Canned Mackerel Heads to Space

Shunichi Asano arrives in Obama City, Fukui Prefecture, as a rookie teacher at Wakasa Fisheries High School, a school proud of the canned mackerel produced as part of its curriculum. However, none of the disengaged students pay attention t…

Asano begins researching the rigorous requirements set by space agencies and quickly discovers that obtaining NASA's HACCP (Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point) food hygiene certification is an absolute prerequisite. However, the school…

More than six months after submitting their detailed application to achieve HACCP certification, Nami and her classmates reach a crossroads where they must decide their post-graduation careers. Amid personal doubts, Asano finally brings th…

With the first generation departed, a new class of 2nd-generation students takes over the research lab. Unlike their predecessors, these newcomers enter with wildly different motivations and clashing personalities, leaving Asano bewildered…

As the impending merger threatens to erase Wakasa Fisheries High School and terminate their canning program entirely, local Obama port residents, canning artisans, and students organize a community campaign to protect the school's heritage…

Technical barriers escalate when prolonged shelf-life tests fail microbial stability and moisture retention requirements. Under immense pressure, tempers flare among the students, breaking down teamwork and causing friendships to fracture.…

The school is reorganized as the Marine Science Department of Wakasa Obama High School. A key figure from the project's earlier years re-enters the picture, crossing paths with the 4th-generation students, led by Ruka Terao. Doubts emerge …

JAXA opens evaluations for the "Japanese Space Food" certification program. The Obama canned mackerel is officially shortlisted as a candidate! However, JAXA inspector Makoto Kijima enforces uncompromising standards: zero spillage risk dur…

With a critical certification testing deadline looming, unexpected test results threaten to invalidate years of documentation and sample data. Overwhelmed by the accumulated weight of 15 years of student labor, Asano breaks down in tears. …

The culmination of over a decade of research is entrusted to the 5th-generation students. Carrying sample batches containing Obama's signature mackerel, the team submits their final inspection prototype to JAXA's central evaluation board. …

Fifteen years after Asano first stepped into the classroom, the miracle happens: JAXA officially certifies their canned mackerel as an authentic Japanese Space Food! The canned food is scheduled to be launched to the ISS aboard a resupply …