Aiko Satō, who has won many literary awards, retired from her life as a writer and had no guests. She spent a gloomy time, but then a middle-aged editor named Tachibana came with a commission for a story. The story begins with a series of essays that are initially unpleasant, writing out her anger towards society. Aiko's life will undergo significant changes by the time she is 90 years old.
Ever since gifted conductor Natsume’s wife and daughter left him five years ago, he has isolated himself from the music scene. Then one day, he decides to return to Japan for the first time in decades to conduct a small town orchestra and return to his estranged daughter, Hibiki, who loathes him and his music. Now he must try to thaw a relationship with his daughter frozen in time for five years, and learn to be a father.
It follows a group of people who are still living in temporary housing 12 years after a natural disaster called "Nani" destroyed their town.
Childhood friends Sota, and Rakuto are on a journey to find the Phoenix, which shouldn't exist. As adults, there remains a dark shadow over each of them as their lives have progressed, thus they seek a bit of escapism in their travels. Parallel to their own story, is the mysterious bride. Not to mention a deserted youkai snack bar in the underworld, a gang from an SM Castle, an agricultural rapper, a young man on a bike trip, a monk peaching about enlightenment, the owner and operator of an empty movie theater, and more that the duo meet on their aimless journey. The hints of the true colors of life are within the journey, so what kind of Phoenix are they looking for?
Rai, a frustrated student and part-time labourer, is wandering home after setting up a museum exhibition on the classic novel "The Tale of Genji". There is a blinding flash of light and he finds himself mysteriously time-slipped into the Heian period, the setting for the famous novel. Armed with a pamphlet on the history of the period and a bottle of headache tablets he passes as an onmyoji (magical protector of the capital) and is hired by the emperor’s wife Nyogo Kokiden. Fearless and coldly analytical she plots to have her son take over the Emperor’s position. Rai is expected to help. This light-hearted historical fantasy is a treat for lovers of sumptuous kimono.
Ann-Sophie Lennerfors (born 16 November 1970) is a Swedish-Japanese TV personality, film critic and part-time professional wrestler who lives and works in Japan, best known under the stage name LiLiCo.