Every description of cocoon – One Summer of Girlhood talks about it as a work of historical fiction about World War II, specifically concerning the Himeyuri students forced to work as nurses in Okinawa. TV content standards mean there is almost no way this anime could be as gory as the manga, especially in a more realistic art style. This tragedy makes for intense viewing, and San's choice to keep living finds a satisfying positive note amidst the trauma. However, it feels as if the anime has deliberately depoliticized the context compared to the manga. As its own work of art, the cocoon movie is worth viewing, but its changes from the manga and the further decontextualization of that disclaimer have me growing more critical of it the more I think about it.