[Anime] Ano Hana

Hmm, Menma isn't gone yet. Wat do.
Also, lovin' Tsurumi's undoubtedly cute side.

Yukiatsu is awesome, walking around in his casual attire. He also happens to be the most well-done character.

There were several instances of incredibly well done scenes in this episode. Menma's brother's line to his mother, asking her if she knew how tall he was, was brilliant. The entire reenactment scene was very good, and Yukiatsu was an incredible presence here. He forces Anaru and Jinta to voice and cement their feelings. I sense ulterior motives, as well: he's forcing his "backup" to realize that she has no hope with Jinta. And then...

A huge, huge "NO" went resounding through my head when Yadomi asked Menma to stay with him. Why? Because he's essentially made the decision to stay with his head stuck with Menma. In other words, from the inciting incident of the show, he has yet to change in the most major regard: moving on from Menma. Yukiatsu has done it, as of the end of the episode in the most obvious fashion (exclaiming, almost frustratingly, that "She's still here!?") or more subtly, once he bowed his head down to the man in charge of fireworks a while ago. He wants her gone. Anaru has realized that whether or not Menma is present, Jinta most likely won't accept her. Jinta is the only character most obviously dawdling in the past.

Now, you'll notice that I didn't mention Popo or Tsurumi. That's because they're, despite how much I like them, underdeveloped characters. I would like to place a peg on them, and I have one for Tsurumi, but events previous to their actions this episode make me reconsider placing an absolute on them.

Now that we're on the verge of completing the show, I want to say that the writer has dug herself into a hole. The only thing left that would fulfill Menma's "wish" would be to let her do what she planned to do way back when she invited them out to the shed as children. However, it is most likely that whatever is chosen to be done could have been done far back in the story. Not to mention that I feel there is a lack of setup for any choice Menma chooses to make, which means that nearly anything could have been Menma's intention that day, leading to a possibly very weak ending. I am spawning epileptic trees for theories as to her final action (if there is one. I haven't barred the possibility that she won't leave), and I have a very good feeling that it'll have something to do with a flower. These are my fears for the final episode, and I hope against all odds that they are not realized.

On the emotional level, this was a very good episode, and I teared up towards the end. I kind of want to hear the song used in the PV in the next episode, possibly as an epilogue segment?

I'm wondering how reincarnation is going to play into this series? Perhaps at the end, we-



[i]And the OP sequence, where Menma turns into a flower at the end. Oh god, don't tell me...


P.S. Short hair Tsuruko is the best.

Oh wow I didn't put those two facts together before. I could totally see Menma going to heaven and then later on in life, Jintan walks past some cherry trees or something, and he feels Menma's presence on them. Although I think it would be neat if instead, Menma reincarnated to Anaru and Jintan's daughter, (Assuming they get together-I don't know how much damage this is going to cause Jintan).

And I guess the wish was for Yukihatsu to do something for Jintan. Maybe Menma wanted those two to get along back then?

From the poll: 'AnoHana Characters' Best Fashions' and as you can see, 'Yukiatsu Menma' is winning with great margin


Edit: And, right now, combined with all the most popular fashions from other characters, it makes

They seriously need to put this as the picture in the opening just for the lulz

I think your predictions may have quite possibly spoiled the ending for me, Catcher.

*sighs*

I think that sometimes putting too much thought into a show can ruin the watching experience, like how fansubbers get tired of sifting through the show literally line by line and frame by frame.

I have a feeling something bad will happen to Jintan near the end of the last episode and I'm not sure why.

Well, we'll see what happens next week.

... why have him still talking to his Menma wig at this point? He has decided to give up on Menma AND he has a "replacement" for her.

I don't think it required much thought at all. The moment reincarnation came up, the likely-hood of that kind of ending shot up greatly.

At this point, I've pretty much resigned myself to consider this series the new Eden of the East (a series with a lot of promise which it didn't live up to).

Tsuruko's character was possibly "wrapped up" this episode via the hair cut. Which was sudden to say the least. Her character has amounted to sitting and standing around with a blank expression and occasionally provoking the other characters.

Why did any of the characters actually believe the fireworks would send Menma off? Granted, it worked to allow the side-characters' development to be symbolically wrapped up. But it's not like any of the previous random wishes worked. Menma wanted everyone together in the past to do something for Jinta's sake that Jinta's mom probably asked of her that we have no way of knowing about since they're both dead unless the wish is pretty generic. And I'm guessing that once that's fulfilled, Menma will move on.

BDSAKNJDSANKJNFKJANKJNSFKJ. Yes, I raged so incredibly hard at this scene. There were so many different ways they could have shown Yukiatsu's moving on and still using his closet, but they chose to use an action that conflicts internally with itself.

I love you, Tsuruko. But there's no arguing this. You're underdeveloped as hell.

Sorry if this ruins the viewing experience for you. That was not my intention. I just caught that, and the fact that reincarnation was mentioned set warning bells off in my head (Hellooooo, Elfen Lied).

I think that thinking too much about a show that is not meant to be serious does indeed ruin the experience. However, Ano Hana takes itself seriously. Therefore,I take it seriously, as well.

That's all I have to say...my favorite show of the Spring....we will miss you Meiko (AKA Menma)

Well, we've come to the final episode, and I must say that it ended beautifully. There were moments when I felt some tears, but more often than not, I had a smile on my face. I was so touched by the fact that Menma was able to say goodbye to everyone individually, and that they were able to see her and tell her that they love her before she went. I was so glad to see that. I also thought that it was appropriate to send her off with a game of hide and seek, since she probably loved to play that with the gang so much. The epilogue was nice, and I was very glad to see everyone getting along and keeping in touch with each other, and that's the main reason why I feel like it was so important that Menma returned to them; so that they could regain some of their childhood innocence and reflect on their lives so far.

I was a bit surprised by Jintan's mother's wish, (of wanting to make him cry), but I guess what she wanted was for him to show his emotions, since at the beginning of the series he was fairly reclusive, but by the end, he was able to smile, get angry, and cry, just like she wanted. That, too, was very beautiful and touching.

Overall this series pulled at my heartstrings a lot, but it all came together so nicely in the end, and I really smiled when I saw the Super Peace Busters logo with the addition of "friends forever." Now I'm glad that I still make sure to keep in touch with all of my older friends and treasure all of the times that we spend together because you never know what's going to happen next. Nicely done, Ano Hi. Nicely done.

I literally got a cold shiver throughout my whole body at the scene when Menma answered back and everyone heard her.