to be from Yokohama. In the tag of one of the fourth season episodes set in Italy, he is revealed to have a second cousin who is a lieutenant in the 442nd Regimental Combat Team. In exchange for being given a safe house instead of imprisonment in a prisoner-of-war camp, Fuji gladly "serves time" as the crew's houseboy and cook at their camp on "McHale's Island." Keeping Fuji's presence and identity a secret from Captain Binghamton and others is a running gag, with wacky consequences throughout the series. For instance, to avoid detection during an inspection by Binghamton, Fuji disguises himself and poses as a Polynesian chief. Binghamton remarks: "With a Japanese accent?" in the premiere episode ("An Ensign For McHale"). In the first episode set in Europe ("War, Italian Style"), he is passed off as a member of the 442nd Japanese-American Regiment, where he finds a second cousin through his mother's family of Kobayashi. In "The Mothers of PT-73" and "Orange Blossoms for McHale", he is presented as a Filipino houseboy. In "Fuji's Big Romance", he is a part-Hawaiian sailor. Fuji is involved in a frequent scenario on the show. Whenever Binghamton is seen approaching the island unannounced, the crew converges on McHale for instructions. Naturally, the primary concern is to get Fuji out of sight before he is spotted. So invariably, the first order out of McHale’s mouth is, "Fuji, head for the hills!" whereupon he takes off for the other side of the island. This scenario is played out so often, in one episode in the later seasons, McHale begins, "Fuji…" and Fuji finishes, "I know. Head for hills." Fuji's seemingly fluent yet awkward command of the English language serves as a comic device; particularly humorous is the unexpected and arbitrary use of American colloquialisms and ethnic phrases, all spoken with a thick Japanese accent—personal catchphrases include the Yiddish lament Oy vey and the Italian exclamation Mamma mia!. He fondly calls Commander McHale "Skippa-san" and Ensign Parker "Parka-san" (see Japanese honorifics). More information The first episode, titled "An Ensign for McHale", sets the tone for the entire series. It involves Ensign Parker's assignment to McHale's crew after they already had gone through several ensigns who could not put up with their unmilitary, slovenly, and insubordinate ways. One of them even suffered a nervous breakdown. Parker is given one week by Binghamton to reform the crew or be