Astro Note (Japanese: アストロノオト, Hepburn: Asutoro Nōto) is an original Japanese anime television series produced by Telecom Animation Film. It is directed by Haruki Kasugamori and written by Kimiko Ueno, with Shinji Takamatsu serving as chief director and Kōhei Munemoto composing the music. Original character designs are provided by Eisaku Kubonouchi, while Maho Aoki adapts the designs for animation. The series aired from April to June 2024.
Plot
Takumi, a gifted chef, was just let go from his job. He lands a gig at an old boarding house called Astro-sou, owned by a beautiful and charming landlady, Mira. He is won over, and takes the job despite learning he must live there full time. The two begin working together, and their connection deepens.
One day, while cooking for everyone, Takumi finally learns Mira's true identity: she is the crown princess of Planet Widi and she came to Astro-sou to find "the key" so that she can return to her planet and be crowned as its queen. Takumi decides to help her, and to keep Mira's identity a secret from the other tenants. The story follows the daily life of the Astro-sou residents and how Takumi helps Mira in finding the "key".
The heroine. She is the landlady of the inn. She is actually an alien, who is the crown princess of her planet. Mira eventually learns from her mother Adara that she visited earth a long time ago and meet a human man named Tasuke, both fell in love but Adara was forced back to her planet and was pregnant with Mira. Mira learns that Tasuke is her father, making Mira half-human or half-earthling.
The main protagonist. He is an aspiring chef, who takes up a job as the resident cook at the inn. He has a crush on Mira, but his liking to her causes him to behave foolishly sometimes. Otherwise he is very capable in most aspects of his life.
Mira's "pet dog". In reality, he's an alien from the same planet as Mira, and her bodyguard for life. It is revealed that since his race lives longer than Mira's, one day he'll have to learn to live a life without her.
The series aired from April 5 to June 21, 2024, on Tokyo MX and other networks. The opening theme song is "Hohoemi Nōto" (ホホエミノオト, Hohoemi Note, "Smile Note"), performed by Ai Furihata,[2] while the ending theme song is "Kokoro no Kagi" (ココロのカギ, "Key to the Heart"), performed by Maaya Uchida and Soma Saito.[4]Crunchyroll streamed the series.[1][5]Medialink has licensed the series in South and Southeast Asia and is streaming it on the Ani-One Asia YouTube channel.[6]
In the premiere, Takumi, intrigued by a job ad, visits 'Asutoro-sou,' a breakfast-centric sharehouse instead of a restaurant. Impressed by the residents' enjoyment of his cooking and charmed by landlady Mira, Takumi decides to become the live-in chef. Yet, he soon discovers hidden truths about the residents and Mira.
Viewers delve into Mira and Naosuke's Earth backstory. Mira, now 'Asutoro-sou's' landlady, seeks the elusive 'key' for her royal lineage. A breakfast theft prompts investigation, while Ren captures a mysterious cleaning robot, causing a power outage. Mira and Takumi are trapped, and a mysterious character claiming to be Mira's fiancé emerges, heightening intrigue.
Mira's fiancé turns out to be her childhood friend, Shoin Ginger, and their engagement was a childhood joke. Shoin informs Mira that their enemies, the Goshians, know about their search for the key on Earth and decides to stay to help her. Naosuke sets up a hidden CCTV camera to catch the real breakfast thief after being wrongly accused. Ren has a school field trip and needs a lunchbox, which Takumi makes for him. When the lunchbox goes missing, Takumi makes another one, but Ren goes on the trip feeling sad. With Shoin's help and his advanced vehicle disguised as a car, Takumi and Mira drive to Ren's field trip location. There, they encounter a Goshian robot trying to steal the second lunchbox, mistakenly thinking it contains the key. Naosuke's camera captures a mysterious figure stealing the lunchbox.
