is a Japanese manga series written by Nodoka Shinomaru. It began serialization in Shinchosha's magazine Monthly Comic @ Bunch in 2012 and has been collected into twelve volumes. An anime television series adaptation by Liden Films aired from October 9 to December 25, 2016.

Plot The series revolves around the complicated but normal life of Souta Tawara, a young web designer from Tokyo who decides to return to his hometown in Kagawa following the death of his father and take a break from the city. Upon his return, he finds out that the family restaurant had stopped operating during his absence. While reminiscing about his childhood, Souta walks inside the closed restaurant and discovers a little boy sleeping inside a cooking pot. He realizes that this child is a form-changing that has been inhabiting Kagawa for many years. Thinking that the boy has been living a lonely life, Souta decides to adopt him and name him Poco.

Each episode follows the heartwarming relationship between Souta and Poco. Through the time they spend together, Souta recalls his own past, the place he left behind for the city, and his relationship with his father.

Characters

Souta is the main protagonist and the son of a noodle restaurant owner. Born and raised in the Udon Prefecture, a fictional city inspired by Kagawa Prefecture, he had been living an depressed life in Tokyo as a web designer. Souta comes home after his father's demise to find the restaurant having gone out of business and a young boy that he names Poco hiding there.

A young boy who is actually a magical tanuki (raccoon dog). He is adopted by Souta after he was found all alone hiding inside the closed-down restaurant.

Poco is Souta's friend from elementary school. He used to go fishing with Souta in the middle of the night before going to school. Poco is now an orthopedic surgeon.

Rinko is Souta's older sister who cannot deal with young children, but interacting with Poco and Souta changed that. She can be intimidating but cares well about Souta's well-being.

Shunsuke is Sae's older brother who works as a part-time DJ. He initially warned Souta that if a child wandered around alone in the area a tanuki could betray them after Poco ran off chasing Kaeru and ended up at the temple.

Sae is Shunsuke's younger sister. A former customer of Tawara Udon who visited there, she is devastated to find out it is no longer operating upon meeting Souta for the first time. Her workplace is situated around the corner from the noodle restaurant.

Mai is Souta's childhood friend. Since graduating from high school, she got married and now goes by Mai Tanaka. Mai is the mother to two children, Nozomi and Eitarou.

Nozomi is Mai's daughter.

Fumi is a sharp-tongued old woman from next door. She was initially critical of Souta upon his return and mistakes Poco as his secret lovechild.

Surgeon and Director of the local hospital, she operated on Souta when he sustained his leg injury as a teenager. He argues frequently with his son who works at another hospital in Ritsurin, raising doubts as to whether Shinobu will take over his hospital.

Nicknamed Dahama, Gorou is Sota's boss at 'team satellite', the web design company he works at in Tokyo. He first encounters Souta when visiting a hospital where Souta, as a teen, was a patient due to a leg injury. Seeing his enthusiasm for building Nakajima's fishing website, Dahama invites him to Tokyo after his recovery.

Hiroshi is Souta's younger colleague at team satellite who looks up to him. Hiroshi is the one that calls Souta back to Tokyo, after he has spent two weeks away in Kagawa, when the company is in trouble due to being right up against a project deadline.

Saeki is president of Team Planet, an advertising agency in Shodoshima, who introduced to Souta by Dahama when he becomes a freelancer.

Yukie is Manabu's wife who works at Team Planet.

Nakajima was Souta and Rinko's mother who died more than 25 years before the current storyline.

Former owner of the noodle restaurant Tawara Udon, he is Souta and Rinko's father. After his recent death, Souta is still in the mourning period when he returns to his hometown in Kagawa Prefecture.

Kaeru is a frog that lives near Tawara Udon and that Poco often chases.

An anime-only character, Udon Prefecture Vice Governor Kaname Jun is a native of Kagawa who provides preview narration and facts about the prefecture.

Gaogao-chan and the Blue Sky

Gaogao space alien from the Nebula M87 who crash-lands on Earth and comes to love it. Gaogao-chan is Poco's favorite TV character.

and Shiho Kokido Two kinds of mechanics who Gaogao-chan comes to live with.

Media Manga The original manga by Nodoka Shinomaru began serialization in Shinchosha's Monthly Comic Bunch magazine in August 2012. Twelve volumes have been released by Shinchosha under the label Bunch Comics so far.

Volume list

Anime A 12-episode anime adaptation was announced to air in October 2016. The anime was produced by Liden Films, directed by Seiki Takuno and written by Natsuko Takahashi. Eriko Itō handled the character designs and Yukari Hashimoto composed the music. It premiered on October 9, 2016, on NTV and later premiered on RNC on October 16, 2016. The opening theme is "S.O.S." by Weaver and the ending theme is "Sweet Darwin" by Good Warp. Crunchyroll streamed the series as it aired, while Discotek Media released the series on Blu-ray on May 26, 2020.

Episode list

Notes

References

External links