The diary of a 20th-century boy
(Nijusseiki shonen dokuhon)

At a time when there were many circuses in Japan, two boys, Jinta, 8, and Wataru, 4, grew up in the shadow of the Great Crescent Circus, whose name alone was glorious. Every day, the two children, hand in hand, eyes wide open, admired the trapeze artists and laughed at the clowns. They wanted only one thing: to become circus performers. Now grown up, Wataru wanted to restore the circus to its former glory. But only five performers and an elephant remain. Together with young Marie, he vows to bring back the crowds with his new attraction: “The Dynamic Iron Ball Show”. Jinta has gone off to live on his own. He has become a small-time crook, fooling the poor. He meets a naive young girl and, attracted by her honesty, falls in love. Fleeing together from their pursuers, they hide out in a circus in the middle of a show.