Hanazono Merry go Round

Fifteen-year-old Ki-ichi Aiura is driven by a singular, unwavering goal: to recover the legendary sword that once belonged to his family. His quest leads him deep into rugged terrain, but the journey proves far more treacherous than anticipated when he becomes hopelessly lost in the mountains. After wandering through the unforgiving wilderness, fate guides him to Kebigasawa, a small and seemingly forgotten hamlet hidden away from the outside world. Upon arriving in the secluded settlement, Ki-ichi quickly senses that something is deeply unusual about the village. The local women treat him with an unsettling curiosity, behaving in ways that defy everything he knows about normal society. As he spends more time among the residents, the true nature of their intense interest begins to reveal itself. Ki-ichi soon discovers that Kebigasawa operates under ancient customs that have long been abandoned by modern civilization. Driven by his own inquisitive nature and the undeniable expectations placed upon him, he finds himself drawn into the heart of the village's secretive traditions. He is ultimately tasked with participating in the community's longstanding sexual rites—rituals that remain very much alive and practiced within this isolated mountain enclave.