Kotaro Lives Alone

Manga artist Shin Karino’s quiet routine is interrupted when a four-year-old named Kotarou Satou moves in next door and introduces himself with a polite gift: a box of tissues. Kotarou’s manner is strikingly formal for his age, and even more unusual is the fact that he lives by himself, with no parents or relatives around. Despite the circumstances, he insists on handling life on his own and avoids leaning on others.

Unable to ignore his concern, Karino keeps an eye on Kotarou—tagging along to a public bathhouse just to be sure he’s safe—and gradually realizes the boy’s solitude isn’t as distant from his own as it first seemed. As days pass, Karino and the other tenants begin to warm to Kotarou’s quirks and quiet determination, and the lonely little neighbor may be finding something like a family among the people around him.