The captivating duality of science fiction—its ability to explore both distant worlds and deeply personal themes—has always fascinated me. It was from this fascination that the short story The Sakura-Chan was born. Even though it was written many years ago, I'm delighted it continues to resonate with fans of science fiction and anime-inspired fiction. I hope The Sakura-Chan brings you as much joy reading it as it did for me creating it.