The main setting is a shoe (or shoe-equivalent) company. The main goal is to produce a never-before-seen kind of shoe in order to save the reputation/solvency of a business unit. The main character/protagonist is optimistic about this goal, almost to the point of naivete (and they are varying degrees of naive). This goal is underpinned by a peer-recognised marathon athlete who becomes entwined with the shoe's success. The fundamental difference between these shows is that Ii Hito is definitely a comedy whereas Rikuoh approaches storytelling like a documentary (of course, the story is still fictional). I enjoyed both shows, but I'll admit it took me longer to get engrossed in Rikuoh's story due to the more deliberate portrayal of events. It takes itself very seriously whereas Ii Hito is self-effacing from the first scene.