Kokoro Library

10 reviews - 44.0 total score (Explanation of the rating system)
avg. score: (4.4)

10. h8er13

Besides the excessive cuteness, I fairly enjoyed this series. It begins a bit slow and my expectations were not very high. Most of the scenes are filled with subtle tranquil moments and a few episodes are undeniably touching and sweet. However, being the cynical person that I am, some scenes seemed too perfect. The slogan of this series is "Kokoro Library brings miracles." All in all, the story flows smoothly with all the pieces fitting nicely together in the end.

9. Iodine

Series that set out to be heartwarming either manage the fine balance between sweetness and sobriety, or tumble into hypoglycemic insipidity. Kokoro, unfortunately, veers a little more towards the latter. Our story features the three young librarian sisters: Inna, Aruto, and the youngest, named Kokoro like the remote mountain library they look after. The pacing is very slow, with stories mainly centered around little Kokoro's day-to-day experiences. The atmosphere is very quiet and pleasant. Though the troubles that the girls face are far from frivolous, there's an absence of any serious threats or dangers. Unfortunately, the series overemphasizes its feel-good aspects and too easily becomes contrived and oversentimentalized to the point of silliness. If you're not in the right mindest for this sort of "Touched by an Angel" type of show, it simply doesn't work. Enjoying the lethargic stories also depends greatly on whether you like watching the interplay amongst the super-cute, idealized sisters, which can get repetitive and more than a little inane.

The show's artistic elements are appropriately pretty, with emphatically shoujo-styled characters and a deftly detailed mountain setting. Everything is very soft and very low-key, from the piano themes to the gentle messages of faith and family. Obviously, this is not a program everyone will have the patience or affinity for. It seems to be designed for a narrower audience than most, and depends greatly on its style for effectiveness. For fans of very sweet girls' anime, this show should be a good fit, but regular viewers will likely have a harder time warming up to Kokoro Library.

8. Hybrid

Kokoro Library can be simply described as simple and effective. The story of Kokoro Library revolves around 3 sisters named Aruto, Inna and Kokoro (her name means heart), that run a remote library. After completing all 13 episodies of this show, I was amazed at how at well the production people behind this show could put out such a fantatsic, sweet, heartwarming show that is devoid of gigantic computer generated explosions, fanservice, blood and action, and make it work so well. The music of this show is simply fantantic as most of the music themes that are presented in this series, are mainly comprised of soft piano and violins and acoustic guitar themes. Well, the thing that makes this show so speical, is the lessons, humour and human warmth that the charcters create throughout the series. Even though this series hasn't been liscensed for domestic release here, I hope that this show will be liscensed soon, as Kokoro Library is a rare gem of a show, that succeeds in perfectly conveying the lessons and feelings that one learns througout their life. A Must See series, that is suitable for all ages.

7. Prep_Styles

I picked this series up on a whim not knowing what at all to expect, and I must say I am glad I did, finding a title set in a rural library so compelling is refreshing to say the least. Throughout the majority of the episodes this simple story progresses without any sense of real direction, which is not to say that I didn't enjoy the first three quarters (give or take) of this title, the fact that all the previously random seeming elements are cleverly tied together by the end simply makes appreciation for the beginning that much more profound. In spite of the fact that the pacing is slow and there's easily enough "sap" to drown in I can honestly say that there was not a moment of this title that I did not enjoy, as the "misty eyed" moments that appear frequently through out Kokoro Library fit well within the context of the story and never seem forced or out of place.

6. Olmanek

This series was slow even for me, and I adore slow anime, but this was painfully slow. The series lifts up at about episode 12 and I might mention there are only 13 episodes. The animation style is nice, the story is well romanticised, a library off in the country near a quaint and beautiful town, three innocent sisters who have lost their parents, an expectedly heart warming history of the library hinted too but only really explained at episode 12. Kokoro the youngest whose name is that of the libraries and the one which the story revolves around has little adventures on the way achieving her ultimate goal - becoming a librarian. Everyone is devoid of character; Kokoro, could well have been a stuffed toy with some predetermined sentences programmed into her for her to say every 17-21 seconds just so that it doesn't become blatantly obvious that she is indeed a giant doll. She is too kind, I know that sounds strange, but it is true, no one, at all, is ever that kind, and neither are the people surrounding them. Even the biker gang members probably run charities in their spare time while they aren't down at the hospital reading books to sick children and helping plant trees around the area to help the withering bird population replenish itself so that the wetlands will strengthen again which is the wish of the wheel chair kid who has a three legged puppy named 'Runner' so that he can take up bird watching which is his wish granted to him by the charity that the biker gangs run. Okay so I'm exaggerating, but not much.

5. Yogi

This show is about three sisters living together in a secluded place. This show concentrates a lot on the bonds of family between them, as well as their own individual quirks and characteristics, some of which can be quite surprising. This is definitely a shojo show, with women characters taking all the spotlight roles. While there is no unifying story, the entire show simply FEELS calm an peaceful, with the music accentuating this. There aren’t any Evil Invading Aliens or Corrupt Government Officials to defeat, simply a story of three sisters living together.

4. Cross Scars

Kokoro Library is a simple series that follows the everyday events at a remote library staffed by three sisters. From that brief description alone it's obvious that Kokoro Library isn't a fast paced or action packed series and because of this certain anime fans might want to stay clear of it. However fans that don't mind taking a break from the masses of similar shounen titles out there will find Kokoro Library has its own exceptional charm.

In a way similar to Whisper of the Heart, Kokoro Library is able to take a normal setting and plot and infuse it with a real sense of magic so that despite the normality of events you're still drawn into it all. In a series this nice it's impossible to dislike the characters and with such a small cast it's all too easy to become attached to the characters and share in their experiences. The funny moments rather than being the 'laugh out loud' type bring a warm smile to your face while the sad times are moving on the inside. All these events are nicely enhanced by a wonderful soundtrack that's always subtly in the background. Given how normal this series is some events might seem a little unrealistic but the fact that they all seem possible is a testament to the magic within this little series.

3. Tempy

Kokoro Library follows the lives of three sisters Kokoro, Aruto and Iina, as they run a remote library their father built, a library where small miracles happen. It's a very gentle show, alternating between cute and sweet moments with sad and depressing parts. Kokoro Library features a host of likable characters in addition to the three sisters, and surprisingly enough it also has a few hilarious moments. Though it seems slow at times when nothing much seems to be happening, it's all part of the wonderfully light and calm atmosphere the show exudes, marvelously complemented by the relaxing piano/guitar music. All in all Kokoro Library is a very heartwarming series. And for those who are wondering why the sisters are wearing maid uniforms, the explanation is easy: those aren't maid uniforms, they are librarian uniforms ^_^

2. weasl

Kokoro Library is probably one of the least offensive anime out there. Devoid of violence and sex appeal, it instead relies upon charm and warm fuzzy moments. And boy does it succeed. Kokoro Library was almost painful for me to watch, the constant grin that marked my face was an easy give away to what series I was watching. Kokoro Library is a story about three sisters, Kokoro, Iina, and Aruto who run a beautiful library hidden up in the hills outside of town. The show of course focuses on the young Kokoro (who happens to share the same name as the library) in her first days as a librarian, the people she meets, and the trials she faces. The pacing of the show is slow, in many regards it moves at about the same pace as To Heart with whole episodes devoted to a simple task. Kokoro Library is the type of anime that can appeal just about anyone who has a soft spot for whimsical stories, characters giving it their all, and misty eyed moments. Highly recommended to anyone who can handle cute, and likes to smile.

1. Jasconius

Simply put this was my favorite anime this season. The story of three sisters who run a library in the middle of nowhere, it starts out really slow with an episode about someone borrowing a book and returning it. However, at episode three the stories really start to pick up, and all of them are really fun. The thing that really made this series stand out for me, though, was episode 11, which tied the whole story together. Before that the episodes seem episodic and kinda silly sometimes but after watching episode 11 I retroactively enjoyed all of them twice as much! The last episode brings a nice end to the series too, overall I really enjoyed watching this series a ton.