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Synopsis

Set beginning in 1940, this story follows Kayoko, a first-grade girl known for her tears yet fond of play, singing playground rhymes, and moments with her three elder brothers. Her mother is expecting, and Kayoko anticipates becoming an older sister while only partly grasping what that will mean. As national mobilization intensifies, patriotic duty permeates ordinary life; Kayoko even offers her treasured doll because its materials are useful for the war effort. The narrative traces the years as Kayoko matures and observes how conflict reshapes daily life for her and those close to her, culminating in the stark challenges that arrive in 1945. The depiction is drawn from the creator Kayoko Ebina's own wartime experiences during the Shōwa period and preserves a quiet, somber tone about childhood under mounting national strain.