Synopsis
After Masato Inohara accidentally hits a baseball into the school's water main, the boys' dormitory suffers partial damage. Until repairs are made, the boys must temporarily relocate to the girls' dormitory. They draw tickets to decide their room assignments, but because space is limited, some boys will end up without a bed. Riki Naoe draws a ticket that forces him to stay in an uncomfortable clubroom. Seeing his unfortunate situation, a nervous Kudryavka "Kud" Noumi gathers the courage to confess her feelings and asks Riki to stay in her room instead. Despite constant teasing from the rest of the Little Busters about their relationship, Riki spends the summer with her. As they share one unforgettable experience after another, the two realize they may want to be more than just friends.
Background
Kud Wafter is an adaptation of Key's visual novel of the same name. After a crowdfunding campaign for its production was launched on July 18, 2017 by VisualArts, its goal of thirty million yen was reached in three days; by September 25, 2017, it reached its final stretch goal of sixty million yen. While originally set to premiere in September 2019, a change in directors resulted in a one-year delay to September 2020. A second delay pushed the premiere date to November 2020 following concerns regarding the film's quality. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, another delay was issued, moving the film's theatrical screenings from May 14, 2021 to July 16, 2021.