Sick of his job and the city, Yohei “Kuma” Sakuma has a grand plan-to start anew in the countryside and live off the land. Thing is, he hasn't told his wife yet, nor does he know the first thing about growing rice. Between crooked houses, swarms of bugs, and grueling work under the sun, the city slicker Kuma and his wife Miyu get a crash course in country life. But at the end of the day, with beer in hand as they take in the sights, they begin to understand that country life can be real ha...

Kuma's rice is getting big, but it's far too soon to celebrate. What are those bugs crawling all over his crops? Is that a typhoon on the way? When disaster strikes, not only are everyone's crops in danger, but their humble houses, too. The countryside isn't for everyone, and when the going gets tough, it might just be time to throw in the towel and return to the city.

After finally harvesting his rice, Kuma's next move is to…leave the countryside?! But when Kuma and Miyu get a taste of vegetables that knock their socks off, the farming itch strikes again and lands them back on a farm. Problem is, they've fallen into the hands of a fermentation fanatic and her friend-a mad soil scientist with plans of world domination. As winter rolls in and rice is off the table, Kuma gets a crash course in his next possible venture.

Kuma and Miyu may have moved to the comfy countryside-a sweet spot between city comforts and rugged rural life-but he's no less determined to feed his family for a year. But when a rookie manga artist Kuma ditched for the farm comes looking for him at the office, Oshii pays the paddies a visit to try and convince Kuma to come back. The seeds of spring plant ideas in Kuma's head, culminating in him getting his hands dirty-not just in the fields, but in the world of manga once again.

When Rina-chan lands a gig as a stand-in idol for a local festival, Mifune-kun brushes it off…until she steals the spotlight on stage. But now that she's gained a bunch of new fans, Mifune-kun's the one feeling jealous! Meanwhile, Kenta can't get enough of the new café-or more specifically, the cute barista behind the counter. But with each visit to see his caffeinated crush, he risks stirring up trouble back home.

Thanks to one scary movie and a string of eerie events, Chihiro is convinced she's being haunted by a vengeful veggie…but she's not the only one having a bad day. Bedridden after throwing out her back, Fushimi-san gets testy with Toda when his help becomes a hassle. And Remu, a struggling student with a lackluster life, is stuck in a serious funk. But sometimes, all it takes is a little kindness-and maybe some food-to break the curse and brighten someone's day.

The grill team grows when fellow transplant Mochizuki collabs with Chihiro for a festival. The handsome hunk and computer wiz is a little bit of a loner, but Chihiro's good will and Kenta's cooking skill might just be what it takes to draw him out of his shell. Later, the whole crew's invited for Kenta's meaty birthday bash-one where his friends (and the flavors) move him to tears! But the real cherry on top is the surprise Chihiro has for him at the end of the day.

Love is a delicate recipe, sometimes best seasoned with a sprinkle of white lies. After losing something precious and deceiving Chihiro, Kenta considers how to come clean to his wife-but he'll want to butter her up with a banquet first. And Fushimi-san, now hopelessly in love with her sweetheart Toda, fibs her way out of eating his food…but for a reason that will melt his heart.

Autumn brings a roller coaster of sweet highs and sour lows for the Fukuyamas. What begins as a peaceful picnic quickly spirals into a fish-focused bento box battle. Later, a lucky day turns to dismay when their winning lottery ticket is squandered on a string of costly breakdowns…but they're not the only ones swept up in a bitter surprise. Remu's dream comes true when she schemes her way into meeting her idol Rina, but once her lies come to light, she pays the price for her deceit.

Rina has a beef with Mifune when she finds out he ran off to see another girl. Can he cook up a good excuse, or is food enough to simmer Rina down? Speaking of meat, too much grilling and chilling has given Chihiro and Kenta love handles. Seeing how their will to fight cravings and melt the fat is in danger of going up in smoke, it's up to grill guru Kenta to dish out some lip-smacking yet lean cuisine.

As the end of the year approaches, romance is in the air…but is it the good kind? Kenta sneaks off from a wedding party to have coffee with his first crush-who also happened to be his first kiss. Meanwhile, Mifune ditches Rina for a singles mixer, and after Toda makes a move on Fushimi-san, she thinks the youngster is pulling her chain and lets him down. At this rate, the only thing that can save everyone's Christmas is a serious heart-to-heart.

As Rina schemes to make Mifune jealous, Kenta and Chihiro send off summer with one last hurrah-Fukuyama Fest! But now that she's living in Hamamatsu, Chihiro realizes nothing has changed-she still gets work from her former bosses and has no clients of her own. Bummed out, she vows to break free of Fushimi's kindness…who is currently on the verge of tears at a street corner. But wait…is that Toda to the rescue?!