Blue Box

First-year Taiki Inomata starts his mornings in the school gym, determined to sharpen his badminton game. The early hours also bring him close to Chinatsu Kano, a second-year and standout on the girls’ basketball team—and the person Taiki quietly admires. Though she seems hard to approach at first, small moments gradually draw them into each other’s orbit.

Taiki’s steady dedication doesn’t go unnoticed, inspiring Chinatsu as she pushes toward her own goals. When her family suddenly relocates overseas, Chinatsu chooses to stay in Japan to pursue a national-level victory, and thanks to a long-standing friendship between their families, Taiki’s mother offers her a place to live. Sharing a home with his crush turns Taiki’s everyday life upside down, and he sets his sights on reaching the national stage in badminton as well.

Even with talent that catches his coach’s attention, earning a starting spot means battling strong upperclassmen. With encouragement from Chinatsu and his childhood friend Hina Chouno, a gymnast, Taiki works to prove himself—on the court and in the complicated feelings growing around him.