TV Anime (12 Eps)

Lerche

Tokyo MX, AT-X

Fantasy

Slice of Life

Winter 2018

 

Hakumei and Mikochi

In a deep green forest populated by inch-tall people and talking animals, two girls named Hakumei and Mikochi go about their daily lives in their secluded tree home. From hunting a legendary wish granting bird, to taking a voyage in a home made submarine, our pint-sized heroes live every day to the fullest in a forest full of magical wonders.

OP: urar by Chima

ED: Harvest Moon Night by Shino Shimoji/Aoi Yuuki

Availability: English Dub by Sentai Studios

1.	Yesterday's Dark Red - Marketplace Shanty	2018.01.12
While enjoying lunch with their recently delivered newspaper, Hakumei and Mikochi read about the evening kite, a legendary bird with deep red feathers said to grant a wish if caught at dawn. After hearing from someone who spotted it on the rocky hills to the north, Hakumei is eager to pursue it. Although their long journey seems fruitless, at dawn, Mikochi catches a glimpse of something familiar from her childhood memories. Hakumei visits the market for the first time, and Mikochi insists they stop for coffee at her favorite café. Suddenly, she realizes her wallet is missing, and they set out to find it. Along the way, she receives unexpected gifts from kind strangers who learn of her unfortunate situation. During their search, she gives in to her one weakness and finds herself in a fabric shop. As the sun sets, they take a break at the docks, where the fishermen have finished for the day. Eventually, they locate her wallet back at the market and head out for a celebratory feast to wrap up the night.

2.	The Two Songstresses - The Glass Lamp - A Cup of Coffee	2018.01.19
During a ceremony to announce this year's songstress, Konju is declared the winner. In a surprising twist, Mikochi is also named as a songstress, thanks to a secret admirer. To Konju's annoyance, it's decided that they will both perform in the square the following day. Mikochi wants to drop out, but Hakumei shows her the Tsukumogami, spirits that have gathered all over the city to hear the songstress sing. The next day, Konju is sick from spending too much time in the bath the night before, but with Mikochi's help, they perform together, and the Tsukumogami put on a show of their own for the crowds gathered in the square. While fishing at night, Mikochi seems worried about a fish spirit rumored to inhabit the area. When a large skeletal "fish" emerges from the water, she understandably faints at the sight. Upon waking up, they meet Sen, who has made a home within a living skeletal turtle named George. Her specialized work allows Sen to use magical glass lamps that react to a heartbeat-like input to reanimate deceased animals like George. Back in the market, the café owner's coffee mill is broken, and Hakumei offers to fix it. As they work on the mill, they listen to the café owner's stories about its history over the years. Finding it somehow impossible to repair, the mill suddenly reveals itself as a Tsukumogami and flies off into the night.

3.	Starlit Sky & Ponkan - Work Day	2018.01.26
Due to a mishap with some black powder, Hakumei accidentally blows up their house. Fortunately, Sen arrives with her skeletal assistants to help them rebuild. In the meantime, Hakumei constructs a makeshift shelter beneath a ponkan tree while Mikochi prepares a big meal. In a strange twist of fate, while they are stargazing that night, a fruit falls from the tree and crushes their tent. Hakumei is busy at her repair job with her boss, a weasel named Iwashi. The day is going smoothly until rain interrupts their work. As she gets ready to leave, a loose hammer slips from her toolbelt and breaks through the weak floor. Fortunately, due to their safety precautions, the day ends without any injuries.

4.	Work Day 2 - Horned Owls & Old Tales	2018.02.02
Konju comes to visit one day, bringing a gift of herbal tea as a housewarming present. Mikochi is in the middle of her job preparing food for the Mujina Store, which is located at the bottom of the Jaga Valley. Since Konju is a regular customer there, she offers to lend a hand, but proves not to be very handy in the kitchen. However, her real skill shines through when it comes to wrapping the final goods. During cleanup, Konju observes how lackluster their soap is and volunteers her grandmother's recipe. While out searching for rosemary herbs for the new soap, Hakumei wants to hurry home because she is worried about running into a fearsome bird called an Oroshi. Of course, at that moment, it appears right above them, causing Mikochi to faint and fall from the cliff. Hakumei bandages her up and takes her to a nearby cave for shelter. While searching for their packs, she encounters the Oroshi once again, and it suddenly takes her dried meat before flying off. Back at their shelter, Hakumei prepares a dish she learned during her time living with a pack of wolves when she was homeless. Suddenly, the Oroshi returns, but this time it leaves behind a bunch of berries, seemingly as thanks for the meat.

5.	The Association's Worksite - Large Stones and Joint Stones	2018.02.09
Hakumei visits the carpentry association for the first time and meets the chairman, Narai. She wants to join the new project repairing the stone wall, but he keeps turning her down. As a compromise, Iwashi agrees to take her along to clean and sharpen his tools while he works on the wall. Eager to make a good impression, she stays up all night drafting a plan for the stonework. However, when she shows it to Narai, he sends her home because he doesn't want a sleep-deprived person on his worksite. The following day, she works diligently sharpening Iwashi's tools. When Narai asks her to sharpen his chisel, she refuses, saying she was entrusted by Iwashi to take care of his tools. Having passed his test, Narai tells her to show up in work clothes tomorrow. Mikochi decides to help out by making food for the construction site along with Hakuyo, Narai's wife. While anchoring the largest stone on the wall, Hakumei detects something is wrong. She warns the others just in time as the stone begins to crumble. While preparing new stones for the wall, Narai reminisces about that fallen stone, as it was actually placed by himself and his assistant Katen a long time ago. Given the name Iwanuki by the pedestrians who used the walkway, Narai's company was named after that very stone.

6.	The Egg Beautician - A Day Off - The Egg Beautician 2	2018.02.16
While out picking berries, Hakumei meets Jada, who has built her salon within the shell of a giant egg. Intrigued, she can't help but ask for a haircut. Although Jada seems eager to give her a mohawk cut, Hakumei convinces her to cut it short like hers. While visiting the city with Iwashi, they stop at their usual places, including a clothing store where they aggressively try to haggle with the clerk. Stopping at a wishing fountain, Iwashi throws a handful of coins, hoping to hit the lucky antennae on the statue. After buying a variety of food, they head to the windmill to eat it all there. A few days later, after work, Iwashi tells Hakumei he found a good drinking spot on the way to work, and they head off there together. Hakumei and Mikochi take Konju to visit Jada's salon, but she has taken the day off to drink. After discovering that her homemade limoncello was made too bitter, she lost all motivation to give haircuts. After making a new batch properly with Mikochi's guidance, Jada tells Konju to come back in two weeks for her haircut when the alcohol is ready.

7.	A Ladder in the Tree - The Metropolitan Lifestyle - Photo of a Smile	2018.02.23
One day, Hamumei and Mikochi are surprised to find several doors and ladders in the tree above their house. Upon investigating, they discover that many new residents have set up shop up there. Among them is Koharu, a beetle who moved here to achieve a cosmopolitan lifestyle. After convincing the two girls to take her to the market for the first time to pick up some fashionable new accessories, Koharu learns that this way of living isn't all it's cracked up to be. Hamumei and Mikochi meet a traveling photographer named Mimi, who is passing through the area. When a storm suddenly breaks, they invite her to spend the night and offer to let her take a natural life photo during her stay. The next day, as she is leaving, the three take a commemorative photo together.

8.	A Long Day	2018.03.02
In the artists' town of Honey House, there is conflict between the long-established residents and the newcomer outsiders. The old guard is led by a lizard named Tsumujimaru, who has taken charge after the last leader retired. When Konju gets caught up in the conflict, Hakumei and Mikotchi meet Higaki Yagatamori, who seeks help perfecting a drink that was a favorite of the former leader, Ukai. The Honey House Julep, a drink so magical it can unite any two sides, seems to hold the key to resolving their issues. Mikotchi agrees to assist them with the lost recipe, although the directions appear somewhat vague. When the missing ingredient turns out to be right under the noses of the warring factions, Hakumei resorts to unconventional methods to obtain it.

9.	Rhythm of the River Bottom - Dry Goods of the Stubborn	2018.03.09
Helping Sen test a new skeleton-powered submarine, Konju keeps the heartbeat rhythm with the aid of a tambourine. After taking a lunch break on the riverbed floor, they are surprised to discover that the heartbeat device is no longer working. After investigating, Sen believes it's because they are too deep and Simon, the skeleton, is afraid. To put Simon at ease, Konju sings the woodcutter's song along with Mikochi and Sen. Hakumei and Mikochi visit Sen to make her a new outfit. While out looking for pigments, Sen becomes inspired when she realizes it's similar to conducting experiments. Although she is happy with how it turns out, Sen decides to change back into her regular clothes to keep the new outfit clean. At the end of the day, when they leave, Sen puts on her new dress again and asks George, her house, what he thinks of it.

10.	Hot Bamboo Bath - Daikon & Pipes	2018.03.16
Traveling to an onsen, they are disappointed to discover it’s closed for cleaning. On the way back, Hakumei gets the idea to build their own outdoor bath, and Mikochi is excited to help. Needing bamboo, their combined efforts take down a nearby stalk, and they roll it back home to complete the tub. Soaking in it that night, they decide they still want to visit the onsen to figure out how to make stone baths. Returning home one day, they see a giant daikon radish being delivered to their house, along with someone signing for it. It turns out to be Ayune, Mikochi's older sister. After talking, they find she is in a bit of a slump and is looking for a place to crash. Since she works as a playwright, she refuses to focus on anything except that. As it turns out, this is where Mikochi's skills as a cook and housekeeper were forged, since Ayune would never help out. When they catch up later that night after dinner, Mikochi finds out Ayune is getting married to one of the members of her drama troupe. In response, Mikochi makes her promise to never stop working as a playwright.

11.	Overnight Train - Rain and Tenkara	2018.03.23
Hakumei and Mikochi are traveling by train to visit Lake Kanokan for some fishing. As they near their destination, it starts to rain, but Hakumei is still excited because it's great fishing weather. However, at the lake, they don't seem to be getting any bites. Hakumei remains hopeful for later, but Mikochi isn't thrilled about the weather. Warming up at the shelter, they meet one of the passengers from the train again. At the mention of fly fishing, Hakumei decides to try her luck with it, but she still isn't able to catch anything. Mikochi finally admits that she finds fishing boring and is sad she can't enjoy it with Hakumei. Just as she is about to call it quits, she suddenly gets a fish on her line, but it gets away when she sets the hook. Back at the cabin, they encounter the old passenger again, who just happened to catch the fish that got away. With newfound enthusiasm, Mikochi wants Hakumei to teach her how to fish again.

12.	Memory of Dark Red Hair	2018.03.30
Before she met Mikochi, Hakumei used to travel with a caravan led by a wolf named Ryokubirou. As they parted ways at Makinata, the place that became her home, she hesitates and wants to stay with the caravan after all. In the present, tomorrow is Makinata's pioneering festival, and Hakumei hopes to see Ryokubirou's caravan. As they travel along the main road, Hakumei tells Mikochi about the caravan and its role as the peacekeepers of trade. Reaching the gondola just before its closure at sundown, they cross to the other side in time to start a fire and watch the sunrise. Spotting what could be the caravan off in the distance, Hakumei has the bold idea to get their attention with dynamite and hears a wolf's howl in response. Back home in Makinata, everyone celebrates at the festival that night.

Related Media
Hakumei and Mikochi (2011 Manga)