Town of Evening Calm, Country of Cherry Blossoms
Yuunagi no Machi (Town of Evening Calm) The 1945 atomic bombing of Hiroshima ravaged the land and its populace, leaving behind a devastating aftermath. In the recovering city a decade later, Minami Hirano and her mother strive to save enough money to reunite with Minami's younger brother, who was separated from the family during the crisis. While Minami's hard work and tenacity have taken her this far, she is constantly tormented by traumatizing visions of the past, which are amplified by the persisting effects of the bombing. Mustering the courage to face her grief, Minami wishes to find solace and move on to a brighter future. Sakura no Kuni (Country of Cherry Blossoms) Fifth-grade student Nanami Ishikawa has settled into a daily routine: she walks home with her best friend and next-door neighbor Touko Tone, attends baseball practice, and visits her sickly younger brother at the hospital. Even 17 years later, her life remains uneventful. However, things change when Nanami's father begins to disappear for entire days, only to claim he merely went on a walk. Motivated by suspicion and concern for his safety, Nanami follows him to his true destination—Hiroshima, a place she has more significant ties to than she ever realized. [Written by MAL Rewrite]
