Island Arc (Siren Arc)

Story guide

Chiikawa and Hachiware sit on a log and eat red berries. Hachiware mentions that they still have more travel ahead and tries to brace themself, while Chiikawa hesitates as they eat. The two eat another berry each a short distance away, then end up lying back against the log. Once they stop eating, they begin to sleep in the same place, turning their pre-departure break into a nap.

Story guide

Usagi arrives holding a recruitment notice and shows it to Chiikawa and Hachiware. The notice prominently states that work on the island pays one hundred times the usual reward. Hachiware recognizes it as island work, and Chiikawa is startled by the amount. Usagi looks at the notice while biting a red berry, and the three repeatedly confirm the size of the reward. The reason for going to the island is shared for the first time through a specific figure and the contents of the recruitment notice.

Story guide

Hachiware reads the additional terms of the recruitment notice and tells the others that island-only ramen, sweets, and other food will be free. Usagi responds immediately, and Chiikawa imagines the food on the island. Possible transportation and difficult roads also come up, but the three do not change their decision to go. Hachiware says they intend to ask the teacher who will accompany them as well, bringing expectations for food and preparations for the trip together in one direction.

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Rakko approaches Usagi, Chiikawa, and Hachiware as they hold the recruitment notice. Rakko reads it, considers going to the island, and notices the terms for limited-edition ramen and lodging. At the same time, they try to determine whether the destination would also suit training. As the three watch from a distance, Rakko walks away holding the notice, showing both an intention to join the island trip and a sense of purpose for the journey.

Story guide

The Yoroi-san (Armor Knight) group discusses how many people want to join the island trip. The cost of the journey and the need to hurry with preparations and assistance also come up. Momonga and Furuhonya, who have been listening, see the group off while holding the recruitment notice. Looking down at it, they take the talk of going to the island as something that concerns them too. The scene ends by placing side by side those moving ahead with preparations and those learning of them from the side.

Story guide

Participants bound for the island gather at the shore, and Chiikawa, Hachiware, and Usagi step to the front of the line with their luggage. Hachiware notices that a departure time for the island has been set, while Chiikawa asks what they should bring. Usagi moves about as if hurrying the luggage along. Before long, a vessel whose hull is formed from the neck and body of a white bird approaches from offshore. The scene breaks as the boat that will carry the waiting group to the island arrives.

Story guide

Chiikawa and Hachiware are surprised by the bird-shaped boat drawing near. Hachiware looks forward to the voyage itself, while Chiikawa heads toward the boarding area carrying their luggage. Usagi walks ahead, and Rakko joins them with luggage on their back. A small island silhouette can be seen beyond the sea, and the group heading for the boat realizes that departure is close. The post depicts both the anticipation before reaching the island and the tangible feeling of traveling with packed belongings.

Story guide

As banquet music plays, Chiikawa crouches down with what appears to be seasickness, and Hachiware stays close in concern. Usagi watches nearby. Beside a cloth welcoming visitors to the island, an island resident offers food. Hachiware chooses to let Chiikawa rest, and Chiikawa settles a little after eating from a paper wrapper. Amid the bustle of the welcome, the focus shifts to finding something Chiikawa can eat and prioritizing their condition.

Story guide

Still wearing a floral decoration, Kurimanju walks through the banquet holding yakisoba and a drink. Rakko, Hachiware, and Usagi watch Kurimanju from a distance. Kurimanju steps a little away from the crowd and looks for a place to eat near a palm tree. There, they take out the yakisoba and select just one strip of red pickled ginger to eat. The focus is less on the amount of food than on the brief pleasure of picking out a favorite topping.

Cultural and language noteBeni shoga is thinly sliced pickled ginger used as a garnish for yakisoba; here, the image shows it being picked up one strip at a time.

Story guide

Rakko notices a long line formed by island residents and finds a sign for an island fruit parfait. Chiikawa, Hachiware, and Usagi move on, but Rakko chooses to line up. Rather than treating the wait as a bother, Rakko stays to eat what is at the front of the line. A little later, when the three find Rakko, they are holding a parfait topped with fruit and cream. During the banquet's free time, Rakko gets the sweet treat they wanted for themself.

Cultural and language noteA parfait is a cold dessert served in a glass with layers such as fruit and cream; the sign identifies this one as an island fruit parfait.

Story guide

Shisa remembers eating island-only ramen and thinks about what to eat next. Beside Chiikawa and Hachiware, Shisa holds a fruit-topped parfait and enjoys it happily. Shisa admits that even just after eating, their thoughts are turning to the next thing, and invites the other two to enjoy themselves as well. In the end, Shisa walks while singing, as Chiikawa and Hachiware talk about foods they still want to eat the next day. Their tasting of food around the banquet continues.

Story guide

Island residents guide Chiikawa, Hachiware, and Usagi to a small wooden lodge. Bedding is prepared inside, and the residents explain the reef and its colors on the floor. The three enter the lodge and look around, while Usagi gets into an indoor hammock. When Hachiware is surprised that something seems to be beneath the floor or ground, one of the residents opens the door and leaves. Their puzzlement over the lodge's features makes the place where they will spend the night stand out.

Cultural and language noteA hammock is a suspended bed made from cloth or netting, and can also be used indoors as a simple place to rest.

Story guide

Inside the lodge, Hachiware tells Chiikawa that there is no signal on the island and they cannot connect with the outside. Usagi has a drink and seems ready to start a simple game in front of the island residents. The residents head out into the garden, and the three follow them. Hachiware takes the residents to be people they might get along with, but a small device-like object remains near the doorway. The scene places both their stay without communications and their sense of distance from the island residents.

Cultural and language noteUNO is a card game in which players take turns playing cards by color or number; in the image, it is mentioned as a possible indoor game.

Story guide

On a nighttime beach where festival drums echo from afar, Momonga walks carrying food on a skewer and a flat piece of dough. Momonga says they will wrap the skewer's contents in the dough, folds it around them, takes a big bite, and proceeds along the water's edge while chewing. As they gaze out at the star-lit sea, their heart pounds, and in the direction they cry out, a shooting star streaks by. However, what was stretching from Momonga's mouth turns out to be melted cheese, and the story ends with their surprise that this dough had cheese in it. Both the festival and the shooting star recede into the background, and the tale closes with the surprise about the food in hand.

Story guide

Enjoying the sea breeze, Momonga approaches the front of a cave. A no-entry sign stands beside the entrance, but Momonga does not stop and repeatedly protests while trying to enter. Furuhonya appears beside the cave and comes close to Momonga. The no-entry sign, dark entrance, and the two drawing near appear together, turning a casual nighttime walk around the island into a scene that touches on a forbidden place.

Story guide

Chiikawa, Hachiware, and Usagi gather around a fire on the beach at night. Usagi is delighted to find the fire, and the three confirm that there are no fish in the sea. As they sit before the flames, Hachiware says that the first day was fun. The three sing as they confirm to one another that they can still stay on the island tomorrow. When their time gathered around the fire ends, Chiikawa and the others begin walking along the night beach, and their first night on the island quietly continues.

Story guide

On the beach at night, Chiikawa and Hachiware look up at fireworks bursting overhead. Usagi joins them, and the three look toward a cave entrance from which the fireworks can be seen. In front of the dark opening is a board-like object half buried in the sand. Usagi, holding a lit stick, approaches the entrance first, and Chiikawa and Hachiware follow. A loud sound comes from inside the cave, as if something has made contact, ending the post with the three surprised.

Cultural and language noteFireworks are pyrotechnic displays enjoyed for their light and sound in the night sky; in the image, they are viewed from the beach as part of an island nighttime event.

Story guide

Wearing grass skirts and flower crowns, Usagi, Hachiware, and Chiikawa walk through a cave and step on a branch, snapping it underfoot. When Hachiware remarks that it feels chilly, the voice echoes, and Chiikawa lets out a wordless sound. They soon find a small boat floating on the water, and Hachiware says they have wanted to try rowing, so the three climb aboard. Once Hachiware begins to row, the boat surges forward; Chiikawa screams while Usagi revels in the ride. Hachiware invites Chiikawa to try rowing too, and Chiikawa hesitantly takes the oar. After calling out a rowing rhythm, Hachiware says that it is fun, and Usagi answers with an indifferent sound.

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Chiikawa, Hachiware, and Usagi look at the round moon visible through a hole in the cave while riding in a small boat. The three sing as they watch the view, their voices echoing through the cave. Then a large mass near the water's surface that looks like a rock begins to shake, moving the surrounding water. A small fish with a tail can also be seen beside the boat. The mood shifts from calm singing and moon viewing to an anomaly in which the island-like mass before them begins to move.

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A Mermaid emerges from the water and finds the small boat carrying Chiikawa, Hachiware, and Usagi. Two small companions float beside the Mermaid, who sings that the island's food is delicious and filling. Hachiware and the others hear the song, take it as being about food, and begin singing happily themselves. The Mermaid and the group in the boat remain on the same water surface while looking at one another, ending the scene with a song about food echoing through the cave.

Story guide

A Siren rises large from the water in front of the boat that had been joining the Mermaid's song. The Siren's eyes turn red, while their Mermaid companions float nearby. Chiikawa, Hachiware, and Usagi are startled and use their oars to move the small boat away, but the Siren parts the water and gives chase. Waves lift the boat high, and in the end the three and the boat are thrown into the air. The singing scene abruptly becomes a direct pursuit and the danger of capsizing.

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By the campfire, Chiikawa, Hachiware, and Usagi warm themselves with the Mermaids. Siren says that one of their fellow Mermaids is missing, explaining that this has left them unable to sing as a group of three or remove the bugs that cling to their bodies. When Hachiware says they remember hearing that people eat Mermaids, Siren takes this to mean that someone on the island may have eaten one. The Mermaids also say that someone came out from the village, and Chiikawa and the others begin considering clues to the culprit. Their exchange about checking the warmth of the fire becomes a brief respite before questioning begins.

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Inside a house, Chiikawa, Hachiware, and Usagi try to remember where their knowledge that people eat Mermaids came from. Hachiware says they may have seen it in a trivia section of an illustrated reference book, but the crucial reason is unclear. Even when they consider whether money was the motive, they find no answer, and Hachiware brings up a calculation about a reward becoming one hundred times larger. The three end by wondering how to understand what happened on the island with only fragmentary knowledge. Their inability to recall the passage in the reference book accurately deepens their uncertainty.

Story guide

At a gathering that includes Rakko, the group is told that there is troubling news from the island residents. Before Chiikawa, Hachiware, and Usagi can hear more, one resident says there is a suspicious presence, and another soon announces through a loudspeaker that island residents are being abducted one after another. The listeners are startled to learn that people have gone missing. A request from the island for the culprit's Subjugation follows, and the incident expands from one Mermaid's case into a crisis affecting the entire island. The gathering, immediately after hearing the news, carries the urgency of a call for help.

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With Rakko present, the islanders explain that they want cooperation without asking for payment for the Subjugation. Chiikawa, Hachiware, and Usagi hear the request, but the gathered residents are unsettled and tension spreads. A resident who seems to be their representative asks for help, while residents carrying weapons appear on the side of the three. Eventually the crowd breaks up, and Chiikawa's group runs away from the scene. The settlement's anxiety and the weight of deciding whether to accept the request are shown at the same time. The islanders' way of making the request is itself confused, and the three cannot answer at once.

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In the settlement with Rakko, the island's representative admits that they are not good at fighting and places their hopes on Chiikawa, Hachiware, and Usagi. Though bewildered, the three are handed weapons. Hachiware holds a rod-like tool whose tip opens like a mouth, while Usagi takes a different small weapon. Chiikawa holds a similar tool and is surprised by its shape. The request now involves equipment as well as words, and the three prepare to head out in search. Whether the items they receive will be dependable remains unclear, and their anxiety does not disappear.

Story guide

This is not a comic depicting the progress of the main story, but a logo visual that places Chiikawa, Hachiware, and Usagi against a pink background. The English title is centered, an ear-like design sits above it, and white stars and decorative lines surround it. The three are not shown speaking or acting, and no sequence of events is indicated, so there is no material for reading it as a scene from the story. Accordingly, this image cannot add to the situation surrounding the island search or the Mermaids; it stands on its own as a decorative illustration using the characters.

Story guide

The heart-eared child of Pajama Parties, who noticed a megaphone broadcast that had drifted to the island, shakes and wakes their white companion who had been sleeping next to them. While the two are still half-asleep, the island residents come trooping over one after another, handing them sticks fitted with blades and stones. The heart-eared child is bewildered at what is going on, and the white companion throws the received stick aside on the spot. When a bowing island resident picks the stick back up, the white companion asks back whether it is a Subjugation, and finally shudders at the frightfulness and walks away. The island residents are left behind looking unable to grasp the situation.

Story guide

As Rakko worries about the person who returned, Chiikawa, Hachiware, and Usagi hear talk of going to a cave. There is a purpose of searching for missing people, but where to go is not yet decided. The round part at the end of Usagi's rod sways, and the three also notice that tool. Then a sound and a voice are heard from inside a house, startling the group including Rakko. When they go outside, only the sense that something is approaching remains, and another disturbance interrupts the search. The sound outside the house alone tells the three that danger is near.

Story guide

Siren appears in the settlement and approaches where Chiikawa, Hachiware, Usagi, and Rakko are. The Mermaids are riding on Siren's head, and a small islander-like figure can be seen at their mouth. Hachiware remembers a Mermaid companion pleading for this to stop and understands the danger of the situation. Siren appears to have an islander in their mouth, and those around them begin to flee. With the suspicion surrounding the Mermaids appearing as an attack in front of them, the settlement immediately needs to evacuate. Those running away have no room left to ask about Siren's purpose.

Story guide

In the settlement with Rakko, Chiikawa, Hachiware, and Usagi hide inside a house and try to wait out Siren's attack. Outside, a large fish tail comes close to the house, and the islanders remain in danger. Hachiware thinks that they should go to the cave if they are to try talking, but it is dangerous even to go outside now. Shelves inside hold illustrated books of legendary creatures, and Usagi pulls one out. In the place where they are keeping safe, the three begin looking in the book for information about Siren and the Mermaids. Opening the reference book is an attempt to learn the circumstances before stopping the attack.

Story guide

Chiikawa and Hachiware say excuse me and enter a building, where Hachiware flips through a book and opens the entry on Mermaids. In the trivia section, it is written that there is a rumor that eating Mermaid flesh grants eternal life, and Hachiware utters the words eternal life and is taken aback. Around the same time, Siren, with a Mermaid resting on their head, is holding a small gray figure who is letting out crying sounds. When Rakko asks whether they are searching for the culprit, Siren replies that they will keep eating until the culprit turns themselves in. Rakko starts to say eat— and is struck speechless, and there it ends.

Story guide

After Siren leaves with the islanders, another islander approaches with a weapon in the settlement where Shimajiro is also present. Siren makes a movement as though they intend to return the islanders rather than eat them, but the other party cannot let go of their suspicion. A rod-like weapon flies toward the Mermaids on Siren's head. Shimajiro covers their face with their hands, and the surrounding islanders are also startled. Siren then leaves toward the water, while the remaining islanders are confused about what happened. With each side taking the other's actions as hostile, the situation becomes still more unstable.

Story guide

Chiikawa and Hachiware open a book inside their house and read aloud a passage about methods for obtaining eternal life. A voice calls out from the doorway, and Usagi heads that way. The three notice something unusual outside and go out to the front. A large sword lies fallen on the ground, and a cry goes up asking what happened to the teacher. Somewhat farther away, near the village, a group that appears to be gray island residents is on the move, and in front of them Usagi and a fallen short sword are left behind. Before long, Furuhonya, armed with a weapon, appears before Chiikawa and Hachiware in a frantic state. Told that someone has been taken, the two are left choking on their words in a darkened panel, and it ends.

Story guide

Shisa watches beside Kurimanju, who is lying down and seems to find a second sleep pleasant even after their hangover has passed. Kurimanju holds a drink and thinks they want to take it easy because they were able to eat the ramen they had wanted. Even after getting up from the bedding, Kurimanju is holding a container of alcohol. Shisa only watches, and neither the island incident nor Siren appears in the image. It is a short, independent scene that captures Kurimanju's sequence of feelings about resting after eating and drinking.

Cultural and language noteA hangover refers to the discomfort that remains the day after drinking. Here it conveys Kurimanju's everyday wish to rest after finishing a meal.

Story guide

Chiikawa, Hachiware, and Usagi walk behind the islanders and set out to search with rods whose tips open like mouths. Along the way, Momonga says they want a sweet, cold drink and is concerned with something apart from the purpose of the search. Chiikawa says they want something for their throat, while Hachiware watches nearby. Someone notices that one of the islanders is absent, leaving concern about searching for a companion. Though talk of a break and drinks is mixed in, the group continues down the path looking for the missing people. Each person has their own small concern, but the procession has not interrupted the search.

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With Furuhonya also present, Chiikawa, Hachiware, and Usagi unite in feeling that they have to go help. Usagi holds a sword, and Hachiware and the others ask the islanders to guide them to where they should search. The islanders hesitate because they are afraid of Siren and feel they cannot move without more strength to fight. Even so, someone says they should go search immediately, and the group begins walking. The starting point of this search is not that everyone is brave, but that they proceed while recognizing the danger and asking for guidance and cooperation.

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At the entrance to a cave, Chiikawa and Hachiware follow behind the islanders. On the side with Usagi and Furuhonya, there is talk of investigating the other side of the cave, but the group decides to proceed together along the same route. It is dark inside, and they must check their surroundings with only the tools in their hands. The islanders step forward hesitantly, and the three follow them. Before long, a sound like something being struck echoes from deeper inside, and Chiikawa and Hachiware stop. The search for clues about people draws closer to an unknown presence in the cave. At this point, it cannot be determined whether the sound comes from a person or something else.

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On the beach, Hachiware confides to two island residents that they met Siren here yesterday. When Hachiware conveys that Siren seems angry at whoever ate their fellow Mermaid, the residents gasp. Hachiware hesitantly voices their thought that perhaps someone, wanting eternal life, ate a Mermaid. Meanwhile, Usagi is holding a white board and kicking a stick near a no-entry sign. When Hachiware asks whether they know the rumor that eating a Mermaid grants eternal life, the residents shake their heads, and Hachiware accepts this with an I see.

Story guide

Momonga listens as though finding the idea of eating a Mermaid to gain eternal life amusing. Chiikawa and Hachiware watch nearby, and Furuhonya is also close by. An islander-like figure runs up and asks whether they are friends, and Momonga replies with words to the effect that they get what they want. The group listening senses that Momonga's interest is not the same as the purpose of the search. A shout rises in the distance and interrupts the conversation. Momonga's reaction to eternal life makes the story that frightens the others seem lightly treated in a dangerous way.

Story guide

Chiikawa takes a break in front of a meal served on a leaf plate. Hachiware says "goya champuru" and, while eating beside the islanders, worries that there are still places they have not searched. Momonga shows interest in a red ingredient on the plate, and those around them continue eating. At the end of the short break, Hachiware calls for everyone to get their equipment ready before they go. Chiikawa also puts a post-meal candy in their mouth, creating a time to restore their strength during the search. The time to clear away the meal also becomes a brief preparation before entering an unknown place.

Cultural and language noteGoya champuru is an Okinawan home-style stir-fry that combines bitter melon with other ingredients. Its specific dish name is shown as part of the island meal.

Story guide

Deep in a cave, Rakko is bound with vines and suspended in midair, sobbing. In a nearby white vessel, two small figures are placed soaking in a brown liquid. Siren lightly places a lid over the vessel, and Rakko screams, shouting for them to stop, but Siren only gives a nonchalant reply. Next, Siren grabs Rakko and pulls them close, says they will check just in case, and looks them over carefully before declaring with certainty that it is not there. While Rakko is bewildered at what is not there, Siren opens the lid of the vessel and murmurs, wondering whether the flavor has soaked in.

Story guide

Siren asks the hanging figure what can be done by eating a Mermaid. Without receiving an answer, Siren falls silent as if considering what the story of eternal life tastes like. There is a metal cage lowered deep down, with an islander-like shadow visible inside. The Mermaids on Siren's head suggest that they may have found that cage and brought Siren there. Siren decides to go look in order to confirm the situation, while the hanging figure is bewildered about what this all means. It is not visible who has been put in the cage, and Siren does not have a certain answer either.

Story guide

Siren takes Chiikawa and Hachiware's group to have brought them the culprit and looks pleased in front of the islanders. The Mermaids also raise their voices, while Chiikawa and the others panic because that is not why they came. Siren makes a movement to the effect of returning the captured people and the small Mermaids, then begins singing in a cheerful tone. The islanders watch anxiously around them. With each side still misunderstanding the other's intentions, only Siren believes that a resolution is close.

Story guide

Vines that suddenly grow block the path, and Chiikawa, Hachiware, Usagi, Furuhonya, Momonga, and the islanders flee. Chiikawa tries to hold back the vines with a rod-like tool, but branches and leaves close in one after another around them. While running, Hachiware realizes that they have become separated from their companions. Those who were fleeing split among tree roots and forest paths, with no time to look for one another. No means to stop the attack is found, and the search party scatters first in order to survive. No one knows where anyone else fled, and the order of rescue and search also breaks down.

Story guide

Hachiware, Usagi, and Furuhonya enter a gap between rocks and hide from the vines outside. After passing through the narrow passage, the three stop beside an old tree, where Furuhonya says they have something they want to tell their separated companions. They compare the weapons in their hands and confirm that they have the same tool. But beyond the gap in the rocks, a shadow like a black creature with red eyes appears, leaving the three speechless. Hachiware says they need to search for the companions who remain, but first they must get away from the presence before them. What Furuhonya wants to convey remains unheard because of the shadow's appearance.

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Hachiware, Usagi, and Furuhonya flee when they see the black creature with red eyes grow and approach. A Mermaid passes nearby, and something like an eggshell also lies on the ground. The rapidly growing plants form a large, platform-like shape, surprising the three. Hachiware wonders whether the plants' growth rate has weakened because they are farther from Siren. Looking up at the huge platform that has appeared as an escape route, the three try to gauge the range of the moving plants. The reason the growth has weakened remains only a conjecture, and they have no way to confirm it.

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Hachiware, Usagi, and Furuhonya proceed onto plants stretched out like a bridge. The ground feels as though it may crumble, and they move while watching their footing. In the distance, the Mermaids sing, and their voices can be heard with musical notes. Usagi moves their body along with the song, while Hachiware observes the surrounding plants as they listen. Hachiware considers that the song is connected to Siren and may have made the plants unable to stop. Another clue, the song, is added to the disturbance during their escape. The connection between the sound and the plants is still only a hypothesis, and the three continue observing while they flee.

Story guide

Hachiware, Usagi, and Furuhonya continue hearing the Mermaids' song while on a floating piece of ground. The footing is broken, and the three choose a cautious movement of going half a step forward at a time. Hachiware tries to proceed with their mind emptied, looking only at the ground, while the Mermaids watch nearby. Before long, the ground under Hachiware's feet gives way and they nearly fall. Hachiware tells themselves that patience is necessary, but the footing created by the song and the plants remains unstable, and the danger of moving does not disappear. Concentration to avoid falling becomes necessary before deciding how to look for their companions.

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Hachiware hooks a blue, fork-shaped tool onto an outstretched vine and hauls it in, sending the green stem springing upward with force. Before long, the boards and vines of the scaffolding give way, and Hachiware lets out a short cry as they fall, with boards and vines swirling all around. In the next scene, Hachiware climbs along a rope stretched across a sandy slope; at the top of the cliff, Usagi holds the rope in place, and Furuhonya stands alongside. Upon reaching the top, Hachiware thanks them, and Usagi replies briefly. The three peer down at the water below the cliff and watch a mass drifting away with the current. Finally, Hachiware re-grips their sword, and the scene ends with them thinking they must reunite with the companions they were separated from.

Story guide

Chiikawa, Momonga, and two dark-colored island residents make their way along a forest path and take shelter in a hole at the base of a tree. Momonga asks if Chiikawa has gotten slower, then brings up the story of someone trying to eat a Mermaid, asking, 'Why? You would want eternity, wouldn't you?' Chiikawa desperately conveys with gestures what happened when they ran into the masked figures, but Momonga brushes it off with a casual 'Oh, really.' Finally, Momonga declares that they will obtain what they want, and Chiikawa, unable to say anything back, falls silent as the scene ends.

Story guide

In a dim thicket, Chiikawa braces themself and takes hold of a pink tool with a forked, jagged tip. Chiikawa cries out and dashes off, arriving at the foot of a suspension bridge together with a companion covered in fluffy light-blue fur and two brown, nut-like figures. While the blue-furred companion crosses the bridge, making the planks creak, a sound like singing draws nearer from somewhere, and Chiikawa lets out a bewildered voice. Then Siren, with black hair adorned by a red ornament, appears in a large form and scoops up Chiikawa and the others all at once. When Chiikawa plunges the tip of the tool in hand into Siren, Siren cries out in pain and lets go. The two brown figures fall to the riverbank, and Chiikawa crosses the suspension bridge and moves away to the other side.

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On a nearly broken suspension bridge, Chiikawa tries to flee from Siren. Siren approaches, thinking Chiikawa has fallen, and checks the direction where bridge planks remain. Chiikawa clutches the rod in their hands and moves between the collapsed boards. While singing, Siren appears to try first to capture the person near them. The bridge is damaged from end to end, and there is no guarantee that Chiikawa can cross it safely. During the pursuit, Chiikawa has no room to explain the other party's intention and prioritizes keeping their footing.

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Momonga appears before Chiikawa and watches what is happening at the bridge. Momonga looks at a small item with a wrapper, and Chiikawa takes it in hand beside the collapsed bridge planks. When Siren approaches the bridge, Chiikawa makes a movement as if throwing the item forward. Siren opens their mouth wide, and the bridge breaks further. Chiikawa stands still beside a fallen fish tail, and Momonga also watches the result. This post alone does not yet establish what the small item used during the pursuit changed.

Story guide

Momonga and Chiikawa look at the broken suspension bridge and the water and suggest rolling something in that direction as well. Momonga refers to the candy from earlier and wonders whether there is not enough force. Chiikawa shows an intention to use the tool in their hands to roll it themselves, but it is unclear whether it will reach the other party. Momonga watches the method, while Chiikawa handles the small object tensely. Rather than crossing the bridge, the two try to find a way to deliver something to a distant place. Before Chiikawa's idea can reach it, the collapse of the footing may change the situation first.

Story guide

Chiikawa reunites with Hachiware, Usagi, and Furuhonya, and they confirm that each has survived. Hachiware asks whether they are all right, and Chiikawa says that they were helped. The reunited group realizes that companions are still missing and wonders where they went. Ahead on the path, an object like a large weapon can be seen, and everyone looks in that direction. Hachiware worries about what happened to the two birds. Before they can share all the events of the time they were apart, it becomes clear that there is another party to search for next.

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Siren sings at full volume on top of a hill, and the small Mermaids perched on their head raise their voices too. Chiikawa and Hachiware lie low behind the hill to watch, but when Siren turns around, the two are exposed. Hachiware lets out a startled sound, while Chiikawa can only groan. In a panic, Chiikawa searches the pochette (shoulder bag) at their chest, hesitating as an image crosses their mind of a small white figure with candy in its mouth. Chiikawa finds a wrapped candy and throws it toward Siren. While Siren's eyes follow the flying candy, Chiikawa starts running in the opposite direction, ending the story.

Story guide

A large Mermaid-shaped being seems to feel that their throat is in good condition and looks down at those nearby. Chiikawa, Hachiware, Usagi, Furuhonya, and Momonga are nearby, and someone is also bound by vines. Hachiware and Usagi hold their weapons even while suspended in the air and call for help. Chiikawa looks up at them from the ground, with Furuhonya also close by. The being says unsettling words about how to eat, and the vines take away escape routes. Part of the search party is captured again, ending in a state where rescue is needed before dialogue.

Story guide

Chiikawa follows sounds from the water's edge, loses their footing, and sinks into the water. After struggling back to the surface, Chiikawa sees Momonga's large tail pass nearby as Momonga watches from a short distance away. Still wet, Chiikawa looks around and finds a fruit-bearing plant near a tree. As they continue moving while separated from the others, their attention turns to this small clue by the water.

Story guide

Walking through the forest, Chiikawa notices a large name written on a roadside sign and reaches Shimajiro's shop. The sign advertises clam soup, reminding Chiikawa of a time they ate with Hachiware. Inside, Shimajiro sits before a plate, and Chiikawa watches them eat before calling out. The food shop establishes that Chiikawa and Shimajiro are in the same place.

Story guide

Tired and hungry, Chiikawa sits before food with Shimajiro. Concerned that Chiikawa has suddenly lost strength, Shimajiro offers them curry and clam soup. Furuhonya is also visible behind them, and life on the island continues inside the shop. Chiikawa eats one bite at a time, taking in the flavor while continuing to worry about their distant companions.

Story guide

Over their meal, Shimajiro tells Chiikawa that Siren once came to the island and troubled the Mermaids. Siren is depicted as having taken a liking to the island's food and eaten many dishes made by the islanders. The Mermaids live around Siren's huge body, and Shimajiro explains this as a consequence of Siren learning about the island's delicious food. Chiikawa stops eating to listen and tries to understand the situation.

Story guide

Saying they have an idea where the others might be, Shimajiro leads Chiikawa to a cave by the water. They explain that an islander gathering shellfish saw Mermaids farther inside and decide to dive in and check personally. Chiikawa is startled by the danger, but Shimajiro heads for the water without hesitation. Evidence left outside the cave gives the two a clue for a rescue.

Story guide

Inside the cave, Rakko, Usagi, Hachiware, Momonga, and Furuhonya are caught on vines and cannot move freely. Rakko checks that their body is secured, while Hachiware calls for help. Usagi reaches toward a vine beside them, and Momonga and Furuhonya watch the situation while hanging in a row. The group tries to work together to get free, but everyone remains suspended at this point.

Story guide

Hanging from the vines, Rakko and the others consider the relationship between Siren and the Mermaids. Hachiware recalls hearing about Mermaids being eaten in the past, while Furuhonya voices fear of being trapped in a dark place. Momonga responds that they do not want to be trapped in the same way, and Rakko tries to sort through what they have heard. Beside them, Usagi sways on the vine and listens to the exchange.

Story guide

To change their immobile situation, Rakko calls for everyone to work together and swing the vines. Usagi, Hachiware, Momonga, and Furuhonya move their bodies in time with the call, twisting the hanging vines into a large bundle. Rakko slips lower partway through, but no one stops swinging. Those who had been captured separately begin moving in unison to escape.

Story guide

While walking with Shimajiro, Chiikawa spots the back of someone who appears to be an islander and tries to call out. Seeing them more closely reminds Chiikawa of the companions Siren captured, and they urgently tell Shimajiro. Shimajiro understands Chiikawa's change and turns in a new direction. With the islander in the grassy field before them, the two become keenly aware that they need to find out what is happening in the cave.

Story guide

Shimajiro decides to dive in first and check the inside of the cave. Chiikawa tries to stop them, but Shimajiro believes they cannot wait if someone is weakening and plunges in. Beneath the water, Shimajiro counts the time as they make their way deeper, while Chiikawa watches the length of time from the shore. The scene shows Shimajiro's solo effort to obtain reliable information before their breath runs out.

Story guide

After returning from the water, Shimajiro reports that they confirmed the presence of Siren and Mermaids deep in the cave. Chiikawa thinks of Hachiware, Momonga, Rakko, and Furuhonya being captured and insists that they have to go help. Hearing this, Shimajiro decides to head there at once. Their search shifts into a rescue effort as the two prepare to approach Siren beside the Mermaids.

Story guide

Underwater, Shimajiro speaks to Siren while confirming that the Mermaids are nearby. Siren responds to Shimajiro's call by repeating an indistinct voice. Unable to grasp what Siren wants, Shimajiro tries to keep their distance. The current suddenly grows stronger, however, and Shimajiro is swept into a whirlpool. What began as an attempt at communication turns into an underwater crisis.

Story guide

At the sea at night, Kurimanju and Shisa face the water together and act as if singing about their journey on the island. Shisa floats out among the waves, while Kurimanju returns to the beach and takes a drink in hand. As the distance between them grows, Kurimanju calls for Shisa and wonders whether there will be a reply from the sea. The scene is a brief moment of the two alone at the nighttime shore amid the events on the island.

Story guide

Before a gathering of islanders, Shisa and Kurimanju try to make use of their experience helping with cooking. Rakko tells the islanders that they rescued the captured companions, while Chiikawa and Hachiware listen. Pajama Parties Purple and other members of Pajama Parties are also nearby, and the islanders show gratitude to those who came to help. The discussion moves toward the possibility that preparing food could become a way to change the situation.

Story guide

Curry-making begins, with Kurimanju serving as the head cook and Shisa as the taste tester. Chiikawa and Hachiware hear the island's account that Siren liked spicy curry and take on the task of gathering ingredients. The islanders bring in crops from the fields and also pay attention to a strange phenomenon that seems to react to singing. Shisa begins adding a spicy local specialty that can be made on the island, turning the curry into a countermeasure.

Story guide

Kurimanju tastes the nearly finished curry and asks Shisa to make it even hotter. Chiikawa, Hachiware, and Usagi taste it in turn and learn that it has not yet reached the desired flavor. An islander suggests bringing any spicy foods they have at home. Shisa immediately goes to look for ingredients, seeking an addition that will make the curry not just hot, but distinctly of the island.

Story guide

Saying that spicy roux alone is not enough, Shisa heads to an islander's house with Chiikawa, Hachiware, and Usagi. Inside, they search among preserved goods and books on the shelves for anything that might help. Chiikawa notices a small item in the room, and an islander takes out a bag containing something spicy. The search away from the cooking area becomes the moment of finding a key addition for the curry.

Story guide

Inside the house, Chiikawa notices a small red object beside a container. Kurimanju continues searching with a nearby islander, while Chiikawa follows the red item, which seems to glow. It is small enough to rest on a fingertip, but the others treat it as a special ingredient. Chiikawa studies it closely and understands that an item for the curry has finally been found.

Story guide

Hachiware asks whether spicy things and the roux have been found, and Chiikawa answers with a nod. Usagi and the island residents are also gathered in the same house. Night falls, and the outside is enveloped in lively voices. Shisa, wearing a chef's hat, announces in front of the pot that it is ready, but hesitates and says that tasting it might be dangerous. Furuhonya, who had been yawning, volunteers to taste it themself, sniffs the pot, and takes a single lick. The next moment, Furuhonya's face turns bright red and they collapse on the spot. Everyone is shocked that a single lick could do that, and Shisa and Momonga end with their eyes wide in amazement.

Story guide

Resolving to finish it in one strike before being done in by the vines, Usagi holds up curry piled on a large spoon and charges in, with Chiikawa, Hachiware, Rakko, and Furuhonya following close behind. Siren, with a Mermaid resting on their head, sniffs it and asks if this is meant as a way to buy forgiveness with a treat. They state that they will not forgive them, but declare they will accept only the curry. Siren brings the spoon offered by Usagi directly to their mouth. However, it has no effect; Siren voices dissatisfaction, complaining about the lack of rice, and ends up evaluating it as spicy and delicious. Hachiware laments that it is no use at all, and it ends with the realization that to Siren, even this spiciness is merely a tasty kind of spicy.

Story guide

Shimajiro tells everyone not to attack Siren with the heat alone and to judge when to use it. Chiikawa holds a small red packet and learns that it contains extremely hot chili peppers. Hachiware, Usagi, Momonga, Rakko, Furuhonya, and the Mermaids gather nearby, and Shimajiro decides to leave the situation to their companions. Siren starts singing again, taking the response with curry and song into its next phase.

Story guide

Shimajiro leaps high and moves in front of everyone, signaling to Chiikawa and Hachiware. As Siren continues singing, Usagi, Momonga, Kurimanju, the Mermaids, and Rakko watch the movement around them. Chiikawa stands before the curry while their companions gather as if in time with the sound. Shimajiro's large movement draws attention to the scene, and Rakko recognizes that the struggle is still continuing.

Story guide

Usagi begins by whistling, then sways their whole body and launches into loud song. Momonga protests beside them, saying they do not want to do it. Kurimanju flicks the tab of a beer can with a finger, adding its sound to the performance. Hachiware explains that the plan exploits the Mermaids' tendency to be drawn into singing and expects that this much excitement should make it work. Chiikawa and an unnamed figure in a chef's hat wait in front of curry topped with a flag. When Momonga asks whether doing this will earn them something tasty to eat, Rakko guarantees it. The red-tailed Mermaids then begin singing together, and Hachiware exclaims that they are starting to get drawn in.

Story guide

As Siren's song continues, the Mermaids add their voices and Usagi rushes forward as if diving in. Hachiware thinks that their song can weaken Siren's, and brings the curry with Chiikawa. Kurimanju and Shisa support the cooking behind them, while Momonga and Rakko watch what happens. Siren sways without stopping their song, but the companions try to deliver both their song and the curry at once.

Story guide

Hachiware and Chiikawa carry the plate of curry and move toward the rope in time with Usagi's actions. Momonga and Furuhonya watch from behind, while Rakko checks the situation from the outside. Partway through, someone gripping the rope is swung violently, and the group carrying the plate nearly loses its footing. Shimajiro supports the falling figure as if sending them back upward, while Chiikawa and the others try to move forward without letting go of the dish.

Story guide

Chiikawa and Hachiware start running with the curry, while Shimajiro supports their momentum from behind. Usagi changes position while holding something resembling Momonga's large tail, and Siren stops moving near the Mermaids. Hachiware braces themself so as not to let go of the plate, while Chiikawa keeps pace beside them. Their coordination closes the distance, but Siren turns their gaze toward them, heightening the tension just before the curry can be delivered.

Story guide

Siren opens their eyes wide and moves as if pulling Usagi into their arms. Chiikawa and Hachiware hurry to make Siren eat the curry they hold before them. A Mermaid remains on Siren's head, while Shimajiro watches Siren's reaction and the amount of curry. Rakko observes the plan from the side, and Siren brings their mouth close to the offered spoon. The scene follows the moment just before the food reaches Siren.

Story guide

After eating the curry, Siren's face turns red and they react so strongly that their eyes spin. A Mermaid remains on their head, and Siren tries to keep singing, but their voice becomes unsteady. Beside the islanders, Chiikawa, Hachiware, and Usagi, Shimajiro watches the reaction and considers what to do next. The group raises the possibility that the song has an effect of suppressing something and tries to determine whether Siren's change will help the plan.

Story guide

When Siren shows signs of wanting water, Chiikawa, Hachiware, and Usagi consider what has happened. Hachiware suggests that there may be a way to return Siren to normal, and the three watch the change in their opponent. Large text evoking water appears, while Siren's red eyes continue to waver. Amid the islanders' confusion, a new problem emerges: how to understand the result of their plan.

Story guide

The collapsed islander weakly murmurs of carbonation, and Hachiware asks in reply whether they want to drink something carbonated and feel the fizz. The islander crumples down on the spot, Hachiware cries out asking if they are all right, and Usagi also raises their voice. With an evening scene in between, the setting shifts indoors; beside the islander who has been laid down to rest, Usagi reports that their hands are cold, and Chiikawa and Hachiware keep watch at the bedside. Hachiware calls out to check whether they are still breathing, while another islander nearby watches with a tense, stiffened body. Eventually the door opens and Shimajiro asks how the condition is, but Chiikawa is at a loss for words. Finally Shimajiro asks whether they still have not woken up, and Chiikawa shakes their head.

Story guide

Chiikawa, Hachiware, and Usagi quietly watch the movements of the collapsed islander. The islander appears to be making something without relying on their eyes, and the three focus on their hands and back. Usagi holds a container of water, while Chiikawa and Hachiware keep their voices low nearby. When the islander suddenly falls, a thin item peeks out from their back, revealing a clue the three had not noticed before.

Story guide

Chiikawa and the others are startled by signs that the sleeping islanders are all waking up at once. As Hachiware, Usagi, Rakko, and Shimajiro watch nearby, the awakened islanders head toward the bookshelves in pairs. Chiikawa follows while holding a small red bead-like object, and Hachiware wonders whether the islanders drink carbonated beverages. Inside, attention gathers on the bookshelves, creating a quiet moment in which the awakened islanders and the travelers seem to reexamine something. The islanders' backs, lined up before the shelves, draw the three friends' gaze in the same direction.

Story guide

Two islanders read an old page describing a rumor that eating Mermaid flesh grants eternal life. After checking the account, they take a boat out onto the night sea and find a small group of Mermaids offshore. As they ready a net as though searching for prey, a large shadow unlike the Mermaids approaches across the water. The scene cuts as a gigantic figure with black ear-like parts and a red ornament appears and closes in on the two in the boat. Waves pressing against the small boat and the lines of the net emphasize how little room they have to escape. The sea is dark, and the small waves tremble.

Story guide

At sea, the Siren approaches the two people in the boat with the Mermaids in tow. The Siren gestures while holding something like a sheet of paper, and the Mermaids respond by picturing fruit and fish, but the two in the boat cannot grasp the meaning. The Siren then jumps into the sea and, some distance from the boat, makes a motion as if throwing something. Immediately afterward, a huge red tail rises from the water and falls toward the boat's planks. A large splash is also shown above the two just before the tail comes down. Spray leaps high from the waves.

Story guide

The Siren and the Mermaids peer into the water, wondering whether what they hurled at the boat may have hit its target. Broken planks remain there along with two islanders lying still, covered in something like a white liquid. One islander finds the other lying there and falls silent, while a book explaining the differences between humans and Mermaids lies open nearby. The Siren watches them innocently at close range, but an islander who returns indoors sits beside their companion with the book in hand. The book's illustrations and the red beads around the bedding heighten the unnatural quiet of the room. The planks are wet as well.

Story guide

The Siren happily tells the Mermaids that the feast that day was richly flavored and delicious. One Mermaid finds small fragments scattered in the sand and approaches the shelter of some rocks to investigate a sound. There, an island child moves their hands as if crushing something, and the Mermaid notices what seems to be an islander's ornament nearby. Just as the Mermaid tries to alert the others, a heavy impact sounds from offscreen, leaving only a brief cry. The fragments form a line in the sand near the rocks, showing the direction the Mermaid had gone.

Story guide

At the nighttime bonfire gathering, Shimajiro asks Chiikawa and the others whether they have been able to rest since then. When they reply that they were worn out from the battle with Siren and mostly slept, Shimajiro acknowledges this with an "I see." Asked whether they are already heading back tomorrow, Hachiware nods and confesses that they actually came hoping for a hundred times the reward. Beside them stand Kurimanju holding a can and Shisa carrying yakisoba, and it is also mentioned that they cannot take a long break. With Usagi and Chiikawa joining in, Hachiware says that once they return they will have to work hard again, after which Shimajiro raises a cup and proposes a toast to the end of the battle with Siren for the time being.

Story guide

At the campfire, Shimajiro says that they will keep searching for the missing islanders. As Chiikawa listens, Rakko reflects that eating Mermaids seems to cause something to happen to the body, though they do not know what it was. Shimajiro acknowledges that mysteries remain, but thanks everyone for coming to help and turns their thoughts back to drinking that night. Those by the fire take up food and alcohol in response, returning to the gathering while still carrying the weight of the conversation. Rakko's cup and the campfire remain in view amid the thoughtful exchange.

Story guide

Around a large campfire, Kurimanju sings while holding food, and Shisa joins in beside them. A short distance away, Usagi gestures as they join the islanders' singing. The song moves from a farewell about remaining friends to imagining tomorrow, with musical notes spreading beyond the circle. Kurimanju turns around partway through to listen to the voices across the fire. In the end, the whole nighttime square is wrapped in the lingering song. The islanders beyond the fire remain lined up, quietly watching the two sing.

Story guide

Standing a little apart from the singing, Chiikawa watches two islanders holding hands and recalls, one by one, the marks on their abdomens, the red bead-like objects, and the book's passage about Mermaid flesh. Hachiware approaches the absorbed Chiikawa and worries that something may be wrong. Chiikawa does not answer, looking again toward the two islanders, but a large body passes between them and hides the pair from view. As the music continues in the square, Chiikawa stands unable to put their troubling memories into words. The islanders' backs and the red memory-beads reinforce Chiikawa's uncertainty.

Story guide

Even when their companions ask what happened, Chiikawa does not answer and keeps watching the two islanders outside the singing circle. As Chiikawa tries to move closer to where they stand together, a large islander crosses in front and the pair disappears from view. Chiikawa moves a little way through the crowd but cannot call out to them. Eventually, Chiikawa stops and looks toward the singing in the distance and the islanders' backs. Only Chiikawa's unease remains to the end, while the gathering around them stays peaceful. The musical notes near Chiikawa's feet are the only sign that the celebration continues.

Story guide

Usagi energetically barges between two companions who have stopped walking and sways along with the singing. A short distance away, two islanders hold hands and listen to the campfire song. Usagi brings their companions back toward the circle, while the islanders by the fire lean close and continue the same song. A song suggesting the day of parting and the day they will meet again stretches into the night sky, and its afterglow continues quietly with only the stars and campfire left. The backs of the hand-holding islanders and the firelight remain behind the three. The campfire crackles on.

Story guide

In the nighttime square, two islanders turn toward a quieter area and freeze as if remembering what happened at sea with the Siren and the Mermaids. Elsewhere, Shisa looks out over the island at night, and those around them notice the tension. In the islanders' line of sight, a memory overlaps of the red Siren looming large and pursuing people with the Mermaids. Yet in the present, the Siren and the Mermaids continue a light song about preferring dark places, and the two islanders cannot shake their unease. The red memory scene sits beside the present singing scene, showing why they are afraid.

Story guide

At the morning dock, Chiikawa, Hachiware, Usagi, and Shisa find a bag delivered by a large bird. Shimajiro hands it over as a local specialty; inside are soup, a curry recipe, and a sheet saying that it includes bonito. Shimajiro asks them to use it carefully, and everyone wonders when the lost bird arrived. The bird perches on Shimajiro's arm, and Shimajiro feels unable to leave a lost bird alone. The package becomes a parting gift for the travelers. The words for soup and curry on the sheet make the contents of the gift specific.

Story guide

Shimajiro thanks the travelers for coming to the island. While Chiikawa and Hachiware pack their belongings, Usagi, Momonga, Furuhonya, Rakko, Kurimanju, and Shisa also join the preparations for departure and the farewell. Hachiware checks that everything has been packed, and Chiikawa nods on hearing that they can keep doing their best after returning home. In front of boxes filled with weed-pulling tools and other things, the two accept that they are leaving the island. A box labeled for weed pulling also points to the life that awaits them after their return. The sea breeze stirs the luggage.

Story guide

Islanders gather at the pier, and the send-off begins amid the sound of flutes and cheering. Chiikawa, Hachiware, and Usagi board a bird-shaped boat. Inside the railing, Hachiware brings up that those two did not come, and Chiikawa nods. When Chiikawa then lets out that they wanted to say 'see you again,' Hachiware falls silent, unable to find words to reply. On the shore, the islanders sing about delicious food stalls being piled high, and repeatedly chanting the name of clam soup curry, they see the boat off. Shimajiro also waves their large hands and opens their mouth to call out. As the whistle blows and the boat leaves the island, Chiikawa and Hachiware lined up at the railing shout their thanks loudly, and Usagi also raises their voice nearby.

Story guide

On the boat, Chiikawa holds a small red object and wonders whether it is a Mermaid scale. Usagi recoils from it so strongly that they tremble, while Hachiware says the island may endure forever and they might all be able to go back someday. Chiikawa looks at the island remaining at sea, and the three also wonder where the large bird is headed. The subject then turns to what they will eat after returning home: Hachiware names foods, and Usagi hopes for something jiggly. The red beads floating between sea and island leave Chiikawa's uncertainty unresolved.

Story guide

On the ride home, Momonga looks at the sea and says they wanted to stay on the island longer. Furuhonya agrees that it would have been nice to spend more time there, while Kurimanju's plan to offset seasickness with alcohol worries the others. Shisa and Rakko watch over Kurimanju, and Hachiware reflects on the recent battle and says they need to become stronger. It is a short epilogue in which the lingering feelings from the trip and motion sickness share the same journey. The island seen beyond the railing overlaps with Momonga's reluctance to leave.

Story guide

As the theater announces that the movie is about to begin, Chiikawa, Hachiware, and Usagi wait in their seats. Chiikawa returns carrying a tray full of pre-show drinks and popcorn, and Hachiware worries about how much there is. Chiikawa gets it all there without dropping anything and receives praise from Hachiware for handling the tray. Once the snacks reach the three, Chiikawa turns their attention to the movie about to start. Cups of drinks line Chiikawa's tray, while Usagi stays quietly beside the seats.

Cultural and language noteAt Japanese movie theaters, it is common to receive popcorn and drinks together on a tray before a screening. Here they are treated as part of the fun just before the movie begins.

Story guide

This is not a scene from the story but an announcement illustration conveying the release date of the Chiikawa movie. At the top, the movie title and the notice that release has been set for July 24 are written in large text. On the water, Siren swings their arms while laughing, forcefully tossing Hachiware, Usagi, and Chiikawa, each wearing a green ring around their neck, with motion lines and the sound effect PO~N added. Each of the three also wears a decoration on their head. In the foreground are two small Mermaids with red bodies, and water splashes around them. The speech bubbles include one saying it is summer and a shout made when throwing, and at the bottom a sentence in romaji states that it will already be March, so it is surprisingly soon.

Cultural and language noteJapanese movie announcements commonly show the release date prominently alongside the work's main visual and a short expression of anticipation. Here it is an announcement confirming a release date with the month and day stated.

Story guide

This hand-drawn announcement says that Nobuyuki Fukumoto illustrated the Canadian-release poster for the movie. Usagi, Chiikawa, and Hachiware are shown in tears, while text beside them encourages people to go to the theater. Text at the bottom also announces collaboration covers and stickers in a combined issue of Morning and Weekly Shonen Magazine. The reaction drawing of the three is not a comic that advances the movie's story, but an addition used to convey the continuing project information.

Cultural and language noteMorning and Weekly Shonen Magazine are Japanese manga magazines. A combined issue is a special issue that brings projects from two magazines together in one volume.

Story guide

In this watercolor-style illustration, a small green animal-like figure nestles behind Yoroi-san (Armor Knight), who is wearing sunglasses. English writing on Yoroi-san's clothing asks whether someone can understand the content by seeing only the movie. There are no speech bubbles or sequential panels, and the image gives no answer to the question. It is therefore not a comic that advances events, but a standalone illustration that lightly presents unease about watching the movie beforehand.

Story guide

This announcement introduces, in handwriting, the people voicing Shimajiro and Siren in the movie. The text identifies Tsuguo Mogami as the voice of Shimajiro and Minori Suzuki as the voice of Siren, with greetings beside an illustration of the two characters. The image focuses on conveying the pairing of roles and voice actors, not on dialogue or scenes from the movie. The two figures serve as a visual introducing new characters before the release.

Cultural and language noteVoice actor is the profession of performing a character's voice in an animated work. Japanese movie announcements often introduce a role together with the voice actor performing it.