Kotarou wa Hitorigurashi
Kotaro Lives Alone
コタローは1人暮らし
One day, manga author Shin Karino is greeted by four-year-old Kotarou Satou, his new next-door neighbor, who gifts him a box of tissues. In Karino's eyes, Kotarou is an odd kid: he speaks in an extremely formal manner, and he lives alone in his apartment—no parents or relatives in sight. But Kotarou neither seems to mind, nor wants to rely on people. Feeling sympathetic toward Kotarou's circumstances, Karino decides to follow Kotarou to a bathhouse in case something might happen to him and there he comes to understand the little boy is not so different from him. Little by little, Karino—along with the other residents of the apartment complex—grows fond of Kotarou and his antics. At the same time, Kotarou himself might have found something akin to a family in his unique neighbors. [Written by MAL Rewrite]
Synopsis
One day, manga author Shin Karino is greeted by four-year-old Kotarou Satou, his new next-door neighbor, who gifts him a box of tissues. In Karino's eyes, Kotarou is an odd kid: he speaks in an extremely formal manner, and he lives alone in his apartment—no parents or relatives in sight. But Kotarou neither seems to mind, nor wants to rely on people. Feeling sympathetic toward Kotarou's circumstances, Karino decides to follow Kotarou to a bathhouse in case something might happen to him and there he comes to understand the little boy is not so different from him. Little by little, Karino—along with the other residents of the apartment complex—grows fond of Kotarou and his antics. At the same time, Kotarou himself might have found something akin to a family in his unique neighbors. [Written by MAL Rewrite]
Characters
Trailer
Reviews(20)
issa_labshat
March 10, 2022
I've been waiting for this to drop ever since it was announced during the Netflix Festival Japan last November. I stopped what I was doing at the last minute before the show was released on Netflix. I binged all 10 episodes. And here's my review Story. In this anime, we are shown the stories surrounding Kotaro and how he goes about his independent life. Along the ride, we get to know his circumstances and have an idea why he is living alone. This alone intrigued me and made me interested. We also meet Karino and the rest of the neighbors. Art To be honest, I was a bituncomfortable with Kotaro's eyes. They just look weird. But I do understand that they were staying faithful to the manga's art style. His design just grew on me as I watched until ep 10. Sound I like their use of soundtrack here. Tonosoman theme song is amazing. haha Character Maybe the reason that I like "Kotaro Lives Alone" is because I always feel sympathy for all of the characters. I could see myself in them. Kotaro's determination to be independent was what struck me the most. He tries so hard to be strong at his age but at the same time, seeks love and warmth. His relationship with Karino is wholesome. They found each other's company and it inspired them to be better and stronger. I love the neighbors too. Their relationship with Kotaro was just inspiring. They care about him and Kotaro cares them back. My favorite is Tamaru. His appearance may look 'hostile" but he has great standards when it comes to being a father. What a great guy. There are also a bunch of minor characters that have small screen time but all of them left an impression on me. The way their struggles/problems were displayed? hit home. Just. wow Enjoyment I enjoy this very much. But it's not for everyone. Serious topics like child abuse, neglect from family, toxic relationships, etc. are conveyed n this show. There were moments that burst me into tears. There were scenes that are just witty and funny. There was suspense and laughter. I give this show a solid 9. I actually watched the live adaptation of this which I think it's also good. But the live-action series changed some things (which is fine for me i guess) I also recommend watching the live-action. The cast did a great job portraying their characters. The same goes for the anime cast. Please give this show a shot!
