Spring 2022

Beginning his first year of high school, all Matsuboshi Raidou wants is to make friends—starting with the cute, tiny, and soft-spoken Reina Aharen, who sits right next to him in class. Unbeknownst to Raidou, Reina shares the same sentiment, but she has a problem. Awkward and timid, Reina is incapable of determining how chummy she has to be when approaching a person.

Due to Reina's complete inability to gauge personal space, the two struggle to spark their unlikely friendship, as even the simplest tasks like talking seem impossible for them. But despite the countless yet pointless challenges that hinder the pair, the overly imaginative Raidou will do whatever it takes to befriend the indecipherable Reina.

[Written by MAL Rewrite]

Second season of Build Divide.

Junpei Murao's love affair with ballet began at a young age during his sister's ballet recital, when a male ballet dancer roused his interest with a gripping performance. But for Junpei, nothing could be worse than his peers finding out about his secret passion for ballet and perceiving him as effeminate. That is why he is in the soccer club, trains Jeet Kune Do, and is intent on following in his father's footsteps of becoming a stunt coordinator: all very "manly" activities.

When Junpei's classmate Miyako Godai spots him demonstrating an impressive kick that combines skills from ballet and Jeet Kune Do to his friends, she suddenly recruits him to join her mother's ballet studio. He resists at first, and although he has abandoned his dreams of formally pursuing ballet, nothing quite captures the euphoria that ballet elicits. After suppressing his desire to pursue ballet for so long, it is not so easy to shake off his hesitation and break free of the shackles of masculinity. Junpei has to be willing to make certain sacrifices and fully commit to ballet, all while risking losing some friends.

[Written by MAL Rewrite]

Ten years have passed since Nagomu Irino left his home to pursue his dream that ultimately failed. He finally decides to return after hearing that his father—owner of the Kyoto sweets store Ryokushou—has been hospitalized. Worrying that no one would inherit the shop if his father passes away, Nagomu prepares himself to embrace his family's legacy and the art of making sweets⁠.

Unsurprisingly, Nagomu discovers that his father has already chosen a different successor—a 10-year-old girl named Itsuka Yukihira, who was abandoned at Ryokushou by her father for reasons unknown. While she has since become a part of the family and is now the shop's poster girl, Itsuka still longs to see her father and follows all possible clues that may lead her to him. Sympathizing with Itsuka's situation, Nagomu's mother asks Nagomu to act as Itsuka's father, hoping that Itsuka will open up to him and relieve her pain, even if just a little.

Starting on bad terms, Itsuka and Nagomu gradually learn more about each other, realizing that they are more similar than they had thought. Connected by their mutual love for both Ryokushou and its confections, their relationship as child and father figure begins to make lives around them a little bit sweeter.

[Written by MAL Rewrite]

Since the death of his parents, Shinpei Ajiro had lived with the Kofune family and their two daughters—Mio and Ushio. Although he then left his home island to continue his education in Tokyo, Shinpei returns after Ushio tragically drowns during the attempted rescue of a little girl. During the funeral, his best friend informs him about bruises found around Ushio's neck, casting doubt over the cause of her death.

Suspecting a murder has taken place, Shinpei reevaluates recent events, but strange incidents only continue to transpire. Disappearing people and other unexplainable occurrences lead Mio to recall an old folktale referring to entities called "Shadows," which may not be entirely fantasy. Supposedly, an encounter with one's Shadow foretells the person's impending demise.

Facing the dark side of Hitogashima Island, Shinpei stands against his grim fate to fulfill Ushio's final will—to protect Mio.

[Written by MAL Rewrite]

With another Wave happening in a week, Naofumi Iwatani and his party have no time to waste. However, when bat familiars raid Lurolona Village and the Wave countdown comes to a halt, the Four Cardinal Heroes reconvene with the queen, Mirelia Q Melromarc, for a quick briefing. The queen presumes that the odd occurrences are linked to the Spirit Tortoise—a threatening creature that has awakened from its slumber, back to cause havoc once again. A plan to put the Spirit Tortoise to rest is devised—but out of the four men, only the cursed Shield Hero agrees to help.

[Written by MAL Rewrite]