This is one of the show’s most light-hearted cartoons, but that doesn’t stop it from being a very fun and entertaining watch. As a cartoon of this kind, it’s not surprising that it focuses on some of the quirky residents of Beach City, those being the family that runs Fish Stew Pizza consisting of the owner, Kofi, his twin daughters Jenny and Kiki, and his mother Nanefua. The plot unfolds when the Crystal Gems accidentally destroy the sign on the shop while fighting a pufferfish monster. The way the family reacts to the damage demonstrates their appeal as characters with Kofi unleashing a lot of fury at his precious sign, the twins going along with him without really caring, and Nanefua just brushing off Kofi’s fury by making jokes. Anyway, because Kofi is so torn up by the Crystal Gems destroying his sign, he bans them from his shop and never shuts up about the frivolous matter throughout the cartoon, admittedly making him come off as stereotypical, and not just of short-tempered fathers. Now, since Steven feels that the Crystal Gems should be loved by all humans given that their job is to protect them, he sets up a beach party to have them make amends with the Pizza family. The party itself is pretty basic in setup where the characters mostly just eat, well the humans anyway as this cartoon reveals that Gems don’t need to eat even though Amethyst likes to do it, and play volleyball. However, little things help to make it stand out as a set of enjoyable moments like when the Pizza family questions the Crystal Gems’ appearance and lifestyle and the Gems trying to be polite as they answer their questions. The volleyball game is also a lot of fun with each team consisting of a member of the Pizza family and a Gem. It’s loaded with entertaining banter as each team goes about the game in their own way, even if it means constantly breaking the rules while Steven and Nanefua casually comment on what’s going on. As for the resolution to the conflict, it ultimately comes through when the pufferfish monster returns, the Gems and Pizzas work together in defeating it, and the Pizzas show appreciation for the Gems saving them, and that includes Kofi. It’s true that nothing majorly important or exciting happens here, but a good chance for the Crystal Gems to interact with other humans aside from Steven, fun personality clashes, and great entertainment mined from the simple life moments that make up the plot make it one worth watching. 8/10
The Ranking
- So Many Birthdays
- Steven the Sword Fighter
- Lion 2: The Movie
- Bubble Buddies
- Laser Light Cannon
- Giant Woman
- Lars and the Cool Kids
- Steven’s Lion
- Gem Glow
- Cheeseburger Backpack
- Serious Steven
- Beach Party
- Cat Fingers
- Tiger Millionaire
- Together Breakfast
- Frybo
- Onion Trade
- Arcade Mania
Be sure to stay tuned for the review of the next episode where things get dystopian when Steven discovers "Rose's Room."
If you would like to check out other reviews on this blog, click here for the guide to all the reviews posted so far. 
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