Series · 2012
Kids on the Slope
坂道のアポロン
In 1966, reserved student Kaoru moves alone to relatives in Kyushu. His meeting with Sentaro, a classmate feared as a delinquent, introduces him to jazz and an unfamiliar kind of friendship. Music connects him with a group whose affections are not as straightforward as playing the same tune.
The setting is a seaside town marked by American cultural influence. Sentaro’s childhood friend Ritsuko is the daughter of a record-shop owner, giving the group a natural point of contact with music. Kaoru has to find a place among people with histories that began before he arrived.
The friendship leaves room for friction outside the record shop. Sentaro bends into the aisle of a bus while Kaoru holds his schoolbag against his chest and Ritsuko sits by the window. Their different bearing remains visible in an ordinary shared journey: the newcomer is finding his place beside two people who already know one another.
Complete television series · Approx. 4.6 hours · 12 episodes
Original 2012 television anime, all 12 episodes. The live-action film is separate. Viewing time is a nominal estimate using the licensed 23-minute episode labels.