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Contains spoilers.
Sota has real talent in swimming, but he leaves competition because he fears giving his all and losing. Becoming aware of the fear behind his half-hearted days is portrayed as the doorway to considering his own choices once more.
At a bar reminiscent of the world of the film, Sota meets adults who live fully in the present. He reconsiders a way of living he had found dull and decides to become an adult who keeps promises to himself. This change is placed at the center of the six days.
After each quote, we provide a TODO based on a fan's interpretation.
「生きることがつまらなかった。だけど僕は、あの日、あの人たちに出会って、自分との約束を守る大人になると決めたんだ」
Introduced as Sota's resolve after meeting the adults.
Write one small promise you can finish today, and begin it on the spot
The essences and TODOs are fan interpretations, not the author's words.
devices in the story
A scene in which an adult from Ladybird points out Sota's habit of running away. The speaker and chapter have not been confirmed.
This interpretation was checked against official descriptions and readers' recordsThis suggestion turns the scene in which Sota ran from the fear of trying hard and losing into a question for choosing the next step, not for evaluating oneself.
Write what you are avoiding and what you are trying to protect by avoiding it, then decide on today's step.
Steps
A scene related to the “founding story.” An experience in which seven people from their middle school days lifted a heavy piano together is recorded as what led to the group's formation. The details have not been confirmed.
This interpretation was checked against official descriptions and readers' recordsThis suggestion turns the Ladybird form, in which each person first sharpens their own strength and then cooperates at a larger stage, into a division of roles between yourself and your companions.
Divide a goal into the part you will advance yourself, the part where you will build your strength, and the part you will ask companions to help with.
Steps
There is a reader's record saying that Kenji Kumagai tells Sota about thinking in units of a single day. The chapter has not been confirmed.
This interpretation was checked against official descriptions and readers' recordsThis suggestion turns the idea in the story of marking off a single day, rather than first taking on a long commitment, into acting and reflecting within that day.
In the morning, decide on one thing to work on only today, and in the evening reflect on whether the day was a fitting one for the result you hope for.
Steps
Several readers record that this is described to Sota as a mechanism of Ladybird. The chapter and speaker have not been confirmed.
This interpretation was checked against official descriptions and readers' recordsThis suggestion shrinks, for daily life, the mechanism in the story that treats promises easy to break alone as promises made with companions.
Decide on one action to carry out today, tell one companion, and report to them when it is done.
Steps
There is a reader's record of a scene in which Kenji Kumagai conveys Hajime Nikaido's thinking to Sota. The chapter has not been confirmed.
This interpretation was checked against official descriptions and readers' recordsThis suggestion turns the metaphor of the scales of the heart into a writing device that connects the result you wish for to today's action, rather than ending in wishing alone.
Write the result you want and the effort you feel is fitting for it, then choose one thing to build up today.
Steps
Readers record this as a scene in which an adult from Ladybird encourages Sota to take the view of the future. The speaker and chapter have not been confirmed.
This interpretation was checked against official descriptions and readers' recordsThis suggestion turns the question in the story of looking at the present from the future into a way of considering today's choices without deciding what a difficulty means.
Imagine you have become the future self you want to be, and write what you would like to take away from today's difficulty.
Steps
A scene in which an adult from Ladybird explains to Sota that the more one knows, the wider the boundary with the unknown becomes. The speaker and chapter have not been confirmed.
This interpretation was checked against official descriptions and readers' recordsThis suggestion turns the metaphor of a balloon, whose boundary with the unknown grows wider the more one learns, into an action that leaves a question for what to learn next.
Write one thing you learned today, and choose one question about the unknown that arose from it.
Steps
A scene in which it is said, as the role of an adult from Ladybird, that the second half of life is used to pass gained strength on to the next generation. The speaker and chapter have not been confirmed.
This interpretation was checked against official descriptions and readers' recordsThis suggestion turns the story's idea of using strength gained for oneself on behalf of the next generation into a small sharing with one specific person.
Choose one piece of knowledge or experience you have gained, and pass it to one person of the next generation in a form you can manage this week.
Steps
You can also listen during spare moments, such as on your commute to work or school.
