Amon Kabe
After successfully won the Tokyo qualifying tournament, Chihaya and her friends are set to go on to the nationals. As they prepare, Chihaya is faced with new personal issues as her childhood friend and inspiration, Arata, has announced that he has quit competitive karuta. Not only that, but a new rival emerges in the reigning female champion karuta player, Shinobu Wakamiya, a karuta prodigy who became the nation's and the world's greatest female karuta player as a 9th grader. All of this forces Chihaya to reexamine her love of the game in the midst of preparing for one of the biggest tournaments of the year.
When Chihaya Ayase was in the 6th grade of elementary school, she met Arata Wataya. Arata Wataya transferred from Fukui Prefecture. Taichi Mashima was Chihaya Ayase's friend since they were little. Arata got close to Chihaya and Taichi from the card game karuta. Four years later, Chihaya is a high school student. Chihaya learns that Arata, who went back to Fukui Prefecture, doesn't play karuta anymore. Believing they will meet Arata again, Chihaya and Taichi starts a karuta club at their high school.
Tasuku Okano is a diligent young man who was raised by decent family. He works as a new teacher at an elementary school. Tasuko deals with his students the way his head teacher told taught him, but the situation in his classroom isn't very good. He notices that one of his students might be abused, but he tries to ignore it by reasoning that he is too busy to become involved. Tasuko though feels terrible about the situation and decides to help his abused student. Masami was raised by an abusive mother. She is now violent towards her own 3-year-old daughter Ayane. Masami can't help lashing out at her daughter since her daughter was 10-months-old. When she hangs around other mothers in the park, she tries to justify her abusive manners by thinking the other mothers treat their kids the same way.
Katsuhito Ishii ("Funky Forest: The First Contact" and "The Taste of Tea") takes on the story of Junichi--a timid third grader who can't muster the courage to return an eraser he borrowed from his secret crush--and turns it into a children's rock 'n' roll comedy. Junichi's world is turned upside down as apprentice teacher Anna-sensei (Hikari Mitsushima) scraps her lesson plan to show the rambunctious students about life as an adult. With Anna's unorthodox style, Junichi and his friends are able to gain confidence and pursue their goal of putting on a big concert. Co-directed with Kanoko Kawaguchi and Atsushi Yoshioka, "Hello! Junichi" brings out the kid in adults and lets kids be kids. Boasting Ishii's signature dance numbers and Yoshiyuki Morishita (the "Japanese Steve Buscemi") as the band's homeroom teacher, it's a unique experience built for future and current movie maniacs.
The Hanabishi family moves into the old building "Kogure Photo Studio." The first son Eiichi (Ryunosuke Kamiki) is a 2nd year high school student. One day, a neighbor, who is also a high school student, shows him a picture. That picture was developed at "Kogure Photo Studio."
After her werewolf lover unexpectedly dies in an accident, a woman must find a way to raise the son and daughter that she had with him. However, their inheritance of their father's traits prove to be a challenge for her.
In Mahoro, the fictional suburb of Tokyo, Tada works as a general problem solver for hire. One day, former classmate Gyoten appears unannounced. Both men are over 30 years old and divorced. With no explanation, Gyoten suddenly asks to spend the night at Tada's home. Eventually, Tada accepts Gyoten as his assistant and together they become involved in various cases concerning an assortment of people from different walks of life.
Shinagawa Daichi used to be a good student who has now become a delinquent, while class president Adachi Hana was a delinquent who is now trying to move on. Her secret is discovered by Shinagawa, but she involves herself trying to correct his ways.
Taiga is a struggling second-generation actor who has developed a complex due to his father, a famous actor in his time. Most of the time, Taiga only gets to appear in variety shows. One day when his friend brings him out skydiving, a big wind drags him away from the dropping point and he gets stuck in a tree. A beautiful woman, Shiori, rescues him. Shiori is a cheerful woman who laughs away all of her worries. She's exactly the opposite of Taiga...
