Kotaro Lives Alone- Anime Series Review

This is a short 10 part series on Netflix about a young kindergardener living alone. There are no parents in the picture but Kotaro navigates the intricacies of life through the lessons learnt from an anime featuring an honourable samurai called Tonosoman, as well as the help of his eclectic neighbours. These neighbours include Karino, a struggling manga artist, Isamu, an absentee father with severe guilt who dresses like a Yakuza mob man , and Mizuki, a young woman who works as a hostess in a flashy part of town- all people dealing with their own concerns. However, by coexisting lessons are learnt and friendships borne as Kotaro and his neighbours bond, grow and develop in this found family slice-of-life comedy series with heart. There are lots of small scenes and scenarios that make up the patchwork of this groups daily lives and whilst I won't go into details of all here, I will provide a rough overview:

Episode 1- Kotaro moves in and makes a good impression on his neighbours by being incredibly formal with his language and offering them a gift of a box of tissues. Kotaro goes to the local bathhouse and we learn a little about his OCD about cleanliness.

Episode 2- Kotaro's favourite show is about to end so his neighbours unite to watch the finale together. He also has trouble sleeping so Mizuki has a sleepover but it doesn't work.

Episode 3- Kotaro starts kindergarden and his neighbours all turn out for him, much to his surprise. He also helps Karino to understand the craft behind his manga in order to achieve at his best. There is a b-story where Kotaro collects 4 balloons 'for his family' but draws faces of too siblings and a mother and father on them. What could it all mean? We meet Ayano, a lawyer who drops off Kitaro's life insurance money each week. She knows it comes from his mother but can't let Kitaro know.

Episode 4- Kitaro has a playdate with his friend Kakeru who is a spoilt and pampered young boy. Kitaro decides to encourage some independence in his by getting him to do some fishing. Karino also helps Kitaro learn how to catch a ball in order to play dodgeball. Also, it is Kitaro's birthday and the group try to celebrate.

Episode 5- Kotaro meets up with a friend from the home he ran away from after his father tracked him down. They watch the Perseid shower together and reminisce. Kotaro also had a day playing with the toys and videogames in Karino's editors office- just being a kid and enjoying himself.

Episode 6- A short stay tenant named Aota moves into the apartment complex and makes friends with Kotaro. However, he turns out to be a private eye in the pay of Kotaro's father.

Episode 7- Kotaro has a playdate with an acquaintance from school called Kana and it is awkward as he doesn't know how to interact with children his own age. Meanwhile, Mizuki is abused by her boyfriend and leaves to make another life for herself elsewhere- leaving Kotaro upset but understanding that life moves on.

Episode 8- A new neighbour called Takei moves in. She is not good with kids and her mother was not very motherly so she has issues to deal with but tries to bond with Kitaro. Kitaro also joins a football team and helps a fellow player who is struggling with the pressures of the game and the breakdown of his parents' relationship.

Episode 9- Kotaro shares an umbrella with people as people coke home from their commute and there's a cute reason as to why. Kotaro also meets with another friend from the home, Tasuku, and they bond over their connections. However, when he suggest they move out and get a place together Kirano is a bit suspicious of the friend's motives.

Episode 10- When Karino gets some success with his manga an old girlfriend turns up and starts to support his workload by collecting Kotaro. However, she is jealous of the relationship between the two and purposely tries to sabotage it. We also get an insight into how Kotaro got his corny GOD t-shirt and it's a heartwarming story.

In this day and age of huge anime series that never seem to end, it's refreshing to get a small and focused manga that is so impactful without overstaying it's welcome. It's seems that Kotaro has attachment issues, probably linked to his mother's post partum depression and abusive father but these weighty issues are deftly handled with care and sensitivity over the course of the series. As someone who has been in the formal and informal educational sector for nearly 30 years of my life, it is great to see issues like neglect dealt with in such a respectful manner.

There are some episodes that made me well up, including episode 4 where Karino and the group helped to make the Summer Festival special for Kotaro by helping out. The fact the community comes together to ensure that the children have a great time is heart-warming. Episode 2, where Isamu opens up and says clothes do not maketh the man and that people will judge those different from themselves are true lessons that are important for everyone to know. Finally, episode 7 where Mizuki leaves is very emotional as she doesn't want to leave her found family but must to keep herself safe.

It's a beautiful manga that will long linger in the mind as we know that there are plenty of children in the world that deal with these issues everyday. On a wider note, I think Kotaro Lives Alone deals with the idea that as a society we should not judge one another too harshly and should be accepting of difference. Now, that's a message I can get behind.