Kotaro Lives Alone, a Tomoe Makino-directed animated series, tells the sincere tale of a young person who has experienced abuse and neglect and is now attempting to live alone. The narrative addresses problems that many abandoned children encounter. It clarifies the nuanced makeup of emotional abuse victims. Hiroshi Sato wrote the series, and Liden Studio animated it.
Kotaro Lives Alone Season 1: Plot Summary
It tells the tale of a young child who has recently moved into a Japanese apartment. His parents don’t appear to be around to support him on his quest, and he appears to be living alone. Kotaro, a small child, is learning at a kindergarten when he meets his new neighbours, who take care of him and help him navigate the intricacies of life. Next-door neighbour Karino Shin assumes the role of a protector and follows Kotaro everywhere. A toddler who has endured years of abuse and neglect must learn how to care for himself in the real world in this thought-provoking tale.
Warning: Major Spoilers
Life Before Moving Into The New Apartment
Kotaro had experienced severe neglect and had formed some coping skills. He used to eat plants and tissues when he was hungry before learning how to prepare food for himself. He would take pleasure in the television’s sound since he was lonely. He discovered the television programme Tonosaman, which he soon began to love. Tonosaman was portrayed as a hero character who taught Kotaro to be strong and conquer his flaws, and it was via this show that he learned to speak professionally and to be mentally tough, which is why he began emulating his mannerisms. In contrast to other children, Kotaro demonstrated fortitude and empathy. Karino thought Kotaro had lost the ability to be a child since he was mature beyond his years and had an understanding of the plight of the old. He was reluctant to solicit assistance or request people’s presence. Walls he had built up around himself were ultimately shattered by those who understood him.
Kotaro lived in a group home when his mother abandoned him in their joint residence. Due of abuse, his father had a restraining order against him. Kotaro was forced to leave the group home and live independently in an apartment after his father learned where he resided. On the other side, his mother had passed away after she had left. Kotaro’s independence was supported by her life insurance. Little Kotaro waited for his mother to come to the apartment because no one told him that she had passed away. Before he came to think of Karino as his family, he was an only child.
Kotaro s Life In The New Apartment
The new resident has caught the attention of the neighbours in the new apartment building. The neighbours try to unravel Kotaro’s enigmatic past. The narrative develops as the neighbours learn about his predicament. They all work together to aid. They fall in love with the child who thinks like an adult and who has an eerie understanding of events that often elude a child’s consciousness. The neighbours come up with a humane way to raise him.
As an introduction, Kotaro hands a box of Kleenex to each participant. These tissues are essential to understanding Kotaro’s past. He meets struggling manga artist Karino Shin, who at first finds Kotaro’s conduct puzzling but later comes to understand him and assumes the position of his protector. Kotaro is dropped off at school by Karino, who also goes with him on his errands. He becomes accustomed to a regular routine that includes both leading Kotaro through his errands and letting him do what he pleases. Kotaro ends up thinking about the various brands of tissues on one of their trips to the department store and makes a comment about the flavour. Karino initially files it under Kotaro’s unusual habits, but later discovers a tale about a young boy who ate tissues because he was starving. Kotaro endured years of abuse and was frequently left alone; throughout this time, he subsisted on plants and tissues when he was hungry. After realising what had happened, Karino took steps to make amends without further injuring Kotaro.
A hostess named Mizuki is introduced to Kotaro. She entertains him and assists Karino in caring for him. Kotaro is assured by Mizuki that she will never abandon him. But she had to move because her lover turned out to be violent. Kotaro expresses sympathy for her and admits that he holds himself responsible for his father’s mistreatment of him. He acknowledges her predicament and disputes the validity of any such promise. When Mizuki departs, Kotaro sobs while concealing his face behind a mask. He worries about being left behind. His mother had abandoned him, leaving him on his own. Although this affected him, he let Mizuki go since it was the proper thing to do.
Kotaro meets Isamu and gives him a tissue box at the same time. Because he has a child named Yatou who is roughly Kotaro’s age, Isamu takes to Kotaro right away. Due to his divorce and his inability to see Yatou, Isamu is not permitted to do so. His wife worries that Isamu’s thug-like conduct and attire may have a negative effect and cause people to question her kid. She refuses to let Isamu to meet his son because of this. Kotaro, on the other hand, accepts Isamu for who he is, and that strikes a chord with him. Kotaro learns to accept affection from his new neighbour as a result of Isamu’s excessive affection for him.
Kotaro receives a weekly stipend that passes through his home. He may pay the rent and buy the necessities for his daily life with this money. Kotaro is unaware that the funds come from his mother’s life insurance policy. At this point, he meets Ayane, the attorney in charge of giving Kotaro his money. To maintain Kotaro’s hope that his mother would come back, she tells him a fib about where the money came from. She tells the young child that the money was provided to her by a very kind benefactor because she no longer wants to hurt him.
After Mizuki vacates, Takei joins. She is a person who is not particularly child-friendly. Kotaro makes an effort to help Takei become accustomed to kids and lose his fear of them while keeping this in mind. During this period, Takei learns that Kotaro had kept his mother’s gloves in immaculate shape. Takei understands that his mother had been touching Kotaro while covering her hands with gloves because she was truly disgusted with him. She can relate because she has experienced similar neglect. Takei supports Kotaro in overcoming it while also acknowledging his perspective that it is the only thing that remains of his mother. Kotaro contends that his mother could have touched him due to those gloves. Takei was moved by this and realised Kotaro finds the good in practically everything.
Kotaro Lives Alone Season 1: Ending Explained Kotaro Finds A New Home In Karino
Kotaro gradually gets better and better once Karino takes on the role of protector for him. As the show goes on, Kotaro eventually tears and pouts like a typical kid, his wonder and innocence recovering their enthusiasm as he adopts Karino as his family. Kotaro is cared for delicately by Karino, who makes an effort to support him in any way she can. He makes sure Kotaro’s life is improved and guards him from further damage.
Kotaro is thrilled that Tonosaman, one of his favourite television shows, is being turned into a film. Karino offers to accompany him to the performance. When Kotaro shares his excitement with his pals, they become eager to accompany him. Karino watches a different movie with the kids according on their whims. In order to prevent any of the youngsters from calling Kotaro cheap, he also buys them popcorn. Kotaro admits to being jealous after the movie is ended and the other youngsters have left for home. When he complains that Karino was only paying attention to the kids, Karino chuckles and offers to watch Tonosaman’s movie with him alone. This gives Karino the impression that Kotaro has in some small way welcomed him into the family.
Karino is patient with Kotaro’s shenanigans and goes above and beyond for him. He assumes responsibility for him and travels with him to ensure his security. Additionally, he shows up for all kindergarten-related events including parent-teacher conferences. He makes an effort to support Kotaro whenever he can by being present. When Karino one day forgets the Kindergarten presentation, Kotaro is saddened and loses enthusiasm for the performance, mumbling through the lines. Kotaro, though, brightens and resumes singing with newfound zest when Karino arrives.
Kotaro only acts like a young child his own age around Karino. He learns to hate him, to be envious of him, and to love him in his own way. Kotaro is concerned about burdening Karino. Karino does his utmost to take care of Kotaro and to ensure that his fears are never realised. Kotaro seems to have finally found a home with Karino after being ignored for so long. Kotaro begins to rely on Karino as a rock during his brief existence.
Tomoe Makino is the director of the 2022 animated series Kotaro Lives Alone.
