Sora no Mesoddo

As this series opens protagonist Nonoka Komiya returns to her home town with her father after seven years away. It isn't like any other town; it has a flying saucer over it and the nearby lake. Nonoka can't remember much about her time there but after she meets a small blue-haired girl named Noel memories gradually return… including the fact that the mysterious saucer was summoned by her and her friends just before she had to move away. Over the course of the series Nonoka and her friends learn more about Noel and the saucer. This is a very gentle series; there is little real drama and where it is funny it elicits chuckles rather than guffaws… some may find that boring but I found it utterly charming. The characters are likable; especially Noel who is in many ways the heart of the show. The central mystery concerning the saucer isn't resolved with a shocking revelation, in fact I'm sure most people will figure it out well before it is stated. The characters are well designed as are the backgrounds. I'd certainly recommend this to anybody who wants a gentle slice of life series; if you previously enjoyed series like 'Non Non Biyori' I expect you'll like this. Even if you aren't a fan of science fiction don't be put off as this is far more about friendship than the flying saucer. These comments are based on watching the series in Japanese with English subtitles.