Anime review: "Usagi Drop"

I finished with "Usagi Drop" last Sunday, but since I was on a business trip for the whole week and didn't have the time to write a review. And now, unfortunately, my impressions are a bit faded, so I will kept this short.

I didn't have any big wish to watch "Usagi Drop" because I didn't find the AniDB description appealing (some guy taking care of some child). But I this was only summer/fall anime with such big grade and it was fairly short (11 episodes), so I decided to fit in between books. I was pleasantly surprised in the end.

It turns out that the description was pretty much correct. Daikichi is around 30, leaving alone and having a moderately good career in some company (still on low position, but with good prospects). One day he receives news that his grandfather has died. When he travels there for the funeral, he finds out that his grandpa had a daughter, who is now 5 years old. Disgusted by his family treatment of the child, Rin, he decides on a quirk to take Rin home and take care of her. Rest of the show shows their slow bonding, adapting to each other and small home problems that any single parent can have.

To make it completely clear, there is no plot for this show. It just displays some slice-of-life activities and similar of Daikichi and Rin: going to nursery school, deciding between a job and a child, meeting other parents, first fever... The show doesn't actually has an ending; there is Daikichi's realization that he is happy for his decision of taking Rin, but there is no real ending. It all points to the conclusion that this is only the first season and that it exist mainly to introduce the setting and characters. Wikipedia and AnidBD articles about "Usagi Drop" confirm that (beware of big spoilers; also, it turns that course of series is quite different of what this anime made me expect).

To make another thing clear, I really like this anime. It has a nice, slow and relaxing pacing and it is very enjoyable to watch. There is some humor in here and almost no drama. If you like anime that show daily life of (relatively) regular people (e.g. "Minami-ke" or "Kimi ni Todoke"), then this is your show. Although not much is happening, show in never dull ; there is just no much action. It focuses more on characters and their relationships and their growing-up; it makes you wonder how would you behave in similar situation. Even though anime focuses much on children, there is no moe; kids are shown quite realistic (for an anime).

Anime is pretty good looking, with unassuming colors and lots of details. I liked the voices of characters, although I can't say anything specific of it. I didn't like the OP and ED; they were too generic and childish.

"Usagi Drop" is not a wide-audience anime, but those who like slice-of-life anime and character development are sure to like it. Do not spurn it just because of unusual theme. Let's just hope that next season (or seasons) will be as good.