Cocoon: Aru natsu no shôjo-tachi yori

A fascinatingly anachronistic piece, blending a more classical subdued reflection on war with characters that feel more contemporary and relatable. Tying it all together are character designs from Mebachi, whose simplicity evokes Ghibli and indie anime in equal measure. Humanism at odds with imperial war propaganda is an idea I wish was explored in more explicit depth, though I do understand the stronger character focus. (Credits corner: Weird douga kantoku credit, plus shoutout Takuya Sato.)

This took a while to get into, mainly due to its understated nature and the fact that the character doesn't emote much for the first half.