Brief Description:
The friendly and sincere Kobato Hanato has a wish to go to a particular place no matter what. To fulfill this desire, she is tasked with helping people in their times of distress. For each mended broken heart, a small candy-like fragment is produced and fills a special bottle. Once the bottle is full, her wish will be granted.
As Kobato carries out her mission alongside her stuffed toy companion, Ioryogi, she encounters various people troubled by their different situations. From a child struggling with his parents, a high school girl troubled about romance, and everything in between, Kobato's naturally sweet smile and outgoing personality are ready to brighten their day! (Source: MAL)
https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/encyclopedia/anime.php?id=10542
US Release Date: 2009
US Distributor: Section23 Films
US Licensor: Sentai Filmworks
Age Rating: PG-13
Kobato is complete at 24 episodes.
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Violence: Ioryogi uses his flamethrower to the extent of slapstick violence. I think he gets into a couple of fights with another character, but they're very mild.
Sex and Nudity: There is one brief scene where Kobato is floating in some otherworldly place nude. Her hair covers everything, and it makes sense for her not to have clothes, given the circumstances. It's not sexual in the slightest and definitely innocent in nature.
Theological Themes: Kobato collects objects that signify the broken hearts that she healed. There are worlds that seem to resemble Heaven and Hell. Spoiler: Ioryogi fought against the place that represents the heavens, and as a result was turned into a stuffed dog. His comrades suffered similarly. They do begin to lose their will to rebel as the series goes on. It is also revealed that Spoiler: Kobato is dead and if she succeeds with her goal she gets a second chance at life. A recurring character is an angel. Spoiler: Reincarnation becomes a theme at the end.
Problematic Themes: Fujimoto sells beer at one of his jobs in one episode. Alcohol is shown to have been bought, but it is never shown to be consumed. There is no swearing.
Overall: Kobato is my first CLAMP series. It's very cute and fluffy, and it's generally all around wholesome. It's very episodic until the last few episodes, where a plot begins to develop. Apparently, there's a lot of filler and an anime original ending, due to the adaption starting too soon. I did like the filler, though the ending ruined the overall vibe the show left me with. I know everything turned out all right, but I hate feeling sad.
The characters were cute. Fujimoto and Kobato leaned on the cliche side, but they were enjoyable to watch. Ioryogi was amazing, and I wish they had been able to elaborate on his past, since so much was left unresolved. Ioryogi's friends seemed fascinating, as well.
I liked the music. I can tell why everyone liked to hear Kobato sing. The art is very cute, too. Kobato's outfits are very nice.
I have a feeling I'll like other CLAMP adaptations, since I enjoyed this one so much.
I honestly have no idea why it has a PG-13 rating. It could have easily gotten away with a much lower rating, given the lack of objectionable content. I've seen G-rated movies with worse content than Kobato. It's suitable for all ages, though the youngest kids might not be able to follow along with the subtitles.
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