Encouragement of Climb

Plot

Aoi and Hinata are childhood friends. Aoi prefers staying indoors and is afraid of heights, whereas Hinata is outgoing and loves mountaineering. They both decide to climb a mountain, in order to see a sunrise they saw together when they were younger.

Characters

Aoi Yukimura (雪村 あおい, Yukimura Aoi)

Voiced by: Yuka IguchiA high school girl who became afraid of heights after falling off a playground structure and breaking her leg. Thanks to Hinata's influence, she begins to take an interest in mountain climbing.

Hinata Kuraue (倉上 ひなた, Kuraue Hinata)

Voiced by: Kana AsumiA hyperactive girl who loves mountains. She was friends with Aoi in elementary school before reuniting with her in high school. She encourages Aoi to conquer her fear of heights and take up mountain climbing.

Kaede Saitō (斎藤 楓, Saitō Kaede)

Voiced by: Yōko HikasaA senior student in Aoi's high school who loves mountain climbing. She befriended Aoi when they met in an equipment store.

Kokona Aoba (青羽 ここな, Aoba Kokona)

Voiced by: Yui OguraA middle school student Aoi and Hinata met and befriended on a mountain trail.

Honoka Kurosaki (黒崎 ほのか, Kurosaki Honoka)

Voiced by: Nao TōyamaA young photographer who Aoi meets while climbing Mount Tanigawa.

Yuuka Sasahara (笹原 ゆうか, Sasahara Yūka)

Voiced by: Yui MakinoKaede's classmate during both middle school and high school. She often worries about Kaede's safety whenever she goes climbing.

Ken'ichi Kuraue (倉上 健一, Kuraue Ken'ichi)

Voiced by: Seirō OginoHinata's father, an experienced mountain climber who took Aoi and Hinata to climb Mount Tanigawa when they were younger.

Hikari Onozuka (小野塚 ひかり, Onozuka Hikari)

Voiced by: Yuko GibuAn energetic college student who works part time at a cake shop alongside Aoi.

Koharu Senjuin (千手院 小春, Senjuin Koharu)

The president of the Mountaineering Club in Aoi's high school.

Megumi Yukimura (雪村 恵, Yukimura Megumi)

Voiced by: Aya HisakawaAoi's mother.

Mai Aoba (青羽 麻衣, Aoba Mai)

Voiced by: Risa HayamizuKokona's mother.

Manga

Yama no Susume began as a manga series written and illustrated by Shiro and published in Earth Star Entertainment's Comic Earth Star magazine. The first chapter appeared in the September 2011 issue of the magazine, released on August 12, 2011. The series' chapters have been compiled in 11 volumes, published between June 12, 2012, and March 12, 2016.

Anime

An anime television series, directed by Yusuke Yamamoto and produced by 8-Bit, aired in Japan on Tokyo MX between January 3 and March 21, 2013, and was simulcasted by Crunchyroll. The opening theme is "Staccato Days" (スタッカート・デイズ, Sutakkāto Deizu) by Yuka Iguchi and Kana Asumi. The series consisted of twelve five-minute episodes, with an additional OVA episode bundled with the Blu-ray Disc release of the series on May 14, 2013. A second season, consisting of 24 fifteen-minute episodes, began airing from July 9, 2014. The opening theme is "Natsuiro Present" (夏色プレゼント, Natsuiro Purezento, Summer-colored Present) by Iguchi, Asumi, Yōko Hikasa and Yui Ogura, "Mainichi Koharu Biyori" (毎日コハルビヨリ) by Iguchi, Asumi for episode sixteen onwards; whilst the ending themes are "Tinkling Smile" by Ogura for the first twelve episodes, "Stacatto Days" for episodes thirteen to fifteen, and "Cocoiro Rainbow" by Kyoko Narumi for episode sixteen onwards.