Kokoro Library is a manga series by Nobuyuki Takagi that has been adapted into a moe anime directed by Koji Masunari, who is also known for being the director of the anime OVA series Read or Die and the 2005 anime series Kamichu.
Plot
A idealistic young soldier meets a nurse whose bibliophile young patient convinces him to bloom where he is planted as he pays forward his courage to the people with books from a nearby war-damaged library while helping to pick up the pieces. The collective goodwill visited unto him convinces the soldier to construct what is Kokoro Library as the "place where miracles happen" with the nurse as his spouse with whom he spawns three daughters: Iina, Aruto, and Kokoro.
Several years later, Iina and Aruto have refined themselves into the librarians of Kokoro Library with such quality that their baby sister Kokoro wishes to emulate them. A sunny disposition along with a willingness to eschew the stereotypical professional relationship with her customers are among Kokoro's best assets; still, the road to being the consummate librarian is neither straight nor smooth in fair weather. Kokoro Library's seclusion within the mountains away from the city deters all but the most determined and adventurous users—an attribute that has gotten it in hot water on more than one occasion along with the public grant money necessary for its operation. In spite of the odds against her, Kokoro resolves herself for a euphoric epilogue.
Sun-Shindo Family
Kokoro
Voiced by: Chiwa Saito
At the beginning of the anime Kokoro has just become a librarian at the place with the same name as me. She is very polite and will go out of her way to help her customers, even going as far as to make home visits to collect overdue books. She likes reading, especially Himemiya Kirin novels and enjoys watering flowers and creating rainbows while doing so. She has a cat called Kito and, judging by her taste in the decor of her room, she has a special fondness for cats. Kokoro's hair is very long and similar in colour to Aruto's. Her eyes are grey and her uniform is red.
Kokoro lives and works with her two older sisters, Iina and Aruto. Both of their parents are deceased. In episode 8, she reveals that her mother died immediately after Kokoro was born and her father died a short while afterwards.
Iina
Voiced by: Miyuki Sawashiro
The eldest sister, Iina has an overactive imagination, is good with computers and likes taking photographs, especially of Kokoro. Her room is decorated with many pictures of Kokoro, including a poster sized one. She adores her youngest sister, perhaps a little more than is healthy. She is very protective of Kokoro and has the tendency to get jealous when Kokoro is with Aruto, Hikari, or Akaha. She even has a Kokoro keyring and a collection of Kokoro dolls, one of which she sleeps with. Iina has light brown hair and green eyes. Her uniform is blue and she drives a white car with cat seat-covers.
Aruto
Voiced by: Yumi Ichihara
The middle sister, Aruto is strong-willed, an excellent cook and has the ability to sleep anywhere. She is a talented writer and illustrator. Unknown to Kokoro, she has published several novels under the pen-name Himemiya Kirin. Aruto stays up at night to write her story, thats one reason why she's always seen sleeping anywhere during the day. Aruto has short dark hair and wears large round glasses. Her eyes are blue-grey and her uniform is black. As Himemiya Kirin, she wears a long blonde wig.
The two characters listed below are deceased for most of the series.
Jordi San
Voiced by: Susumu Chiba
Also romanised as Sun Joldy. The sisters' late father. A member of the third squad. He lost his family in a raid. He speaks in a very formal manner which causes good-natured teasing among his comrades. He is very caring and helpful. He feels it is his duty to protect the people of his city. He does not approve of fighting but condones it if it is absolutely necessary to protect the city. Uezawa finds his ideals to be immature. After the war, he helped to rebuild the bridge and spent time in the mountains, living in a cabin and growing vegetables. He shares Kokoro's skill of creating rainbows with a watering-can. Like Shindou, he understands the importance of books and worked to create a library, which he named Kokoro, meaning 'heart', which he discovers is also the given name of Shindo, his future wife.
Kokoro Shindo
Voiced by: Miyuki Sawashiro
Kokoro, Aruto and Iina's late mother. She was a nurse at a hospital in a war zone, where she met Jordi. She cared for Akari, a child at the time, and was often found in the library, looking for books to read to her young patient. She is very similar in appearance to her youngest daughter.
Uezawa Family
Uezawa
Voiced by: Shinichiro Miki
The younger Uwezawa's father. Was a driver for hire before the war and dislikes driving weapons for the military.He was stationed with Momochi, Jordi, Kaji and Kameyan. When the war ends, he returns to his old job.
Jun Uezawa
Voiced by: Shinichiro Miki
The delivery man who delivers new books to Kokoro Library in his white van. According to episode 9, it is not a job that pays well. The sisters take advantage of his huge crush on Iina so he will do small jobs for them such as handing out flyers. He is something of a daydreamer and a romantic but not very skilled at expressing his feelings. His overactive imagination is comparable to that of Iina. He often gets himself into awkward situations and people's misunderstandings of his kindness have resulted in him being labelled a pervert by Iina and, in two instances, being arrested.
Uezawa has black hair and dark eyes, and he smokes cigarettes.
Inoue Family
Akari Inoue Inoue Akari?)
Voiced by: Satomi Koorogi
Hikari's mother. A former patient in a war hospital. She bears a strong resemblance to her daughter, something further emphasised by the same seiyū voicing both characters.
Hikari Inoue
Voiced by: Satomi Koorogi
Hikari is a young girl who was sent to Kokoro Library to train as a special-case librarian while her mother was in hospital. At first she appears introverted and refuses to speak or do any work. At one point she even lashes out at Kokoro for looking at a photograph of her mother. After attempting to run away from the library, Hikari opens up to Kokoro and the two become close friends. Once her true personality is revealed, Hikari appear strong-minded, honest and affectionate. Though she is even younger than Kokoro, she seems wise beyond her years as she tells Uezawa to give up on Iina as their 'love will not bloom.' She also criticises Aruto's novels for their lack of realism (though she later admits that she quite enjoys them). Hikari has green eyes and wears a single side pigtail in her otherwise loose dark hair. Her uniform is pink.
Momochi Family
Sergeant Momochi
Voiced by: Kôzô Shioya
Marie's father. He was stationed with Uezawa, Jordi, Kaji and Kameyan. He is a good-natured, kindly man.
Marie Momochi
Voiced by: Yumi Touma
The town's beautiful female major. She travels in an expensive chauffer-driven black car. She plans to close down Kokoro Library because its under-utilization convinces her that it is more of a burden on the taxpayers than anything. It is not that outrageous to conclude that Marie's contempt for the Library is because she does not understand the historical rationale behind the Library. Fortunately for Kokoro, Marie backs down when the whole city ties the fate of her career with that of Kokoro Library.
