Tasukeai Story returns with Episode 2, once again starring Minami Hamabe and Haruka Fukuhara as time-traveling guides chasing real-life moments of “helping each other.” This new short anime episode adapts a true story about a mysterious “nameless priority seat” on a crowded local train, and is now streaming on JA Kyosai’s special campaign site.
Short animated tales built from real acts of tasukeai
Tasukeai Story is a web anime project from JA Kyosai that turns true “helping each other” episodes, collected through the Tasukeai Story campaign, into short animated pieces. Episode 1 acted as a prologue based on experiences shared by Minami Hamabe and Haruka Fukuhara themselves, establishing Minami and Haruka as characters who travel through time and memory to look for moments of quiet mutual aid.
Episode 2 tells a silent kindness on a crowded train
Episode 2 focuses on a woman’s real experience from her high school days: every morning on a packed local train, there is one seat that somehow always stays empty, no matter how crowded the car gets. The story gently unravels why commuters leave that spot open, revealing an unspoken agreement and a chain of wordless consideration. Rather than big speeches, the anime leans into small gestures, glances and the feeling of being quietly protected by strangers.
Minami Hamabe and Haruka Fukuhara as guides through time
Just like in Episode 1, actors Minami Hamabe and Haruka Fukuhara voice animated versions of themselves—Minami and Haruka—who slip into different eras to observe these stories of tasukeai. Their performances balance light comedy with a soft, almost documentary-style tone, reacting to what they witness rather than dominating it, which helps the real-life episode stay at the center of the short.
JA Kyosai’s mutual aid message behind Tasukeai Story
JA Kyosai positions tasukeai—mutual aid between people—as the core of its insurance and cooperative activities, and the anime series is part of a larger project to make that value feel personal rather than abstract. By using real submissions from the “Tasukeai Story” recruitment campaign, the shorts aim to show that mutual aid can be as simple as leaving one seat open, or noticing when someone else needs quiet support. Episodes that strongly convey this idea will also be grouped under the label “Tasukeai Story Collection” and recognized at a future presentation and awards event.
Viewing options for Tasukeai Story and future episodes
Episode 2 is available to watch for free on the special campaign site alongside Episode 1, with a total of four episodes planned to roll out by the end of the 2025 fiscal year. From there, fans can also follow updates via the anime’s official X account and JA Kyosai’s YouTube channel, which share trailers, cast comments and extra content tied to the project.
From collected episodes to the Tasukeai Story Collection
As more stories are submitted and adapted, selected episodes that best communicate “I want to practice mutual aid myself” will be certified as part of the Tasukeai Story Collection. For now, the easiest way to take part is simply to watch: start with the train story in Episode 2 on the official campaign site at Tasukeai Story special site, think about the “nameless priority seats” in your own life and commute, and then share the link with someone who might need a gentle reminder that everyday kindness still exists.
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