» Why Kokoro Library?

To begin with : I love shoujo anime. I love those big eyed cute characters, sweet moments, slow pace, little action and lots of feelings. And Kokoro Library is such a series. The main focus of the series is on the relationship between the three librarian sisters and the people they meet. I think the series portrays these relationships very well. There are many sweet moments of friendship, and both sadness and happiness. The series is kind of original too. Three girls working in a library in the middle of nowhere? I can't say I've seen that before, so it's definitely a refreshing change from all the maid series or robot series or crime fighting series. The ending of the anime is also quite brilliant. Everything is explained, and all characters and their motivations are understood better. The story really takes an unexpected turn, and it makes you understand the entire situation of Kokoro Library so much better. The story is well-written and it makes sense, and you feel that the anime really has a story to tell, it's not just all meaningless cuteness. The characters all act the way they do for a reason.

There's comedy in the series as well, a sense of humor which is really witty at times. :D The setting of Kokoro Library also appeals very strongly to me, because I've always enjoyed (and dreamed of) such quiet places of untouched natural beauty. This really is an anime that lets you completely forget everyday life and stress. Perhaps this anime also appeals to me a lot because I have a librarianship background myself, but that's *definitely* not a must-have in order to enjoy it.

So I have to say, if you're a fan of sweet shoujo series, with lots of cuteness and warmth but with an original twist, then you'll probably like Kokoro Library. But if you can't stand cuteness and you want constant fast-paced action, then this is probably not the anime for you. ^^;

There is both an anime and a manga version, but I have to say I definitely prefer the anime version. The manga is beautifully drawn, and even has some stories in full color, but still there's just too much fanservice in it for me to completely love it. The manga is overflowing with pictures of the sisters in bikinis, "wet t-shirt contests", illustrations of Kokoro as a nurse or in a cat suit (o_O) and so on. All of this is just a bit too silly for my taste :P. In addition, in the anime you get the music and there's that special atmosphere which really brings you into the peaceful world of Kokoro Library. The anime consists of only 13 episodes, which means there aren't any boring filler episodes. Every episode is a small gem. ^_^ On the other hand, there are some nice stories in the manga which I wish they would have included in the anime, such as when Kokoro meets the ghost of a young girl in the library at night (btw, I'm pretty sure this girl actually can be seen in the anime too - if you look carefully, she's one of the users waiting to return a book in episode 11 ^^). Yes, the manga has many sweet little stories too, it's not *all* bikinis and catsuits. :P The anime and manga also differs a bit in that there are some characters in the manga not included in the anime.

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