Shiro, the Giant, and the Castle of Ice

Set in the historic city of Minami Shimabara in Nagasaki Prefecture—a region forever defined by the early Edo period's infamous Shimabara Rebellion—the story follows Shirou, a third-year junior high school student living an ordinary life alongside his classmates. His quiet summer routine is disrupted when Akane, an older childhood friend who had relocated to Tokyo, unexpectedly returns to their hometown. Reunited, Shirou and Akane join another longtime companion, Tokiya, for a nostalgic walk through the familiar streets of Minami Shimabara. Beneath the surface of their reunion, however, the three friends find themselves navigating a complex mix of wistful memories and unspoken emotions. Their bittersweet stroll takes a sudden, extraordinary turn when a mysterious creature named Goron appears before them without warning. Though small in stature, this strange being serves as the catalyst for something far greater than any of them could have anticipated. The unexpected arrival of Goron sets into motion a chain of monumental events, threatening to awaken echoes of the city’s turbulent past and transform their peaceful summer into something entirely unforeseen.