Under yet another whim of the moment, I found this show. I have heard quite a few things about the series, with it being either a totally “Boring series” to a “pretty acquired slice of life series”. Which one is it? For a start, I think if anyone thinks Kokoro library is boring, they are probably not too much of a slice of life series. To me, slice of life series should either 1) have tons of drama or 2)This idyllic feeling that makes you yearn for such a life.
An anime that exists in the first realm will probably be Asatte no Houkou while an anime that exists in the second realm will be in my opinion, the best 2006 anime, Aria the Natural. Kokoro library clearly is in the second realm. Even though it does not break into any new ground or fascinate with its themes, it is still a peaceful little piece of anime that will warm your heart at the end. Considering that it is an anime series that opened in 2001, it is quite a powerful series.
Story gist
The story starts with a small library in the mountains, a good two hour ride away from a small city. There, three sisters lived together as librarians, taking care of the library that their parents had lived for them. Kokoro (Heart) library is a place for small miracles and it has been said since it was set up. Why is there such a miracle? This anime tells you the story of this miracle as well as the lives of these librarians as they go through various scenarios of life.
Up to your liking yet? You have not reached the best part of it. Any slice of life series professes to have a good character mix and Kokoro Library is the same.
Characters
Iina is the oldest sister of the three. She often seems to be happy go lucky, with a rather “strange” loli-siscon relationship to Kokoro, the youngest of the three sisters. Kokoro is of course oblivious to this fact but Iina does have tons of pictures of Kokoro as well as five different types of Kokoro plushies. She loves cameras and extremely loves to take pictures of the cute Kokoro. As you watched Kokoro library, you will know that she is not that ditsy as she seems to be. She knows a lot, simply that she does not say it out.
Aruto is a rather straight talking girl who often seems to be rather sleepy. She seems to be generally very serious and is very sarcastic at times when she interacted with the delivery man. However, she can be very sensitive at times and is a rather responsible person. Aruto’s alternative personality is Himemiya Kirin, a writer that both Iina and Kokoro loved a lot. However, it was revealed that Iina in fact knew about it.
Kokoro is a girl with the same name as the library. Symbolizing what her name meant, she always treated things with a kind heart, something that could create miracles if she just wished for it. She is a very cute and innocent girl, hoping to support her sisters as a librarian. It is her desire to be a librarian since young.
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Reviews (limited spoilers)
View on the series
This series start off with a rather episodic approach before episode 11 hits you with a huge bang. I did not understand what some people in the #animenano channel meant by it until I watched it. The first ten episodes are there to build the foundation of the story, in order to have a really sweet and beautiful ending to how Kokoro library came about to be a place for miracles.
It is definitely beautiful because I found myself in sweet tears after Episode 11 and 12. Both these episodes will never be able to move me if the first ten episodes are done in order to set up. To me, most people who detracted from this series have this qualm that I had at the start of the series: it starts out really slow. It is not meant to be a series for everyone. In fact, most slice of life series are not for most, simply because it plays on the fact that character development is more important than story plot. Of course, there is always a bit of story plot within but you have to like the character. That is perhaps the most problematic part for all slice of life series as they banked on the fact that the characters have to be likable and interesting.
Without these two, any slice of life series will never be that good.
I guess that is why people hated it somehow. Impz, on the other hand, thinks that the slow set up gives that idyllic feeling that I enjoy a lot. It is perhaps not in the intensity of Aria, where the atmospheric feeling of Neo-venezia gives you this feeling of wanderlust to travel to Venice. However, Kokoro library immerses you into the small little world of the librarians and Kokoro’s new experiences as a librarian. It is a simple plot and probably ridiculous to most, but it is a beauty of its own when you watch it.
Music/Other tidbits
The OP and ED, as well as the music in the series is not really very impressive. They are decent but it is not like anything amazing compared to Aria. I apologise for comparing this series continuously with Aria but there are a few similarities since both used the “cute girl” and “idyllic setting” and “simple job” factors in the series. If you ask me, considering that the vintage time of this anime is at 2001, Kokoro library has done a pretty decent job in its time.
The characters are cute and rightfully so. They made Iina a completely warped loli-siscon fan with her obsession with Kokoro all the time. She simply goes all emo-like when someone approached Kokoro in a close way. I remembered a scene when she was so jealous with Kokoro’s friend when they talked about washing each other’s back and sleeping together. Another scene that exhibited this was when Kokoro went out of town for a librarian course. The whole time, Iina totally went dazed and was unable to do anything at all.
Eventually, poor Aruto had to suffer by writing at night and working in the day. It was pretty amusing how warped Iina can be at times. The graphics, considering that it is a series in 2001, is pretty decent. It is nothing really compared to the more recent series, but it is not so pale in comparison that it cannot be watched at all (Crescent love, anyone?). The concept itself is nothing revolutionary as well.
Why you should watch this
Still, it is a good watch due to the warm and feel-good afterglow after watching it. If you are looking for a show to make your life less stressful or simply want to destress, look no further to Kokoro Library for your dosage of anime.
To end off, Niko niko ni! (Smile smile!, the catch phrase which Ruru uses in Kirin’s novels)
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6 Comments
the graphics as seen in the screenies… in a couple of them, they look a little like the graphics in Futakoi, just a little (Of course, Futakoi Alternative is way too better, it simply r00x~~ what was i saying? oh yeah…)
The history looks very nice to me, and the characters too, i wonder if i could find this series >.> at least i hope so, it’s very atractive to my eyes
I discovered Kokoro Library earlier this year; it may not be up to the level of Aria or YKK but it’s still an enjoyable little series. The manga is pretty good as well, although the chapters are very short.
I have found out about Kokoro Library in June or July. Then, I was not an anime blogger and was not really interested in blogging at all. Hence, I watched the first episode, was sadly bored by the series and left it all moldy to the extent that I deleted the episodes.
Fast forward time and in November, I suddenly remembered about the series and started to re-download it. What a change it has made. It is definitely not a great anime in the realm of Aria or Asatte no Houkou, both excellent series of the genre, but it is a definitely a competent series that can move you to tears. I am sure it did for me.
The most embarrassing thing about this entry is that it is actually done late November. However, with the amount of posts I tended to generate, this post since it is not time sensitive was slowly shoved back until I realize that if I keep doing this, this post will never see the light.
Hence, it is finally posted. Varg, cheers on finding the series on torrents. It is almost non-existent and I have to toil through the evil irc to find it. However, the characters are very likable by all cases, even though the series is pretty old. Still, if you are keen to download it via irc, contact me either in the #animeblogger channel at irc://irc.irchighway.net/animeblogger or email me.
I can give you the information there. Cheers
i’ve been searching the torrents aaaaand… there’s few of them, practically with no seeds and people downloading ;-; worst of all, the episodes are packed and the archives are too big… the download process would be very, VERY loooong and slow as a paraplegic turtle.
*planning on make his first steps in IRC (what? i don’t know how to use IRC xDDD so? just don’t laugh too hard)*
**next option: send an e-mail to Impz and beg desperatedly for help (LOL ok maybe that’s too much)**
ehhh, i wont laugh at you. I just learnt how to use irc like 2 months ago. Just go on the #animeblogger irc channel using that link above and find me. I will be glad to guide you for the irc downloads ^+^
I have seen the first episode! and i’m ready to see the next one! yay!
Again, thanks a lot impz ^^
(now have to get used to the IRC xD but that’s another history)
And that loli-siscon relationship from Iina to Kokoro shows a looney level from the very begining xD i mean, WTF with that reaction after Kokoro went out of town