The backgrounds and scenery are very well done, giving the series a slightly quaint, rural feeling which belies some of the more strange story elements (androids for example). That said, there are some features of the character designs which could have been improved upon, however as the design follows that of the mangaka, I feel that this can be forgiven. The supporting characters are also well done, however there is a certain genericness to them, as well as to the sundry townsfolk. The characters are designed to look like individuals, however I did wonder why the three sisters had to wear what look like maid uniforms, as it seemed a bit odd for a library uniform. In addition to this, whilst the series is mainly episodic, the last few episodes do have a pretty decent plot, and explain some of the history of the library, and why it's considered important.

There are a few slightly surreal elements introduced into the series as it progresses, which gives the latter half of the show a slightly dream-like quality (something which was used to great effect a few years later in Aria), and it's these inclusions that add a certain refreshing quality to the show. It's almost pure slice of life, however this may turn some people off the show. Now viewers may find themselves a little bit bemused by the story in the first few episodes, as nothing major really happens. The library is important to all three sisters as it was built by their parents shortly after a war destroyed the old city library, and whilst the sisters work hard to maintain it, it also doubles as their home.

two eldest sisters are fully qualified librarians, however Kokoro is still in training. This is Kokoro Library, and it is run by three sisters - Iina (eldest), Aruto (middle), and Kokoro (youngest). The story is about a library situated in the mountains. The popularity of the series led to it quickly being adapted as a TV series direct by Masuanri Koji (Read or Die TV & OVA, Kamichu!), and the influence of both the mangaka and the director really stands out in the anime. Kokoro Toshokan originally began as a manga by Takagi Nobuyuki in 2001. Once more my passion for 'oddness' rears its super-deformed head, this time bringing me a bemusing, yet slightly surreal, take on libraries.

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