Synopsis
Ao Haru Ride follows Futaba, a high school girl who actively tries to be unattractive to avoid the jealousy she faced in middle school. She's haunted by a past connection with Kou Tanaka, a boy she once liked who mysteriously disappeared.
Now in high school, Futaba discovers that Kou has returned, but he's changed, both physically and emotionally. He's known as Kou Mabuchi now, and he's much more distant and seemingly unreachable.
The story explores Futaba's desire to reconnect with the Kou she remembers and her struggle to find herself while navigating the complexities of high school friendships and her evolving feelings. She considers reverting to her old personality, but doing so might jeopardize her current relationships.
The anime explores themes of self-discovery, changing relationships, and the challenges of reconciling the past with the present as Futaba tries to understand Kou's transformation and their potential for a renewed connection.
