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Totto-chan is seven, perpetually delighted by everything, and disruptive enough that her public school expels her. She transfers to Tomoe Gakuen, where classrooms are converted railway carriages and the headmaster, Sosaku Kobayashi, believes children should pursue whatever genuinely interests them. Over three years she makes friends, discovers ambition, and grows into someone who understands the world, while Japan slides steadily into a war that will eventually reach even a school built on freedom and kindness. Every small kindness the school offers stands against a country hardening around it.
⚠ Background — may contain spoilers
Produced by Shin-Ei Animation and adapted from Tetsuko Kuroyanagi's autobiographical novel, one of the best-selling books in Japanese publishing history, Totto-chan released in December 2023. Its portrayal of Kobayashi's progressive educational philosophy sits alongside an unflinching depiction of wartime deprivation, and the contrast gives the film considerable emotional force. It earned strong critical reception and was noted for its hand-drawn craftsmanship at a time when such production has become increasingly uncommon. Its source novel remains among the best-selling books ever published in Japan, and the adaptation's hand-drawn craftsmanship drew particular praise on release.
