Tune in to the Midnight Heart (2026) s01e01 Episode Script

1
The teachers keep droning on about studies.
We've only just started middle school!
Your voice was my only solace
as I lay in bed late at night.
What high school do you want to go to, Apollo?
NOW STREAMING
MIDNIGHT HEART TUNE
Hmm
Gotta be an all-girls' school.
Hopefully one with an ocean view.
TUNE IN TO THE MIDNIGHT HEAR
FURIN HIGH SCHOOL
Ahem. As mew're—
As you're all aware, Furin Girls' has merged
with Furin Boys' as of this academic year
and become a co-ed school.
I know having boys around
will take some getting used to,
but I hope you'll play nice.
Sensei!
What was that "mew" thing all about?
Did you flub your line?
That would render your speech imperfect.
I demand a do-over.
And you are uh
May I take that to mean
I can introduce myself?
S-Sure, okay.
YAMABUKI ARISU
The name's Yamabuki Arisu!
Heir to the Yamabuki Group, and a man
who'll carry Japan into the future.
As such, I am destined to be perfect.
My favorite food is peaches.
I ask that you all try to avoid being
crushed by my sheer aura and gravitas.
One last thing.
Alas, I regret to inform you that
I am only 99% perfect at this time.
To find that missing one percent
that will make me whole,
I need some help from the ladies.
I'd like you all to take turns
and say "I love you" to me.
Damn it, Yamabuki!
You've got the girls
looking at all us boys funny!
Quit doing that to every girl you see!
We finally got out of all-boys hell!
Adversity builds character, as they say.
You're welcome.
Say, the Yamabuki Group is loaded, right?
What's up with that "I love you" stuff?
Are you looking for a girlfriend?
I'd like to apply for the role.
Huh? Whoa, already?!
F-Fine, bring it!
Lacking a bit of carrying power, I'd say.
Apologies. It's bathroom time.
Since my intestinal flora
are as perfect as the rest of me,
I am in the enviable position of having
nature call at the same time every day.
Yeah, I dunno about enviable.
What is with that guy?
Uh
He's been looking for someone
since the second year of middle school.
But he doesn't know what she looks like.
Wait, seriously?
And get this
Doesn't have the same kind of edge.
All he's got to go on
is her voice.
MESSAGE FROM MOTHER: I GOT A PERM! HERE'S A PIC!
Oh, it's just a text from Mom.
WAITING FOR THE STREAM TO BEGIN
APOLLO HAS STARTED STREAMING
"MIDNIGHT HEART TUNE"
Here we go!
My only joy back in middle school
was a radio show hosted by a girl
who went by the name "Apollo."
Welcome to Midnight Heart Tune.
Guess what happened at school today.
She barely had any listeners.
At times, it was just the two of us chatting.
We'd make small talk every night at midnight.
Oh, look at the time. That's all for tonight.
She always ended her show
with the same phrase.
This show keeps me going every day.
Come hang out with me again tomorrow.
Thanks as always.
My dear listeners
I love you.
Isn't that what you wanted to hear?
And you are?
Break time's almost over.
Didn't you need to go to the bathroom?
I forgot!
Her voice was very similar to Apollo's
I think!
But I can't be sure. She caught me unawares
and at the mercy of nature's call.
Damn it! I need to hear it again!
This is the broadcasting club
with your lunchtime announcements.
Here's to another great year together.
Whoa, a girl's voice
coming through the speakers!
But the sound quality kind of sucks.
First-years, and our new male students,
it's nice to meet you.
Their equipment must be ancient.
Gotta love co-ed, huh, Yamabuki?
The broadcasting club will be coming to you
at lunch and after school,
Something came up! I must take your leave!
Hey, what about lunch?!
bringing you news on school events,
club activities, and committee announcements.
First, an announcement
from the student council.
Apollo abruptly stopped streaming
by the end of the first year of middle school.
With our school now co-ed
MIDNIGHT HEART TUNE
THIS CHANNEL DOESN'T HAVE ANY CONTEN
She also deleted all her archives.
But I knew from our chats that we were the
same age and lived in the same prefecture.
She also said
she'd like to go to an all-girls
high school with an ocean view!
I estimated her location
based on her activities,
and upon further investigation,
only Furin Girls' matched the criteria.
I also caught wind that
it'd be turning co-ed soon.
That's why I chose to go to
Furin Boys' instead of a prep school.
Sometimes my own brilliance frightens me!
BROADCASTING ROOM
BROADCASTING ROOM (TEMP)
I want to talk to you one more time.
I have something to tell you.
I need one last percent to make me whole.
And that is your
M-My apologies.
There's something I want to ask you.
Hey! Don't waltz in here
while we're broadcasting!
Mute the mic.
What? Do we have to start over?
Hey, it's the guy who almost
soiled himself in the hallway.
You know him, Rikka-chan?
You okay? You hit your head.
This is why I didn't like the co-ed idea.
I I'm sorry.
Yeah, she really does sound like Apollo.
The thing is they all kinda sound like her!
Braids has the same kind of voice.
Black Hair has familiar intonation
and pronunciation.
White Hair's whispery way of speaking
It's just like when she streamed in a
hushed voice so her parents wouldn't notice!
And Twintails has the exact
same kind of angry tone!
Curses. How has a mere three-year gap
left me feeling so unsure?
So,
since you're here
does that mean you want to go pro, too?
Whatever do you mean?
Wha?
Why are you here if you don't know?
We all wanna pursue a career with our voices.
The broadcasting club is specifically
for people like us now.
Exactly.
I'm aiming to be an anchor.
My dream is to be a VTuber.
I'm looking to be a voice actor.
I want to be a singer, you see.
A career with their voices?
I've heard of you.
Rumor has it you did one crazy self-intro.
What was it?
"Be my lover and bear my child," was it?
Th-That is not what I—
What the hell? You creep!
You even look like a total degenerate.
I bet you filled your
cloud storage with dick pics.
False! I'm here to see someone!
Would that be me?
It's been ages since I talked
to a boy in person.
Being shy is part of my character and all.
Oh, no, sorry
I get it.
You're here to see me, right?
As if!
Exactly. I came here to see you.
I swear on the Yamabuki name
that I have no ulterior motives.
I simply wanted to see you again
and hear your voice.
O-Okay?
If anyone here is Apollo, raise your hand.
Who?
The chocolate?
It's one of my favorites!
What is he talking about?
Huh? Apollo isn't here?
No, based on their voices,
it has to be one of them.
Which means
Apollo doesn't want to reveal herself?!
MIDNIGHT HEART TUNE
THIS CHANNEL DOESN'T HAVE ANY CONTEN
It might have something to do
with why she quit streaming.
Shoot! I shouldn't have asked them directly!
Hey, sorry.
We need to get back to our broadcast.
R-Right.
No matter. I'll have plenty
of chances to investigate.
And don't come back.
Outsiders aren't allowed here.
Never approach us again, you hear?
You see,
I want to get a voice-related job.
I am a veritable expert in voice work!
That makes me a pro myself!
Thus, I have the right to join this club.
To prove it,
allow me to enlighten you
on this club's critical flaw.
It's the equipment.
There was so much noise in your broadcast
that it was unbearable.
And you want to be pros? Laughable.
I mean, not wrong.
This school's practically ancient.
Here's my proposal to fix it.
If you let me, Yamabuki Arisu, join this club,
I'll contribute with brand-new equipment.
You see, yours truly made around
a million yen in the stock market last month.
Sounds good.
It's that easy?
Might be nice to have some man-power around.
Are you okay with this, Rikka?
Yeah. I like his voice.
Thank you.
I'll lead this club to greater
heights as your president.
Hey, who died and made you boss?!
Rikka's our president!
How do we repay him?
But he's loaded.
What could he possibly want?
I know of one thing.
What is it?
Wha?!
Costs us nothing.
Would that even count as repaying him?
I don't really mind.
Yamabuki-kun, could you turn around for a sec?
I love you,
Yamabuki-kun.
Wh-Where did that come from?!
Didn't you want us to say that to you?
What a creep!
Made my heart race a little
O-Oh, right! I must take my leave,
for I have yet to finish my lunch!
I didn't expect to meet Apollo again like this.
I guess it was just you and me again, Arisu.
Thanks for tuning in.
My dear listeners, I love you.
It was just her usual sign-off phrase.
Thank you too, Apollo.
And hey, uh
I love you, too. Good night.
I declared my love to a girl
I knew nothing about!
A blunder most unbecoming of a Yamabuki
who's meant to embody perfection!
If she has a local copy of her archives,
I need her to delete that at all costs!
I can't have it used as blackmail
material after I've made it big.
BROADCASTING ROOM (TEMP)
I have to identify Apollo
as soon as possible
and retract those words I said back then!
THIS HAS BEEN YAMABUKI ARISU
FURIN HIGH SCHOOL
Here's to Yamabuki Arisu-kun
joining the broadcasting club!
BROADCASTING ROOM (TEMP)
WELCOMING A NEW MEMBER
Let's get this welcome party started!
Take it away, our guest of honor.
Tell us how you feel right now.
This gracious welcome truly
warms the cockles of my heart!
Oh, yeah?
Well, better make yourself useful,
errand boy.
Errand boy? Who, yours truly?!
Our club advisor was against a boy joining us.
She only approved it on the condition
that you be the errand boy.
Do you hate doing chores, Bucky?
"Bucky"? What's up with that?
Don't lose sight of your goal, Yamabuki.
Our top priority is to find Apollo.
Okay. Errand boy is fine by me.
Whatever it may be, I'll give it my all.
FURIN HIGH SCHOOL
NOTES
Now
I'll start by observing the four girls.
Is it just you today?
They're all free spirits.
What's that?
My script for today.
I tend to flub my lines,
so I've marked potential issues.
Say, Uzuki. May I ask you something?
Shh.
Keep it down.
BROADCASTING ROOM (TEMP)
Uzuki Shinobu, aspiring anchor.
She's also the student council vice president,
and your typical honor student.
Her bright and cheerful personality
has made her the school's princess of sorts.
This is your after-school broadcast.
The music room is currently
off-limits due to repair work.
Please be sure to stay away.
Her voice rings as clear as a silver bell.
With our newly co-ed school's baseball team
making its regional tournament de-butt
the wind ensemble pree-sident and the
and cheer-reading cheer uh
You catch my drift. Do your thing.
You flubbed every single word you marked!
Yamabuki-kun! Shh!
Are you stupid, Yamabuki?
That's what makes Uzuki-san so sweet!
Isn't she just so cute?
Love the contrast!
UZUKI SHINOBU, CLASS 2-D
Uzuki can go on the backburner for now.
Nene-chan.
You got the new Lilycos volume, right?
Of course I did! I'm an OG fan!
Lilycos? Apollo loved that manga.
Himekawa Nene, aspiring voice actress.
I hear she's also an avid cosplayer.
She's a real go-getter
and the life of the class.
Hey, voice Lily in this scene for us!
Oh, come on. Just a little, okay?
Ahem.
"I can finally hear your voice again."
"I've been waiting for so, so long."
Squee!
Just like the real thing!
"My father's s sp spectator?"
You mean "specter."
MY FATHER'S SPECTER MUST HAVE LED YOU TO ME.
A spectator is someone in the audience.
"Even if I am to invoke God's horny wrath"
EVEN IF I AM TO INVOKE GOD'S HOLY WRATH
Holy wrath.
THE WIND HAS BEEN TAKEN OUT OF MY SAILS!
"Out of my tails?"
Sails.
Something tells me she's an idiot.
Urk.
No! I'm so scared!
That boy over there's been
ogling me all over!
Wha?!
Uh, I did no such
Hey, keep it in your pants!
You pig!
You want your balls electrocuted, jerkwad?!
I can't figure it out from their voices,
probably because I was listening to a stream.
Namely, the hybrid encoding method.
ELECTRONIC SIGNAL
SAMPLING
Since sending your real voice takes
a lot of bandwidth,
DIGITIZING
ENCODING
it's digitized and a voice pattern closest
to the original is sent.
In other words, a voice out of a phone is one
that merely resembles the original.
MIDNIGHT HEART TUNE
As such, I'll have to figure it out
by what they say and do instead.
Which means I'll have to
observe them more closely.
You want to observe me?
Sorry, my colored contacts are purely cosmetic.
I can't see unless I get real close.
Kirino Iko, aspiring VTuber.
The club's resident tech support,
and hugely popular among the otaku.
According to the boys,
she's currently pioneering a new
"assertive shy girl" archetype.
I can't even.
KIRINO IKO, CLASS 2-B
What brings you here?
This place is reserved for my streams.
Hello-Iko! I'm Ikonic!
Sumeragi Ikon here! Sorry I'm late!
HELLO-IKO!
YOU'RE AS CUTE AS EVER TODAY!!!
Hello-Iko.
Hello-Iko!
Hello-Iko
Bye-Iko!
THIS STREAM HAS ENDED
It's over?!
I mean, it's a break-time stream.
And you think that's fine?
I mean, it makes my viewers happy,
so that's good enough for me.
I'll take my leave.
Did Iko Did I do something to upset him?
What an unserious club!
I haven't even seen the aspiring singer!
You see,
I want to get a voice-related job.
Like voice actress or TV anchor.
Being a singer sounds nice, too. And I think
VTubing's about to hit the big-time.
I know you can do it, Apollo.
Thanks.
In that case,
I'll learn all about voice work, so I can
help you with whatever career you pick!
It's a promise, then.
I'll work like my life's on the line too,
so let's go see the pro world together!
Am I the only one who took
that promise seriously?
This is your after-school broadcast.
Question from the British
Karao—Karate Kid.
"Do the four of you have boyfriends?"
We do not!
Next up
Bad girl, Rikka. You're slacking off.
I'm just not feeling motivated right now.
I wonder what Yamabuki-kun thinks.
Huh?
About us, I mean.
Huh? What are you doing?!
Fellow students!
Would you agree that the broadcasting club
doesn't cut it right now?
Yamabuki-kun, we're live!
What are you doing, you moron?!
Here in this countryside public school,
if these girls continue to neglect
putting in any real effort
and let you all give them
the princess treatment,
their dreams will never come true.
But worry not.
If Apollo has forgotten about our promise,
then I'll just have to make her remember.
And if I don't know which
one of them is Apollo,
then I'll just have to make
all their dreams come true!
Any club that I, perfection incarnate,
am part of must be as perfect as I.
I declare here and now that I will guide all
the members of the broadcasting club
and turn them into true professionals!
Be it an anchor at a flagship TV station,
a Billboard-charting singer,
a top voice actress,
or a VTuber with the most
concurrent viewers ever.
I've come to fulfill our promise.
Now it's up to you to give me an answer.
That's all from me!
Get outta here, dumbass!
We resume your after-school broadcast.
Since we're here,
you'll hear from all four of us.
We've got a ton of letters.
Mom again?
APOLLO HAS STARTED STREAMING
"MIDNIGHT HEART TUNE"
Leave the tongue twister to me.
Thanks! You're a lifesaver!
BROADCASTING ROOM (TEMP)
I nearly had a heart attack.
I never thought you'd come to see me.
But I'm sorry.
I can't tell you that I'm Apollo.
Not right now.
ARISU: I'M HERE AS ALWAYS
While I always lamented
how few listeners I had,
the truth is, just having you there
was good enough for me.
I was happy just being able to talk to you.
When I said "I love you"
It's got a lot of big words, though.
Ugh!
I meant it for you and you alone.
Okay, take turns and let's keep going.
Okay!
TRANSLATION: SRIRAM GURUNATHAN
TIMING: MARIANA MARTINEZ
EDITING: WILLIAM HAGGARD
QUALITY CHECK: S BILYEU
TRANSLATION CHECK: MICHELLE TYMON