K-Factory

This story follows the semi-autobiographical account of manga artist Shotaro Ishinomori, author of the original Kamen Rider, Cyborg 009, and Super Sentai.

Futakotamagawa High School had a Baseball Club, but because of a fight during one of their games, they were suspended for a year from all games. Composed of student delinquents, Futakotamagawa High's new Literature teacher Kawato Koichi inspires the Baseball Club to believe in a dream goal once again. For them, it is to play at the Koshien - Japan's National High School Baseball Championship. But, Kawato Koichi and the newly reformed baseball team run into plenty of obstacles along the way...

Sakai is a city near Osaka by the bay famous for its swords in the old days and kitchen knives today. Norio is an antique dealer in the city. Sasuke is a potter in the city. Seventeenth century tea master Sen No Rikyu appears before them one day.

During the reign of the eighth shogun of the Tokugawa shogunate, the Yunagaya Domain in the Tohoku region is a small han. But at the han, there is a gold mine. Suddenly, Masaatsu Naito of Yunagaya Domain receives an order to perform Sankin-kotai within 5 days. Sankin-kotai is a custom that requires the daimyo to visit the shogun in Edo. Unfortunately, the time needed to visit the shogun in Edo for Masaatsu Naito is 8 days. Masaatsu Naito also learns he received the order because a high ranking government official wants the gold mine. Also, the expense for Sankin-kotai is high and the Yunagaya Domain is such a small han that it seems impossible to complete. Nevertheless, Masaatsu Naito begins an unexpected operation to complete Sankin-kotai in 5 days.

On September 9th, the day of the Katakai Fireworks Festival, high school student Hana comes home from the hospital after six months of treatment for leukemia. She then discovers that her older brother Taro has become a social recluse. Taro used to be tender, smart and proud of his younger sister, but now he even turns his back on her and stays in his room. With Hana's help Taro slowly opens up to the world again. Then, with winter approaching, Hana has a relapse with her leukemia. Taro comes to the hospital everyday to visit Hana and soon learns that the Katakai Fireworks Festival is a symbol of happiness for Hana. Taro then takes the initiative to make Hana happy and approaches the town's youth group once more for admittance.

New student Kanji transfers to 6th grade 2 class, where Ayami Mutoi works as the homeroom teacher. Students begin to talk among themselves that they have seen new transfer student Kanji in a dream. Yuiko Koto also had a night mare. In her nightmare, a boy that looks transfer student Kanji appeared as a prince. Ayami Mutoi tries to keep that to herself. She actually likes the prince in her dream.

Keisuke Ninomiya (Yu Yokoyama) works as a construction consultant. Through his work, he becomes acquainted with yakuza Yasuhiko Kuwabara (Kuranosuke Sasaki). One day, film producer Koshimizu brings a movie investment proposal to yakuza leader Shimada. Shimada decide to invest in the film and he assigns Yasuhiko Kuwabara to oversee his investment in the film. Film producer Koshimizu though runs away with their investment money. Keisuke and Yasuhiko struggle to get Shimada’s money back from Koshimizu.

Reporters Takehara and Tsumura Aki work for the magazine "Shukan Dodongo". Their chief editor tells them to monitor Okase Shohei who is an ex-bureaucrat and was recently released from prison. 7 years ago, Shohei was arrested for embezzling 1 billion yen. The investigation seven years ago was able to track down 700 million yen but unable to locate the remaining 300 million yen. Now, the chief editor is sure Shohei will go to wherever the remaining 300 million yen is hidden.

Twenty-four-year-old country bumpkin Aiko is a new teacher who has arrived at a new town and a new primary school. When nervous she blurts out her local dialect. This seals her nickname and reputation. Nonetheless, she is determined and strives to do her best for her students. She is an inspiration soon.

Kota and Yoko have known each other for 17 years. They finally get married and Yoko becomes pregnant. During her pregnancy, Yoko feels ill and gets a checkup. She learns that she has terminal cancer. Yoko is able to give birth and they try to smile everyday until her very last day.