Sophomore Meguru just wants to focus on her future. But when forced to participate in her high school's competitive karuta club, she finds a new passion.
Chihaya Ayase has spent most of her life supporting her sister’s model career. When she meets a boy named Arata Wataya, he thinks Chihaya has potential to become a great karuta player. As Chihaya dreams of becoming Japan's best karuta player, she is soon separated from her karuta playing friends. Now in high school, Chihaya still plays karuta in the hope that she will one day meet her friends again.
Kakeru, a former elite runner at high school, is chased for stealing food. He is saved by Kansei University student Haiji, who is also a runner. Haiji persuades Kakeru to live in the old apartment "Chikuseisou" where he plans to team up with fellow residents to enter Hakone Ekiden Marathon, one of the most prominent university races in Japan. Kakeru soon finds out that all of the residents except for Haiji and himself are complete novices.
Güçsüz ve bir o kadar da tutkulu olan Sora Kurumatani, annesinin ondan ilk lise turnuvasını kazanması isteğini yerine getirmek umuduyla Kuzuryuu Lisesi'ne girer. Ama "hayta öğrencilerin yuva yapmış olduğu" basketbol kulübü basketbol oynamak dışında her şeyi yapıyorlardır. Kulübün üyeleri ise güçlü zıplayışlar yapabilen ama potaya basket atamayan yetenekli bir pivot ve onun ikizi spora ilgisini çoktan kaybetmiş olan yetenekli bir oyun kurucu olan Chiaki. Adrenalin patlaması yaşanan yalnızca bir maçta Sora basketbola merak sarar ve basketbol için yanan gençlik ateşi yeniden alevlenir.
A tranquil tale about two boys from very different upbringings. On one hand you have Kai, born as the son of a prostitute, who's been playing the abandoned piano in the forest near his home ever since he was young. And on the other you have Syuhei, practically breast-fed by the piano as the son of a family of prestigious pianists. Yet it is their common bond with the piano that eventually intertwines their paths in life.
Since the graduation of the senior members of the club, Takezou ends up being the sole member of the "Koto" (traditional Japanese string instrument) club. Now that the new school year has begun, Takezou will have to seek out new members into the club, or the club will become terminated. Out of nowhere, a new member barges into the near-abandoned club room, demanding to join the club. How will Takezou be able to keep his club alive and deal with this rascal of a new member?