ation ally ▁by ▁Cr unch y roll . ▁ ▁Plot ▁Mari ▁Tam aki ▁is ▁a ▁second - year ▁high ▁school ▁student ▁who ▁wants ▁to ▁make ▁the ▁most ▁out ▁of ▁her ▁youth ▁but ▁is ▁usually ▁too ▁afraid ▁to ▁do ▁so . ▁One ▁day , ▁she ▁meets ▁Sh ir ase ▁Kob uch iz awa , ▁a ▁girl ▁who ▁has ▁been ▁saving ▁up ▁to ▁travel ▁to ▁Ant arct ica , ▁where ▁her ▁mother ▁disappeared ▁three ▁years ▁ago . ▁Jo ined ▁by ▁two ▁other ▁girls , ▁Hin ata ▁Mi y ake ▁and ▁Y uz uki ▁Sh ira ishi , ▁they ▁join ▁an ▁expedition ▁head ed ▁towards ▁the ▁Ant ar ctic . ▁ ▁Char acters ▁ ▁Main ▁characters ▁▁ ▁A ▁girl ▁who ▁att ends ▁Tat ara ▁West ▁High ▁School ▁in ▁T ate bay ashi , ▁Gun ma . ▁She ▁is ▁often ▁called ▁ ▁by ▁her ▁friends . ▁She ▁is ▁always ▁curious ▁about ▁things ▁that ▁she ▁does ▁not ▁know . ▁Despite ▁her ▁curiosity , ▁Kim ari ▁real ises ▁she ▁is ▁not ▁living ▁life ▁to ▁the ▁full est ▁and ▁see ks ▁to ▁make ▁the ▁most ▁of ▁her ▁youth ▁by ▁going ▁on ▁an ▁advent ure . ▁One ▁day ▁she ▁finds ▁a ▁mis pla ced ▁one ▁million ▁y en , ▁and ▁seeking ▁to ▁return ▁the ▁large ▁sum ▁of ▁money ▁she ▁soon ▁enc oun ters ▁the ▁owner ▁and ▁high ▁school ▁student ▁Sh ir ase . ▁Att ending ▁the ▁same ▁high ▁school ▁they ▁become ▁close , ▁and ▁Kim ari ▁is ▁brought ▁into ▁Sh ir ase ' s ▁confidence ▁regarding ▁her ▁ ▁plans ▁to ▁som