Review of Binchou-tan (2006)
A lonely little day labourer lives humbly, surrounded by nature, earning just enough rice and other supplies to survive. As the seasons of a year pass, she makes friends.
Ultracute slice of life for kids. The title is a pun: 備長炭 (binchoutan) is high-grade charcoal (tan) produced from ubame oak, while tan is also a childish mispronunciation of the honorific san, hence its use in a personification. The character is a mascot of a producer of pornographic games. Fortunately, there is very little sexualization, just one suspiciously detailed scene shopping for underwear. Instead, there’s the usual worship of life and nature, accompanied by ridiculously gentle and motherly narration. Extreme character design on totally inconsistent scales.