Episode 11

"The Old Year/ The New Year" is episode 11 of the anime adaptation of Sangatsu No Lion.

Synopsis
Rei is sick with a severe fever and no one to take care of him when he runs out of medicine and supplies. He has a repeating dream from when he was a child of him going up an escalator with no way back down.

Akari, Momo and Hinata arrive to take Rei to the doctor. Luckily, Rei only has a cold, so they bring him back to their house to take care of him. Akari charges Rei's phone and shows him the call log, pointing out that Rei's father is worried about him. When Rei calls his father, he is guilty that he had left his father in the dark for so long about his health.

During dinner, everyone has fallen asleep under the kotatsu aside from Akari and Rei. Akari mentions there used to be three more people, meaning her mother, grandmother and father. Rei wonders why no one talks about their father. When Rei thanks Akari for having him there despite him not being part of their family, she says without him, she would be crying and cleaning up alone.

Rei wakes up from a dream about his mother and little sister, Chihiro. Everyone opens their New Year's post cards and Hinata offers to pick up Rei's from his house. She is embarrassed for him when she returns with only two cards addressed to him. However, Rei is surprised since he didn't expect to get any. Akari's aunt visits, offering everyone New Year's money.

When Rei heads upstairs to sleep, he wonders why he can sleep so easily in the house of a family he has only known for a short time. He notices the stickers on a wood drawer and is reminded of his little sister, which makes him feel at home.