Love Unseen Beneath the Radiant Night Sky is a slice-of-life story about a blind woman who is surrounded by people who love her enough to make her world sparkle. I, jaded reader that I am, kept waiting for a boot to drop, a conflict to arise, a tragedy to occur.

It quickly becomes clear that the tragedy has occurred before the story starts. Young Koharu's illness causes her to become blind. In the novel, we meet her as a young adult, a university student who has a fair amount of freedom and ability. She makes her way to classes on her own, and joins a circle of friends for drinks and food, which they, and Kakeru, describe to her in useful and entertaining detail. Koharu appreciates them, and she appreciates her mother, who takes care of her laundry and the home, and the way most of the people around her help her live a full life. But something nags at Koharu about that.

With Kakeru's help, Koharu can experience things like fireworks and long evening walks… and eventually they discuss maybe a future of marriage and motherhood. Life is not simple for Koharu; there are many challenges, but with every turn but one, the people in her life give her the room she needs to grow.

This sounds idyllic, and in many ways it is. We rarely see Koharu angry or impatient, maybe only slightly frustrated at her own lack of ability. And that is where any “oomph” finally happens. Koharu allows herself the chance to believe that she and Kakeru might one day marry and have children. Koharu decides she needs to rely on people even less, and determines to learn how to cook simple foods that Kakeru likes and do laundry. Through these things, she and Kakeru will eventually plan on moving in together.

You may also now be waiting for the big “but.” Will Kakeru dump her? Will Koharu be hit by a truck crossing the street? NO! They love each other very much. Koharu's father and some of her relatives are unkind and not supportive. No one is throwing rocks, just pitying her in range of her hearing. And therein lies the other problem. Without any major conflict, there is no major conflict. This is not to say that everything is perfect in this series.

It's hard to know if this will make a “good” anime. It will probably be very pretty. Koharu's life is, for the most part, full of joy. She finds the good in her days, time spent with Kakeru, and in turn, he is happy with her, even though she does have some concerns about things like what she looks like. Is her body ugly? She really has no idea. But Kakeru assures her she is beautiful.

Ultimately, this is the story of a life. No more, no less. The magic in this novel is the magic of the quotidian joys of life. Conflict is as small as overheard microaggressions and self-doubt, exacerbated by parents who are trying hard, sometimes in the wrong way. But overall, this story is simple, gentle, and very one-note. Koharu has decided to be as happy in the life she has been given, and Kakeru is there to help. Everyone here is sincere, and most of them are kind, allowing Koharu a way to become empowered and independent.

And all of this…is the story. It's worth reading if you want to feel good (and sometimes sad) about fictional characters. For it to be worth watching, it will probably tug very heavily on heartstrings, add remorse and high emotion, which does not exist in the book at all.

It's difficult for me to imagine a wholly visual medium capturing the words spoken to accommodate a blind woman. I hope the anime simply allows us to see what she imagines and doesn't create artificial drama. This is a story of everyday experiences, and small, steady gains towards a shared future. It might be interesting if whole scenes were intentionally left blacked out, so we could experience what Koharu hears, even if we cannot experience her other senses.

In some ways the novel is very banal, but that is the strength of the story. This woman, her hopes and dreams, and the people around her who make it possible for her to have those dreams. Koharu's appreciation of those people is more important to her than lingering on the past and on things that cannot be changed.

If you are interested in romance with little conflict, and a world in which accommodation is the norm among friends, you should read Love Unseen Beneath the Radiant Night Sky. If you're looking for emotional outbursts and big feelings, you won't find it here.