Keep Your Hands Off Eizouken! (2020) — AI Story Visualization

Plot Analysis Summary

Three students fight to protect their animation work, develop an ambitious robot project, and face an unfinished deadline when their creative center disappears.

Story Structure — 5 Plot Phases

A Club Under Threat

A rainstorm frames growing scrutiny of the school's mandatory club system. The video research club is singled out for possible elimination and its members defend their work.

Key Events

• Rainstorm Strands Students — A sudden rainstorm strands students as scrutiny falls on the school's club system. Location: Shibahama High School
• Club Policy Comes Under Scrutiny — The student union explains that mandatory club membership has produced hundreds of fragmented groups. Location: Shibahama High School
• Video Club Faces Elimination — The video research club is warned that its activities may be eliminated. Location: Shibahama High School
• Members Defend Animation — The members argue that animation demands delicate labor and cannot be judged by production disorder. Characters: Midori Asakusa, Tsubame Mizusaki, Sayaka Kanamori Location: Shibahama High School

The Case for Animation

The club screens its video, earning some admiration but not escaping demands for reorganization. A conference makes students defend their activities amid proposed mergers and abolitions.

Key Events

• The Club Screens Its Video — After a heated exchange, the student union allows the club to show its video. Characters: Midori Asakusa, Tsubame Mizusaki, Sayaka Kanamori Location: Shibahama High School
• Reorganization Still Looms — The screening impresses some observers, but the union still requires eventual reorganization. Location: Shibahama High School
• Clubs Face Merger Conference — A merger-and-abolition conference forces students to defend their activities. Location: Shibahama High School

Building a Robot World

Midori, Tsubame, and Sayaka shape a robot-centered animation concept and explore the underground flood-bypass facility. The imaginative setting expands into a labor-intensive production.

Key Events

• Robot Animation Takes Shape — The trio develops a concept featuring a giant robot, a tortoise-crab monster, soldiers, and elaborate action. Characters: Midori Asakusa, Tsubame Mizusaki, Sayaka Kanamori Location: Shibahama High School
• Tunnels Become Robot Civilization — The trio explores the tunnels and turns them into the setting of an ancient robot civilization. Characters: Midori Asakusa, Tsubame Mizusaki, Sayaka Kanamori Location: Underground flood-bypass facility beneath the school
• Production Demands Multiply — The commercial-style project requires careful planning for movement, weapons, backgrounds, and mechanical combinations. Characters: Midori Asakusa, Tsubame Mizusaki, Sayaka Kanamori Location: Shibahama High School

Resources and Resistance

Midori and Tsubame seek paid work and accept a difficult cleanup job after being redirected. Although the work helps secure resources, criticism of the robot project unsettles Tsubame.

Key Events

• Students Negotiate for Support — Midori and Tsubame approach the student union to negotiate paid work and support. Characters: Midori Asakusa, Tsubame Mizusaki Location: Student union
• Cleanup Job Secures Resources — Redirected to the department, they accept difficult cleanup work in exchange for a reward. Characters: Midori Asakusa, Tsubame Mizusaki Location: Waste Recycling Department
• Robot Project Draws Criticism — A critic attacks the robot work, and Tsubame doubts whether the project can satisfy anyone. Characters: Tsubame Mizusaki, Sayaka Kanamori Location: Shibahama High School
• Director Faces a Choice — Sayaka tells Tsubame that she must accept the work or create something better. Characters: Tsubame Mizusaki, Sayaka Kanamori Location: Shibahama High School

Two Days Remaining

As the deadline approaches, Midori disappears despite having completed her storyboard. Tsubame and Sayaka search for her while the animation remains unfinished.

Key Events

• Midori Disappears Near Deadline — With two days left, Midori is missing; her completed storyboard contains unresolved branches. Characters: Midori Asakusa, Tsubame Mizusaki, Sayaka Kanamori Location: Shibahama High School
• Search Amid Unfinished Production — Tsubame, Sayaka, and collaborators search for Midori while trying to continue the unfinished animation. Characters: Midori Asakusa, Tsubame Mizusaki, Sayaka Kanamori Location: Shibahama High School

Story Breakdown

• Club System Under Review — The school questions its crowded club structure and threatens the video research club's future.
  • Mandatory Membership — The student union says compulsory club membership has created hundreds of fragmented groups.
  • Video Club Threatened — The club is warned that its work may be eliminated.
• Defending the Work — The members challenge the judgment of their production and make their case through a screening.
  • Labor Behind Animation — They argue that animation requires exhausting, delicate labor and cannot be judged by production disorder.
  • Video Screening — The union allows the club to show its video, which impresses some observers.
• Merger Conference — The school's proposed reorganization keeps pressure on the club even after the screening.
  • Reorganization Warning — The student union insists that activities must eventually be reorganized.
  • Clubs Defend Their Place — A merger-and-abolition conference makes students argue for their activities.
• Robot World Creation — Midori, Tsubame, and Sayaka shape an ambitious animation around a giant robot and an imagined civilization.
  • Action Concept — Their concept includes a tortoise-crab monster, soldiers, flamethrowers, shock waves, and chainsaw-powered action.
  • Underground Setting — They explore the flood-bypass tunnels and transform them into an ancient robot civilization.
• Production and Support — The increasingly demanding project needs careful planning and resources.
  • Detailed Animation Work — Movement, weapons, backgrounds, and mechanical combinations all require planning.
  • Cleanup for Reward — Midori and Tsubame accept a difficult job from the Waste Recycling Department in exchange for a reward.
• Criticism and Direction — External criticism challenges the project, and Sayaka reminds Tsubame of her responsibilities as director.
  • Robot Work Attacked — A critic calls the project an example of irresponsible robot animation.
  • Director's Choice — Sayaka tells Tsubame to accept the work or create something better.
• Missing Before Deadline — The production reaches a crisis when Midori disappears and the remaining collaborators cannot resolve her storyboard alone.
  • Branching Storyboard — Midori's completed storyboard contains many possible branches the others cannot settle without her.
  • Search and Unfinished Work — With two days remaining, Tsubame, Sayaka, and collaborators search while trying to continue the animation.

Directed by

Tsutomu Hanabusa

Key Cast

• Asuka Saito — Midori Asakusa
• Mizuki Yamashita — Tsubame Mizusaki
• Minami Umezawa — Sayaka Kanamori
• Sakurako Konishi — Tōru Dōtonbori
• Riko Fukumoto — Hisashi Ashima