Usagi Drop is a non-stop train to feel good town. The show starts off on a minor down note in order to set up all the characters and make you empathize with them, but even by the end of episode 1 the cute and fluffy starts. By the time you hit the last episode you'll be riding high on a wave of happy.
You will be moved by the selflessness and genuine kindness in this series, and even though the story is not a particularly unique one, it is a timeless and heartfelt story that should resonant with any but the blackest of hearts.
Overall: 9/10. A great anime. The only reason I don't give this full marks is because: 1) I wish there was more (I even watched the X.5 episodes and wished I could've seen more), 2) Nothing about the art/sound/characters was particularly revolutionary or mindblowing.
I tend to save the almighty 10/10 for those shows that are truly breathtaking. However, this show is as good as a show can get without being breathtaking. It is flawlessly executed and masterfully written. Well worth your time and money.
(Something of note: there is a stigma in Japan against single parenthood, more so than in the West. It is also extremely uncommon for men to be the single parent as well. Japan has far fewer safety nets for single parents than a lot of western countries, so it is much more difficult to raise a child by yourself. Keep this in mind as you watch this series, I found this knowledge made the first few episodes much more pointed and meaningful.)
