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 to him, and fellow teacher Masaki Kurose delivers bleak news: the school is slated for imminent closure due to declining enrollment. On his way home, Asano catches sight of student Nami Sugawara dancing with pure vitality—a striking contrast to her dull apathy in the classroom. Inspired, Asano tries connecting with his students, only for an offhand remark—"Couldn't we make space food?"—to ignite an impossible dream, even as JAXA official Makoto Kijima begins drafting strict domestic space-food safety standards.

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 However, the school's old processing lab is severely outdated, and local fishermen face hardship from massive jellyfish blooms damaging fishing nets. While Asano scrambles to find solutions and secure funding, the first-generation students step forward, realizing they must take responsibility for transforming their own cannery if their dream is to stand any chance.

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 them the monumental news: the school has officially earned HACCP approval! Filled with excitement, Nami drafts an email in English directly to NASA: "We want to send our canned mackerel into space"—only to be met with dead silence. As graduation approaches, the 1st-generation students entrust their unfinished dream to their teacher and the younger students.