Harutomo Koyama

Mare is an elementary school student. She lives with her family in the city, but, right before her father goes bankrupt, they run away and settle down at a fishing village in Noto. The family rents a couple's home who run a salt pond. Mare's father starts a new business, but it also fails. Her mother supports the family by working at the salt pond. 8 years later, Mare, about to graduate from high school, decides to work for the Wajima local government. She wants to have a steady job, unlike her father. Her job is to support people who move to Noto.

Takano Aki is a happy, ordinary housewife whose family (sweet husband and two kids) has moved to their dream apartment. Just as they are starting their new life, they encounter an ominous, terrifying neighbour, Sasaki Yumiko, who manipulates the dark emotions of pride, vanity and jealousy of the housewives living in the apartment building. She drives Aki into isolation within the building with unexpected methods and eventually causes the break up of her family. Meanwhile, a series of abduction cases take place. There seems to be a connection to the kidnapper and the frightening neighbor.

Onchi Eiko, the proprietress of a bar, is trapped in a sad, hidden past. One day, an old friend Shigeko shows up with her 5-year-old son Daiji in tow. Shigeko entrusts him to Eiko and disappears after she leaves a farewell letter. As Eiko looks at the innocent Daiji, she is reminded of her own past. The two of them who have no one to turn to, begin a life together as fake mother and son in this peculiar and yet heartrending story.

Four-year-old Kun struggles with jealousy after his newborn sister, Mirai, begins receiving most of his family’s attention. Retreating to the garden, he encounters Mirai as a teenager from the future and embarks on extraordinary journeys across his family’s past, gradually discovering new perspectives on love, belonging and what it means to become an older brother.

Taiji has been estranged from his mother Mitsuko for years. Due to a meeting with his friend, he looks back at his past with his mother. After not seeing her for years, Taiji sees Mitsuko again. He tries to regain his mother's love.