BS Nippon Corporation

Yuki is a 2nd year high school student. She volunteers at a paediatrics ward for her summer vacation, because she wants to witness the moment a person dies. She got that thought after feeling envious of a transfer student's story of seeing a friend's dead body. Yuki has friend named Atsuko. She was bullied in the past and has anxiety issues. She volunteers at a nursing home for her summer vacation, hoping that she will gain courage if she sees the moment a person dies.

Shoji Segawa was a quiet and inconspicuous boy, but, for the first time, he is recognized by people after winning the National Middle School Shogi Tournament. At the age of 26, his dream of becoming a professional shogi player collapses due to an age restriction. After he quits playing shogi, he becomes desperate. With the support of his peers, including Yuya Suzuki, and his love of shogi, Shoji Segawa begins to play shogi again. A miracle happens to him.

A young woman who rents out cats to lonely old folks finds her life turned upside down when a young man from her past shows back up in her life.

Noboru is a high school student who isn't popular at all. He looks up to senior student Miyazaki who is one of the most popular guys at school. Miyazaki has two girlfriends: Momose and Tetsuko. Momose and Tetsuko have totally different personalities. Momose is bright and Tetsuko is a popular student from a wealthy family. One day, Miyazaki is caught with Momose. To keep his relationship with Tetsuko, Miyazaki asks Noboru and Momose to pretend they are dating. They both agree due to their affections for Miyazaki. Noboru and Momose begin to act like a couple in front others and soon Noboru begins to develop feelings for Momose, who is still in love with Miyazaki.

Bunsei era, at a time when Edo culture is at its peak, and barely 50 years before the arrival of the Meiji Restoration in 1868. Sabu is a cheerful, honest young man who left his hometown with the dream of becoming a policeman. He is an informant to the policeman Saheiji of Asakusa in Edo and stays with him and his daughter Midori. One day, Sabu encounters the cool master swordsman Ichi, who makes a living giving massages, and they become partners in an unexpected way. Although Sabu is still an informant, he and the blind Ichi collaborate in a way that compensates for each other’s shortcomings. Sabu becomes Ichi’s eyes while Ichi becomes Sabu’s right-hand man and solves cases with his well-honed skills of deduction as they search for the truth in difficult cases in Edo. One case starts with the discovery of two dead bodies in the Sumida River. The bodies have diagonal slashes and were left in boxes.

This August 2010 NHK documentary explores the influence of selected children's literature on Miyazaki and Takahata's body of work and on Studio Ghibli as a whole. Also included is a conversation between Miyazaki and Japanese author and TV personality Sawako Agawa.