Hmm, definitely mixed feelings on that ending there. I wasn't convinced that Miyako was ready to raise Yuzuyu and I actually liked the (other) mom's solution best. If Miyako wanted to be part of Yuzuyu's life, coming to see her every day and working on building that relationship back up would have made more sense. It was a huge risk to send Yuzuyu off and the biggest red flag for me was that the step-father was reluctant to help raise her. That said, it still warmed my heart to see how Kippei was willing to sacrifice his own personal satisfaction for Yuzuyu's happiness. He didn't think about the birthday cake nor did he act self-entitled to Yuzuyu for the time he invested into caring for her. He just wanted what was best for her. Even if the ending felt somewhat abrupt, at least the timeskip defused any concerns I had and I nearly cried seeing Yuzuyu grown up. I would have liked to see a bit more of what she was like, but that smile still cheers me up.
I'm glad that I finally gave this a chance. I'm skimming the anime and while I definitely prefer the manga, I'm better appreciating the adaptation for bringing me to this series. Some of the drama, such as stalker girl & Kokoro's harasser, did still feel like a bit of a distraction. That said, the main message of childcare is still conveyed beautifully and I especially enjoyed seeing how Kippei learned how to responsibly nurture his relationships - both with Yuzuyu & Kokoro. And more than anything, I just adore all of the moments where Yuzuyu would look after Kippei (such as bringing him flowers).
7.5/10
One thing I did miss from the anime was Marika's hilarious antics. Shout out to best girl, 10/10 would adopt.