Ikoku Meiro no Croisée -
Much like Usagi Drop, the plot is very slow to a point were people might be put off but thanks to it's 19th century France setting, it works like a charm.
Are Japanese tourist Yune is a 'Moe' character done right, she is determined to help are male lead Claude with the Ironwork shop while having enough character depth to make you care for her, a very likeable character along with the Claudel family.
It also does well to mix Japanese and French culture and to discuss there differences, I would of liked more discussion on popular France architecture but it does a good job.
A few gripes are mainly to do with young rich Alice and her whiny annoyance at the start but starts to become more bearable as the series progress and the lack of development to some characters such as Oscar.
Apart from that Ikoku Meiro no Croisée is one of the hidden gems of the year along with Level E and has been a joy to watch.
8/10
Again I must wonder that I prefer more mature shows that show the wonders of foreign countries, while Ristorante Paradiso for Italy and Ikoku Meiro no Croisée for France have done this successfully, I just wonder if the K-ON movie and the characters immaturity (a bit harsh in saying that) in England may ruin the experience when I end up watching it.