A cheerful girl finds a strange creature during summer break, names it, loves it, then watches her entire peer group shatter under the weight of what these things actually are. The show starts as magical girl comfort and methodically rewires your brain to dread every new friendship, every new creature reveal. By episode six you'll understand why some kids shouldn't survive their stories, and the show won't look away when they don't.

Tamai Shiina is a young, cheerful schoolgirl spending her summer holiday at her grandparents' house when she meets an odd-looking creature. The two become friends, and she names it Hoshimaru, the Round Star. After the summer she returns home and goes back to school, where she begins meeting other children who have also befriended strange creatures like Hoshimaru. Before long she learns that not every one of these creatures, or the kids who keep them, is as friendly as her own companion. The series is a supernatural drama with a strong horror element.