Angel Beats! / Final Impressions / First Impressions

「Graduation」

The graduation ceremony was down to the five shown in the preview last time, but that didn’t take away from the bittersweetness of it all. Surprisingly, I managed to hold the waterworks back this entire finale, though I felt a little of it coming on during Otonashi’s valedictorian speech. Leading up to that, Yuri’s new-found girlish tsundere self and Kanade’s excitement over having her first graduation ceremony was so lighthearted that I found it difficult to feel sorry about everyone choosing to disappear. The only thing I was sad about was seeing all of this come to an end after all the laughs and tears this series brought every step of the way. I was expecting some sort of a twist before this was all said and done however, and felt the episode’s progression was doing a good job of trying to divert the viewer’s attention away from that — something I like to refer to as the “Maeda Jun teary-eyed sneak attack”.

Before getting there, it was cute seeing Yuri’s reaction to Hinata telling her she’s cute that even had Kanade chuckling about it. Then there was the school/SSS song prepared by Kanade with mapo tofu lyrics that Hinata flipped out about over how it managed to pass any sort of screening, followed by Naoi getting on his case for singing out of tune with everyone for the Aogeba Toutoshi graduation song. In other words, even though this was supposed to be a bittersweet graduation, the laughs and quirkiness were still plentiful like the series has become renowned for. Of course, there were still those near tear-inducing moments from the graduation diplomas prepared by Kanade, where Yuri’s one commended her ability to give it her all for the sake of everyone. She looked like she was on the verge of tears upon reading that, so I felt pretty much the same after seeing everything she’s gone through. Along the same lines, surprising Hinata with a diploma after he lost rock-paper-scissors and had to take on the principal role of handing them out was something I had faith in Otonashi doing. I would’ve really liked to read what sort of praises were written on the others’ diplomas as well, but everyone’s last words before departing more or less helped fill the void of emotions that would’ve developed from doing so.

In typical Naoi style, he had to cast off going first as not wanting to see other people’s teary-eyed faces, before doing so himself in front of Otonashi. I was surprised to see Yuri volunteer to go next, though I still feel that her sudden change of heart towards Kanade in the last couple of episodes has been a tad bit forced. In any case, it was still nice to see her apologize for attacking Kanade all this time and tell her how she wishes she got to spend more time together before giving her a hug and saying farewell. The instrumental version of “Brave Song” was absolutely beautiful for that scene and had me pretty choked up inside watching it play out. Hinata of course wouldn’t let things go out on a somewhat depressing note, so it was uplifting to hear him and Otonashi part ways in style. With only Otonashi and Kanade remaining, the idea that myself and various other viewers had about Otonashi choosing to remain in this world to help other people move on made headway here. Quite honestly, it wouldn’t have been the ending I would’ve liked to see, but I didn’t rule out the possibility either. Otonashi’s confession to Kanade and desire to remain together in this world forever reminded me of the bug the developer of the Angel Player system tried to amend, so I’m glad that both of them did end up moving on like they should.

However, what I totally wasn’t expecting was Kanade revealing that she was the girl who received his heart from a transplant and prolonged her life because of it. As it turns out, the rest of Otonashi’s memories shown in episode nine came about because he had an opportunity to reconnect with his heart at Kanade’s bedside. Her reason for staying in this afterworld was in hopes of running into the person who selflessly gave her a renewed life — if only for a while longer — and thank him for that, which she realized was Otonashi because he doesn’t have a heart now. In light of that and his confession, my feelings go out to Otonashi for giving Kanade the means to move on in that heartfelt scene despite how much he didn’t want to part ways with her, which was beautifully done with a kuruta sung version of “Ichiban no Takaramono” playing in the background and extending right through the credits.

Much to my pleasant surprise, the ending that I figured would’ve been most fitting in this series proved to be true, as the new Otonashi is reunited with Kanade after overhearing her humming Iwasawa’s “My Song”. Ever since the idea of moving on changed for the better in recent episodes, this is honestly the only way I figure would’ve given us a happy ending. All I can hope is that Yuri, Hinata, and Yui were reunited as well in their newly reincarnated lives, but it’s good to know that Otonashi and Kanade have been.

Notes:
* Hearing that Takamatsu recovered from being an NPC and moved on as well felt like a bit of a cop out though.
* At two episodes per DVD/BD release, the seventh volume looks like it’ll include an extra fourteenth one.

 

ED and Epilogue

Final Impressions:

Back in the Spring 2010 Preview when I was recommending this series to all audiences, I used the line “Key and P.A. Works” as the main reason. Incidentally, “Key” is simply a reference to Maeda Jun‘s renowned ability to write moving stories and compose beautiful music as we’re reminded of again here in Angel Beats. Having seen the full series now, I think it’s safe to say that he delivered. The tone for the series was set ever since the second episode, where things got unbelievably funnier than every other comedy airing yet managed to mix in some drama through Yuri’s past, giving it a unique flair that I immediately took notice to. While some people may feel the emphasis on the humor is too prominent a lot of the times, I find that it made the characters more amiable and easier to get attached to (e.g. the TK phenomenon), plus showcased the enjoyable times they spent together — the last of which is one of the key aspects of the overall story.

I never felt that this series was as moving as CLANNAD or Kanon, but that was likely due to thirteen episodes being insufficient for telling the story that Jun had written. It was a problem identified when he met with director Kishi Seiji and the P.A. Works’ production staff, which forced them to supplement the story through other mediums such as prequel manga. However, in light of the challenges they faced from the time constraint, I feel that they’ve done an impeccable job putting together an original series that’s funny and moving at the same time. Looking back, it puts a new perspective on the work they put into producing this series, as seen in one of the promotion videos I included in the preview. That said, I do feel that the way the series jumped around to new focuses and new “final bosses” may have came off a bit too convenient way to keep the viewer guessing on the direction of the series, but the same can be said about CODE GEASS and all the twists it had for what seemed like the sake of having a twist.

There are clearly some holes in the plot of Angel Beats as well — which may or may not be due to its inability to spend time to explain things better — but it’s been a fairly smooth ride most of the way through for me. Sure, if you want to pick it apart under a fine microscope just because the series is popular, you could probably do so, but that still doesn’t take away from the fact that this is an awesome series that a lot of people enjoyed and will continue to enjoy. I think the main disappointment will stem from how this wasn’t a two-cour series, but I actually love how it was short and sweet in its thirteen episode format. I can’t wait to see what Maeda Jun’s next original piece of work is and hear whatever new songs he composes as well. Overall, it’s just as I said three months ago: This is a series that’s safe to recommend to all audiences, so if you’ve been living under a rock and avoiding it for the past three months, it’s really time to go check it out!

252 Comments

  3. =)

    I liked this series. Although I felt just a few of parts came off as “wtf?” like the fact that they had a ton of “Final bosses” and that the final Final Boss didn’t really have a name, it was a pretty nice series all through out. Also the animation during a lot of scenes was pretty great, bar the few exceptionally noticeable failures, such as Matsushita once having 6 fingers. I also liked how bright this series was, and although Angel Beats! didn’t make me cry as much Kanon and Clannad, it really was a fun ride all throughout. While I definitely won’t say it was perfect, it was one of the best shows airing through the Spring Season. Definitely something people need to watch.

    Also, this was a pretty strong note for the series to go out on. Probably one of the best episodes during the entire series and I really enjoyed it (except for the part with Takamatsu recovering, that total cheese >_<).

    Click
    Reply

  4. Ugh… I couldn’t hold it in anymore when they started to disappear.
    Show Spoiler ▼

    I would wish a bonus episode would exist just to know what happened to Yuri, Yui and Hinata afterwards (with hints of Kanade and the “new” Otonashi). But, I doubt it.

    This was a good series beginning to end, and even if it had a few flaws, it was still a very good show.

    octoberasian
    Reply

  5. This was the show I was most looking forward to. It did have some short comings with the story, but that didnt take away from how I enjoyed it. If it was longer like you said, it could of packed more of a emotional punch. In my opinion nothing could top clannad after story though.

    infinite
    Reply

    1. There is one Key work that can do that. That’s Planetarian. However no one wants to pick it up or even just do a simple OVA of it. It’s just a short story. Finished it in less 5 hours(could be lesser since I already forgot).

      IMHO Planetarian IS THE BEST of all the key’s work I have encountered so far.

      megalith
      Reply

  6. The series is plain amazing and I hope
    that a future remake will happen.
    Was kinda hoping for a Yuri X Otonashi ending
    but Kaede x Otonashi made much better sense.

    rasone0104
    Reply

    1. I don’t know yet but I’m hoping a sequel is in the works for Angel Beats, I think maybe will have a new cast and probably some will return. To me I just think it had similar Matrix kind of feeling for this anime, I really did! Still there is alot anime to be shown not entirely for this year and really a pivotal that will decide for the whole industry. summer and fall are going to be good or bad, whatever the case is.

      Highman
      Reply

      1. I understand he’s a bug because of his amnesia deal going into the world, but is his amnesia the actual explanation for why he showed up late, or is that just guesswork? Though I’ll admit that is the most likely reason.

        Kuntzy21
        Reply

  9. If Kanade was Otonashi’s heart recipent, that would mean Otonashi’s arrival time was not in order of death. No wonder he was a bug, he was probably lost for a while.

    The introduction of the AI last episode, to me, did remove some of the mystery solving pleasure from the series but still the series was aimed at getting people attached to the characters and it did that pretty well. Good enough that seeing the GirlDemo’s instruments lined up but missing their players was moving (and Yusa played the guitar?!?) and getting me to pause the video to check to make sure everyone was gone (Ooyama’s crisps, Shiina’s toys, Noda’s halberd, Fujimaki’s bamboo sword, Matsushita’s judo clothes, Takamatsu’s protein power, Takeyama’s laptop, TK’s handcuffs).

    I was also worried Otonashi would end up stuck but fortunately he made it out. If only the montage of everyone would have gone in order of dissapearence, at least we would known who went when but that could be shown elsewhere in another medium, i guess. Seeing Yuri in a actual happy pose and Kanade joining them was a nice touch though.

    If it was 24 episodes, it might have been more touching or dramatic but at the same time, it would have lost some of it frentic energy. It was this energy that made me keep waiting for the raws and subs. Still given the time allowed, i find the series pretty well done. Not enough to knock Cowboy Bebop off the top of my list but still its in the top 10 or 20.

    Zaku Fan
    Reply

  11. I cannot describe my feeling after finished watching it…u see…that’s a big plot hole if u thought about it: if Kanade was Otonashi’s heart receiver, she couldn’t be in the After Life School (ALS) long before Otonashi, could she? How could she be possibly died before Otonashi if she was gonna receive the heart from him?

    In the end, I can only assume in fact everyone in ALS were in coma since no one ever mentioned how did they die (except Hinata and Otonashi were pretty much gone)…hrm…so either in coma or died. and when they disappeared actually means they woke up or were reborn in the real world.

    And about the epilogue…it’s Key after all, and so miracle, miracle and miracle~

    I think this series really give people “hating or loving” impression since it made no sense from time to time and the plot is entirely out of expectation. I personally like this series for trying so many original ideas but I won’t recommend it to hardcore anime or non-Key fan as you will need a lot of imagination to catch the ending and a sense of reality just won’t do.

    Duo
    Reply

  12. I hope that blue ray extra will show what happens to everyone after reincarnation. seeing Yui in wheelchair with Hinata. Girldemo concert (included Iwasawa). Naoi pottery shop, TK rap dance in the street. that will be nice touch as epilogue.

    rrw
    Reply

  13. Just admit it guys. Angel Beats failed expectations and should have been 2 cours. That’s a fact!!! KyoAni should have done, but I never seen them working with Aniplex.

    anon
    Reply

    1. That’s where you failed in viewing this series. You expected it to be X and it turned out to be Y, which you then feel it failed. Perhaps it was you who expected the wrong thing.

      Also note that the fact that the series created large amounts of emotion (as shown by your statement) regardless of whether it is positive or negative, already means it has succeeded. The true failure of an anime is when no one watches because its been dropped.

      Zaku Fan
      Reply

  19. I will say that Ootanashi’s confession got me crying, but that doesn’t change the fact that it felt like it came out of nowhere.
    That and Yuri’s sudden conversion to generic tsundere and the way Kanade became a giggling, shy, moeblob turned me off. And the random slapstick.

    But still, this show’s been for the most part a fun ride.

    Km
    Reply

  20. Oh man, I don’t know what to say about this series, I loved It, but I also thought It was a bit disappointing, had It been 24 episodes IMO It would have owned Clannad/kanon all the other key works. If they would’ve been able to tell the back stories with more detail on all the main characters man It would have been great. Also the otonashi kanade ending was amazing, Kanade is the new definition of moe imo, she’s soooooo cute.

    Zhemos
    Reply

  21. I almost cried at the end of the graduation ceremony and then I almost cried again at the end when Kanade and Yuzuru were together.At least they reunited at the end.So yeah it’s not that bad.

    For some reason I totally burst into laughter when Naoi cried in front of Otonashi unintentional comedy at the best mixed with intentional one.Thought about Code Geass for a moment ,even thought I never really laughed to the pink rocket emperor joke for example.

    And Wooaah!! this last episode sure confirmed what we thought about the characters pairings: Yuri x Kanade and Naoi x Otonashi x Hinata. hahahaha, both Yuri Naoi and Hinata disappeared after speaking/hugging for Yurippe with someone of the same gender lol.

    I thought Yuzuru was going to say something fishy when only him and Kanade remained but thankfully they both passed on.The heart thing sure was a shock for me but it was strangely overshadowed in my brain because I was too sad to actually think about it when they said it lol.

    It could have been better with better pacing and all but it’s already so great , like 99% of other great things it’s perfectible but its near perfect already.For me it’s fine as it is, in my case I only started to feel the pacing was wrong starting from episode 7 or 8 if I remember right.I love this show and I’ll rewatch it someday a long time from now maybe with my kids and It’ll be fun.

    @Divine: It’s 3 am here I watched both Durarara!! and Angel Beats! endings and wtf??!!! I see the end of Bakemonogatari on TT, guess I won’t go to sleep yet.

    Rockmanshii
    Reply

  22. Honestly I wanted more of a Yuri-centric ending, but they finished things off pretty nicely. lol Some things in the later episodes felt a little forced, but with the time constraints I guess it couldn’t be helped. I think 13 episodes is a little too short for this kind of a story anyhow. I don’t really wanna spend too much time thinking about what was lacking in the series since I really enjoyed it and that sort of things kind of sours it for me. xP

    Sigh. No chance of a second season though, huh? :[

    Pao
    Reply

  23. I’m not crying, I’m not crying…
    I wish the series could have been longer, but I think they did a good job with the limited amount of time they had. I was also briefly scared that Otonashi would end up repeating the actions of Angel Player’s creator at the end, but I’m glad that wasn’t the case. Want OVA of life anew.

    drcnch
    Reply

  24. Has “Ichiban no takaramono” been released on any of the singles yet? I haven’t seen it so I doubt it, but I was wondering if and when it’s supposed to come out.

    curious one
    Reply

    1. it will be in the upcoming “Keep The Beats!” GirlDeMo’s collection album (released on 30th June)

      but the one played in the last episode is sung by Lia if I’m not mistaken and it will not be in the album.

      Duo
      Reply

  26. For me, the graduation ceremony was very awkward to watch and not very emotion-spurring, nor was Otonashi’s confession. However, the very end did conjure up some emotions in me.

    I suppose because it was done so quickly and abruptly it didn’t have much of the impact it should’ve had with, say, a longer series.

    Regardless, Kanade x Yuzuru ending makes me happy. Another example of my being a sucker for bittersweet endings, in this case it going ‘sweet, bitter, then sweet’.

    Ryouichi
    Reply

  27. Watch this yesterday on live streaming and well it was within my expectations. Wasn’t fantastic and also wasn’t bad. It was ok… Just glad I didn’t see a Canaan ending style. I didn’t find anything pull my heartstrings like Clannad:AS. I actually had a hard time with this show considering how odd this is for a key work.

    As things stand for all the key’s works I have encountered.. The level of sympathy i can feel for this was minimal. Probably dead last. I just couldn’t feel myself fit in to the character’s shoes other than Iwasawa’s and Otonashi’s flashbacks. If I were to pick my favorite, Otonashi’s past got me cringing when I saw his internal bleeding. Brofists for him even though /a/ hates him like a damn cancer.

    So far the best key works for me is Planetarian… Followed by Clannad:AS. Planetarian’s atmosphere was outstanding. I guess I just have a soft spot for post apocalyptic stuffs. It’s really unfair that this got no attention at all.

    Moving on… Jesus Christ… Yesterday /a/ just had a damn field day with this. Within all that discussion, I found out my gripe was that Maeda wrote too much stuff for a 13 ep show or PA Works just didn’t check how much could fit in. Seems that Maeda got hit by inspiration when he was writing the script and made too much. Even staff from Aniplex said they couldn’t fit it in 21 minute 13 episodes airing.

    Overall I found this show entertaining and very enjoying when they were dicking around. As for the drama very inconsistent and I just didn’t feel it. This show was a total eyecandy as PA Works delivered in that area.

    megalith
    Reply

    1. thats EXACTLY what it I wanted to say.
      it was nice but the true is that I expected more.
      the ending was so rushed, I can uderstand Kanade and the others, but Otononashi’s love was too chessy for me cuz I dind’t feel the “romance”. I didnt really understand his love, it would have been better a deep friendship/grateful(kanade), but well.

      sorry poor english xD

      lol
      Reply

      1. ^
        This is true. A good ride all throughout, but that particular time paradox makes like no sense. Unless the time line is outside of “heaven’s”, it really doesn’t make sense. Also, some stuff in the story is a little poorly explained or unexplained at all.

        Click
        Reply

    4. I’m assuming Otonashi arrived in the afterlife really late because of the missing memories (maybe he lost them when they took his heart, he had them when he died) and Kanade still died very young, maybe she was 12 or something when she got the heart then died at 17 anything else would be too short IMO.

      Firefly
      Reply

    5. I don’t get it why people have to put in time in effect. For we know those students came from different eras! Why do we need to explain it? I say it’s a good plot twist brought to you by a place no one really knows about.

      justsomeguy
      Reply

    6. Lets say you tell a friend to meet at the bus station and he does not have a mobile. After 10 hours, your friend arrives. You ask him what the hell happened. He said he left home early but took the wrong bus. Then he went to the wrong bus station. Then he took a cab but the driver dropped him off at the wrong location. Then he walked and people gave him wrong directions.

      Thus he took 10 hours to reach when you took half an hour.

      I hope that explains that.

      Zaku Fan
      Reply

  30. I knew it! Kanade did appear in the ED. Kinda sad that Otonashi was left alone before disappearing. At least Otonashi saw Kanade in the next life. All’s well that ends well.

    conyo985
    Reply

  31. Overall, I loved this show. It could have been amazing if it had been 26 episodes, but as it stands it’s still really good. I did grow to care about the characters despite the short time frame. I still have to process the end.

    jill
    Reply

  37. I didn’t understand how Kanade had been in the world for so much longer than Otonashi when Otonashi had to die first if Kanade died after receiving his heart in a transplant.

    lolwut
    Reply

    1. What I’m assuming (just to make it seem a little bit logical, I guess) is that her regret of not being able to thank the donor of her heart was strong enough to have her enter the afterlife world at a time that Otonashi would be there. This is assuming that the afterlife transcends time, space, etc.

      drcnch
      Reply

  41. Wow…(T_T), I just finished watching the finale and didn’t expect such a twist with Otonashi and Kanade. And I thought the love confession would have been so much sweeter if they both had kissed too. (I guess that could be saved for when they are together after being reborn.) The ending is definitely bitter/sweet and a conclusion that makes me satisfied (but sad it’s over for now). The only thought that came to me was: if Kanade knew all along who Otonashi was why didn’t she thank him during those times when they were alone together. I suppose that explains why she obeyed his orders and helped him unconditionally. I’m crossing my fingers that Hinata and Yui will meet again. ^_^ BTW LiSA’s 「一番の宝物」 “My Most Precious Treasure” song played again in the background during the right moment. Hands up for Angel Beats and a must see for anime lovers.

    Rika
    Reply

  42. Rewatched with subs..

    Graduation ceremony >>>>>>> OtonashixKanade last scene..

    Crucify me if you want but I laughed at the part where Otonashi cries out Kanade’s name. I didn’t see this part clearly since yesterday the streaming’s video was lagging but the audio was still in sync. Cliche isn’t bad but… damn that was delivered poorly.

    Anyway anyone know when the BGM for Angel Beats would be out?

    This show had awesome tracks.

    megalith
    Reply

      2. The confession scene was fine the problem is.. I just found how funny their cliche’d depiction was. I dunno it just didn’t go with the BGM and it felt out of line. XD

        megalith
        Reply

  45. Unlike Divine, I really pulled the stoppers here… well pulled would sorta be an inaccurate term… I’d say it just blew up… either way I spent the last half hour crying just as heavy as otonashi from happiness yet sadness… Strangely I didnt cry while watching Clannad at all… though i have probably cried more times in this series than anything.

    Suppa Tenko
    Reply

  46. ‘The show about the celebration of life.’

    Jun is awesome, I had my doubts upon the description of the show; how much weight it’d have when everyone is already dead, but I was glad I never doubted him. Anyone else trying to toss this idea into an animation would have failed miserably, so leave it to Maeda to pull it off.

    I’m excited for the fourteenth ep. or whatever.

    ….Little busters!….c’mon!!

    (Also I hope they can be reunited, at least reborn in the same world together. If they went so far as to show Otonashi and Kanade meet up again, they should have a montage of everyone, if not at least yui and hinata meeting them as well. Lets face it, bros like hinata and otonashi don’t deserve to be split up.)

    Dawn
    Reply

  47. @ megalith: You’re gonna have to wait a month for the BGM album to come out (July 28th I believe)
    And while I’m on the music topic, another GDM album is coming on June 30th! Though it’s most likely the last one.

    Anyways, as most people would’ve said, a terrific anime from beginning to end! Yes, there were a few slight errors in their animations but I don’t think they were major enough to disrupt the whole show. Gonna miss those characters, especially TK…

    kingboo
    Reply

  48. also, if you’re wondering how otonashi passed on all by him self, he probably just accepted it him self, because since he loved kanade he wanted an excuse (although he still would’ve been glad to help other wayward souls) to remain with her and not take the chance to be split up forever.

    Finding your love, only to have it snatched back right from your grasp is a painful thing, but he manifested the strength of heart to fulfill kanade’s desire to meet the person who gave up their heart to prolong her past life.

    Dawn
    Reply

  50. Don’t finish this series (after keeping up with it weekly and getting ridiculously attached to the characters) with people you don’t want to see you crying in the room. If you’re like me you hold everything until the last second and then barge into your bathroom the second it’s over and collapse on the floor crying like a two-year-old for five solid minutes.

    It reminds me of the time I watched the tenth episode of Kanon in the middle of my Biology 102 class. I’ll leave you to guess what happened. All I’ll say is that was a baaaaad idea. XD

    I really, really like the series if you didn’t catch that. >.>
    Dammit, Maeda Jun. You’d better keep being this amazing.

    Oh, and also, while I’m rambling on, I’m going to assume for the sake of my own happiness that Yui and Hinata meet back up. That, at the very least, has to happen on top of Kanade and Yuzuru.

    Fono
    Reply

  51. Jun Maeda totally took the meaning of “Angel Beats” to a whole new level. Heartbeats (Otonashi)coming from within the Angel(Kanade). Suggesting an eternal bond between those two, whether is real life or afterlife. Anybody agree with me?

    One of the top anime series that I have ever watched. Also one of the best ending I have seen for a long time.

    Mike
    Reply

  52. The only explanation that made at least a bit of sense to me was this: Kanade did survive and lived a full life before eventually dying and coming to the AB! world. It was possible for her to arrive there before Otonashi because the “real world” time doesn’t necessarily correspond to the AB! world’s time flow. Although, judging by the things Kanade said here and there (like about graduation), it didn’t really seem like she had lived that fulfilling life yet.

    Or maybe Kanade was an exception and the only one out of the bunch who did not actually die in the real world, and that she eventually wakes up in a hospital after her disappearance in the AB! world, but that doesn’t really make a lot of sense seeing her reunion with Otonashi who was around her age at the very end. Pretty sure Otonashi did indeed die in the real world kind of missing his heart.

    Jini
    Reply

  55. I am definitely going to miss seeing Kanade, Otonashi and the whole gang. I’ll be man enough to say I cried like an onion when Otonashi attempted to hold on to the vanished Kanade. Hell, I couldn’t even stopped even after the credits. It is a beautiful series and yes, I did wish it would have lasted much longer (like I did way back with Haibane Renmei).
    Maeda Jun stroke again with another moving story…Thank God, we still do have good story tellers!
    Thank you, Divine for covering this series. Angel Beats <3

    Shinjiro
    Reply

  57. “I never felt that this series was as moving as CLANNAD or Kanon, but that was likely due to thirteen episodes being insufficient for telling the story that Jun had written.”

    Kyoto Animation 24-episode remake, GO!

    Angel Beats (2012)

    KANADE, WHAT’S WRONG? ANSWER ME, PLEASE! KANADE?

    KANADEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE

    Fission Mailed
    Reply

  58. Oh my God.. divine might not have had the waterworks going, but I was bawling my eyes out (or would have been if I wasn’t sneaking this under the covers. In any case, there were tears streaming down my face.) I do wish Angel Beats got a two-cour, but I also agree with divine on the fact that keeping it short and sweet was a good thing too. I loved that Otonashi and Kanade met up in the end as well . . . *sniff*
    ANGEL BEATS!

    Kit Kat
    Reply

    1. I came into this entire series emotionally “prepared”, otherwise I would’ve been in the same boat. That said, I may have inadvertently set some people up for a surprise by saying it didn’t make me cry. 🙂

      divine
      Reply

  59. The ending left a lot of questions for me, but my take on it is:

    In the previous episode, the program said that love can not manifest itself, and if it did the after world would become an eternal paradise for the person that manifested love. Because Otonashi began to love Kanade (i.e. manifested love), it is implied that Otonashi will probably stay in the afterlife forever or until Kanade dies again and they finally meet each other once more.

    The after scenario in the end where “Otonashi” and “Kanade” (I am putting quotes because that Otonashi and Kanade are not necessarily the characters that we saw during the anime) meet is probably a parallel world.

    Philip
    Reply

    1. Thats not what i get. The programmer was hinted as having the chance to move on but chose to stay to wait for the girl. The reason was when they are reborn, they lose their memories of their prior lives. Hinata and Otonashi talked about this in this episode but not in a straight forward manner.

      When the montage showed people disappearing, it is a big hint that he chose to leave as well. The final segment is merely to make sure people understand he left and that in their next life they meet by fate again.

      Zaku Fan
      Reply

  60. I ended up having mixed feelings on this show. Overall, I did enjoy watching each episode of the series, but I put that mostly on the likability of the characters themselves (Kanade, Naoi, Yui) and the comedy aspects of the show.

    In terms of the plot, I think it’s a bit of an understatement to say you need a “microscope” to pick it apart. There were some pretty glaring plot holes from episode to episode (notably the change in the shadow’s behavior in 11 & 12 – THAT anime blog had a good post on that); to be honest, I’d be curious to see how well the series would hold up to a marathon view since information on the last few episodes will be more present in the viewer’s mind. For me, I was disappointed with the plot and I chalk that up to it not following Vonnegut’s rules of short stories – specifically, the rules on being a sadist towards your characters so as to show what they’re made of and giving the viewer as much info on the plot ASAP so that, even with the last few pages missing, they could deduce the conclusion. Overall, I felt the characters were never in any real danger and even their occasional deaths, though painful, were almost always used for comedic effect (ex. evil Kanades & the suicide runs). The only parts where I could say Jun really put the heat on the characters so that we could see what they were made of was with Yuri retelling her history and Naoi’s massacre scene. And on info ASAP, the series pretty much could take the last 3 episodes with the pseudo-technology plot (which annoyed the hell out of the computer programmer part of me since it really didn’t answer anything about this world and just introduced new questions) and easily replace it with any other sort of conclusion and no one would be the wiser. The episodes preceding these gave no real hints to the shadows lurking in the NPCs, the unknown programmed character, the missing computers, the secret passage, etc. All of these elements were given right before or after they were used in the story.

    All that said, I would enjoy seeing more from the Angel Beats universe, but I wouldn’t recommend this series for anyone who is looking for a plot-centric series, thinking (as I originally did) that this series has a solvable, underlying mystery. Angel Beats is a comedy show with dramatic elements and does well at this.

    Kobukson
    Reply

  61. Damnit. KEY related works need to stop pulling the sneak water work attack.
    I lost it when Yuri disappeared. Then Hinata just had to go off in a badass way. Then Otonashi had to confess his love, which made Kanade disappear.

    … What a light heart-felt series which can really push ones emotions to the brink. I would have liked more episodes, but not for story. I’d rather spend more time with the Afterlife Battlefront, but I’ll take whats given to me.

    Here’s hoping that the extra episode is a epilogue!
    I really, really, really want to see OtonashixKanade.
    I’d really really really like to.

    chingoo
    Reply

  62. Am I the only one who didn’t understand the plot at all? (-_-) I mean so she was alive, but still in the dead world? Or did she die years after getting the transplant, but still wanted to say thank you? He died before kanade and yet arrived (presumably) a great while of time afterwards.The place they were in was like the matrix that was controlled by computers, yet was the creation of a god? Only kids could arrive in that world who didnt experience a happy life. So there in theory should be thousands who end up there but instead its only 100 at most meaning there are other “worlds” similar to that one. The area is comprised only of the school and nothing else? If they are dead why did they need to eat? What sort of rules or parameters were left in place by “god” so people would find peace, or is it just a do whatever you want. The religious thought is that ppl are reincarnated? So that last scene was presumably 17 years later…

    friiiiiiiiiiiiiii lol but if i just dont think about it, this was probably the best show this season

    blarg
    Reply

    2. “I mean so she was alive, but still in the dead world? Or did she die years after getting the transplant, but still wanted to say thank you?”
      Kanade died.

      “He died before kanade and yet arrived (presumably) a great while of time afterwards.”
      Otonashi’s a bug. He noted that he was one and wandered into the world.

      “The place they were in was like the matrix that was controlled by computers, yet was the creation of a god?”
      Nope, no one knows how the world came about and they are all dead.

      “Only kids could arrive in that world who didnt experience a happy life. So there in theory should be thousands who end up there but instead its only 100 at most meaning there are other “worlds” similar to that one.”
      Possible but at the same time you should note that they depart. No one stays forever there. And i would say a unfufilled life rather than unhappy one.

      “The area is comprised only of the school and nothing else? ”
      There is a forest and a river. Wandering too far gets you killed as noted in track 0. Not sure if your body gets back.

      “If they are dead why did they need to eat? What sort of rules or parameters were left in place by “god” so people would find peace, or is it just a do whatever you want.”
      As noted by track 0, you still have your physical urges. Its a “do what you want” place but you will one day choose to move on or go crazy forcing yourself to stay (ala programmer)

      “The religious thought is that ppl are reincarnated? So that last scene was presumably 17 years later…”
      The timeline is unknown but they obviously have grown up so possibly time>=17

      Zaku Fan
      Reply

  63. I actually held my breath at the end credits, waiting to see if Otonashi would disappear.

    Very satisfying ending, imo. Although, I really, really want to see a Yuri x somebody, especially after seeing her “cute” side. Just not sure who it would be…

    Knillinux
    Reply

  64. Nice ending, very touching … very Maeda. 🙂 As for those questioning how Kanade was there before Yuzuru, well it’s the afterlife. Who ever said souls travel chronologically? You’re trying to apply western logical thought to a story conceived from an eastern perspective. Look at Inuyasha, if Kagome and Kikyou are from the same soul how can they coexist? Don’t worry about it. Just enjoy it. 🙂

    zerodivide
    Reply

  65. Great piece of work, though I expected it to be like the tear-jerker Clannad was. Never came true to me but it was awesome from beginning to end. If only there were more Yuri tsundere moments, now what am I gonna do for Saturday morning? What show is taking Angel Beats’ spot?

    T.K.
    Reply

  69. Heh damn that was pretty good. Angel Beats arguably could have been better, but for me it delivered in full. I was a HUGEEE Kanade x Yuzuru shipper, so just that end scene with them alone gave the ep +100 points XD. I was hoping for some kind of confession, and what a scene it was. It could have been better if they spaced it out over 24 eps and made the plot flow better (Random twists FTL), but those problems didn’t ruin the show for me. Kanade alone was enough to make watching this well worth my time. Over all Angel Beats was a good series.

    FlameStrike
    Reply

  70. this was the such a great anime and my fav right now i cried my eyes out and i jsut graduated a couple days ago too at first i didn’t really get it but this animes been my fav this season i’m going to miss it a lot goodbye angel beats good bye everyone it was amazing TT_TT

    darkout
    Reply

    1. “The Japanese have sometimes subdivided television series and dramas into kūru (クール?), from the French term “cours” for “course,” which is a 3-month period usually of 13 episodes.”

      Therefore two-cour = 26 episodes.

      Back to topic, I did wonder about more people arriving at the school after everyone left, but I guess they’ve gone with a “they’ll have to figure out themselves” approach. Overall, it was a good show, but I felt it could’ve been tighter especially given it was only 13 episodes.

      I hope they make an orchestral/piano version of “My Soul, Your Beats” as the song is decent, but I only really like the few opening bars of the piano playing.

      duh
      Reply

  74. I’m pretty satisfied with this series, it had it’s laughs and deeper parts which ultimately made it a good watch. If only PA works could dish out 24 ep series this would have been more fleshed out. As you say it was short and sweet and I agree. Oh, and kanade got Moe-er every episode which was a nice touch.

    exia
    Reply

  75. now i’m waiting with the next visual keys anime… my asset (initials K.H., one of the animators in clannad) inside kyoto animation said that there is an on going meetings and planning for the next possible visual keys anime… though it is on debate. could it be little busters? XD

    @divine – anyway as a confirmation on the possible special 14th episode
    http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2010-06-24/angel-beats-7th-bd/dvd-to-include-unaired-special

    Animeniac
    Reply

    1. on the side not i forgot to say, my friend inside kyoto animation said that there is an on going meeting/planning on the next possible visual keys anime. the problem though is that it is on a debate (probably poularity issues and fundings). could it be little busters?

      Animeniac
      Reply

  77. I loved this show. now i am quite sad its gone…
    BTW I understand that there are unexplainable material and all but I suggest others not to be bothered by them. I mean their “world” was created specifically for them. so enjoy the ride.

    justsomeguy
    Reply

  79. I really liked the end and how they put it all together hope the 14th episode tells of how everyone is when they go back to the real world and how they all remember and find each other

    Mirimu
    Reply

  80. There’s a little scary moment that will be haunting me forever: Otonashi offered to disappear before Hinata. If he had, Kanade would have been stuck in the world forever. Scary!

    109
    Reply

  81. It’s shows like this that make you feel like you’re a family with them. Going through everything and hoping all goes well. It really pulls your heartstrings when everyone leaves but you know you’ll see them someday. Just like a graduation. For just 13 episodes this is one of those Makoto Shinkai moments where it really stops and makes you think how nice it is to go through all of this from a persons creation. Art at it’s finest. Thanks again for blogging this Divine, cheers mate.

    Jason Isenberg
    Reply

  83. Ugh, it’s over. It was sad and yet awesome to see the characters say their goodbyes. Surprisingly, I didn’t really tear up at that part. The only part I started to wind up is when I realized what Kanade meant by Otanashi’s heart in her.

    KyoAni remaking it? I’m all up for it, as long as they keep the same character designs. The typical Clannad/Kanon/Air are cute and all, but it wouldn’t really fit with the Angel Beats characters to me.

    Overall, I personally loved it. Thanks Divine for blogging this show!

    fall3nbs
    Reply

  85. *sniff*

    Wow that last part with Otonashi and Kanade really hit me hard. I was definately not expecting that Kanade received a heart transplant from Otonashi. I am curious though, did Otonashi stayed behind in the Afterlife to help those to move on or did he managed to accept his life after Kanade left? The last scene was very good but got me confused abit XD

    A very enjoyable series indeed! I accepted the ‘issues’ that may hinder the story line abit, but the message was very well sent. From the start to the very end, Maeda Jun and Co did a very good job in this Angel Beats! project.

    I hope that we will see more works from him very soon *Knock on wood (Little Busters) hehe*

    Liberta
    Reply

    1. I loved how the heart beat in the Angel Beats eyecatch before commercials was such a big red herring. A lot of people speculated about them being in a coma due to that and in the end the explaination was fitting and hinted at (kanade telling him someone would be thankful for using his organs, and it was her LOL) but still surprising.

      As the montage showed everyone disappearing, so Otonashi also left. The last scene was them not knowing each other but meeting for the first time in their next lives

      Zaku Fan
      Reply

  88. OTONASHI X TENSHI! YUZURU X KANADE! ENDING! WOOT! AMAZING! Just plain amazing! I and a lot of people expected Otonashi to remain with Kanade in this world to help people move on, which I thought was truly Otonashi and Kanade’s role in this world like they serve to be guides to the people here. They will truly remain together forever that way, and they wont die, and the same time they could love each other for eternity (just like the creator of Angel Player).

    I thought that was the best happy ending, but I guess after hearing the creator of the Angel Player’s story and now watching this ending, I changed my views. I think that the main theme of this series is to move on and look forward to a new life and new future. So I thought it was a suitable ending, especially after Kanade and Yuzuru will reunite once again and may have remaining memories left of the after life seeing as Kanade is still humming that song and that Yuzuru remembers it as well.

    Also there is also a flaw of the creator of Angel Player’s views, and that when he was thinking of staying in the same world together with his lover, she was able to move on and left him behind. The flaw is that the creator started to believe that she will come back to him once again, seeing as they both mutually loved each other, so if Kanade and Yuzuru did stay behind and Kanade managed to move on, Yuzuru might be influenced too much that he will go down the same road as the creator. I feared that it was going to be a tragic ending like this, but man am I glad that Yuzuru was able to move on and reunite with Kanade once again.

    Man glad that there is a 14th extra, I am hoping (and probably most of us here) that the extra will show some sort of final closure to the series showing each of the character’s lives after being reincarnated or reborn. I’m certainly hoping to see Yuzuru X Kanade’s future and Yui X Hinata’s future (hope Yui isnt paralyzed anymore), these two are the only couples, but I still hope they show all of the character’s new lives.

    PS. Am I just the only one who noticed that BOTH the “new” Kanade and Yuzuru was wearing the same type of necklace, only different colors, I wonder if this is significant, or just a minor detail lol.

    @Divine: do you have any idea when the Bluray when be released?

    X
    Reply

  89. Very “Key” ending. However, this is definately one of their better works in recent years. Overall, good execution but I hated the fact that alot of the chars had no meaning to the actual plot. i.e. it needed to be a bit longer. (At least so you get to see the past and “closure” of couple more people.)

    drzero7
    Reply

  90. aww what a surprise twist in the end there.

    The ending kinda revived the series for me with otonashi’s confession (though it was a bit weird). This ending felt really appropriate for the series.

    The series may have so many plot holes and fail tear moments but overall this was a really enjoyable ride. As I’ve seen in Code Geass and now in Angel Beats!, I could definitely say that something could be awesome without being perfect.

    I’ll definitely miss watching this.

    ahelo
    Reply

  92. Who ever would ever knew that otanashii’s heart is in kanade when he died…. T.T! and how come kanade was already in that world before otanahii woke up in that world… the ending was such a cliff hanger.. I would imagine that they will run a B Gata H Kei kind of world.. XD

    SyNc
    Reply

  93. Gah…@ the end Kanade was listening to some music with “earphones” on and the next scene it was “gone” making me thinks that she got a mail from “someone” and it’s not Otonashi.

    FlamingYu
    Reply

    2. Speaking of which, the fact that this reincarnated Kanade was listening to Iwasawa’s “My Song” suggests that she was reincarnated as well and got to perform the song she never did in her previous life. <3 Iwasawa. She was only around for three episodes but had such a huge impact on the overall story.

      divine
      Reply

  95. hey i got a question…
    what happend to Otonashi after kanade disappeared?? did he also disappeared as well??

    And also what was the last scene all bout?? where Kanade and Otonashi was alive and in the same world… like was it for us to think it as “happy ending” or something or did they reincarnated in different world??

    someone plz help me out!!!

    chococya96
    Reply

  97. Oh OK, I totally get it now. In episode 12, the program said “If love manifests itself, this world CAN become an eternal paradise” Emphasis on the “can”. By saying can, the individual still has a choice of his own to either stay or leave the after-world. Given the fact that in the end we see Otonashi and Kanade in a new life and there is a montage of everyone leaving, it can be safely assumed that Otonashi chose to depart from the after-world to be reborn.

    Philip
    Reply

  98. this show being so popular is the reason why we can’t have good shows anymore….how to rush a potentional good anime in 13 episodes, with some inconsistent pacing…oh ye the forced drama in the end…the ending sure was average just like the rest of the show…but I guess moelovers will love this end. I didn’t cry in the end or anything, there was like no buildup through out the show to do so. Worst KEY animation next to AIR TV so far

    anon
    Reply

    1. I have no comment about you thinking this series was crap, but I take issue with you insinuating that Air was the worst Key animation.

      On the contrary, Air managed to deliver the moving tears in a short episode count where Angel Beats couldn’t.

      The story structure of Air meant it was easy for Kyo-Ani to trim to the basics and focus just on Misuzu’s backstory.

      In contrast, they struggled to give the right balance for their adaptation of Kanon, even though Kanon was allocated twice that amount of episodes.

      Kinny Riddle
      Reply

  99. Kanade suddenly going all cheery after being so calm and detached for so long got me taken aback, for it just felt too OOC for her.

    The biggest flaw for this series is that only 13 episodes were allocated to a story with such a grand premise.

    That said, the last part with Otonashi and Kanade did feel bittersweet, knowing that Kanade only stayed to give thanks to Otonashi for his heart.

    One of the best parts of Angel Beats besides the story and characters would be its music – rock music, to be precise. I have totally fallen for Girls Dead Monster. I would be so elated if Maeda Jun decides to form a real life GDM just to milk us dry. lol

    BTW, I noticed there were five guitars in the GDM room (4 electric, 1 bass), but there were only four guitarists in GDM (Iwasawa, Yui, Hisako and Sekine on bass) since Irie is a drummer. Probably a mistake on the animators part.

    Kinny Riddle
    Reply

  100. Maeda Jun, I think it’s better you stick to games and let the pros (like Kyo-Ani) handle the anime adaptations of your works.

    Really, I would rather Angel Beats be released as a game than come out feeling unfinished like this.

    So many minor plot details were left out, not only was Takamatsu’s premature “demise” casually written, his “revival” was also just mentioned off screen like that as well.

    That said, if they were to re-make Angel Beats with an improved budget and longer episode count, I would watch it.

    Kinny Riddle
    Reply

  103. I got teary eyed this ep too, was still hoping for some yuriXhinata moment but there was some subtle moments, kanadeXyuzuru, the plot twist that she got yuzuru’s heart(both emotionally and physically) was great, sad that they parted but needed for an emotional scene but they did meet up again.

    angel beats is definitely one of the best animes ive seen so far and I will miss it greatly.

    amado
    Reply

  104. Man i love this anime the only thing that is was to short i began to see it 3-4 months ago when it started and i was fasinated, the music, the plot the characters everything I LOVE IT!!
    At first when i saw the ending i didnt understand it alot but after the second time i saw it got it XD.
    hope to be able to find another anime like this its my new objetive.
    if someone knows an anime like this please tell me.
    PD- sorry if i had mistakes in what i wrote i m still learning english.

    Epani10
    Reply

  105. So ends another series. I was a bit cautious about this one after discovering that the same person wrote Canaan. (Since i’m not a fan of depressing drama animes and found Canaan to be a bit boring at times.) Though after seeing this entire series, i dismiss the thought of this being another one of those.

    Though like may others have mentioned, a lot of holes remain in the story that may/ may not be answered. I’d like to think that if there was going to be an extra episode, they’d at least answer some of them.

    Snicket
    Reply

  109. Well, since that world is a place for people to resolve their issues and move on, then it would make sense that Kanade and Otonoshi would be able to meet at the same time, or else Kanade would not be able to resolve her regret of not getting to thank the person that saved her.

    Whichever, this was one of the few great shows this season. I cried like a baby.

    Johnyboy
    Reply

  111. At first I was really doubtful of Angel Beats being good because it was so hyped!
    But Already after epsiode 1 I was astonished what great series Angel Beats must be.
    However I thought that there are a lot of Anime that started great but couldn’t keep the quality.
    However Angel Beats could not only keep the good Story and the awesome animations but also mixed comedy scenes perfect into the plot so that there was a natural flow of the series while being serious and a little melancholy at the same time!
    Even for expierenced Anime watchers I’m sure that the plot wasn’t easy to guess right.
    Also the end was quite great what I personally had worried the most because there are many good Anime but only a few have a satisfying end.

    So all in all I have to say that Angel Beats is now my number 2 Anime!
    I even cried at the end and it wasn’t because I was sad that the series come to an end.
    It were tears of joy that every character found his happiness and got a second chance!

    Otaku-Kun
    Reply

  114. Great series. And those with questions about how kanade reached earlier and blah blah blah. Dont think about it. Its 13 episodes for a reason. Just enjoy the ride the show gives and think of it as just music. Its a show to praise life and not one that supposed to let you think about it

    GoWithDaFlow
    Reply

  116. Shed a few tears indeed. But what im really angry about is that the main character of every single one of Jun Maeda’s stories always and i repeat, always, falls in love and ends up with the ‘calm’ personalitied girls. (Angel, Nagisa, Ayu, Misuzu) >_< Why can't he ever choose one of the stronger and more assertive girls or tsunderes (Yes, i prefer kyou anyday, even more than tomoyo) but alas, his stories are good… o well can't help it!

    Kewldude
    Reply

    1. I 100% agree! I love Jun Maeda’s work, but I would love it even more if he did not have the main character fall in love with the same type of girl every time…

      Not to mention, the girl always has something tragic happen to her.

      I would like to see a role-reversal where a strong girl is the main character, she falls for a guy, and something bad happens to HIM. :/

      Destiny
      Reply

      1. “I would like to see a role-reversal where a strong girl is the main character, she falls for a guy, and something bad happens to HIM. :/”

        Tomoyo After would fit that description; they might animate it sometime.

        Prooof
        Reply

  117. Awwwww Dec 22nd.7th DVD, 14th episode, that means January 2011 to watch it. I hope I am still alive at that time..Yup I have already put it in my Outlook calendar….

    ay ya ya ya ya
    Reply

    2. You’re a little off basis on that: Kanade wanted to say “Thank you” to the person who gave her a new heart, and Otonashi desperately wanted to hear those words from the person he loves. So I think that was a good enough reason for him to disappear afterward.

      Karis
      Reply

      1. I am not really caught up on the details, he had reason enough to pass on without hearing it.

        I just think it would have been nice if she would have at least said it right before she passed on (or somehow tied it in).

        Destiny
        Reply

  119. Great series. I definitely would have felt the ending more if it had been longer though. I didn’t really feel the YuriXKanade, but I suppose it was more about regretting what did not happen between them, rather than them missing each other. That was a nice notion in itself. Well, that was a great ride thanks a lot Divine!

    LaN
    Reply

  122. I see, that’s why it’s called Angel Beats!, because Otonashi gave Kanade her heart. It makes sense if Otonashi is a bug in the system.

    Yes, this show definitely is great. Many people were disappointed by it and have criticised it, but I think it stands strongly on its own. You can’t compare it to Kanon, Air, or CLANNAD because they are different shows. The humor and drama in Angel Beats! is combined quite well.

    There were some things unexplained, like how Kanade got the Angel Player program and who the creater of the program was, but I guess that’s not really important.

    I think I started tearing up at about the time Naoi cried. I hope everyone else meets up in the real world and lives happily ever after. Now, to wait for the extra episode…

    akani
    Reply

    1. Unfortunately it is a transcode from 160kbps to 320kbps. Sounds okay though, but definitely has some artifacts.

      Proof with Shine Days:

      From single, 320kbps transcoded from FLAC
      http://imgur.com/zSr04.jpg

      This download:
      http://imgur.com/5wdSp.jpg

      The full version of Ichiban no Takaramono is amazing! As well as the full version of My Soul, Your Beats (I want the piano vs. rock remix please).

      Girls Dead Monster version of Brave Song offers an interesting alternative take on the song. I like it.

      Yui version of My Song has more energy due to the full band accompaniment. It’s really good, maybe a bit less sad than Iwasawa’s version. Still love both versions.

      Some small changes in the album version of Little Braver. Extra lalalas around 3:50 . Both good still.

      LiSA singing Crow Song and Alchemy is a bit jarring. I definitely hear some mistakes even without musical training. marina was better for these songs. At least LiSA puts in more energy.

      Morning Dreamer is decent but doesn’t terribly stand out.

      Run With Wolves has pretty good instrumentals that are full of energy but I don’t like the vocals at points as they are a bit staccato and jarring. Overall okay, detracted by the vocals.

      23:50 is pretty solid. It has some weak points but overall is pretty good. I would put it on the same level as Little Braver and under Shine Days and Thousand Enemies.

      Overall, a really awesome album, especially with the bonus tracks.

      goldconker
      Reply

    1. Ugh, rewatching it, i noticed that Ichiban no Takaramono was sung by Karuta rather than Lisa this episode. Now i have to get both… orz

      After rewatching the episode, i would like to say that Otonashi’s VA Hiroshi Kamiya does the lines with feelings of anguish very well, as touching as the lines he delivered as Macross F’s Mikhail character i would say.

      Zaku Fan
      Reply

  128. Haha, the series was disappointing at times but great at other times. Overall though, it was great and it was also really nice seeing Yuri and Kanade getting along. It’s so sad though seeing them slowly disappearing one by one… Naomi, then Yuri, then Hinata, then the Kande, and finally Otonashi.

    I hope they all meet up with everyone and become friends again… lol, that includes “Christ”.

    Silver
    Reply

  129. OMG!!!one of the bests i ever watched

    thank goodness Otonashi didnt left before Kanade,remember?he said its his turn after Yuri,but Hinata stopped him,because if he did,Kanade might stay there alone(because her regret was not thanking him for the heart),not even a single NPC will stay with her,D:

    kennyken
    Reply

  130. Another excellent anime indeed that keeps me hoping for more content to read up on.Time to search for the manga series haha. I managed to laugh really hard at various scenes in the episodes, but the most distinctive factor of all at the end is still the heart-breaking twist of it all. The music is truly amazing as well, I am always happy to watch anime that have specialised songs embedded in their plots. And there’s SOO many comments! Haha. I was wondering till the end if Otonashi would become the new “bugged Angel Player” and continue to wait for the return of Kanade. Luckily he managed to fulfil his wishes in the end as well, which he mentioned before was to help Kanade to move on. I’m looking forward to the extra 14th episode as well, hopefully we will get to see everyone become reincarnated yet managed to come together as a group again. Thus ends another great anime. But there’s another season again! Looking forward to discovering new interesting anime again. Looking forward to the reviews at Random Curiosity again! Thanks for the hard work and continue to do so! =)

    Tenkou
    Reply

  132. this anime almost made me cried and i havent cried in almost 5 years i was really surprised about that lol. one other thing why did the two of them had the same necklace in the last scene? does it have a special meaning?

    Epani10
    Reply

  133. supposedly otonashi came to this world last… yuri and kanade has been fighting for a while, right? So kanade is dead before otonashi, right? so how the hell did the organ reciever died before the organ donor ?

    as the final impression ahs mentioned there are some holes, and this is probably one of them.. but isnt this too weird? :/

    N0216332
    Reply

  134. Kanade does not have to necessarily die before Otonashi in order for her to be there first. Remember, Otonashi even states in the episode that he was not a normal “death”. He had fulfilled his life before he died in the tunnel.

    It would seem to me that Otonashi was lost and was either sent to the afterlife school or wound up there somewhere along the way. We aren’t ever given a timeframe to which we can connect time of death to time of arrival in the afterlife.

    Here’s an Idea (with a capital I) that I would like to forward to you all. What if since he fulfilled his life and moved on but was drawn back into the afterlife school when Kanade died? Many religions believe that the afterlife is a place of waiting for reincarnation. Could it be that his soul was waiting to be reincarnated but was snapped back like a rubber band when his actual heart died? Kanade’s wish to thank her savior for giving her life (however much she got in before she passed away) could have brought him back. It is his heart, her wish. It’s not too much of a stretch of the imagination to believe this occurring. The author does love his miracles does he not?

    Finally, I think that the last scene Show Spoiler ▼

    Mosswind
    Reply

  138. Again it makes no sense since he dies -> he goes there -> if they managed to even get the heart to her she should havent been there
    AFTER he arrived.
    It makes no sense.

    Joseph Edward
    Reply

  140. My thoughts on the series… I really enjoyed it even with its ups and downs plot wise. It has great no.. more like fantastic music as expected. I thought that the last episode was fitting and I pretty much could have guessed the happy ending.

    Now this is a crazy thought/theory I had about Kanade/Otonashi.. What if.. and this is a big IF Kanade was acturally the reincarnation of Otonashi’s sister. I came to this err conclusion when I kinda jumped the gun on what Kanade said near the end. That she was waiting to say “thank you” much like how his sister always said thank you. This was before she said told him she was was the one that received his heart. Also if you remember in episode 9 the flashback scene where his sister mentioned the lack of a donor and in episode 7 where Otonashi says that he “lives” to hear the one he “loves” say thank you to him and that’s what motivated him to keep living. This though still wouldn’t explain why he arrived in the afterlife after Kanade. Anyways its just a theory like I said maybe I just feel that hacing it relate this his sister would make it more.. dramatic.. maybe instead of some random person that happened to receive his heart… and OMFG I just thought of something else to maybe support my theory as I am writing this.. that his sister ALWAYS wanted to go to school and make FRIENDS AND HAVE FUN…. WHOA.. am I thinking to much into this now? anyways feel free to discuss XD

    shen
    Reply

    2. Thanks for providing that link =) The concept of Otonashi being the creator of Angel Player as well as the reason why Kanade was in the afterlife before Otonashi gave me a broader way of thinking : )

      Liberta
      Reply

  146. “* Hearing that Takamatsu recovered from being an NPC and moved on as well felt like a bit of a cop out though.”
    its possible, remember what happened to yuri in ep 12, she recovered back due to her strong emotions about life.

    amado
    Reply

  147. Heh, totally called The World Ends With Otonashi.

    Even for a condensed series, I think Angel Beats tried to do just a bit too much with what they had. Still, one of the better shows I’ve watched.

    Vsin
    Reply

  148. This was a GREAT ride. I never expected that I would be moved like this, it was quite a tear jerker if you asked me especially the final scenes. I wish they showed that everyone reunited in their new lives. Lot of loopholes and unanswered questions, but still it was a really great anime.

    supercell
    Reply

  150. There were a few too many questions left hanging at the end for my liking. The circumstances regarding Yuri’s family a major one…

    Show Spoiler ▼

    …I’d really like an answer to that, and whether it had anything to do with her later death (because we know she didn’t kill herself).

    RomanRazor
    Reply

  151. I just… as a series I like it only if I don’t think about it. Too many of the underlying themes are terrible to me, and not in the ‘aw’ way but the ‘ugh’ way. A Purgatory where the point isn’t to move on to something better but to die, be dismantled, and sent back to ‘go’ (birth, apparently). I know that cyclical afterlives aren’t really my thing but this was all horribly depressing, and the up sides evaporated shortly after the best choice for the protagonist to make was presented as helping others to move on, yet the methodology he used would, in other series, be the same as betraying and then murdering his friends.

    Later developments proved to only worsen my opinions. Particularly the resolution that emptying out even such a terrible afterlife would be better than any other alternative. Literally any other alternative. The underpinnings of this world I am presented with are abhorent to me, so much so that despite the enjoyment – which, I admit, was great – of the rest paled.

    I can see how others liked Angel Beats. I did too, and still do on some levels. I just can’t… I am sorry. It’s actually made me sick to my stomach, how much I reject almost every concept I am presented with after a certain point.

    Firseal
    Reply

  152. waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa… SNIFF!!!! SNIFF!!! otonashi x kanade!!!!!, i havent cried in anime in such a long time, the ending was sooo gooood, but i wanted that the ending was a little more longer showing otonashi and kanade dating in their new life…… and i g2g to wash my face again….

    Trejon
    Reply

  153. so the only reason otonashi was there, was because of kanade?
    because kanade wanted to thank otonashi, otonashi even said there was no reason for him to be there, because he fulfilled his life..

    sort confused.. they could have cleared it up a bit.

    was really worried if otonashi was left behind..

    hopefully they can all meet each other..

    sad-panda
    Reply

  155. i felt this was a particulary good ending it was deep and i showed that everything they had done had helped them find their meaning. Though i wish they had shown each person coming to terms with their life and such it was good to see that the members of the battle front found what they were looking for. Also considering the ending of the episode with yui i expect that those who found resolution with their past lives were a new life were what they had wanted would find them. In that sense the entire world in addtion to helping you move on also grants your wishes.

    Chaos
    Reply

  160. Hey Divine, well said. People are bashing the series way too much just because its Key and because its popular. While it still suffered greatly from the short time given, they really made the most of it.

    (P.S. Congrats on the new site, this is my first post here)

    SeedFreedom
    Reply

  161. Tristeza, es lo que siento al saber que esta serie se terminó. Congratulations to “Key and P.A. Works” for this excellent production and I hope another anime with this duo. Thanks Divine for keep alive Random Curiosity.

    Huitzi
    Reply

  163. While I thought last episode seemed rushed in the story closure part this one was all I could ask for to close off the series and more – thanks for the blogging an amazing show as always Divine.

    EnderTheXenocide
    Reply

  165. I really liked it, but it was a little cheesy at the end xD well I did cried, but I still think think it was a little chessy, Otonashi declaration was a little rushed, I was like “he loves her?” but this series was amazing IS amazing.

    well, it was nice. My favorite character Yurippe.

    ande realy loveee kanade.

    lol
    Reply

  167. another late comment. Just finished marathoning the whole 13 eps. Am getting blurred eyes. I didn’t want to watch this as the resemblance of Yuri to a certain GOD gave a bad impression on me. But following Divine’s weekly post, I gave in. Thanks Divine 🙂

    Definitely the candidate for the best anime this season. I’ll be voting for Angel Beats comes the annual RC poll.

    Joez
    Reply

  168. I hate this ending!! God, I loved the show so mutch but then it began to dissappoint me in the last episodes. I hoped for a different end!! -_-‘ Cause in my head I pictured OtonashiXYuri<3 I mean in one of the first episodes his like: "what's up with her smelling so good?" and she's like telling him about his past and everything is just so… and then kanade came…

    Wheate
    Reply

    1. I was really, really hoping for a Otonashi x Yuri, too, ESPECIALLY after Yuri went all Tsundere on everyone. I just can’t help thinking that poor Yuri, given all her troubles and all, doesn’t have anyone. 🙁

      But, given the context of the plot, and the fact that Kanade had Otonashi’s heart, I reluctantly have to agree with how it turned out. It was the way it was meant to be, to be cliche.

      Also, if you think about it the other way, if Otonashi actually did end up with Yuri, you couldn’t help but feel bad for Kanade, and she wouldn’t have been able to move on :\. I guess it’s either one way or the other…

      Still wish it was O x Y though 🙂

      Sille
      Reply

  169. So I just finished watching all 13 episodes in one sitting and they were amazing, I really hope that the 14th episode is a post-mortom on how all the characters meet up in another life. Either that or I hope that Angel Beats season 2 will one day exist. But Divine, I was wondering if you will be blogging the 14th episode if/when you get to see it? thank <3

    zandy
    Reply

  170. I’ve watched soo many animes with these kind of endings, and I just can’t bring myself away from the verge of crying. Just finished the episode and I’m glad I downloaded the whole series… (still crying over here, and I’m a guy!!!).

    -So Divine, is it true about the 14th ep like Zandy said??

    Cc
    Reply

  171. I finally finished the series on this first day of August; however, it’s a bittersweet moment right now. I’m thinking that the fourteenth episode will be the continuation from where we left off Angel Beats!; it’s a possibility.

    I can’t believe I never stepped into the world of Maeda Jun before now! It’s all thanks to your Spring Preview of 2010. I appreciate your coverage of this series ^_^

    okami
    Reply

  178. Finished this series over a month ago. Boy meets girl, girl knifes boy. Sort of a “Six
    shots ripped into my groin & I was off on the greatest adventure of my life.” kind of thing.

    I was more into the “theological” aspects of the show (What little there was.) Also in
    spite of what I thought of its’ disjointedness & “all over the place” feel I got to like Angel Beats as its’ “faults” seemed to add instead of take away. Am looking forward to purchasing it when it’s released to disc here (Hopefully subbed.)

    As to folks thinking of the Yuri character as a “Haruhi clone” I can only wonder what the Suzumiya character is a “clone” of. After all, there have been other assertive, “socially impaired” leading ladies in anime before.

    My “take” on the series here:
    jaysteevee.blogspot.com/2010/10/not-haruhi-clone.html

    Jay Agan
    Reply

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