For 100 years, a thick layer of clouds have enveloped the planet and no sunlight reaches Earth's surface. As a result, plants have withered and there is a rapidly-decreasing amount of oxygen in the atmosphere. To breathe, humanity has developed a technology of transfloration, which allows humans to be transformed into plants. Initially, only terminally ill people were selected, but the promised high reward has also attracted other volunteers. They receive all the necessary funds for the two years the transformation lasts. Thus, everyone is faced with the choice of continuing to live as a human in the desolate world or beginning a new life as a plant.
The young Toshiro Kamiya is among those who see no future in his human life. He had wanted to become a musician, but his grades in school are not good enough, and he has to pay for his sick mother's medication. He works hard and tries to save up for his education, but when his mother tries to take his savings, he loses all hope. He asks his friend Yomiko Horai to turn him into a plant so he can live happily for at least two years. During this process, he unexpectedly gains the ability to understand the language of plants. Since his mother has once again taken all his money, he uses this ability to find a new job: searching for plants on behalf of their relatives and communicating with them.
Chief of the Special Assistance Division otherwise known as the Unsection at Transflora Medical Facility No. 4. He is the superior of Yomiko.
Ivy (アイヴィー, Aivii)
A spiriflor that remains mobile despite its transfloration. It is responsible for about twenty murders.
Yo Kunibe (国部 楊, Kunibe Yō)
Director of communications for Transflora Medical's Spiriflora Research Group. He is responsible for liaising with the police.
Mine Yatsuka (八束 ミネ, Yatsuka Mine)
A police inspector involved in the investigation on Ivy. She is also Akira Yatsuka's aunt.
Shinichi Tasaki (田崎 慎一, Tasaki Shinichi)
A police lieutenant. He is also involved in the investigation on Ivy.
Ken Hikasa (日笠 健, Hikasa Ken)
Head of the Glory Days party who demands an end to transfloration. He is a cold-hearted man who will do anything to advance his agenda.
Nishi (西)
A member of the Glory Days party. He harbors a deep hatred for the transfloration system. He seems to have some past connection to Akira.
Ōtarō Kūdai (九大 旺太郎, Kūdai Ōtarō)
A brilliant scientist who created the transfloraison technique. He stops at nothing to satisfy his curiosity.
Ai Yukima (雪間 アイ, Yukima Ai)
A member of Human Resources at Transflora Medical Facility No. 4. Akira's subordinate. She is an ambitious woman who is very focused on her career.
Hisaomi Kaburagi (鏑木 久臣, Kaburagi Hisaomi)
Director of Human Resources at Transflora Medical Facility No. 4. Akira's superior. He is good at detecting lies.
Media
Manga
Written and illustrated by Kasumi Yasuda, Fool Night started in Shogakukan's seinen manga magazine Big Comic Superior on November 13, 2020. Shogakukan has collected its chapters into individual tankōbon volumes. The first volume was released on March 30, 2021. As of June 30, 2026, thirteen volumes have been released.
In North America, the manga has been licensed for English release by Viz Media. It has been licensed in Southeast Asia by Shogakukan Asia.
In June 2026, during Netflix's Anime Studio Focus panel at the 2026 Annecy International Animation Film Festival event, it was announced that the manga would receive an original net animation (ONA) adaptation. The series will be produced by Sunrise and Shaft and directed by Atsushi Yukawa, with series composition by Jin Tanaka, character designs by Robert Sato, and music composed by Tatsuya Kato. It is set to premiere worldwide on Netflix on November 26, 2026.