Blue Spring Ride

Synopsis

In "Blue Spring Ride," Futaba Yoshioka suppresses her true feminine nature, adopting a deliberately harsh demeanor to ward off any romantic advances. This defensive strategy stems from her middle school years, when her popularity with boys led to rejection by her female peers. Upon entering high school, Futaba maintains this act to avoid repeating those painful social experiences. Beneath her tough exterior, Futaba clings to sweet memories of her middle school crush, Kou Tanaka. Their bond ended abruptly when Kou suddenly stopped attending school. Upon learning that Kou has returned under a different surname, Kou Mabuchi, Futaba yearns to reconnect. However, the Kou she encounters now is vastly different—taller, more charming, and distant, making it difficult for Futaba to bridge the gap between them. Futaba ponders whether returning to her old self might finally make Kou notice her. Yet, she also questions if she is ready to jeopardize the calm, uneventful life she currently enjoys and the friendships she has cultivated along the way.

Background

Ao Haru Ride is the anime adaptation of the manga series written and illustrated by Io Sakisaka, which was serialized in the shoujo magazine Bessatsu Margaret between 2011 and 2015. It has sold over 5.84 million copies, and released in Germany, France, Italy, Taiwan and Poland. It was adapted into a live action film directed by Takahiro Miki and released on 13 December 2014. The anime is licensed for release in North America with English subtitles by Sentai Filmworks.