Sora yori mo Tooi Basho

Mari Tamaki is terrified that her school years will pass without giving her anything worth remembering, yet every attempt at adventure collapses when fear catches up with her. That changes when she meets Shirase Kobuchizawa, a girl who has spent years saving money for one seemingly impossible goal: reach Antarctica and search for traces of the mother who disappeared there. Mari is drawn to her determination, and Hinata and Yuzuki eventually join them. Four girls with different reasons begin turning an absurd dream into a real expedition, moving through preparation, work, travel, and finally the ice itself. Every step south carries them farther from ordinary life and closer to a place that will test their friendship, grief, and courage.