Audience reviews
20 · Sample from the first available page, separate from the total number of ratings.
UraYukimitsu
I've finally watched the last episode of Ikoku Nikki after putting it off for months because I wasn't ready for it to end. It made me feel a lot of things and I wanted to write all about it, but I'm not used to writing lengthy reviews and I don't have the necessary brain power for it, so I'll keep it somewhat short instead.
It's such a beautiful series, in every sense of the word. It's a story about grief, depression, human emotions in general, and it does it in a very raw and honest way.
At the same time, and beyond all that, it's a story about hope, not in a naive "don't worry, everything will be fine" way, but rather in a "everything isn't fine, and *that* is fine" way. It's a beautiful story about accepting the unacceptable, accepting yourself and others, accepting your emotions, fin…
Read at the sourceBa-Cii10
-🔵Winter 2026
A guide to not hurting each other in a relationship
This anime is really good, and I give it a high rating, but due to several rather significant criticisms I have, I'd rather give this review a mixed review.......
Plot: "After the death of her parents, 15-year-old Asa is taken under the care of her introverted aunt Makio."
First, the biggest advantage of this anime is that it knows what story it wants to tell and what it wants to convey. As a result, we get a thematically dense 13 episodes with a satisfying beginning and a satisfying open ending that perfectly fits the anime's theme.
The plot is a bit of a slice-of-life story based on characters, depicting everyday life marked by grief but not focusing on it. Despite its apparent chaos, the plot is actually structur…
Read at the sourceTeramol
Before even starting the show I already knew that I was gonna sign up for another feels trip and even while prepared for it, I still found myself feeling vulnerable watching it. However I still wanna give someone an angry headpat not for the feels but for no witches being present that were promised.
Alright jokes aside this anime is an absolute masterclass in writing about dealing with loss. And not just that. It also has some of the most naturally written character behavior and dialogue I have ever seen in anime. The dialogue alone makes the show worth watching. Not to mention we even get multiple different povs of the subject matter to make it even better.
Asa and Makio are both amazing characters. And because of all their differences, they feel even further fleshed out when we see the…
Read at the sourceOtaku_Senpai
This is a 'josei', that it's targeted towards more mature females. And I must say it has a more mature storytelling. This is a story about an aunt and her niece, and their relationship when the aunt decides to take care of her. Her niece is fifteen years old. To make it complex, the aunt doesn't love her but is determined to take care of her. The show has good dialogues. It is realistic. This could easily have been a live action tv show.
Also I also liked the soothing OP and ED.
My minor gripe with the show, is the existence of the journal of the Minori. Minori is deceased mother of the fifteen year old protagonist. It felt a bit weird this journal exists, I didn't get why she wrote the journal, considering what was written in the journal.
I recommend it to drama and slice of life fans,…
Read at the sourceSquabbitt
I write this review finally, after coming back for a fourth rewatch. I genuinely believe this to be the best and most impactful anime i have ever watched. And the most odd part is, i can't directly relate to any single feeling that was supposed to be displayed in this anime, yet i feel i understand each and every characters decisions.
First of all, the "family" dynamic is so incredibly written finding kinship in someone who is so clearly on the opposite side of the spectrum of feelings than you are, is a beautiful thing when written right - and Ikoku Nikki is indeed written right! It is genuinely a wonderful and completely agonizing time, watching these complete oppositions try and make their lives come together.
I will likely forever hold especially episode 8 to be the single best writte…
Read at the sourceSadarax-Rhaxx
The tone of the series is mostly surprisingly even and grounded feeling. The series starts stronger, get muddled in the middle, and manages to pick up its pace and feeling again near the end. The character development sometimes feels hard to justify, yet doesn't feel unnatural. In the case of Makio, seldom will you find a main character that speaks in might words that sound wise, but surprisingly lack substance. Which says a lot for a character that is ostensibly a novelist. It's amazing to hear to her be asked for reasons, help, and advice, and be unable to provide any even half-baked responses. Such an unaware and detached character you will not easily find.
Read at the sourceRonanEterno
Ikoku Nikki is a piece that unintentionally stood out to me while searching for a show to watch, and I have to say, it did not disappoint. I can confidently say that it is not for everyone, since it truly requires the viewer to engage heavily with its premise. Even so, the show manages to depict an emotionally heavy subject in a way that very few anime can. The thing that stands out the most, without a doubt, is the dialogue, in which the characters express themselves realistically and show actual communication skills often lacking in other anime with similar themes—or in general, even. The characters act in ways that would genuinely surprise some viewers who are more accustomed to the rather artificial dialogue present in essentially most media. Even though the realistic dialogue is one o…
Read at the sourceShmansAnime
I hope I can articulate why I love this show well so others like me can have a chance to connect to such a beautiful show. Ikoku Nikki's cast has a multidimensionality to them that I just don't see often. Being layered, which it achieves through small gestures and emotions, makes them feel real. I see myself again and again in different characters with different hurdles and I felt, not alone. I will cherish this series.
The artstyle being simple further grounds the world in being a true "slice-of-life". It's not prettier and uglier than it should be, it's expository yet familiar.
Read at the sourcePoopman_ga_kita
A really lovely work, was a refreshing watch. The story was unique and the characters were unique too. I really love the slow relationship buildup and how it showed that things didn't work out smoothly but wasn't extremely dramatic either, it was pretty realistic and rather on the peaceful side to watch. Really like how both the fl can get mistaken for a boy and felt it was intentional. Absolutely loved some of the sound tracks just to found its by the same artist I keep on looking for and it fitted the work well. (deliberately not writing too much detail about the work itself cuz theres a lot of people who already has nice things to say abt this work)
(oh and don't mind my rating 6 means very good from me)
Read at the sourceAjklmnop
This anime is short but portraited grief, inner conflict, puberty, and trauma in a natural way, makes us feel empathy and sympathy for each characters along the way, really close to real life. Characters have depth and represent different type of trauma and how they heal from them through time, patient and self acceptant. Not only that, we will also be introduce to silent social rules in Japan and how its affect our characters. The art style is cute with light color palette, many metaphor was used consistently so it's easy to follow along. Although the topic is heavy and not new, but you will feel relieve due to how they approached the topic.
I like it a lot and can related to many of the character, but in the beginning the story telling is a bit too imaginary. You may think the pace is s…
Read at the sourceKyonia12
Journal with Witch is a masterclass in psychology and sociology. Characters are well-written, introspective, and realistic. All of them are handled with depth and care. I love how this anime depicted queerness and misogyny. I'm a non-religious asexual lesbian, so I really felt seen by this anime. I had to grow up in a religious (bad kind of religious, forced.The other way around, being religious isn't a bad thing by itself) homophobic, transphobic, and sexist country. So, I'm so happy that Journal with Witch exists. I can listen to Makio's deep thoughts and views forever. Such an icon. Also, as someone who gets bored by media that doesn’t have any action in it, I wasn't bored at all while watching this anime. Not even for one second. Journal with Witch is a masterpiece.
Read at the sourceBuoyana
Slice of Life, as storytelling genre, is capable of delivering profound perspectives on our daily lives. That is what Ikoku Nikki is able to showcase as an anime in this genre. Throughout its episodes, it dared to ask questions one is not brave enough to ask themselves. It does not know a single answer to these questions, but it plays in that area where they are found and encourages you to stay there to discover it for yourself. Characters that were meant to be supportive draw out reactions like "I will be the person I want to become!" and "I will not anyone dictate my feelings". This show's scenes will stay with you long after you've seen them through what was said and even what wasn't. Even through its darkest themes, it is able to say "Life isn't over because we're still alive". It is b…
Read at the sourceInbar-xz
This is undoubtedly an anime that leaves an impression.
The character development is gradual and deep, despite the small number of episodes.
The connection created between the characters feels very real, as if they were taken from the life story of someone well-known.
There are not many anime that give such space to the character of an adult.
Many moments in the series remain open - giving room for thought, for imagination.
The viewer also has to find the answers for themselves.
Makiyo is undoubtedly my favorite character. A character who is true to her truth. She doesn't know how to be anything else.
I wish there were more anime like this.
You can feel that there is thought in every episode.
Read at the sourceVortexOfLight
The shockingly poignant standout of Winter 2026.
Journal with Witch came as an honest surprise: a mature, thoughtful, and wonderfully deliberate character study exploring grief and negotiated parenthood, all with striking nuance for the complex nature of such territory. Animated and performed with a reserved sense of care and exhibiting a rare sensitivity towards complex human sentiments, Journal with Witch goes beyond being a simple novelty in the anime space by providing genuine insight and perspective to painfully believable situations. Its only demerit is its clearly rushed resolution, which fails to clear the narrative tab while regrettably closing the door behind it.
Read at the sourceSqpubbs
I don't know if this anime affected me so deeply because it's just something I needed to hear right now, but it really made me reflect on myself, how I feel emotions and how I share my love with others. The way it explores grief, self-love, love for others (platonically and romantically), relationships with parents, and the complexity of human emotions is unique and truly beautiful.
Makio's character was incredibly well written! She felt so human, honest, and raw. I found myself relating to her in almost every way. I've never felt compelled, nor have I ever written a review for an anime, but this is one of those stories that I think will stay with me for a long time and leave a lasting impression.
Read at the sourceBaconReviews
This anime is absolutely not for everyone. I can easily see how some may consider it boring or pointless, but for those that love subtle character work, and realistic characters do not skip this one.
First off, I'd be remiss to not mention that Kensuke Ushio absolutely kills the soundtrack in this. Every emotion hits harder with his scores, and he does it again here effortlessly.
But the characters, they are so unbelievably flawed. It's a hard balance to strike. There are no grand gestures that reveal their ugly nature, it's all done in the quiet moments and the word choices. Asa is one of the most interesting characters I've had the pleasure of seeing in an anime recently. She may come off as annoying at times, but what high school freshman isn't. The way she deals with conflict and del…
Read at the sourceLadon_Dum
Ikoku Nikki starts off with a strong premise, how suddenly a growing child's life could change with the loss of their parents, and how much of an impact it has on those who take the child in. Asa who grew up barely knowing her Aunt Makio is taken in by Makio despite Makio's dislike for Asa's Mother. The usually solitary Makio now has to adapt to living with someone else, and Asa has to accept the reality that her parents, the ones who are supposed to be her "biggest supporters" are no longer there. Asa learns quickly that noone understands her better than herself, and that can be said of all other characters in the story. The story takes viewers down the path of Asa coping with life after her parents death. The episodes are mostly standalone showing Asa and other characters existing in the…
Read at the sourceNelzyr
My personal anime of the year going into one of my favorites of all time and probably one of the most overlooked shows of 2026, Journal with Witch
At face value, this anime really doesn’t look like the kind of show that would hit so hard. It's quiet, not so flashy, and doesn’t try to emotionally body slam you every episode at all, *cough*. But somehow it’s the kind of story you slowly grow attached to without even noticing, and I mean REALLY attached to.
A lot of stories want to be loud. Big breakdowns, dramatic confrontations, neat resolutions wrapped up nicely so everyone can cry, clap, and move on. This anime kinda refuses all of that. It lives in the uncomfortable feeling of awkwardness, distance, and emotions that you cannot express fully to other people, and those things are shown…
Read at the sourcerayfish5
“There isn’t a single thing in this world completely irrelevant to you. At the very least, you could take comfort in the fact that you’re not alone, right?” - Makio
Ikoku Nikki is surprisingly quiet. Although it contains many heavy topics, the anime does not dwell on them. Instead, it shows us the everyday lives of many different kinds of people. We observe each person’s hopes, insecurities, stressors, and how they navigate the jungle that is life. It is honest, unfiltered, and patient. And that makes it one of the most thoughtful and relatable anime I have ever seen.
There were many moments in the anime where after someone does or thinks something, I can reflect on how I have been living my life. For example, Asa has a hard time relating to anyone in the show. She tells her friends that…
Read at the sourcekimiadesu
Ikoku Nikki stayed with me long after I finished it—not because of dramatic plot twists or new story with fantasy elements, but because of how quietly it forces you to think about death and loneliness.
It doesn’t try to shock you. Instead, it asks you a simple but uncomfortable question: what happens when someone disappears, and life just… continues?
At its core, it’s a story about grief and loneliness—but more than that, it’s about how differently people carry it. It makes you wonder how different humans can be and that it’s ok.
Ikoku Nikki is a 13 episode drama-slice of life anime adapted from the same name manga with 11 volumes and 57 chapters. Both completed and ready to binge.
Ikoku Nikki is about a 15 year old girl named Asa who lost her parents in an accident. Not having a place t…
Read at the source
