The highly anticipated first season of the original Japanese anime series “Turkey! – Time to Strike -” wrapped up on September 24, 2025, delivering a thrilling and unexpected conclusion to its unique blend of tenpin bowling and time-travel narrative. The final episode, titled “A Farewell Turkey!” (Japanese: さよならのTurkey!), left fans with a mix of excitement, surprise, and emotional resolution.
The Climactic Bowling Showdown
The finale plunged viewers into a high-stakes bowling match as the Ikkokukan High School bowling club members faced their ultimate challenge. Following their time-traveling adventures, the club found themselves in a tense situation where their antagonist, Kagetoki, challenged them to each score a strike. The pressure mounted significantly when Kagetoki escalated the stakes, taking other club members hostage and tying them behind the bowling alley, emphasizing the gravity of the game for Rina and Mai, who were left to bowl the final strikes.
Sayuri, Nozomi, and Nanase successfully bowled their strikes, leveraging the lessons and experiences gained from their journey to the past. The episode focused on the intense moments as Rina and Mai stepped up to complete the challenge under extreme duress.
Unraveling the Time-Travel Mystery: The Sumomo/Haru Revelation
Beyond the dramatic bowling, the season finale provided a pivotal resolution to the series’ overarching time-travel mystery. In a shocking twist, it was revealed that Haru, a character in Mai’s present, was, in fact, Sumomo, the sister of Suguri Tokura from the Sengoku period where the club had traveled. This revelation deepened the emotional connection between the characters and elegantly tied together the disparate timelines. Sumomo, having recovered Mai’s bowling ball in the past, was inadvertently transported to Mai’s time period, experiencing amnesia but ultimately finding a way to be a maternal figure to Mai.
This twist was largely unexpected by viewers, as initial synopses had presented the anime as a straightforward sports drama, effectively hiding the science-fiction and fantasy elements until later in the season. The ending highlighted the profound impact of the time-traveling events on the characters’ lives and relationships.
Character Arcs and Future Paths
The finale also saw significant character development and transitions. Mai Otonashi, the second-year student and captain of the Ikkokukan High School Bowling Club, prepared for her graduation. The ending suggested that Rina would assume the captaincy, signifying a new era for the club. Despite the resolution of the time-travel ordeal and winning a bowling tournament, Mai’s attempts to reopen the rift to the past were unsuccessful, indicating a definitive end to that particular chapter. The final scenes depicted Mai sharing Sumomo’s story with her friends, reinforcing their enduring bond.
Viewer Reception and Series Legacy
“Turkey! – Time to Strike -” aired weekly from July 9 to September 24, 2025, across various networks, including Nippon TV’s AnichU programming block, and was streamed internationally on Crunchyroll. The series garnered positive reactions from audiences, who praised its unexpected narrative turns and the compelling blend of sports and fantasy. Many critics and viewers alike noted the anime as one of the surprising highlights of the season, commending its ability to subvert expectations and deliver a truly engaging story. The unique premise, centered around a high school bowling club that accidentally travels back to the Sengoku period, resonated with fans, establishing “Turkey! – Time to Strike -” as a memorable addition to the 2025 anime lineup.
