Kotaro Lives Alone

In the quiet halls of a weathered, run-down apartment building, an unusual new resident arrives. Kotaro, a young boy carrying the heavy burden of solitude, moves into his own unit entirely without adult supervision or family. Despite his tender age and the daunting circumstances of living alone, he approaches his unfamiliar surroundings with quiet determination, navigating daily life in a place that most would consider far too dilapidated for a child to call home. His solitary existence soon begins to shift when he crosses paths with the occupant of the neighboring apartment—a struggling manga artist whose career has stalled and whose finances are nearly depleted. What starts as a simple introduction between neighbors gradually blossoms into an unexpected bond. The financially strapped creator and the lonely child find themselves drawn together, forming a genuine friendship built on mutual companionship. Through their shared proximity in the aging building, the young boy discovers a sense of connection he desperately needs, while the aspiring artist finds an unlikely source of inspiration and warmth next door.