Summary:

Many years ago, Nanaka had a violin teacher named Sakuraba Kaoru who was an old friend of her parents. When he had gotten sick and had told her to take lessons from a new violin teacher, she refused because she wanted to wait for his release from the hospital. She had even said that she didn’t want to play the violin unless it was him teaching her, but sometime later, he passed away. During the funeral, Nanaka’s mother had collapsed crying, and her father had strangely been incredibly angry. One night soon after that, Nanaka heard her father hitting her mother, and watched in horror as he confronted her mother about Nanaka not being his child. Her mother claimed that she didn’t know until after the marriage, and she hadn’t said anything because she was afraid he’d make her get an abortion. She had also wanted Nanaka to take violin lessons from her real father since Nanaka had inherited her real father’s talent. Nanaka was in such disbelief over all this that she told herself it was a dream, and shortly after she tried to go to sleep, she heard a loud noise.

Heading downstairs to investigate, Nanaka had found her father standing over her unconscious mother, and there was a container of gasoline spilled on the ground. Looking deranged, her father had sparked a lighter and tossed it onto the ground, igniting the gasoline. Nanaka had run upstairs, and when she realized that the house burning, she grabbed the bracelet and her violin before jumping out the window. Back in the present, Sana comforts Nanaka and brings her home. After Nanaka falls asleep, he fills her uncle in on what he learned, and her uncle admits to having suspected that Nanaka’s father set the fire. Her uncle explains that Nanaka’s parents and Kaoru had been friends from high school, and this had continued even after her parents got married. Before dying of cancer, Kaoru had confessed everything to Nanaka’s father and had asked for forgiveness, but Nanaka’s father couldn’t forgive that. He had told her uncle that he felt betrayed by his wife and Kaoru, and he had wanted to kill them. In retrospect, Nanaka’s uncle thinks that he should have taken those words a little more seriously, and for Nanaka’s sake, he had prayed that she’d never remember all this.

In the days that follow, Sana tries to visit Nanaka every day, but each time he ends up getting turned back at the door because she doesn’t want to see anyone. On one particular day, he finds her door open and realizes that she had gone to take a bath. He waits for her to come out, but when she doesn’t after a long while, he goes to the bath to check on her. The constant sound of running water makes Sana realize that something is wrong, and he flashes back to how he had left the faucet on when he slit his own wrists. Rushing into the bathroom, Sana’s suspicions are confirmed, and he briefly has to overcome his own fear before pulling Nanaka out and getting help for her. In the aftermath, he visits her as she’s recovering and tries to tell her that no matter what happens, she shouldn’t think about dying. This only makes Nanaka angry because she feels that he doesn’t understand, but of course he does. To prove it, he shows her the scar that has been hidden underneath his wristwatch until now. It seems that in middle school, Sana had been bullied and had tried to kill himself the same way she did.

Sana had transferred to a private middle school after that, and by high school, he had become like a hikikomori. Recalling what Nanaka had said previously about wanting to reach the Sana that she knew in elementary school in relation to letters she put in the secret mailbox, Sana admits that he felt the same way when he came back to this town. He had hoped that if he could see everyone like before, then he’d also return to being how he used to be. Sana then tells Nanaka about how he had still wanted to die after the failed suicide, but he doesn’t feel that way anymore. Remembering back to that time makes him afraid because he realizes now that if he had died, then he wouldn’t have been able to save Nanaka from making the same mistake.

Ten years later, Nanaka is getting ready to give an outdoor concert when Sana shows up backstage with something that he wants to give her – a ring. The concert attendees are meanwhile streaming in, and an older Aoi runs into Asami outside. Aoi talks about how it’s thanks to Asami that this nature park is still here because, without Asami leading the opposition, this park would have been turned into the new city hall. Also in attendance are Shuri and Shuusuke, Hinako and Youta, and Yuzuki who is eventually joined by Sana after he gives Nanaka the ring. Yuzuki even hands Sana a caramel as a reward for becoming a man. When the concert starts, Nanaka comes on stage welcomes everyone. The piece she’s going to play for them is something she composed herself, a piece that took her a long time to complete, a piece that’s called “Myself; Yourself.”

 
 

Considering what they had to cover, I guess they did a decent job on the ending, though you’ll have to pardon me for not getting too excited about it. Sana’s secret turned out to be exactly what some people predicted ten weeks ago, and the episode only spent a few minutes on it, but at least it was tied into Nanaka’s story. I was a little surprised that Nanaka’s father turned out to be so unstable, but now that I think about it, this series has had more than its share of bad parents who’ve had negative influences on their children, so maybe that shouldn’t have been too shocking. As a friend pointed out to me, Aoi ended up being the most normal, and she was the only one with a “normal” family.

I thought the main part of the story ended rather abruptly though. It would have been nice if they had shown some more of Sana and Nanaka getting together instead of having us infer everything from the epilogue, though of course time was probably the main issue. Still, the fact that there was a 10-years-after epilogue gave a good amount of closure for all the characters, particularly Shuri and Shuusuke who I didn’t think we’d ever see again. It even (kind of) redeemed Asami by having her fulfill Shuri’s original wish. The epilogue didn’t have the concert scene from the OP, but Nanaka’s concert was good enough, so I liked it anyway.

On a side note, the black blood thing really took away from this episode, at least for me. It didn’t bother me a few episodes ago with Asami, but when they have that black stuff spreading water during the bathroom scenes, it just completely loses the impact that red blood would have otherwise had. I think it’s probably because blood and bleeding is such an integral part of the shock of a suicide attempt, and that was painfully absent here.

 
Final Thoughts: I think the story would have been a lot better served without all the time spent on Hinako – that could have given two extra episodes for them to develop what I felt were the more important stories with Nanaka and with the twins. But considering that I wasn’t originally planning on watching this back at the beginning of the fall (the enthusiastic recommendations of a few friends convinced me that I should), I’d say Myself; Yourself turned out to be a pleasant surprise overall. I wouldn’t call it a great series, but a good watch if you have the time.

91 Comments

  1. i can’t make a watch stay that still unless its like mega tight…. aren’t you supposed to let it be loose?

    FAKE! i was 100% in love with the anime now, but its just dumb now. gah, stupid watch covering wrist! so unrealistic! omg! end all all!

    Jay
  2. @Hey
    by the way the series went, he may have tried to commit suicide because of leaving behind all of his friends, or it could be something to do with his family, seeing as he doesnt live with his mother, but gets phoned by her.

    Pureaura
  3. If they only had time and money for thirteen episodes, fine, this ending is alright with me.

    But if the animators/creators had time and money for 24-26 episodes and ended with this note, then I wouldn’t like it.

    -D

    Dan
  4. Hmm… couldn’t agree more with you Omni. Given they have so much to cover in this episode, they did it well.
    However, same goes for many of us here, I really think they can possibly stretch this by cutting off some fillers or even make it 24 epi.

    Anyways, from the picture, I think they resolve everything quite right…
    https://randomc.net/image/Myself;%20Yourself/Myself;%20Yourself%20-%2013%20-%2029.jpg
    This would be the reason Sana slit his wrist, looks like he was getting bullied there.

    Is it just me… or the black blood the the tub looks a lot creepier than the red…

    It’s been a good ride, not the best or really great, but quite a good one. Thanks for blogging this Omni.

    HeliumHe
  5. I realy loved this show from the begining to the very end. I’m realy happy that the twins are still together after 10 years but I wonder if they got married or something. Too bad they didn’t show more about the father and the sluty stepmother then it would have been a prefect ending.

    Hugo
  6. Sana was a cutter, it was all too obvious. What was surprising though was that Nanaka’s dad beat her mom to death (this show really loves promoting domestic abuse, doesn’t it >_Kimikiss*cough*).

    Freeter
  7. *sorry for double post, earlier comment got cut off*

    Sana was a cutter, it was all too obvious. What was surprising though was that Nanaka’s dad beat her mom to death (this show really loves promoting domestic abuse, doesn’t it).

    Also confirmed was ShurixShuusuke twincest. The lack of any face shots was clearly a directorial choice, much in the vein of Koi Kaze’s final ep.

    All in all, an average series that tried too hard to be controversial but didn’t quite deliver. Oh well, one trainwreck down, another to go (*cough*Kimikiss*cough*).

    Freeter
  8. I was half right, I figured the father set the fire because his wife was an affair with the music teacher, just didn’t figure that the teacher was Nanaka’s father. All in all a good show, if not a little rushed at the end.

    ashiguru
  9. he tried committing suicide 0.0. i thought the reason he had this watch for something more meaning full like he was sick or something and that watch reminded him when to take his medicine. but now he was hiding his wrist. one word emo

    lobo
  10. I think this final episode was very rushed, but overall, the series was great. Who knew that this series had many twists and surprises, especially the last two or three episodes (including the final). What a ride for me!
    Thanx for the blog!

    Ren90270
  11. for a 13 episode series, i’m glad they didnt leave anything hanging, but i think the 10 year gap is wayy too long, i’m kinda surprised it took another 10 yrs for Sana to propose, but over all i’m glad they all have a happy ending and uh…no one died hahah

    sushi
  12. @sushi

    Well, they’re like what in the show? 16? I think at 26 asking to get married after it looks like both of them are doing good job wise etc, it’s natural. I wouldn’t rush into marrige at a young age.

    GP
  13. Twincest!!??

    Baka ka? Omaera…

    and what do you mean “The End Suck”??? It does not suck at all… It’s better than many anime we’d seen before.

    I wonder what kind of ending did you expect to see???

    crawling
  14. well, after watching the episode Nanoka’s mother didn’t have an affair while she was married, she just had a last fling before getting married with a mutual best friend.
    Kaoru really messed up, he should have taken the secret with him to the grave. That was a selffish act of him.

    The twins, in 10 years they seem to be doing well and both of them are single and together.
    You would think if they had a significant other in their life that they would bring them to the concert. Also the director is making sure we see them holding hands in 2 different occasions and they are still wearing their “engagement bracelets”. I know it is not twincest until they show them doing the deed, much like Nanoha and Fate (Magical girl Nanoha) aren’t lesbians until we see them in bed doing the deed.

    golthin
  15. Their faces aren’t seen at all. That’s a very significant choice on the part of the director. We as the viewers aren’t allowed to look at the twins because they’ve committed a shameful and taboo act. And cutting away to a scene of them in bed during the epilogue would have been awkward.

    Had they been revealed just like everyone else (Aoi, Asami, etc.), then the issue would be questionable. But there are far too many implications inserted by the director for it to be ruled out as mere coincidence.

    Freeter
  16. @freeter
    Sarcasm can be lost when you post things online. I agree with you on the intention of the director and my referance to Nanoha is in regard to the fact that during the last season of Nonoha(strikerS) Nanoha and Fate sleep in the same bed even at their current age. Still there are people that want a confirmation about them being a couple.

    The same go here with the twins, even though the director is trying to be subtle about it lots of people won accept it until there is confirmation of it(sex scene or them talking about it)

    golthin
  17. oh shnucks! that sure had one hell of a snuck surprise on me.

    Twincest probably pulled in more fans to this series than regulars who patiently follows the main plotline. So this is a win for [us?] twincest ¿fanboys? and a lost for those who’re flaming the anime for having a bad ending. Ha ha!

    Henceforth, from the moment the anime ended, the series’ title have changed from Myself; Yourself unto Mytwincest; Yourbad[cess (cess is ¿luck in Ireland?)]. LOL!

    andynai
  18. A decent, if somewhat predictable ending. The most unpredictable thing about it was that I think most of us didn’t expect to learn anything about Sana’s past. Oh and the fact that Nanaka wasn’t truly related to her uncle, but maybe the difference in their hair color was supposed to be the foreshadowing of that? LOL 😀

    One gripe is that surely it wouldn’t have hurt to at least show us the scene of Sana proposing, it would have added emotion, cuase it felt rather anti-climatic to just switch immediately to the outside and say “she accepted it”.

    And about the oil for blood thing, why did Nanaka’s dad have to use gasoline? His body had all the natural flammable liquid he needed. I’ll bet he and his wife burned without a trace LOL

    CooKie
  19. decent enough ending. the rushed ending still didn’t cancel out the series as a whole being better than a lot of other series that fall into the same general genre.
    M;Y had the unfortunate plot pacing of being too long for a 13 ep series, but at the same time not really enough material to fill 24-26 without dragging (do you really think it would’ve taken another 11+ eps to fill out Sana? that would basically be doubling the series with just Sana eps), so i doubt it would’ve ended up any better unless they were willing to do an awkward ep number count (which sometimes happens but is relatively rare)
    maybe if they’d ditched the Hinako eps they would’ve given themselves enough eps to flesh out the actual plot relevant points some more.

    Anonymous
  20. As rushed as it was, still a nice ending. The dad as the culprit caught me off guard, and I applaud them for that!

    Overall, nice series, although I thought the series could’ve been really great (even without the budget of shows like Clannad or Kanon) if they had more episodes to work on. But that aside, it was nice overall. Touched on a few serious topics like suicide, running away from home, etc.

    Btw, I thought the sudden cut to 10 years later was kinda abrupt, but hey, it did gave me a little bit of closure. Nice series.

    Jayars
  21. Don’t know why but I’m always a sucker for those “X many years later” kind of ending. I felt that the whole story would have been great if they managed to extend it for a few more episodes. Nevertheless, this ending is good enough for me…for now.

    dward
  22. @crawling
    Were you watching the show? they didn’t have to get out of town for the motel accusations incident, it was because of Asami’s and the crazy old lady incident and because their father was going to separate them. I know that they had deep love for each other and they never did anything while they were at home, but it was obvious they had a kind of love beyond of that of siblings but while surrounded by friends they were able to refrain themselve.

    Like I said, you are one of those persons that doesn’t matter how many subtle hints a director give you, they will not accept it until it is bluntly and explicitly confirmed.
    That is ok, I know many people that watched Koi Kaze and never accepted that the siblings consummated their relationships because it was presented very subtilely in the anime, but people that read the manga know that it did happen.

    golthin
  23. Not a bad ending, but overall this series was disjointed to me. I felt that more emphasis should have been placed on the Twins, and the whole arc with Hinako could have been shorter, or even omitted. There was enough in the other episodes to demonstrate how Sana was still a kind person, like he was when he was a boy. On a more positive note, Nanaka’s uncle, and his reticence to have Nanaka remember what had happened was handled well. I was pretty certain that he had caused the fire, and this ending clarified what I previously had thought to be suspicious behavior on his part. On balance, a good series.

    Yuri Rocks
  24. All the shocking twists couldn’t save this series from appearing ordinary and somewhat pretentious… nonetheless I had many great laughs at some instances.

    Not as much laughs as School Days though! Oh snap!

    Rembr
  25. i didnt like the fact that its already over i mean common i wish they kept it going for a lil while longer cuz they finished it to quickly without looking or thinking about the other characters but owell. so for my final conclusion it was a good anime but very short and i hate short series (unless its rele good and deserves to end shortly) so at least those two will get married and wats up wit tha twins i mean i hope there isnt any incest goin on damn common hahah so i hope there is an ova or atleast sumthin so for that im done

    Tony G
  26. arghhhhh

    what a frustrating ending!!!

    there is no intensity at all 🙁

    everything is presumed, why did they not extend this series to 26 eps!!!

    or at least, just don’t finish the story and leave it open for a sequel, like Suzuka!!!

    JohnCraven
  27. I was in the same situation as you, Omni. This guy recommended me this title along with ef (which I liked the better of his two rec’s). And this is my opinion: sht sucked. A total waste of TV broadcast time, if you ask me. And further asking, I’d say this anime would have been better with MORE Hinako, because she was awesome.

    People not agreeing with me? Check out my review I posted at animenfo and anidb.

    Pakxenon
  28. IMO, it would’ve been a lot better to extend Nanaka’s violin song at the end and show flashbacks throughout the series with the music in the background. To help show the good ,bad times, separation and reunion that she was talking about.

    bl24ndon
  29. oh god

    i just couldn’t take this ending seriously

    i mean, i was loling the entire confrontation scene where sana reveals that he’s just a big emo crybaby

    anyway tl;dr needs an ever17 mind-f*ck ending

    anon
  30. wow we didnt get to see shuusuke and shuri’s faces?

    who the hell is this guy named youta that hinako’s with?

    Nanaka looked pretty and aoi-san still had that anoyying voice XD

    still it would have been perfect if they had kissed

    Man i hatted that black smoke you editors call blood.

    stevelikesanime
  31. @stevelikesanime

    by .. [Chrissymaru]
    whoa hinako got together with youta (the little boy with asami from episode 9) [theme park]
    ..

    a lot of people got it right with sana trying to commit suicide, though the reason for that was far from any guesses everyone here made.. i think…

    nice ending but i was expecting more though…

    they should have stretched it to 15-16 episodes..
    i was surprised when the screen said [10 years later] ..
    they could have added more content from episode 13-15 [i guess 16 is a stretch] then half of episode 15 is the [10 years later] part with more stuff in it…

    and as Omni said..
    [ I’d say Myself; Yourself turned out to be a pleasant surprise overall. I wouldn’t call it a great series, but a good watch if you have the time. ]

    Hagiri
  32. Is Sana really a big crying emo baby? It seems like everyone thinks so. I don’t know but I think that everyone take things differently so would that mean everyone who is calling him a crying emo baby but be tough and strong right who never feels really really bad before right?

    Silver
  33. Ouch. Yeah, they definately ran out of time there. There was alot of things they could have covered and I also would have liked to seen alot more. It was such a promising story, but unfortunatley that closure, though explains alot, doesnt quiet cut it for me. Decent watch though.

    G
  34. Just finished this series.

    Meh. As many other have commented, there was a lot of wasted time and wasted opportunities in this series. It could have been really good, but it only struck me as average.

    It took Sana 10 years to propose to Nanaka after all THAT? Lame. And his timing? Worse. And her song? I couldn’t help laughing. “I spent a long time writing this song, with all the happiness and pain in my life…” and the song lasts less than 15 seconds. LOL. Way to blow it, anime director.

    And just what the hell did the twins have to do in order to live on their own? Hey, you need to earn money somehow… Yikes. And wearing those bracelets 10 years later? Mega-creepy. -_- And they were two of the more likable characters, until the director got all freaky with their plot at the end. Eww. Just, eww.

    Overall, Aoi’s voice was annoying, the other 4 mains were okay, Asami was a nice surprise, Hinako was a good character, but unnecessary– if they had canned her 2-3 eps, they would have been able to do this series properly. I still don’t understand why anime directors feel a kind of almost religious compulsion to stuff their series full of fluff episodes. If it’s supposed to be a drama, be… I dunno… A DRAMA. Don’t dilute the plot with off-topic fluff. Anyone who’s watched at least one series has figured out the formula by now:

    Episode 1: use the best possible animation, go over the top, lure in suckers–err, viewers. Make promises of plot that you will not keep. Look! Shiiiiiny!

    Episodes 2-9: Fluff. Lots of it. Make a few vague references to a possibility of a plot… then distract the audience with an onsen/beach episode. Look! Cartoon boobies!

    Episodes 10-13: Frantically try to cram a meaningful plot into too little time, and limp to the finish line. Use the cheapest animation company you can, because by now, you’re way over budget. Look! Twincest!

    I loved how they didn’t even bother to animate Sana and Nanaka climbing into the cave in ep12– they just cut away to a still of the cave opening. Cheeeeeeap.

    Ugh.

    sarcastic_weasel
  35. @sarcastic_weasel
    lol i liked your comment the most out of these 4 pages full of posts..

    Overall, the characters weren’t appealing to me one bit except for the twins, but i stuck to the series because of the story, which seemed to hint at promising plot twists; these indications even appeared very early in the series, and i thought i saw what is usually a characteristic of a very decent, well thought-out series. But of course the ending was rather disappointing, and i personally would have much preferred an episode or two talking about the twins instead, if i knew this was coming. I don’t have anything against the twins really.. marriage is prohibited in most countries between relatives because of health reasons anyway, it’s not a moral issue. if they don’t worry about having children etc, i don’t see what’s so abhorrent about them doing as they wish, i mean, it’s a voluntary relationship, and the idea that one as an outsider has to disgust oneself by trying too hard to step into their shoes just seems somewhat unnecessary. Even the words we use today aren’t sufficient to describe all the complicated relationships people have in modern days. I mean, it’s not just “family”, “friends”, “lovers”, i’m sure there are a lot in between or even beyond.. c’mon, how old are those words already?

    jtstellar
  36. I thought this stuff will end like School Days. So I checked out the last episode a little. I watch School Days episode 1 and episode 2, then I skip the last episode. I don’t like the ending from School Days. This anime show remind me of it so it won’t hurt by checking the last episode a little. The reason I skip to last episode is I don’t want to build my feelings toward it. So, it wasn’t so bad still sad though. Right, back to watch Myself Yourself….

    Tanna Anna
  37. i like the ending bec i guess they live happily after . altho yes aoi was the only normal one. i was even surprise at asami’s confession. and i also wish there was more to what happened to the twins, where they went what happened, they didnt even show their faces. i dont think they are romantically together, i guess after there mom died and their dad turned out to be a jerk they only have eah other.

    tomoyo75
  38. This is my first anime review/episode I made since My Otome (I know, it was long way back). I rate this series as OK. I like the main idea, plot and characters, but as other has pointed out, the story is done poorly, cheap budget, rushing at the end etc etc.. But, I would give my applause to the director, creator, anybody involved in the production because I know it is not easy to write and direct a story. I usually download and save 26-episode-or-less anime series that I like, i.e. zero no tsukima, but this one is an exception. I am quite suprised to learn that Ami Koshimizu voices Nanaka. The only other character voiced by her that I know is Tsukamoto Tenma in School Rumble lol.

    Faiz
  39. I feel sorry for Nanaka’s father. He was totally decieved by his lover and supposed friend. She even had the nerve to hire him as her violin teacher, almost like rubbing it in the father’s face. The wording she used showed that she obviously favored the violin instructor over him. What a treacherous woman.

    typed
  40. i think it was rushed in the last episode. the whole ideal w/ Nanaka and Sana… the whole time durin the series when it was brought up, i was just thinking…..what about the watch….what about the fire……what?!?!

    then all of a sudden BAM it hits in the last ep..?!
    and i will say i was rather mad not seein how shuu and shuri were. it would just show them holdin hands and the back of their hands… i wanted to see their FACES AND EXPRESSIONS. i admit, i was rather furious bout that

    otherwise this series definitely packed a punch. i liked it at first because it was funny and i would be yellin at the screen due to sana’s stupidity w/ girls. but then twisted plot played in as well. defintely unexpected, but it worked out rather well i do admit. good series overall 🙂

    trinity
  41. OMFG!!!! NAZE!!!!

    The second I saw, “10 Years Later,” I almost stopped watching right there and then.

    I agree with Hinako being a big waste of time.
    I at least wanted them to show more about Sana and Nanaka getting together rather than the epilogue.

    ef > True Tears > This

    dszx
  42. this series was said to be considered a movie even though it’s running time is longer than the movies… The story was really a realistic one esp for todays youth… I consider myself as one…. Related to the story… The ending was great but I love to see them getting along with each other.. And what are they doing… (^^) overall I like it! It gave me more strength!

    thea
  43. I must say i could like to see more of Twin Arc and more of Sana x Nanoka arc. I did recionize alot of the same happening as the twins uhm bad story. I know how they felt because same happend for me too, and that ended up to self cutting. I was thinking of this Anime as a power source for me to feel better. It gave me so many similair points! And it helped alot! Really nice Anime, even if the 10 years later was a lil lame! Just like Thea, it gave me more strenght!

    Stian-san

Leave a Reply to Akiha Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *