Ichirou Satō is a typical high‑schooler who, in middle school, posed as the hero "Maryuuin Kouga." The act earned him frequent bullying. Having moved past that shameful chapter, he now strives to blend in and enjoy a quiet existence, though the world feels somewhat colorless. He keeps his past hidden, fearing ridicule, and prefers to stay unnoticed. One night, returning to school to retrieve a forgotten textbook, he encounters an unfamiliar girl in costume.
The girl—Ryouko Satō—is his classmate and shares the same delusion he once harbored, believing she is someone else and dressing to match that identity. The following day the teacher asks Ichirou to befriend Ryouko, a request he flatly rejects, unwilling to confront his past. Yet when he witnesses her being tormented just as he was, he feels compelled to protect her and liberate her from the same torment that once plagued him—a fitting role for Maryuuin Kouga.
AIC A.S.T.A. Japan