The Kirishima Thing 2012

Kirishima is a popular second-year high school student who leads the school’s volleyball team, excels in classes, and is dating one of the school’s most popular girls. One day, he vanishes from the routine of school life, and rumors begin to circle that he might be quitting the volleyball club. This sudden silence creates a ripple effect through his friends, his team, and the wider social circles.

The same day, the school’s film club becomes the butt of jokes during morning assembly for the title of a romantic film they were forced to create by a teacher. Despite the teacher’s wishes, the group decides to push forward and begin filming a zombie movie, hoping the project might unite them or at least give the club a chance to shine. During this tense filming session, they cross paths with Sawajima, Suzuka Ohgo, the captain of the brass band. Sawajima has a crush on Hiroki, Masahiro Higashide, Kirishima’s best friend and Sana’s boyfriend, and she tries to win his attention by casually playing saxophone in his view. Her efforts, however, miss the mark with the boys and instead cause disruptions that complicate the film club’s delicate balance.

In Kirishima’s absence, Koizumi, Taiga Nakano, is moved into the libero role for the volleyball team. Over the weekend, Kirishima remains unreachable, and tensions flare as the volleyball team suffers a defeat against another school. The loss fuels Kubo, Nobuyuki Suzuki, who blames Koizumi and Kirishima for the setback, stirring up resentment and frustration within the group.

Away from school, Maeda, Ryunosuke Kamiki, the head of the film club, runs into Kasumi, Ai Hashimoto, a member of the badminton club who treats him with respect and shows an unusual interest in the zombie film project. Maeda finds himself developing feelings for Kasumi, but the situation becomes complicated when he learns she is secretly dating Kirishima’s friend Ryuta, Motoki Ochiai. Meanwhile, Mika, Kurumi Shimizu, from the badminton club, offers quiet sympathy for Koizumi, understanding the pressure he faces from Kubo and the others.

As the social circles around Kirishima begin to fracture, Risa’s world experiences a quiet upheaval. Sana enjoys watching the volleyball clan’s conflicts, which irritates Mika, while Mika, in turn, feels frustration when Risa cannot reach Kirishima. The tension among friends and couples grows, creating a fragile, unsettled atmosphere that colors every interaction.

Sawajima overhears Sana and Hiroki planning to meet after school and heads to their meeting spot ahead of them to play saxophone again, unintentionally disrupting the planned rendezvous. The film club, deciding to move filming to the school roof for a change of pace, heads there. When Sana arrives to find Sawajima waiting, she kisses Hiroki out of jealousy, and Sawajima runs off, feeling the sting of the moment.

Back in the school gym, Kubo’s temper boils over as he confronts Koizumi. Just before a blow lands, Tomohiro, Kodai Asaka, races in with the news that Kirishima is on the roof. In a rush of fear and concern, Kirishima’s friends—the volleyball team’s boys, the badminton club’s girls, and the pair of Risa and Sana—race to the rooftop, only to find the film club there with no sign of Kirishima. The confrontation that follows leaves the group exposed, and Kubo channels his anger into a loud, emotional brawl that strips away pretenses and reveals the raw feelings each character has been suppressing throughout the week.