The Girl Who Leapt Through Time facts for kids

The Girl Who Leapt Through Time (時をかける少女, Toki wo Kakeru Shōjo, literally "Girl who Soars Through Time") is a famous science fiction novel by Yasutaka Tsutsui. It was first published in parts from 1965 to 1966. The story is about a high school girl who accidentally gains the power to travel through time. This leads her into a time loop, where she keeps living the same day over and over again.

This book first appeared in two magazines for middle and high school students in Japan. It became a full book in 1967. Since then, it has become one of Tsutsui's most popular stories. Many movies and TV shows have been made based on it. The most well-known around the world are a live-action movie from 1983 and an anime movie from 2006. The original book was first translated into English in 2011.

The story also inspired a popular song. Yumi Matsutōya wrote the song for the 1983 movie. It was sung by Tomoyo Harada and became very famous on its own.

The Story of Time Travel

A Strange Scent and a Leap

The main character is Kazuko Yoshiyama. She is a third-year middle school student. One day, she is cleaning the science lab at school with her friends, Kazuo Fukamachi and Gorō Asakura. Suddenly, she smells something like lavender and faints.

Three days later, strange things start happening around Kazuko. For example, Gorō's house burns down after an earthquake. The next morning, at the exact moment a car accident happens, Kazuko is sent back 24 hours into the past.

Unlocking Time-Leaping Powers

Kazuko relives the day she just experienced. She tells her friends, Kazuo and Gorō, about her strange trip through time. At first, they do not believe her. But then, she correctly predicts the earthquake and the fire that follows. This convinces them.

Their science teacher, Mr. Fukushima, helps explain Kazuko's new ability. He calls it "teleportation" and "time-leap." To understand her power better, Kazuko needs to jump back four days in time.

Meeting a Time Traveler

Finally, Kazuko tries very hard and manages to make the big jump. She finds herself back in the science room. There, she meets a mysterious man. He looks like her friend Kazuo, but he is not. He is actually "Ken Sogoru," a time traveler from the year 2660.

Ken ended up in Kazuko's time by accident. He was using a "time-leaping" drug. Ken stays for a month, and Kazuko starts to fall in love with him. When it is time for him to leave, he does something special. He erases all memories of himself from everyone he met, including Kazuko.

As the book ends, Kazuko has only a faint memory. It is a feeling that someone promised to meet her again. This memory comes back every time she smells lavender.

Movies and Shows Based on the Book

The 1983 Live-Action Film

The first movie based on the novel came out on July 16, 1983, in Japan. It was a direct adaptation of the book. Nobuhiko Ōbayashi directed it, and Tomoyo Harada starred in her first film. This movie was very popular in Japan. It was one of the highest-earning Japanese films of 1983.

The 2006 Anime Film

A very popular animated movie, also called The Girl Who Leapt Through Time, was released on July 15, 2006. It was made by the studio Madhouse. This film is not a direct copy of the book. Instead, the main character of the novel, Kazuko, is the aunt of the main character in this anime movie.

The 2010 Live-Action Film

A third Japanese live-action movie came out on March 13, 2010. This film is a sequel to the original story. It features Riisa Naka, who voiced the main character in the 2006 anime film. In this movie, she plays Akari Yoshiyama. Akari is Kazuko Yoshiyama's daughter. Akari travels back in time to deliver a message to Ken.

Manga Adaptations

The novel has also been turned into several manga comics.

• In 2004, a two-volume manga called The Girl Who Runs Through Time (時をかける少女, Toki o Kakeru Shōjo) was released.
• A manga based on the 2006 anime film was published in 2006.
• Another manga, Toki o Kakeru Shōjo: After (時をかける少女 After), was made as a prequel to the 2010 film.