ed ay ▁travel ▁to ▁Ant arct ica . ▁She ▁was ▁im pressed ▁by ▁Sh ir ase ' s ▁Ant arct ica ▁plan ▁and ▁decided ▁that ▁they ▁would ▁go ▁together , ▁meeting ▁her ▁desire ▁to ▁en rich ▁her ▁youth ▁with ▁new ▁experiences . ▁▁▁ ▁She ▁is ▁a ▁senior ▁high ▁school ▁student ▁att ending ▁the ▁same ▁high ▁school ▁as ▁Kim ari . ▁A ▁sh y ▁and ▁quiet ▁girl , ▁she ▁is ▁also ▁the ▁daughter ▁of ▁Tak ako ▁Kob uch iz awa , ▁an ▁Ant ar ctic ▁observation ▁crew ▁member ▁who ▁went ▁missing ▁during ▁her ▁last ▁expedition ▁to ▁Ant arct ica . ▁Sh ir ase ▁has ▁been ▁dream ing ▁of ▁going ▁to ▁Ant arct ica ▁in ▁search ▁of ▁her ▁mother , ▁as ▁she ▁bel ieves ▁Tak ako ▁is ▁still ▁alive ▁and ▁waiting ▁for ▁her . ▁Most ▁of ▁her ▁class m ates ▁make ▁fun ▁of ▁her ▁by ▁calling ▁her ▁the ▁Ant ar ctic ▁Em press ▁and ▁bel ieving ▁that ▁she ▁won ' t ▁make ▁it ▁to ▁Ant arct ica . ▁So on ▁she ▁makes ▁friends ▁with ▁Kim ari ▁and ▁conf ides ▁in ▁her ▁Ant arct ica ▁travel ▁plan . ▁Later ▁the ▁two ▁meet ▁Hin ata ▁and ▁Y uz uki ▁and ▁form ▁a ▁group ▁with ▁the ▁goal ▁of ▁journey ing ▁to ▁Ant arct ica . ▁▁▁ ▁A ▁bright ▁and ▁friendly ▁girl ▁who ▁works ▁part - time ▁at ▁a ▁convenience ▁store ▁near ▁the ▁high ▁school ▁where ▁Kim ari ▁att ends . ▁She ▁is ▁the ▁same ▁age ▁as ▁Kim ari , ▁but ▁she ▁dropped ▁out ▁of ▁high ▁school ▁and ▁is