An intimate journal serves as the nexus between two otherwise disconnected lives in Isao Yukisada's romantic drama Kurosudo Nooto. As the story opens, co-ed Kae (Erika Sawajiri) - who is undergoing training to become a teacher - moves into a new flat and happens upon a strange diary, stored in a compartment in the room. Upon reading it, she discovers that it belonged to Ibuki (Yukio Takeuchi), the previous tenant and also a nascent teacher, employed at a local primary school. As this occurs, Ibuki's story is told in flashback; we see that she consistently inspired all of her students (with the exception of one boy, who couldn't be helped), and meanwhile pined for a gentleman she knew in college, named Takashi. Because this story is visually filtered through Kae's imagination as she reads, she instinctively pictures Takashi as screen idol Tetsuji Tanaka (who, conveniently, plays the part). Meanwhile, events from Kae's life unfold; using a job in a fountain pen shop to pay for her education, she begins to romantically yearn for a quirky artist, Ryu (Yusuki Iseya), even as she spurns the inappropriate advances of her girlfriend's beau. ~ Nathan Southern, Rovi