This was an adorable and sweet series. Very wholesome, very heartfelt, and very refreshing!

The series is based on the life of a real woman, Reiko Okuyama, who was one of the first female Japanese animators. They did a good job I thought with the style and pacing to make it feel like real life.

So, not a drama you may love if you're more into the star-crossed lovers and fictional type of stories. It was really interesting because so many dramas tend to follow individuals whose occupations are doctors or lawyers, not that those aren't interesting, but it was NICE to break away from the mold. Plus it was fascinating to explore just what goes into the work of animation as a whole or being an animator; the dream versus the reality, all the ups/downs, risks...and so on. It touched on many hard topics of that time including the effects of war and equality for women in the workplace. I really appreciated the pioneer spirit and driving force, and being able to entertain the grit of building one's life and livelihood from the ground up.

I thought it was well done. It's something I think I'd have to be in the right mood to want to go and re-watch (it's on the lengthy end), but was a charming show to watch overall!