On a scorching August 14, Shintarou Kisaragi must leave his room for the first time in two years. During a heated exchange with Ene, the virtual girl who inhabits his computer, he accidentally drenches his keyboard in soda. Attempts to order a replacement online fail because most shops are closed for the Obon holiday, forcing them to head to a nearby department store instead. The heat presses down on him as he steps outside, and every move feels like a gamble; the idea of living without his computer seems worse than the panic he already feels. Coincidentally, on that very day a frightening hostage crisis erupts.
Fortuitously, a band of teens with enigmatic ocular abilities—known as the "Mekakushi Dan"—helps Shintarou resolve the ordeal. Consequently, he and Ene are compelled to join their ranks. Their powers interlock like puzzle pieces; as each member's history is revealed, the hidden bond that unites them gradually surfaces. Their encounters grow tense as they navigate streets, each flash of their sight revealing hidden threats. Together, they confront a plot extending beyond the city, uncovering motives that bind them all.
SHAFT Japan