School Days

Synopsis

Makoto Ito is a high school boy in Japan who spends his days commuting to and from Sakakino Academy, the fictional school where he has just started his second term. On those train rides, he finds himself increasingly drawn to Kotonoha Katsura, another student who takes the same route. His classmate, Sekai Saionji, learns about his quiet interest and eventually steps in to bring the two together. With her help, Makoto and Kotonoha get to know each other, grow closer, and eventually start dating. Unexpectedly, Sekai finds herself growing jealous of the couple's success, having developed her own hidden feelings for Makoto. Later one afternoon while heading home from the station near Sakakino Academy, she spots Makoto already there, waiting for Kotonoha to meet him for their planned outing. He sits down beside her and once again thanks her for all she has done, repeating how the assistance means so much to him. He tells her to do anything to make it up to her. Sekai insists he is being overly grateful for him, but proceeds with the way she intends to cover her: as the train rolls in, she leans in and gives him a quick kiss, then jumps into an open passenger car and cheerfully passes into the departing train, leaving a speechless Makoto behind with her wish of luck for getting his possible heavenly kilin.

Background

At midnight on September 18, 2007, the final episode of the TVK program was cancelled without notice, and a travelogue program showing castles and boats was shown instead with the message, "Due to circumstances, the program has been changed." In fact, the day before the last episode was aired, a 16-year-old girl murdered her father in Kyoto Prefecture, which led to the postponement and cancellation of the last episode with a similar murder scene.