A thorough evaluation of Kotaro's life living alone! What are the attractive and moving points?

"Kotaro Lives Alone": A moving story woven by a four-year-old boy

The anime "Kotaro Lives Alone," which began streaming on Netflix on March 10, 2022, is based on the manga of the same name by Mami Tsumura. Directed by Tomoe Makino and animated by LIDEN FILMS, it consists of 10 episodes, each 26 minutes long. The anime follows the story of four-year-old boy Kotaro Sato, who lives alone in an apartment and grows up as he interacts with the people around him.

story

The buzzer in the room rang, and when the door was opened, a small boy was standing there. He introduced himself as 4-year-old Sato Kotaro, holding out the high-end tissue box he was holding and saying, "I've moved to room 203. My name is Sato. From now on, please be careful." Due to certain circumstances, Kotaro has ended up living alone in the Shimizu apartment building. He carries a toy sword on his belt and goes shopping alone again today. Kotaro's wise way of life, which is both mature and childish, gradually influences those around him. This is the story of a 4-year-old boy who decides to live strong so that he can spend the day with his parents.

character

The main character, Sato Kotaro, is a four-year-old boy who has just moved into room 203 of the Shimizu Apartment. He lives alone for some reason, cleaning, doing the laundry, and cooking. He imitates his favorite anime, Tonosama-man, and speaks in a lordly manner that leaves an impression. Various characters with different personalities appear around Kotaro.

• Susumu Kano : An unsuccessful manga artist who lives in room 202 of "Shimizu Apartment." He cares about Kotaro and often goes to the public bath with him and takes him to and from kindergarten.
• Isamu Tamaru : He lives in room 102 of the "Shimizu Apartment." He looks tough, but he loves children and dotes on Kotaro.
• Akitomo Mizuki : She's the older sister who lives in room 201 of "Shimizu Apartment." She's always cheerful and often hosts tea parties with Kotaro.

cast

The role of Sato Kotaro is played by Kugimiya Rie, the role of Kano Susumu is played by Masuda Toshiki, the role of Akitomo Mizuki is played by Hayami Saori, the role of Tamaru Isamu is played by Suwabe Junichi, the role of Kobayashi Ayano is played by Hanamori Yumiri, the role of Aota is played by Saito Souma, the role of Ryota is played by Ishikawa Kaito, the role of Futaba Touko is played by Morishima Yuka, the role of Takuya is played by Shinoda Minami, and the role of Tonosama is also played by Kugimiya Rie. In particular, Kugimiya Rie's acting exquisitely expresses both the childish and mature parts of Kotaro, deeply moving the viewers.

staff

The original work is by Tsumura Mami, the director is Makino Tomoe, the series composition is Sato Yutaka, the character design is Kimura Tomomi, the prop design is Saido Takuya, the art setting is Aoki Tomoyuki and Inose Yukie, the art director is Saito Yukihiro, the color design is Hashigami Akira and Kikkawa Asami, the director of photography is Takamura Mami, the editor is Hasegawa Mai, the music is Mori Yuya, the music production is FAIR WIND music, the sound director is Tanaka Ryo, the sound effects are Muto Akiko (Soundbox), the sound recording is Peas Studio, the animation production is LIDEN FILMS, and the production is Kotaro Lives Alone Project. The work created by this team of staff boasts extremely high quality both visually and aurally.

episode

The 10 episodes are structured as follows:

• #01 : Episode 01/ Kotaro in Season/War Mode, Episode 02/ Cognitive Disturbance/To the Woman Who Comes Home in the Morning, Episode 03/ The Manga Artist with the Old Drawings/Truth or Lie?
• #02 : Episode 04 / Tonosama's Special / The End of Tonosama, Episode 05 / Flo Incident / Bear!, Episode 06 / Sunny Day Faces / From a Convenience Store Lunch Box...
• #03 : Episode 07/For the family/Reason for going out, Episode 08/The way of fashion/Try making a selection, Episode 09/Be careful with the photos/Please bring a gift
• #04 : Episode 10/Gourmet guy!?/Dodge Kotaro, Episode 11/What is a birthday party?/Let's run away from home, Episode 12/Yotte Utatte/Natsumatsuri
• #05 : Episode 13 / Special Tissues / Everyone is Invited, Episode 14 / Acting Kotaro / On a Starry Night, Episode 15 / Even though it's Sunday... / What's with that Belly!?
• #06 : Episode 16/New Resident/Who is it!?, Episode 17/Unwanted!!/I want to become stronger, Episode 18/That voice/Great detective
• #07 : Episode 19/Why play?/Cold?, Episode 20/Let's go see the house/You too!!, Episode 21/If you think of the other person
• #08 : Episode 22/Insots/Visitor, Episode 23/Newcomer/Suspicious School Lunch, Episode 24/Collection/Soccer Day
• #09 : Episode 25/Special Time/Direct Teaching from the Master, Episode 26/Welcome Person/Memories of the Pillow, Episode 27/I Believe in You/Things That Don't Change
• #10 : Episode 28/About Susumu-chan, Episode 29/Ping Pong/Lots of Newspapers, Episode 30/What I Want to Say

Theme songs and music

The opening theme "Star Runway" was written and sung by KOCHO, and composed and arranged by Mori Yuya. The ending theme "Chiisana Te no Hira" was written, composed, arranged and sung by Kotringo. Additionally, the insert song "Tonosama-san no Uta" had lyrics by Tsumura Mami, composed and arranged by Mori Yuya, and sung by Yamada Enri. These songs are important elements that add to the atmosphere of the anime.

Evaluation and Impressions

"Kotaro Lives Alone" depicts the growth of a four-year-old boy as he lives alone, but the content is by no means just for children. The story, which has much to learn from Kotaro's wise way of life and his interactions with the people around him, has touched a wide range of age groups. In particular, the process in which the reasons why Kotaro lives alone and the emotional scars he carries are gradually revealed deeply moves viewers. Furthermore, the interactions between Kotaro and the people around him depicted in each episode unfold a heartwarming story filled with laughter and tears.

The quality of the animation is also very high, with the character designs, background art, and color schemes all carefully drawn down to the smallest detail. Kotaro's facial expressions and gestures in particular express his emotions realistically, leaving a strong impression on the viewer. The music is also an important element in adding excitement to the story, and the music composed by Yuya Mori further enhances the atmosphere of the anime.

The acting of the cast was also superb, especially Kugimiya Rie's role as Sato Kotaro, who perfectly expresses both the childish and mature parts, deeply moving the audience. Masuda Toshiki's role as Kano Susumu and Hayami Saori's role as Akitomo Mizuki also firmly portray the individuality of their characters.

Recommendation

"Kotaro Lives Alone" is an anime that depicts universal themes such as family love, friendship, and growth, and can be enjoyed by a wide range of age groups. It is especially recommended for parents who are watching their children grow up, and for adults who want to reflect on their own growth. The animation and music are also of very high quality, making it a work that will satisfy anime fans. It is available on Netflix, so be sure to give it a watch.

This anime will make you laugh, cry, and feel heartwarming. The story will surely leave a lasting impression on you as you learn from the wise life of a four-year-old boy.