The Case of Hana & Alice

Synopsis

After transferring to Ishinomori Middle School, Tetsuko "Alice" Arisugawa hears a strange rumor going around among her classmates. It involves the mysterious disappearance of the previous student who sat in her seat, an unremarkable student called "Judas" who is rumored to be dead, supposedly poisoned by one of his four wives. While dealing with the challenges of her mother's overbearing presence and facing bullying from other students, the troubled Alice begins looking into the mystery of Judas's disappearance. Following various leads, Alice eventually reaches the home of her reclusive and odd neighbor, Hana Arai. After an initially awkward meeting, Hana agrees to help Alice and comes up with a plan that might solve the mystery. Together, the two set out to uncover the truth about what happened to Judas, possibly forming a new friendship along the way.

Background

Winner of the Excellence Award at the 19th Japan Media Arts Festival.