"Kotaro Lives Alone"

A Japanese anime about a 4-year-old boy living on his own.

When young Kotaro moves into an apartment, he makes friends with his neighbors but mostly annoys Karino, a manga artist who is an introvert. He asks Kotaro where his parent are and the answer is heartbreaking.

"I do not have them anymore."

Later, it is revealed that Kotaro's mom, who was negligent toward him, passed away. He ended up in a group home. His abusive dad found him and started yelling at the foster parents. So Kotaro ran away and went to live on his own. The money comes from his mom's life insurance, which pays for school, rent, utilities, food, shopping, etc. The lawyers that dispense it don't have the heart to tell him where it really comes from, so they say it's from a generous donor. He gets the allowance weekly and throws a party for the lawyer that delivers the money by singing karaoke, providing food and snacks, and at the end gives them a gift.

At first, Karino wants nothing to do with Kotaro. He turns on the tv and sees another child abduction on the news. That's when he follows Kotaro to make sure he's okay. Kotaro has an unusual way of speaking. He is very formal. His speech follows the medieval style such as "my lady" "sir" "farewell" "good morrow" etc. He has learned this that from his favorite tv show Tonosaman. On his first shopping trip, he buys boxes of tissues and a samurai sword trying to emulate his hero.

Karino later asks Kotaro why he buys the most expensive tissues.

"They are nutritious and full of good ingredients." Stumped, that night, he watches a man interviewed by a newscaster who says that when his parents left him alone for too long, he would eat the sweet tissues to satisfy his hunger. We know this act as pica.

"Are the tissues sweet?" Karino asks Kotaro.

"Aye. I used to have sweeter ones before these."

"Is that why you gave everyone a box of tissues?"

"Aye."

The show also addresses weight gain because of lack of food from abuse. When one goes too long without eating and tries to kick the habit of pica, overeating becomes everything. It makes one feel good. Food does not judge. Food does not abuse. Food is therapy.

This show is wonderful! So heartwarming and tear-jerking. I am very glad it addresses child abuse, the effects of it, and the eating disorder pica. We need more shows like this! I highly recommend it. Streaming only on Netflix.