1970

Hutch grows up believing he is simply part of the family around him until he learns that he was separated from his true mother when wasps attacked and destroyed their home. His mother is the queen bee, and knowing that she may still be alive gives the small honeybee one purpose strong enough to pull him away from safety: finding her.The journey exposes Hutch to the beauty and cruelty of the insect world. He meets creatures who offer friendship, others who see him as prey, and many whose own lives carry losses as painful as his. Fragile in a vast natural world, Hutch survives through courage and compassion while following every clue that might lead him back to his mother.

Joe Yabuki is a violent, directionless youth drifting through the poor district of Doya, solving almost every problem with his fists. When he effortlessly beats a local gang despite being badly outnumbered, washed-up boxing trainer Danpei Tange recognizes an extraordinary instinct for fighting and becomes determined to turn Joe into a professional boxer.Joe initially treats Danpei's offer with contempt, and even after accepting his training, discipline comes slowly to someone used to surviving on his own terms. But as boxing introduces him to rivals who cannot be defeated by street tricks alone, Joe begins to discover purpose inside the ring, along with the sacrifice, pride, and pain required to keep climbing.

Hyuma Hoshi's first Major League Ball has become a fearsome weapon on the mound, but Mitsuru Hanagata refuses to let his old rival remain beyond reach. The Hanshin Tigers slugger submits himself to relentless training, studying Hyuma's miracle pitch and searching for the one swing capable of breaking it.Their rivalry builds toward another fated confrontation between pitcher and batter. For Hyuma, victory means proving that the technique forged through brutal effort can withstand the opponent who understands him best; for Hanagata, it is the chance to destroy the seemingly unhittable ball and settle a rivalry that has shaped both of their careers.

Hyuma Hoshi reaches professional baseball with the Yomiuri Giants determined to prove that years of brutal training have prepared him for the mound. His first official challenge against the Ocean Whales brings him face to face with Hosaku Samon, a batter who has studied Hyuma closely enough to expose the fatal weakness in his light pitches.A crushing home run destroys Hyuma's confidence but also forces him to rethink everything he knows about pitching. Seeking a weapon that can overcome his physical limitations, he follows an unusual clue toward the creation of the first Dai League Ball, a pitch built not on overwhelming speed but on extraordinary control and the ability to read the batter.