Say Thank You: Collected Short Stories of Kou Nikaidou

Girls' Last Tour

Civilization lies in ruins, yet Chito and Yuuri are still alive. They travel through the remains of a world they once knew aboard their beloved Kettenkrad motorbike, wandering without a fixed destination. Each day they search for their next meal and fuel to keep moving. Chito is serious and practical, while Yuuri is carefree and curious. Despite the bleakness around them, they find small comforts in sharing a can of soup or hunting for machine parts to tinker with. For these two girls in a world full of nothing, the experiences and feelings they share give them something to live for.

Dead Dead Demon's Dededede Destruction

For three years, an enormous alien mothership has hovered over Tokyo, a constant presence that has reshaped daily life. Conventional weapons have proven useless against it, and the Japan Self-Defense Forces continue to search for a way to fight back while the government's choices divide the country. Amid this surreal reality, high schoolers Kadode Koyama and her best friend Ouran Nakagawa try to live as normally as they can. They go to class, hang out with friends, and scroll through social media for updates on the invaders, all while the looming threat of destruction quietly shapes their coming of age. As the days pass, the line between the ordinary and the apocalyptic blurs. The girls be

Yokohama Kaidashi Kikou

In a future Japan, long after an environmental catastrophe, Alpha Hatsuseno runs a small café in the countryside outside what remains of Yokohama. She is an android, left in charge while her owner is away on a trip indefinitely. Though customers are rare, Alpha remains cheerful and outgoing. With her scooter and camera, she explores the surrounding area, meeting the remaining humans and other androids. As sea levels have risen and old institutions have broken down, people have adopted a slower, simpler way of life. Alpha witnesses the twilight of humanity, finding quiet beauty in everyday moments and the passage of time.

Planetes

In the 2070s, humanity has expanded into space, but this progress leaves behind a dangerous problem: orbital debris. The crew of the Toy Box is tasked with cleaning up this space junk, ensuring safe passage for spacecraft. Among them is Hachimaki, an ambitious young man who dreams of owning his own spaceship, and Yuri, a quiet man haunted by the death of his wife in a space flight accident years earlier. They are joined by Fee, a chain-smoking and abrasive pilot, and Pops, a veteran mechanic whose calm presence anchors the team. Their work is unglamorous and often thankless, yet it places them at the heart of humanity's reach for the stars. As they navigate the physical dangers of space, ea

Hinamatsuri

Yoshifumi Nitta is a young and ambitious member of the Ashikawa-gumi yakuza syndicate. His life takes an unexpected turn when a strange, oval-shaped capsule falls from the sky and lands on his head. Inside the object is Hina, a quiet young girl with no memories and formidable telekinetic powers. Hina uses her abilities to intimidate Nitta and forces him to let her live in his apartment. Unable to get rid of her, the yakuza member reluctantly becomes her guardian. Their new life as roommates proves complicated as he must balance his criminal career with the demands of a powerful, unpredictable child. As Hina lazily spends her days at home, Nitta finds that her supernatural powers can be use

Kowloon Generic Romance

In a future where nostalgia reigns, Kowloon Walled City stands as a meticulously recreated slum, a haven for those who long for the Hong Kong of the past. Real estate agent Reiko Kujirai works within its dense, labyrinthine confines, but her heart yearns for the new and exciting places beyond its walls. Her only coworker, Hajime Kudou, is her polar opposite: a man who finds comfort in the city's retro charm and is put off by anything modern that seeps past its borders. Despite their constant bickering over the most mundane things, the two often find themselves enjoying each other's company. Their quiet, familiar dynamic is shattered one day when a prank goes wrong, leading Hajime to make an