Words Bubble Up Like Soda Pop

At the local Oda Nouvelle Mall, Ichikawa Somegorō VIII as Cherry Sakura works at an elderly care center during summer break, a quiet and reserved young man who prefers to weave his feelings into haikus even though he struggles to recite them aloud. During a chaotic chase between the delinquent Beaver and mall security, Cherry inadvertently swaps phones with Megumi Han as Beaver and Hana Sugisaki as Smile, an online influencer who hides behind a mask to conceal her buckteeth. The mishap pulls Cherry and Smile into a string of online conversations that gradually bloom into in-person meetings, as they discover common interests and a budding curiosity about each other’s worlds.

Smile soon begins working at the elderly care center and helps rehearsing the Daruma Folk Song for the looming summer festival at the mall. There, they meet Fujiyama, a Koichi Yamadera as Fujiyama, a vintage record shop owner and a familiar presence at the care center, who shares a poignant wish to hear the recording “YAMAZAKURA” one more time — a piece he only possesses as the album cover. Moved by his longing, Cherry and Smile vow to help him recover the music, and they learn that the recording was created by Fujiyama’s late wife, deepening the emotional stakes of their quest.

Believing the record might be hidden somewhere inside the shop, Cherry and Smile recruit a few friends from the mall to scour every corner. Their search leads them to a surprising discovery behind a refrigerator: the missing record tucked away but intact. As they prepare to play it, Smile asks Cherry to watch the fireworks together during the festival, and he joyfully agrees. Yet plans take a turn when Smile accidentally shatters the fragile record while attempting to flatten it, forcing them to confront the consequences of their impulsive acts.

The following day, Cherry and Smile strive to apologize to Fujiyama, only to face a new hurdle: Cherry is set to move away on the festival day, casting a pall over their hopes. Smile, feeling the weight of the moment, bids farewell to a conflicted Cherry as their time grows short. On the day of the festival, Smile recovers a reassembled version of the record as a sincere apology and is astonished to find that a working copy has been repurposed as a wall clock at the elderly care center, a small miracle that reenergizes their plan to perform it during the care center’s showcase.

With renewed determination, Smile devises a plan to weave the recovered recording into the summer festival performance, hoping to share its beauty with everyone there. As Cherry’s family car drives past the mall, he notices his haiku about Smile spray-painted on street signs by Beaver, a tangible reminder of how their paths crossed and how deeply he feels. Gathering every ounce of courage, Cherry races to the festival to declare his love through a series of haikus, some drawing inspiration from YAMAZAKURA itself, letting the words carry his heart to Smile.

When the fireworks begin, Smile finally removes her mask and reveals her smile, a moment of vulnerability and mutual recognition that solidifies their connection. The story closes with a warm post-credits scene: Cherry and Smile share a kiss while the old record plays, sealing their emotional arc and leaving a quiet, hopeful note about what lies ahead for them.

Last Updated: October 14, 2025 at 04:07