Ao Oni The Animation

I fell asleep...

Wanna just go to sleep?

Yeah, all right.

We'll call off the test of courage.

Let's just go to sleep.

Huh? I don't see Kotarou anywhere.

Oh, he probably just went out to pee.

What was that noise?

It came from outside.

I see a light.

It disappeared.

Hey, I don't see Kotarou's lantern.

Maybe that light was Kotarou?

Let's go take a look.

Hey, look!7

What is this?

It's blood!

Hey... this is Kotarou's kimono, isn't it?

The monster!

The Bellflower Monster got him!

Ow...

My lantern!

Wait for me!

They remembered me?

What's that sound?

Hey, what's wrong—

It's him! It's the Bellflower Monster!

Cultural Anthropology Research Club

When the boy finally made it to the village,

Today's Discussion Topics

Culture Festival Plan

An Introduction to Cultural Anthropology

Monster Display

the adults all went out to look for the other boys.

But all they found were burnt lanterns, and bloodstained kimonos and sandals.

Field Work:

Cultural Anthropology Research Club

And that's the story as it was recorded in the club bulletin.

There's a story like that in there?

That's a pretty scary story to tell to kids.

It'd get an R rating these days.

A local elderly man actually recounted this tale, right?

Bellflower Mountain's right behind our school.

Knowing that makes it even scarier.

Well, it's definitely creepy, but...

What's the point of this story?

I can't figure it out.

Aooni...

That's right.

Aooni.

Aooni

You guys don't know about Aooni?

Aooni?

What's that?

Senpai, you've never heard of it?

No, I haven't.

Wait a second.

Here it is.

Free Game: Aooni

Aooni started as a freeware horror game,

but it grew in popularity until they started making comics and movies out of it.

Now that you mention it, I think I may have heard of it.

So you're saying that the Aooni game is similar to this story?

Not really.

All they have in common is the monster's color.

Then what...

Before the game came out, how did you imagine the blue monster looked?

You've never heard a story where they just ate people, right?

And it's not like a fairy tale to have a specific description like, "like a bellflower."

So I actually wrote an email to the guy who wrote the Aooni game

and told him I'd found this folk tale.

And get this!

I got a reply almost immediately! Ta-da!

I was a fan of the Aooni game,

so at that point, it was basically just fan mail.

But when I saw his reply, it really surprised me.

He lives in Tokyo now,

but he said he lived in this town up until elementary school.

He heard about the Bellflower Monster from his grandpa when he was little.

I see.

That explains why they look similar.

Now I understand why the game resembles the story,

but what's this got to do with our display for the culture festival?

It means that the original story used for a game everyone knows

was actually from our hometown.

It's a new folklore monster.

A monster that was almost forgotten came back in the form of a game.

Don't you think that's really interesting in itself?

Yes, it certainly is interesting.

I'm going to see the game's writer this Saturday.

Manabe-kun, will you come with me?

Me?

Just us two?

That's right.

I'll go!

I'm a lot more reliable than Manabe.

I want to go, too!

M-Me, too!

There's no point in all of us going.

Murakami-kun, I want you and the first-years to do some more research here.

Find out if this story is still told anywhere.

And it's possible that it's not just a fairy tale.

That's what I think.

Yeah, it's a little different from typical folk tales, isn't it?

It seems strangely real.

Well, everyone?

Don't you think this will make an interesting project?

Man, no fair, Prez.

If you were hiding a great idea like this,

you should've told us sooner.

I figured if anyone else had a good idea,

we could do that instead.

I'm partially in this out of personal interest, after all.

But this is one of the monsters that Karin-chan wanted to do something with,

and since it's a video game that everyone knows,

it'll probably attract a lot of attention, right?

Well, if you ask me,

you should take me, not Manabe.

Why?

The city's filled with dangerous folks.

I'll protect you.

I don't know...

I still think I'll take Manabe-kun.

But why?

Are you saying I have some sort of dangerous allure?

Whatever.

I'd feel safer with Manabe-senpai, too.

You'll still have Konaka-kun.

If there are two sheep, you don't have to worry about being eaten.

Is this the "Wolf and Sheep Puzzle"?

I wouldn't eat Konaka, anyway.

I mean, I wouldn't eat Karin-chan, either...

Konaka-kun.

Take care of Minazuki-san while we're away.

Okay.

All right, it's settled.

Fujimoto-sensei, is that all right?

Huh? Uh... Yeah.

Yo. Delivery for you.

The questionnaires from before, right?

Thanks.

What's wrong?

That was Tachibana-senpai, wasn't it?

I smell something.

Give it to me.

What are you talking about?

I won't tell the school.

Fine.

So? You're done here, right?

You're so cold, Sensei.

One of your students has come to you

seeking relief from the depths of entrance exam hell.

You could at least spare a smile.

It's because this room's got A/C, isn't it?

Figured me out, huh?

You're quite the playboy, Murakami-kun.

I bet you always talk like that to girls, don't you?

That's not fair.

I'm just being honest.

The club president thinks I'm a playboy, too.

From the Anthropology Club?

Takashiro-san, right?

Are you after her?

Don't say it like that.

I just want to appreciate cute and beautiful girls, that's all.

She's going to Tokyo for a research project for the club.

And she chose Manabe to go with her.

I know I'd be the better choice...

Tokyo?

The Anthropology Club's going to Tokyo? Why?

Have you heard of a game called Aooni?

She's going to see its writer.

Something about how it might've been based on a folk tale from around here.

A game based on a folk tale from around here?

She dug something up from somewhere.

A story about how a monster on Bellflower Mountain ate some kids.

She says the writer of the game is from this area and based it off of that story.

Sensei! A bee!

Where'd it go?

It's over here.

I see a lot of them at school lately.

Is there a hive around here or something?

Got anything to smack it with?

Don't do that.

Let it go.

Sensei... I'm in love.

I figured you'd be killing time here.

We're leaving.

Right.

Okay, Sensei...

I won't be able to see you for a while,

but don't forget about me.

Come on, we're leaving.

I don't think I'll remember you.

Aw, come on!

Tachibana was just in the nurse's office.

Tachibana? The third-year?

Yeah.

Hey, did you know?

Know what?