氷の鱗, Ecailles de Glace

The protagonist, Mao, struggles to read the atmosphere and can’t form good relationships with others. After becoming unable to attend school, he withdraws into his home, spending his days absorbed in drawing. One day, while helping out at his family’s restaurant, Mao finds himself delivering to a ballet studio in Sapporo. There, he witnesses the performance of one of Japan’s foremost professional ballet dancers— “…The more cruel it is, the more beautiful life becomes.” Drawn into the world of ballet—both merciless and radiant—Mao’s heart begins to awaken.