The first time Dot ate something onscreen was when she tried out the donuts Murdock made for her back in HZ008. He left them in the kitchen for her and communicated through written messages to let her know about them, but he didn't give them directly to her. From then on, Dot gradually tried out new things. Liko included her in the picnic in her own way (with Murdock's help) in HZ013 and she enjoyed it. In the following episode (HZ014), we also know Murdock gave her breakfast (Friede asked him about it) and that she was happy about it. Even fastforward in HZ019, she was seen drinking coffee and Murdock asked her if it was too sweet for her and she replied to him without fully facing him. But in both cases, we didn't see Murdock giving her breakfast or coffee, it happened offscreen.

And in the other significant moments revolving around food for Dot (like the curry in HZ027), Murdock was acting more an an observer and watching from afar instead of getting involved directly. I think part of him doesn't want to come off as pushy or like he is forcing her (since we know Dot apparently almost blocked him over him sending her messages).. I think it really shows through in HZ039 when Dot wasn't exactly too thrilled about going out shopping at first and he immediately took her side and said that she didn't have to go (he didn't encourage her to go, but I think his reasoning was that he thought Dot needed someone on her side in this situation and he didn't want to get on her bad side or for her to dislike him if he told her to go out.. which is such an uncle-like reaction). In general, I think he both wants to respect her boundaries and do something for her even if he doesn't know what exactly, and while knowing she won't easily open up to him especially since he is her uncle. Which isn't exactly wrong per se, because Dot mostly needed a peer like Liko she could connect with and open up to, and that's why Murdock mostly watches over them instead of getting involved and doesn't interfere (though I also think he may be underestimating himself a bit on some level because while there are things only Liko or Roy can do for Dot as her friends, there are also things only Murdock can do for her).

The ep starts with the trio heading to Hakkou City. Roy is singing happily with Hogator (they are super cute), while Liko and Dot comment on his good mood and how passing his test must have taken a weight off his shoulders. Liko encourages Dot and assures that she'll be able to pass her test, since she was able to pass it too (I really need to point out how Liko seems to put herself down in some ways sometimes and minimizes her achievements... Something that Dot does as well at times... Liko and her confidence issues etc). Dot thinks Liko is fussing too much but she smiles about it. Liko gets a notification that a new Gurumin video got uploaded and wonders if Dot filmed it out and about. Dot explains she prepared some videos before the Terastal course, and takes into account Liko's comment (maybe she'll film outside sometime), and Liko is happy about it. Then, Roy calls out to them and tells them they reached Hakkou City. (I really like how we get continuous small moments of Liko and Dot talking, just the two of them, and their interactions always give so much to think about.)

As they are in Hakkou City, Roy comments that this place is still as great as ever (boy lived on an isolated island most of his life, so it's cool that he keeps getting excited about big cities and stuff like that). Liko sees a Nyahoja ad and feels nostalgic about it (Nyarote doesn't look impressed though ww). Dot is calling Friede (who is with everyone else) and tells him they reached the city (good that they keep in touch and that they let the adults know where they are). Orio and Mollie suggests that they swing by and stay at the dock during Dot's test, and Murdock tells Dot he brought her cake (and she is embarassed about it). Then, an ad featuring Nanjamo is shown in the city and Roy wonders if they'll be able to see her before Dot's test, to which Dot says that they won't since she is busy. Though, it turned out that Nanjamo was at the place where Friede and the others are, and Dot seemed surprised about it and told her she doesn't live there or anything... Nanjamo thinks she cares about the details too much and that a streamer who shows her face like her needs a place where she can relax (and she is eating some of the cake Murdock brought too). She is the one who showed the RVT the dock where Orio is fixing the ship though, so it's not like she didn't do anything for them. Murdock gives cakes to everyone (the one Sango missed in HZ047.. I thought about her when I saw it), including the Pokemon, and Dot is enjoying her food (very important).

Friede asks Liko and Roy how their course is going, Liko says she is somehow hanging in there, and Roy says it's going great (I always liked the different responses both of them give, Liko's are always more measured, while Roy's focus on the more positive aspects, which fits their personalities). Friede says Dot will face Nanjamo next (he didn't use honorifics with her btw, he called her just "Nanjamo"). Nanjamo tells Dot she has a favor to ask for her, so they all go outside.. Nanjamo explains to Dot that her basics tests are streamed on her channel, so they'll rehearse for it (it's not something specific to Dot, but something she does with everyone taking the course apparently). Nanjamo won't go up against Dot herself (or else she'd be revealing too much of her strategies), so Roy steps in (she keeps calling Dot's friends her "IRL friends", it's cute). Friede seems particularly interested in seeing how much Roy has grown. Nanjamo says she won't stream the rehearsal, but the real test will be filmed. Dot seems nervous around cameras (which Liko immediately notices and points out that Dot isn't like usual). The battle quickly ends with Roy's win because Dot was too nervous to battle while being filmed, so she didn't actually call out any moves. She admits that her mind went blank with all the cameras pointing at her. Roy wonders why since she streams as Gurumin all the time. Nanjamo understands that Dot must have gotten stage fright since she wasn't in her suit (her voice at that moment sounded really soft). Nanjamo gives Dot advice and tells her that both influencers and those who want to use Terastal need to dazzle and put on a good show. Dot isn't confident she can dazzle as herself, if she is not Gurumin (she doesn't have much confidence as herself).

Back to the ship, Dot is in her room facing her Gurumin suit. Nanjamo told Dot she was willing to let her take her test as Gurumin. Roy thought Nanjamo was nice even though he acknowledged that she wasn't doing it exactly for her either (since Nanjamo wants lots of views). Liko wonders if Dot is okay with it, and ponders about the fact that Gurumin isn't Dot. Which is really interesting tbh, because back in HZ036, Liko was all "there is nobody inside Gurumin" and didn't exactly reconcile the fact that Dot was the one behind Gurumin.. or at least at that point, not fully. She was jumpy and a bit embarassed about it, but now there is an actual shift in perspective. Liko fully acknowledges it and reconciled Dot and Gurumin in her mind. Like, it would be kind of easy to keep the humorous aspect of Liko freaking out around Dot and keep things static, but no, it's part of the development that the shift in perspective is gradual, happened over time, to the point that now, Liko and Dot can talk about Gurumin in a more comfortable way and that Liko can fully see behind Dot's facade, etc. It makes their dynamics much more compelling to think about. (Thinking about other anime I watched and sometimes, when there is a dynamics with someone being a "fan" of the other, it leans too much into that aspect so the dynamics kind of remains static and it feels unbalanced... which isn't the case here. Not only is there an intentional shift in perspective over time, and Gurumin's aspect is tackled in a thoughtful way in regards to Dot's arc and the performer aspect. Anyway, Liko and Dot's relationship is great.)

Afterwards, Dot starts livestreaming as Gurumin on the ship and says she'll have an announcement to make. (I liked the small moment with Roy catching Liko's attention by putting his hand on her shoulder.. just seeing what kind of physical contact characters tend to have or not shows how comfortable they are around the other, etc.) She streams around Hakkou City with her Pokemon and tries lots of stuff. Liko notices that Gurumin isn't the same as usual this time.. Kuwassu doesn't seem convinced by Dot's act either. Either way, Liko and Roy meet up with Dot in some kind of alleyway. Roy thought she seemed to be having lots of fun, and Dot says that she feels stronger as Gurumin so she'll take the test as Gurumin since she got Nanjamo's permission. Liko seems skeptical... Dot notices Liko still has something to say, and Liko goes like "oh no it's fine, it's really fine but..." and asks Dot if she is really okay with it. Liko admits she felt like Dot was pushing herself and making herself act extra cheerful (which Roy didn't notice). Dot is defensive and says she wasn't forcing herself.. Kuwassu drags her Gurumin costume away and doesn't want Dot to take it. Roy wonders if Kuwassu also thinks Dot was acting odd, and Liko asks again if Dot is okay with taking the test as Gurumin, but Dot cuts her off and yells at her and says it's no big deal and she already made her decision.

The whole interaction was good tbh. I love how Liko's non confrontational nature is highlighted (she doesn't want to upset others and phrases things in a specific way as to not offend her friends), but she still takes that step to convey what she thinks, because she cares about Dot and wants to know how she truly feels.. The differences in the dynamics Dot has with Liko and Roy too (Liko specifically being the one who notices Dot's feelings is something constant, she is much more in tune with her, while Roy usually doesn't exactly notice... the friendships she has with the two are a bit different, Liko is the one Dot confides in about her fears and they have deep talks together, etc). The way Kuwassu could see something felt off about Dot too (and how he tends to push her and be a bit strict with her). And I also like how Dot can be irritable sometimes tbh (she reminded me of a character from a shoujo who was a bit like her in the way she refused to have friends, who then became friends with the protagonist and felt like it was a pain sometimes because discovering the joy of friendship means you have to be careful and considerate of your friend's feelings... it made me think of that, especially with the way Dot said "it's a pain" after she yelled at Liko).

Afterwards, Dot's Gurumin costume gets taken away by a Pokemon called Burorom (who really scared Kanuchan too), who goes downtown. There's lots of people there, and Dot wants to take back her costume but she thinks she can't battle with so many people around... though she eventually musters the courage to (Liko and Roy wanted to step in to help, but Dot told them she'd handle it herself). Dot battled and thought of a plan and eventually won (and Liko knew that she had something in mind, she trusts her). Nanjamo was watching from afar (idk from where though w) and made an announcement that Dot would be taking her basics test with her and that it'd be streamed. She has high hopes for Dot. (A bunch of background characters were filming Dot's battle and I really dislike these nameless background characters now. I feel like it shows this modern problem of people filming strangers, which is very invasive.)

At the end, Dot wanted to pick her Gurumin costume back up, but Liko and Roy already took care of doing it. They went to hide it in an alleyway, and Dot joined them and thanked them for that (she didn't get exposed as Gurumin which is good, because it wouldn't have been her choice if it happened). She also apologized for yelling at them, and seems happy about being called "Dot" by Nanjamo for the first time and feels like she got acknowledged a bit. She decides that she'll take the test as Dot. Back at her place, Nanjamo is also looking forward to their battle. (I feel like we could see the senpai kohai aspect of their relationship more clearly now. At first, it felt like Dot and Nanjamo started off as seemingly equals since they are both streamers who are competent in their fields, but Dot's walls are crumbling a bit now and we can see that there is still a lot she has to learn. Nanjamo also genuinely looks forward to battling her personally and it's also nice seeing this side of her. Like, she wants to encourage that growth. She was happy about Dot making IRL friends and also helped her look for Liko back in HZ015. There's just lots of history there, so I look forward to their battle.)