Kokonotsu Shikada

The son of a beloved dagashi shop owner, Kokonotsu harbors a burning passion for manga and steadfastly resists taking over the family business. Yet beneath his reluctance lies an astonishing depth of knowledge about traditional Japanese snacks—a talent he can't seem to shake. Over one eventful summer, relentless pressure from his father and the arrival of the enigmatic Hotaru Shidare drag him into one snack-fueled showdown after another. Surrounded by a cast of wonderfully eccentric characters, Kokonotsu serves as the grounded, straight-laced foil who keeps everyone—and everything—from going completely off the rails.