Swimming at the beach,
the buzzing of cicadas,
haunted houses...
Summer makes you think of many things,
but most exciting of all is a fireworks festival!
Fireworks?
During the Edo period,
they were first used to mourn those who died of disease and famine, and to ward off evil spirits.
That began the tradition of fireworks festivals.
They've been around for a while, huh?
Front-row seats at the fireworks!!
These days, you can watch them on TV, too.
But nothing beats the impact of watching them live.
The sense of presence that comes with the sound, the shaking, the scent!
Presence...
And the sense of unity that comes from looking up at fireworks
with others, as they bloom in the sky!
Unity!
The novelty of the situation sometimes gives people the push to say things they wouldn't otherwise.
It's a classic dating event for people who have lives.
Fireworks festivals...
People who have lives!
Necktie...
Where did my necktie go?
There will be many food stands at the fireworks festival today!
Kanakura Fireworks Festival
Shaved ice, takoyaki, candy apples,
and ramune!
That drink with the marble.
You've gotta have ramune. Right, Haruhi—
Haruhiko!
You're so small, I couldn't see you.
You're awful!
Can you see me now?!
Move!
There!
Shoot...
I'm late!
But yeah, being small can be a pain at times.
I can't even finish my ramune...
If only I were bigger, I could finish an entire bottle of ramune!
Miss...
It sounds like you have a wish.
A Phantom!
I shall grant your wish.
You needn't be suspicious of me.
I totally do!
Not at all...
I'm a benevolent witch Phantom.
I'm just a little unusual. I go around granting Phantoms their wishes.
That's way too good to be true.
In exchange for granting my wish, you'll probably shorten my lifespan or something.
Absolutely not!
This is my reason for being.
Believe me! I will grant your wish!
No strings attached, really?
A witch does not go back on her word.
I guess I'll take you up on your offer, then.
Gladly!
So, what is your wish?
It has to be this... I want to be human-sized.
Understood.
But once you're human-sized, you won't be able to fly like you can now.
Oh, really?
Yeah, I guess it'd be bad if humans were flying around.
That's okay.
And one more thing.
If someone finds out that it's you, you'll return to your original size immediately.
There's someone who's really perceptive when it comes to Phantoms!
I'm screwed if Koito-chan finds out!
Oh, I'll also set up certain arrangements for after you've become a human.
You have nothing to worry about.
Now, here we go...
Phan, Phan, Phantom!
Grow, grow!
This is me?
Do you like it?
This is amazing, witch!
That's good!
Well, have a nice body! Have a nice day!
Take your seats, class!
We have a new student in the class today.
Come in.
I'm actually bigger!
Wow.
And I'm a transfer student!
Nice setup, witch!
Now, would you introduce yourself?
Introduce myself?
Yeah, your name first.
That's up to me, witch?
Um, my name...
Natsuno.
Natsuno Ramune.
Nice to meet you!
All right, Natsuno, your seat's over there.
Ichijo, take care of her.
Right.
I'm next to Haruhiko!
Are you all right?
Right, I can't fly...
I'm fine!
I trip a lot!
Nice to meet you, Natsuno-san.
Nice to meet you.
He hasn't caught on!
Don't you think Natsuno-san resembles Ruru?
Huh? Not at all.
Natsuno-san's way cuter.
Whew...
But jeez!
Natsuno-san, let me know if you need anything.
R-Right.
The Onin War continued for roughly ten years,
leading to the fall of the Muromachi period and the rise of powerful warlords.
Natsuno-san?
I'm going for a walk—
We're in the middle of class!
No walks!
We're switching classrooms, Natsuno-san.
Okay.
The physics room is downstairs.
I'll see you there.
A-Are you okay, Natsuno-san?!
Shoot!
I'm fine...
She's pretty free-spirited.
Natsuno-san, wanna join the tennis club?
Would you like to see the gymnastics club?
Come join the rakugo club.
The table tennis team, too.
Those all sound fun!
What's going on?
Club recruiting.
A girl that cute is bound to be popular.
Go invite her to our club.
No way.
She said she doesn't have any special abilities.
Here I go!
Huh?
Where art thou, my racket?
Shoot...
Busho no Daisan
I want to check out your club next, Haruhik—Ichijo-kun.
But didn't you say you don't have any special abilities?
I want to check it out anyway.
All right.
The club room's this way.
So this is what it's like to walk shoulder-to-shoulder with Haruhiko.
Neural Error Corrections Room
This is the club room.
Whoa, awesome!
Who's the girl?
Isn't she the student who transferred into Haruhiko-kun's class?
Transfer student...
Natsuno-san doesn't have special abilities,
but she's interested in observing, so I brought her here.
I'm Himeno, the supervisor.
Make yourself at home.
This is Kawakami Mai-senpai, second-year.
Kumamakura Kurumi-chan from the elementary school, and Albrecht.
Izumi Reina-chan and Minase Koito-san, both first-years.
I hope Koito-chan doesn't notice.
Natsuno-san, where did you go to school before?
Well...
I don't know anything about my parents.
They both died half a year before I was born...
My profile just comes right out of my mouth!
Good job, witch!
Wait, if your mom died half a year before you were born, you wouldn't exist.
Oh, whoops! I meant a half year after...
Either way, poor you.
Get a grip, witch!
North to Hokkaido, south to Okinawa...
I was passed around among my relatives, only to be thrown out, into the cold world.
I did everything I needed to do to survive, legal or otherwise.
Poor me...
That sounds awful.
Weary of such a life, I was convinced that I'd have to die on the streets.
But just then, I met my long-lost grandma and grandpa!
Thank goodness...
That's so dramatic.
I'm busted!
You've been through so much.
Thanks.
Koito-chan's fooled, too.
Good going, witch.
Sweet!
Natsuno-san!
Let's enjoy school life together, okay?
Make up for all the time you've lost.
There's a fireworks festival today.
Phantoms are likely to appear where there are lots of people.
So let's all go enjoy the event, and keep watch while we're at it.
All of us? To see fireworks?
Yay!
La la la, yukata, yukata, la la la.
But we're just borrowing it from the classical Japanese dance club.
Good thing Reina knew how to put them on.
That's a high-class lady for you.
Not at all.
By the way, Haruhiko-kun, where's Ruru-chan today?
She'd been looking forward to fireworks for quite a while.
Ruru's the name of the Phantom who's always with Haruhiko.
Huh...
I stepped on her this morning.
Maybe she's pissed.
Stepped on her?
You're awful.
Don't worry! She's tough!
I'm sure she'll be back by the time the fireworks begin.
She said something about "gotta have ramune," too.
I hope Ruru-chan comes soon.
Natsuno-san?
Yeah?
Once we're at the festival, what do you want to do?
I want to go to the food stands and have shaved ice, takoyaki, and candy apples...
Where have I heard that before?
And ramune!
Okay, let's do all of that.
I can't let anyone find out that I'm Ruru until I drink a whole bottle of ramune.
You're a Phantom, a firework turned tsukumogami.
You have a wish, don't you?
I, the Phantom Witch, shall grant your wish.
Taiyaki Candy Apples Fried Potatoes Teppan-yaki
Wh-What a crowd.
Really.
It's hard to even get around...
Shaved Ice
There it is!
I found the shaved ice stall, Natsuno-san!
Haruhiko?
Natsuno-san?
You know how people say "tamaya" when they see fireworks launched?
My feet hurt.
If only I could fly...
During the Edo period, there was a famous fireworks vendor called Kagiya,
Being human is kind of a pain.
and Tamaya is...
Natsuno-san?
Oh, your sandals.
Your feet must hurt.
Why don't we take a break, Mai-senpai...
Shoot, we lost them!
First-aid Bandages
That should make it a little better.
Thanks.
You should always be this kind to me.
Huh?
Nothing.
Okay, show me your left foot.
Oh, you know Ruru—
That Phantom we were talking about earlier... She said she wanted ramune.
What's Ruru-chan like?
Well...
I've gotten used to her being around, so when she isn't,
it's really peaceful.
She's bright and cheery.
With her around, it's always lively
and exhausting.
Is she seriously not coming?
I think I'll buy her ramune...
Then again, she's so small, she can't finish it.
It's a waste of money...
Wh-What?
There was a mosquito!
Stupid Haruhiko! That's what you get!
I'm going to go buy ramune.
You'll buy me some?
You want some too?
Later.
Not now?
No.
I'll have some later.
All right, then—
It's a Phantom.
A firework Phantom!
Let's blow the roof off this place!
That pendant!
It's a firework Phantom.
Stay somewhere safe!
I—
Haruhiko...
Time to have a blast!
Mai-senpai!
Haruhiko...
It's a firework Phantom.
Jeez, going nuts with such a huge crowd around.
Let's take care of it.
I'll burn it.
Wait.
Setting it on fire will cause a huge explosion!
We can't use Koito's voice.
Then I'll...
Wait, Reina...
That thing's full of gunpowder. You'll have an upset stomach!
But Mai-oneesama...
It's a firework Phantom.
Obviously, its weakness is the qi of water.
It's fast.
I can take care of this.
Go, Albrecht!
Albrecht!
I'll seal it.
Jachin and Boaz.
Tamaya!
Haruhiko!
What should I do?
It's gotten out of control.
Witch!
It's you.
Hey, that pendant...
Yes.
That Phantom wanted to go off with a once-in-a-lifetime bang...
I didn't think it'd go on such a rampage.
Hey! Let go!
Haruhiko!
Let go!
If I can use Abramelin's Finger...
Oh, no, you don't!
Foiled!
It must be trying to dispose of anyone that stands in the way of its wish.
Isn't there anything we can do?
If we can remove the pendant, the spell will be broken.
The pendant.
Haruhiko!
Remove the pendant!
Natsuno-san?
Natsuno-san...
Why did you come here?
Shoot.
Haruhiko's going to get blown up!
But there's no way we can reach up there.
What do we do?
Onii-san!
I'll go.
How?
I wanted to stay big until I could finish a bottle of ramune!
Natsuno-san?
Guys, I'm actually Ruru!
That was Ruru?
I had no idea.
Then that sad backstory was all a lie?
I'm the only one who can fly.
What can I do?
Look at you, getting caught.
What's up with you?
What's going on?
I just wanted to see what it's like to be big.
Just wanted to see?
You were tricking me this whole day?
This isn't the time!
It won't come off.
If it goes off here, it'll be really bad!
Leave this to me.
I want to be a huge firework!
I know how you feel, Firework.
Huh?
It stopped.
I asked that Phantom Witch to grant my wish, too.
Although the spell got broken before it could be fulfilled.
But you still have time.
You can go out in a huge bang.
But it won't be nice to everyone if you blow up here.
Let's go higher.
What are you...
I had a really good day today.
I got to walk side-by-side with Haruhiko, too.
And thanks for my feet.
Ruru...
See you.
Ruru?
Okay, let's go.
Ruru!
Ruru-chan!
Don't go...
You said you'd have ramune.
Don't go,
Ruru...
Don't go!
You idiot...
Now you can't have ramune...
Ruru!
What?
What's the matter?
Th-The firework!
That was so pretty!
That firework!
It was so huge and sparkly!
Do you have any idea how worried we were, you idiot?!
What are you talking about?
You're the one that worried me, getting caught by that Phantom and all!
What?
I have no more room for anything...
Hey, I'm sorry about this morning.
For stepping on you.
We're even!
What the heck?
Tamaya!