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This is without a doubt, on the upper list of anime that are absolutely essential for anyone looking to begin delving into the genre. My only complaint if any, revolves around the end and halfway mark of this story. Which if you're familiar with it, can probably guess the reasons why.
However, just to clarify this story is top notch and is a prime example of an engaging and original concept, especially within the Shonen Jump landscape. The story is dark, and filled to the brim with antiheros and it will most definitely make you question where you stand morally among the chaos that Death ... Note brings. This show cannot be watched casually, and if you want the most enjoyment out of Death Note, I'd recommend giving it your fullest attention with the information that every episode delivers.

There's not a shred of filler to this anime, and every character serves a purpose. Yes, even the ones that you may find mildly annoying (*cough Misa *cough). Light Yagami is one of the most brilliantly well written main characters in the entertainment medium, and his adversary L is just as captivating to watch. This review could be an entire essay's length, easily, and even then it'd be difficult to effectively describe the genius that Tsugumi Ohba and artist Takeshi Obata deliver with this anime.

This is a case that I would recommend watching first before touching the manga, only because there's just a lot of information given to you over the period of each episode. Since I retain stuff more easily through visual means, I was able to process things easier after watching the anime than I did with reading the manga initially. But I would suggest reading the manga soon after, if just to appreciate Obata's stunning artwork, and he's truly a master at his craft.

So absolutely, this is a near perfect anime and a wonderful experience. Even if it leaves you feeling conflicted by the end, it's a ride you should not sit out on. One of the greatest shows of all time.

So this slice of life falls into more along the informative shows, that above all else focused on more on the cooking aspect than the characters themselves.
The cast is pretty concise which I appreciate. Often times with slice of life they tend to add too many characters within a short episode span, and kind feel overwhelming.
But Amaama to Inazuma has a solid cast, mostly between Kohei, Kotori, and Tsumugi. Without a doubt Tsumugi steals the show with her adorable antics and keeps the episodes fresh with her father attempting to deal with her tantrums and school troubles. Its heartwarming to see Kohei try ... his best, especially being a single father. But the people around him, with the friends he makes along the way really aid him when at times he's unable to understand Tsumugi.

All that being said, the cooking is really in the foreground here, and I don't recommend watching this show on an empty stomach. Seeing Kohei gradually become more accustomed to cooking and learning to make more dishes throughout the span of the episode is a satisfying arc to watch. And it makes it all the more worthwhile seeing his daughter's reaction to them when he does a good job. Even to the point where it makes her cry, which I found to be very sweet. The art is very lively and colorful, and my goodness Tsumugi has the most sparkly and expressive eyes in the show.

You'll definitely be invested in the characters here, and I do wish there was another season included just to see what other dishes they'd attempt to make next. I'd suggest this anime to anyone looking for something on the lighthearted side. It's not necessarily binge worthy, as you'll pick up pretty soon that most of the episodes play out pretty similarly. Almost all the episodes end with a cooking segment and a, "what did we learn today," kind of outro. Which if you're binging could easily burn out the charm this show has. Give it a watch if you're looking for something to cheer you up and make you smile.

This is my number one favorite anime when it comes to slice of life. The only negative I have with it is in terms of story, which is paper thin and its not so much on how the story is presented but more so a lack of one.
The very few plotlines it introduces are never really resolved, but honestly its not really a complaint because there's just so many other things going on at once with this show that you kind of let it pass as you continue watching.
The cast is impressively large, but it never feels overwhelming as the main focus is between ... Mio, Mai, Yuuko, Hakase, Nano and Sakamoto. There is just an astounding measure of creativity put into the writing of this anime, of course mostly due to Keiichi Arai.
There's so much to love about this show, that in summary, just watch it. Its shining aspect is being able to catch you off guard with its visuals and character moments that you can't help but laugh from the oddity of it all. Its incredibly hard to describe to new watchers, but if you're interested then let the curiosity get the better of you and give it a go. There are very few comedies that have such a diverse pallet but if you are looking to laugh, then I guarantee that at least one episode will get you chuckling before the end. It's a 26 episode show and honestly I wish it were longer, if just to see whatever crazy event would happen next.

This will be spoiler free, and am going to judge this solely on the anime itself and keeping the manga out of this as best I can. It doesn't take away what consists of this anime, and before I learned about what happened in the manga, I found this anime to be incredibly wholesome and fun to watch.

Slice of life is sometimes difficult to judge for me, but I essentially base it on two things. One, if its wholesome or informative. Then two, on how well it progresses an established story. I always find that slice of life with more plot involved can sometimes bog ... down the feel good aspects that it presents. But Usagi Drop is one of the few I've seen that naturally balances both the plot and feel good points near perfectly. Some episodes are more plot focused, and there's a lot of real world issues they discuss but manage to implement seamlessly alongside Daikichi trying to raise Rin.

The art and direction of this anime is superb, and its very refreshing to see an anime take a less than conventional approach with the colors and linework in particular. It's very pleasant to look at. The OP and Outro songs compliment the show really well, and thankfully doesn't spoil any of the plot within future episodes.

Each of the main characters, specifically Daikichi and Rin are established very well. I genuinely wanted things to work out between the two especially with Rin trying her best to make herself a home, and Daikichi doing what he can to provide for her. It's wonderful to see him go so far especially after the first episode, to becoming a genuinely grounded father figure to Rin, and willing to make whatever sacrifices he can to make her life better. I do wish that they had established more with a few of the side characters, with Masako and Yukari in particular. Given that there's only 11 episodes in this anime, I can understand why more attention was focused on Daikichi and Rin. You definitely get the feel that the writing team wanted to focus more on their relationship, because above all else it's the most wholesome aspect to this show.

This is a show that is perfect for you to watch at home, snuggled with a hot cup of coffee and cocoa. If you're looking for something laid back and feel good to watch then this should definitely be on your radar.

***Spoiler Review***

After having seen most of the mainline Studio Ghibli movies, this was one of the few left that I hadn't seen, and honestly been avoiding for the longest time. It's no secret this this film is incredibly sad, so just brace yourself before giving it a go. Thankfully it's not long, although it felt like it to me at times because you know where the story is going and it gets increasingly difficult and uncomfortable to watch these two have to suffer as much as they do. I'll include a bit at the end about my own personal takings on some of the frustrations ... some people have with the character's decisions. But first the review.

So technicals first, the art and direction are unsurprisingly very well done. The late director Isao Takahata and the animation team did a great job in deciding how to portray these sibling's story. The moments that hit the hardest aren't necessarily when there's dialogue, so much as the cinematography and music selection in presenting them. The runtime is under 90 minutes which is personally the perfect length for this story. It's harder to watch as it goes, and it ends just at the moment where you honestly can't take it any longer. I didn't see this film as a source for propaganda, it's more just a focus on children having to deal with the on goings and aftermath of a war that's out of their control. It's about survival, and Seita doing the best he can to take care of his sister.

Of course, I didn't enjoy watching this movie but I'm glad I'd finally seen it. It's a Ghibli film I doubt I'll ever watch again on my own. However these kinds of movies which fall in line with remembering innocents lost in a time of war/conflicts such as Schindler's List and Hotel Rwanda are important for beginning frames of reference to remember these events. I believe people should see this at least once, usually these kinds of stories make me want to research the real story more for the historically factual telling.

In the end, this is a very well drawn and written story about Seita and Setsuko. I was very invested in their wellbeing and wanted them to make it through somehow, even while I knew they wouldn't. I recommend you see it if you haven't yet.
Personal***

There does seem to be some debate over the actions of the brother Seita in order to best provide for his little sister. From the way the film portrayed it at least, he did have an aunt willing to take in the two but there were some complications with their arrangement. I understand that Japanese and American cultures may view grief and the appropriate measures for bereavement differently, especially during the 40s. In defense of Seita, he was still a child and deciding to move away was not a measure that was meant to be permanent. Until he learned of his father's death, I'd taken that Seita was hoping to reunite with him after the war was over. He was focusing on, above all, to be there for his sister and he genuinely enjoyed her company and caring for her.
The most frustrating aspect of this film, is that Seita and Setsuko's death could have been avoided. Besides Seita's decision to not return to his aunt's home, I believe that the aunt was more responsible than anything. She complained about Seita not going to school or working, but made no attempts of her own to help Seita begin to provide for themselves or at least help with contributing for food. As she agreed to take them in on behalf of their late mother, she could have done more for their wellbeing.