tells his father that after spending time with Hank, he is no longer ashamed of his American heritage and is proud to call himself a Hill. Touched by this, Cotton awaits the Emperor, who is presenting awards, by now comporting himself properly. When the Emperor presents Cotton with an award, Cotton says he no longer holds any grudges for the war injuries suffered at the hands of the Japanese, and proudly introduces Junichiro and Hank. Back at the hotel, the Hills are packing for their trip back to the states, and when Peggy tells Junichiro about the news article she is writing, he shows the family that the hotel room was much bigger then they thought (complete with a gift basket of now-rotten fruit). Cotton apologizes to Michiko once again, but she tears up an old picture of the two in half and gives him the half with her on it, accepting his apology. On the way to the airport Cotton notices Bobby's pictures with the schoolgirl, but when he hears the he never said goodbye to her Cotton stops the cab and tells his grandson that he needs to gain closure and say goodbye. Bobby runs back to the arcade to meet the girl where she happily ditches the other guy and greets him. After the two kids share a small tender moment, they agree to have once last dance game with each other.

Back in Arlen, Luanne, who is walking the two dogs while thinking of an excuse to tell Hank, sees the shadows of Dale and Bill from the window the the Hill home, and believing them to be robbers calls the police. The police soon arrive and put the two men in cuffs, and as they are being hauled off, Dale tells Boomhauer to collect Hank's newspapers in his place to which Boomhauer agrees as the police leave with Dale and Bill.

Other Languages

 * Returning Japanese II/Other Languages

Quotes

 * Returning Japanese II/Quotes

Credits

 * Returning Japanese II/Credits

Stinger Quote
Bobby: "Texas is in the hiz-ouse!"

Trivia

 * The dance game that Bobby and the school girl played in the arcade is a reference to Dance Dance Revolution, a popular music-dance game originating from Japan
 * The film Pearl Harbor was a 2001 war-drama film that starred Ben Affleck and Kate Beckinsale.
 * It is unknown what became of the second bloodhound whom was presumably male as it was seen trying to mount Ladybird at one point.
 * The Japanese soldiers Cotton sees in his hallucinations appear to be zombies.
 * Though Hank and his half-brother look alike in this episode, since they supposedly share the same father, this would be extremely unlikely considering Hank's appearance is strikingly similar to his mother's - not Cotton's. Since Junichiro is Cotton's son, and not Hank's mom's, his features would not be identical to Hank's. Junichirio would also be several years older than Hank, but appears younger.
 * The title is a reference to the song "Turning Japanese" by The Vapors.
 * In the flashback sequence in which Cotton explains his affair with a Japanese nurse who worked at the clinic where he was recovering, there is a scene which shows Cotton being dragged by MPs aboard a ship bound for America. On the stern we see the name of the ship as the Lane Victory which in fact is a real Liberty Ship from WWII that was fully restored and takes passengers on tour trips around Catalina Island in California from her dock in San Pedro.
 * This episode features another instance of selfishness by Peggy Hill. Peggy is told by Bobby about Cotton's deeds in Japan and tells her to tell The Arlen Bystander about "The Widow in the Wallet". Peggy tells Bobby that there's no story in that (presumably because she didn't come up with it herself). Peggy then tells the story in a last-ditch effort to go somewhere during summer vacation, and phrases it, "I do have one other idea" and passes off "The Widow in the Wallet" as her own idea. It is unknown if she ever gave Bobby credit.
 * Peggy shows more selfishness when she wants to finish the article before landing in Japan, and attempts to force Cotton to speak to her, although he refuses.
 * Peggy also is selfish when she forces Bobby to accompany her sightseeing and refuses to allow Bobby to sleep in the sofa bed in the hotel.

Goofs

 * When Luanne thinks Ladybird is dead she leaves a hard-boiled egg which Ladybird eats. Luanne returns with another dog that looks identical to Ladybird to replace Ladybird, which she thinks is dead. But she should notice the egg is gone. Also, when Ladybird ate the egg she was wearing a red collar, but when Luanne brings in the new dog the two dogs run around and get 'mixed up' because Ladybird is no longer wearing the red collar.
 * Peggy says she could get airline tickets from her job at the newspaper to go to Jamaica to investigate "Rastafarian gangs". Rastafarianism is a peaceful spiritual/religious movement that has nothing to do with gang culture.