When a prodigal son returns from a middling music career in Tokyo to the Japanese confectionery shop he called home, he meets his successor: an elementary school girl whose father left her behind. This is the story of Deiamon: Recipe for Happiness, an anime about human connections that manages to be a quiet and heartful yet pleasantly unpredictable story.

What I really enjoy about Deaimon is the unconventional nature of both its protagonist and his relationships. Irino Nagomu (the aforementioned musician son) is a goofy and scatterbrained sort, but his kindness towards others shines through in everything he does, from his strange folksy songs to the attention he pays to the shop’s customers. While the little girl, Yukihira Itsuka, often sees Nagomu as woefully unreliable, they form a bond that can be described as somewhere between “dad and daughter” and “big brother and little sister,” all without any suspicious elements that mar other similar works (*coughBunnyDropcough*).

Nagomu and Itsuka aren’t the only two characters. Nagomu’s parents provide a connection to the tradition of delicate wagashi-style sweets that make up the aesthetic basis of the show, and this bridge between past and present reminds me a bit of the series Hanasaku Iroha. Later, Nagomu’s ex-girlfriend shows up, and the way Deaimon gives attention and care to its portrayal of their history (as well as the complicated feelings that arise) gives further credence to what I said about seeing relationships uncommon in anime.

Deaimon isn’t filled with astonishing plot developments, but it isn’t an aimless slice-of-life work either. Rather, its low-key-drama vibe makes for a hearty dose of emotions that somehow both soothe the soul and excite the spirit. Deaimon heals, invigorates, and makes the world look like a better place, even through the darkness.