“Turkey! Time to Strike” Episode 4, titled “The Chaotic Big Four,” ratcheted up the dramatic tension as the Ikkokukan High School bowling club continued their unexpected journey in the Sengoku period, delving deeper into the implications of time travel and the personal struggles of its members. The episode, which premiered on July 29, 2025, on Crunchyroll, pushed the boundaries of the sports anime genre by blending it with elements of historical fantasy and emotional drama.
Recap of the Time-Traveling Bowling Club’s Predicament
The series “Turkey! Time to Strike,” animated by Bakken Record and produced by Pony Canyon, follows five high school bowlers from Chikuma, Nagano, who are unexpectedly transported to Japan’s Warring States period. This bizarre predicament occurred when a lightning strike on a buried artifact affected club captain Mai Otonashi’s bowling ball, pulling her and the other members—Rina Godai, Sayuri Ichinose, Nozomi Mitaka, and Nanase Nikaidō—through time.
In the preceding episodes, the club members grapple with the reality of their situation, initially panicking over potential “butterfly effects” their presence might cause in the past.
Episode 4: Recreating the Rift and Rina’s Inner Conflict
“The Chaotic Big Four” primarily focuses on the club’s desperate attempt to return to their own time and the emotional baggage carried by first-year student Rina Godai. Nanase theorizes that to return home, Mai and Rina must recreate the exact conditions of their initial time displacement: scoring “turkeys” (three consecutive strikes) during a lightning storm.
Mai, despite the historical setting, shows a surprisingly lax attitude about altering the past, even going so far as to ask Sumomo, a local lord who previously saved the club, to help build a modern-looking bowling lane. This casual approach to potential historical paradoxes contrasts with earlier anxieties among the group, leading to discussions about whether the show will lean more into the “Steins;Gate” (consequence-heavy) or “InuYasha” (more forgiving) style of time travel narrative.
The heart of the episode, however, lies in the climactic bowling match between Mai and Rina, intended to trigger their return. During this intense face-off, Mai presses Rina on her intense obsession with winning. Rina reveals her deep-seated abandonment issues, stemming from her mother’s divorce and remarriage, and her belief that winning is the only way she can secure her place within the club and prevent her friends from leaving her behind, especially as they approach graduation.
As the thunderstorm rages and Mai’s bowling ball begins to glow, signaling the opening of the time rift, a fire erupts, preventing Rina from reaching it. In a poignant moment, Rina, resigned to being left behind, accepts her fate. However, the other club members choose to stay with her, insisting they will all return together, reinforcing their bond.
Emotional Depth and Thematic Exploration
Episode 4 has been praised for its dramatic intensity and emotional depth, showcasing a “very samurai movie, or shonen protagonist about to meet the final boss” vibe, despite being a sports anime. The episode successfully leverages the high-stakes time travel narrative to explore complex character motivations and themes of belonging and abandonment. The over-the-top, yet compelling, bowling match serves as a powerful metaphor for Rina’s internal struggle and the club’s unwavering solidarity.
The series is available for streaming on Crunchyroll, with new episodes typically released shortly after their airing in Japan.
