Anohana / First Impressions

「花火」 (Hanabi)
“Fireworks”

And so the question evolves into, “for whom is it harder to accept the consequences of letting Menma move on? Jinta, or his friends?” The turmoil drove most of the episode, with each character still reprising their respective agendas, and led to some unexpected powerful scenes.

With regards to our two relatively underdeveloped characters, they did not get the limelight this episode, but had some small scenes that could explain quite about a bit. Poppo’s problem appears to be regret that all he could ever do was watch, which when revealed, felt so obvious that I should’ve seen it coming. After all in the flashbacks, he always seemed the most energetic, but also the most childish of the group. Tsuruko on the other hand, was much more bland, turning out to be simply another Anjou, except with a higher control over her emotions (she still resorted to cutting her hair after a rejection though, tch). Poppo definitely had more potential than simply one dialogue to express himself, and his incomplete question from the last episode wasn’t hinted about at all. A bit disappointed with this.

But at first, I was slightly disappointed at all the characters, because of how little each character had changed through the past 10 episodes. Tsuruko basically gave up, and all the psychotic hints dropped went nowhere. Anjou keeps switching between rooting for Menma and hating her, but inevitably resorts to crying to herself helplessly. Poppo, as said above, is severely underplayed. Yukiatsu is definitely one of the stronger characters, but returns to sniffing clothes as if nothing changed. Lastly, Jinta himself, dawdles around with a blind eye to everything but Menma, which holds back the entire cast from moving anywhere. But that’s just the thing. While some of these issues do seem unresolvable, the main effect of all the characters staying relatively the same place no matter what they seem to do is on purpose. I’m assuming it’s to give more of an impact for the final episode, where presumably, most of the changes will finally happen. After all, the miserable state the group would be left in if Menma were to disappear wouldn’t be so satisfying would it? (well to sadists, it may be) But really, this kind of storytelling is definitely not my style. I just don’t see how they can expect me to keep sympathizing with the characters when they act the same as they do for 10 episodes.

Despite most of the scenes merely demonstrating to us that the characters will never change, the suggested re-enactment by Yukiatsu was one hell of a scene. Another reason why Yukiatsu is one of the best characters. I’m glad that they properly explained questionable actions such as Poppo’s chanting, but while it was occuring, the air became extremely heavy. Heart beats were heard through my headphones, and they were none other than my own. To suggest a traumatic scene to be re-done was insane as I trembled with eyes wide open as the scene played out while time stood still. Very powerful scene to lead into the milestone of this story, Jinta’s confession. The rocket scene came second. Also very good though. Loved how Yukiatsu got all pissy again.

And there’s the kicker. Menma’s still there. The cool thing is, unlike before, there’s really no leads on this. The bad thing is, there’s really no leads on this. This could go anywhere. Not only do they have to resolve all the characters, they now have to do that along with revealing Menma’s actual wish and pulling it off. The new talk of reincarnation may have to do with the show’s title too. But man, did they really have to put it all on the last episode? Starting to get Gonzo vibes…

Anyway, I’m probably going to write one gargantuan post next week. Prepare your bodies.

 

Preview

113 Comments

  3. So you seem to not like how the characters are dealing with this situation, but I on the other hand could not disagree more. On one hand Menma drives the whole show, she is the reason for everything happened and their lives intertwining again but if you look at it from the viewpoint of each individual character that makes it a different show entirely.

    From their perspective they haven’t seen Menma and went by Jinta’s words and his ideas for letting her ‘move on’ and as time has went on each character has seen things in their own way.
    Jinta for example, he has confessed about Menma and how he obviously liked her way back in the beginning and he in general has gained his old friend Poppo back aswell as Anjou, but recently their relationship has been stale unfortunately. Jinta doesn’t want Menma to go on, he’s being selfish but that does not make it a bad point for the series in anyway,. just because the characters are forming realistic opinions and feeling within their situations. I think if anything that makes the series even more enjoyable than some other mind-numbing stuff airing right now.

    From each viewpoint what every character has done makes entire sense if you place how they feel now back to how they must have felt back in Episode 1, not much has changed but it’s more been about opening up and old can of worms and revealing your secrets, your selfish wants and the one you love. Unfortunately Menma is right in the middle of it and this is resulting in Tsuruko and Anjou getting shafted, but with Menma moving on next episode I hope to see a conclusion surrounding them.

    I loved this episode, every moment of it and I loved Tsuruko’s scenes in particular despite having no attachment to her character beforehand, I just hope that Anjou is at least happy in the finale since I think she deserves it. Also you could see before Menma left the house to go the Fireworks her hand was disappearing /becoming see-through so I think her wish is already fulfilled (Jinta’s confession/different result from that day) and she will gradually fade away next episode.

    Kurofaise
    Reply

      1. I honestly stopped sympathizing for Jintan a while back. I get that he was closest to Menma out of everyone (or rather, he liked her) and he’s become a hikikomori social recluse after her and his mom’s deaths. His “I’m not enough, huh?” was seriously off-putting, though. No, Jintan… Menma’s already said she wished she could talk to everyone else. This is why I think Yukiatsu can read Jintan like a book – Yukiatsu is just as selfish as him.

        Also, that all the guys seemingly had been/are in love with Menma is just too ridiculous for me. Again, I get that “the nice one” always gets the romantic attention when they’re children (since being nice to someone as a kid = omg I love you forever), but really, three girls and all of them pick the same one? Not only that, but neither of the two girls who have both grown up quite well are getting any interest from any of them? Oh, right… they’re all still into the same girl, even though she’s dead. Of the cast, I feel like Menma wasn’t really developed aside from “she was nice and fun!” As such, I can’t sympathize with her holding all the males’ attention for *that* long. Makes me want Anaru/Tsuruko to just hook up and forget all the rest, man.

        Unbelievability with the romance aside, I’ve really enjoyed the emotional roller-coaster and I’m looking forward to the ending. I’ll definitely miss this show.

        ren
        Reply

      2. I am certain I want Tsuruko/Anjou to happen. As ren was saying, having all the dudes (or at least the main ones) be entirely infatuated with Menma and never once think about the other girls is slightly absurd. I feel like having that unrequited love couple would be so much more interesting, as well. They’d go the whole show fighting to hold their own against Menma, fail, then realize their mutual situation and see that they are too hot for any of those dudes.

        However, it ain’t gonna happen. Sigh. Other than that, everyone else has been mildly predictable and kind of bland. Yukiatsu and Poppo for me are the most interesting. Animation is fabulous, though.

        illbeats
        Reply

  4. Jintan… I don’t know why people call him stupid. TRUTHFULLY, I would have done the same thing as he did. Of course I wouldn’t want to let Manma go, even if it was against the law of nature!

    Tsuruko is so nice! Why don’t people love her? I prefer her the most(Among all of Jintan and Menma’s friends!)

    YUKIATSU IS A JEALOUS JERK. (STRICTLY IMO) DX

    Anna
    Reply

    1. People don’t tend to like Jinta’s actions in regards to Menma because they mostly see it as counter-productive, and so do I. Really, though it is an anime, it’s a bit annoying having a main character who’s so backwards about everything. A huge theme in this anime is moving on and accepting change, and a lot of the time, the only one who doesn’t necessarily do that is Jinta.

      Character development is always nice, so seeing Jinta going out in the world and getting a job was a huge step in the right direction – but having him be infatuated with a girl (who’s been dead for a good couple of years)is like a slap right across the face when you consider a lot of what I’ve said before.

      Yeah, Tsuruko is the anthem for the normal girl. No over-the-top antics for her, and kudos to her for realizing the gist of the situation so quickly. On the other hand, Anjou is an emotional wreck. :/

      As for Yukiatsu, I like him and hate him at the same time. His brutal honesty with himself has earned him brownie points in my book, though it’s a strange kind of respect.

      tomphile
      Reply

  5. what about the hint about reincarnation? i’m really curious as to how it relates to menma and hintan’s mom’s wish. the talk about how menma wants to be reincarnated and the possibility that she could be reincarnated into a baby makes me think if any of the couples (or poppo if he finds someone) will name their daughter menma. maybe menma wanted to call everyone together without jintan was because she wanted to discuss the reincarnation of jintan’s mom with everyone else without his knowledge to surprise him somewhere down the road.

    of course i’m not holding my breath for some kind of prologue, they still need to animate the event of menma’s death. it’s gonna be tough to cram the past, present, and future into one episode. maybe they can get it done?

    RickyMack
    Reply

      2. Naw paid research for a prof, Thursday’s just have to be the day with the most anime I want to watch! Definitely good luck to you as well on your non blogging activities, you’re doing great on this end!

        RickyMack
        Reply

  7. Don’t worry Yukiatsu, I too sniff wigs of my love ones.
    And then you’ll start carrying locks of her hair in your pocket.
    And you’ll make your future wife dressed up looking like her.
    It’s okay, you’re not the only one.

    Ok back to the series. Tsuruko and Yukiatsu knows what Menma wants to talk about, that’s been the only REASON she’s still here. Man you two are DUMB if you couldn’t have figured that out since the beginning. Second and fourth best in the school? More like second dumbest and fourth dumbest. So in a way Yukiatsu himself doesn’t want to see Menma go.

    Reenactment of that day doesn’t trigger Poppo or Anjou’s memory of why they were called there in the first place??

    Poor Poppo, preview shows he’s resisting to punch Jin.

    ajt
    Reply

  10. No change in the characters over 10 episodes… I say it is a good thing. It is more realistic. The old adage “people don’t change” is actually very accurate. It takes a MASSIVE event in someones life to change who they are. Though, I suppose a dead girl showing up might be a big enough event… But, you could say they all changed from who they were before episode 1 to who they were after it.

    I felt the 10 episodes did a good job of explaining who each character is and why they have the motives they do, more than anything else.

    Like everyone else I am worried about the last episode. It sure has a lot of pressure on it. Depending on the outcome, this could easily rank very high on my list of series I’ve watched over the past 12 years. It could just as easily be forgotten.

    I predict one of three scenarios:

    1.) Menma’s wish will be granted, she will go to heaven/reincarnate, and everyone will go on about their lives affected in some way by the events.

    2.) Memory erase ending. (please, oh please don’t ruin this show with this cliche like they did to Madoka)

    3.) Open ending where nothing is resolved. This I fear more than anything else. Anime is notorious for open endings.

    Ricalloo
    Reply

    1. 1) .. and everyone lives will get back to their boring and routine ways of living.
      2) .. with their lives shortened for the very same time.
      3) But when one thing ends, another one begins …

      SpoilerMaker
      Reply

      3. because it would make everything that happened a much more of a waste than it already is(like the fireworks was a waste already).
        plus, as I said, its a cop out. so easy to just say that and pretend everything will work out fine.

        amado
        Reply

      4. if that turns out to be the ending everything we have just watched will be a huge waste indeed! plus, how is that even possible even for an anime? if Menma’s body that is alive and fully functioning is in a hospital somewhere on life support or something how can her parents NOT know that.

        Thyme
        Reply

      5. I don’t know why it feels it is a “waste” for you guys. I mean, you guys prefer that she disappears, gets reincarnated and then it happens to be by fate that they meet again? Endings like these rather doesn’t feel right to me. I mean what are the chances for such fate to happen? How come she will look like her previous life when she obviously got her current looks from her current mother. Not to speak that Memba won’t be the daughter of her mother anymore. Her age would be rather be too young to be with Jinta again.

        @Thyme
        As you can see, their base is on a upper-hill of a mountain. So, it might be possible that the river goes downhill to a different direction of their town. Also, children don’t carry photo ids with them unless they are going to a private school or something. So how the heck are hospital supposed to identify a child body? Even in real life, there are cases where concious people disappear until years later pop-out of nowhere.
        Also, Memba being a ghost is fiction enough. Why can’t her spirit be out of her body while being alive?

        banzemanga
        Reply

      6. the problem is that its an easy escape to the problem at hand.
        sometimes a bittersweet ending works better, especially in drama.

        bringing back menma is not gonna solve their own problems. the premise of a drama is going with tough problems and surviving through it and becoming a better person thanks to it.
        thats why Kiiragi isnt quite impressed with this show.

        amado
        Reply

      7. bringing menma might work out, if the characters had developed and changed throughout the series. as Kiiragi noted, they havent.
        heck, bringing her alive will bring even more problems. menma’s presence will halt every one from changing. they wont grow out or improve their feelings for each other(their crushes).
        anaru, yukiatsu and tsuruko would have more problems now since with menma around, they cant easily change their feelings and will be even more painful for them.

        basically, menma gone let the others start to reveal their true feelings. the only ones who will be happy would be jinta and menma and possibly popo.

        amado
        Reply

      8. @amado
        Thanks for your detailed reply. Now i understand why it feels like a “waste” for you guys.

        The tragic death of Memma caused the characters inside the anime to be stuck on their pasts. And Memma coming back as a spirit was supposed to help them to move on. If Memma comes back, it will complicate things instead. Memma efforts to have them move on will become a “waste”.

        Everyone wants Memma to disappear because once she does; she won’t come back. They can’t revive the dead. So the only choice is to accept that fact and move on. Interestingly, that is also the same feelings for the characters inside the anime too; except for Jinta.

        Now, let’s me explain to you why such reasoning doesn’t feel right to me. Let’s assume Memma never came back, what is most likely happened is: Jinta becomes a hikikomori for the rest of his entire life. Yukiatsu becomes famous and successful guy but with a creepy heart and hobbies. Tsuruko becomes a woman with a successful career but also with an empty heart. Anjou becomes a prostitute and drug addict due to who she was hanging out with. Popo becomes a freelancer living his life normally.

        It is pretty bad for everyone except Popo. He was the only one who was able to accept the past and move on. Him not being able to do anything before explains why he was so desperate to do something now that he has the chance.

        Anyway, let’s now assume the ending you guys want. Memma came back, disappeared and helped everyone to move on. Now, why the heck everyone has to have Memma to come back; just so that they can shift a “blame” of them being stuck in the past to her death? It was bad enough for her to die in the first place. If you are a good person, you should be doing the right things regardless of the cause. Of course, reality is not beautiful so it is easier to shift the “blame” to someone else.

        And since this is a “slice-of-life” kind of anime, it is meant to teach us something about the ugliness of reality. However, why not take things even further? Let’s assume she is alive. Now you have to deal with her existence. Things have become complicated. Isn’t that how reality is too? Things get worse and you have to cope with them. Isn’t that a lesson to learn from too?

        Last but not least, I want to mention a quick thought. Let’s assume that Memma died and reincarnation exists. Spirits are not supposed to be bound on Earth but move of to the after-life immediately. If they still have some business on Earth they are supposed to finish it right away and reincarnate. It would be rather not be possible for her to have stayed on Earth all these years but she have no recollection of being an Earth bound spirit or pop-out of nowhere after so many years. It makes more sense that she regained consciousness in a spiritual while her body is in comma.

        banzemanga
        Reply

      9. Another option is to leave it all “as is”. There is no reason to make a tragedy out of it. Why not just enjoy the moment ? You are too much crazy about “moving on”. Their lives still would continue without moving on. And it is very unlikely that their lives would “move on” to a brighter side. The brighter side is when they are capable to enjoy what they still have.

        SpoilerMaker
        Reply

      10. I think your a bit mistaken.
        we are not saying that menma shouldnt have come back. the point of the story is that after menma’s death, the characters changed for the worse. menma’s spirit then showed itself after several years creates a stir up that can potentially make things for the better for each of them.

        true, the twist that menma is really alive can work out great.
        but, as an ending, its pretty anti-climatic. too many loose ends arent tied up plus additional problems arise.
        menma’s spirit presence made them start to remember the past and start the gears going again without creating too much problems since they didnt really believe that she was back. as someone said in the series itself(jinta I think), menma’s death halted their time.

        it would be a diff story if it was already revealed early on, or even at 1st ep, that menma is still alive and returned to the town. it could set the things in motion for the characters to start to open up. ironically, it would more likely put their own developments more frozen.
        the other ways it could go is that it will force the other characters to face and try to claim their loved ones but imo it wouldnt be entertaining.

        thats the reason why it was menma’s ghost that appeared and only to jinta.

        amado
        Reply

      11. I’m just saying they could put up with the existence of Menma as a ghost and still live their everyday lives without making any tragedy about it. That would make their lives way less boring. They don’t have that many problems in their lives to complain about it.

        SpoilerMaker
        Reply

      12. Speaking of the position of the most people here, it looks like they are in a hurry to pave their way to the graveyard (if you understand what i meant).
        And actually the characters can just accept the way the things are and at least enjoy the wonderful (even exceptional) moments they are lucky to experience.

        SpoilerMaker
        Reply

      13. actually this was directed at banzemanga.

        well I dont actually have much of a problem with your idea spoilermaker. id prefer menma passing to heaven but yours works.
        it just depends if they execute it finely.

        amado
        Reply

      14. I agree that having Memma come back alive as an ending is indeed rather anti-climatic and leaves a lots of loose corners. The ending of Kanon and .Hack series did give the feeling that something was missing.

        However, I just can’t picture a nicely tided-up ending with Memma disappearing and reincarnating neither. Usually endings like that end up being so open that it gives a feeling of “this is not the end but a new beginning”. It is like telling the audience to fill in what they want to happen from this point on.

        banzemanga
        Reply

    3. I agree with you. I feel that the series have been narrated properly. Probably people are complaining because it got us thinking on the various possibilities; and yet the series chooses the most obvious and least surprising routes.

      banzemanga
      Reply

  11. It’s easy. Tsuruko said this episode, that Menma called them over that day because she wanted to do something for Jintan. This was mentioned in another episode before.
    This something is what she couldn’t do, this is why she is still there and this is why only Jintan can see her. That is fulfilled, she will leave.

    virox
    Reply

    1. Bingo! She’s still here because she wanted to to something for Jintan. My guess is that it relates to his mom. The other curious thing is how Menma keeps looking at the palms of her hands. That must have something to do with it. She also prays to Jintan’s mom and mentioned that she’ll join her (I assume who she meant by Oba-san (aunt)). The firework was just a red herring. It can’t end happily at this point. The best that can happen is a bitter-sweet ending.

      bear
      Reply

  12. The current possibilities are:
    1) Jintan created an illusion of Memba this time because he can’t cope with her disappearing.
    2) Memba’s wish is something else related to the mysterious calls they kept in secret from Jintan. But i think this is somehow unlikely; otherwise the people other than Jintan would have known that the fireworks would have been useless. And they should have not been surprised that Memba was still there.
    3) Memba is still alive. The scene after Jinta confeses his feelings about Memba to everyone where he is walking alone with Memba; Memba says “Memba, if normally have been alive and grown up like this; would Memba have become Jintan’s wife? I wonder.” Somehow strengtens the idea that she might be alive and grown up (while her body is being hospitalized somewhere else). But of course, it can also be used for the opposite meaning as well.
    I just remembered another anime that used the out of body spirit experience where the body is being hospitalized and no one knows: .Hack series.

    banzemanga
    Reply

  13. it was pretty obvious that menma wouldnt disappear at this episode.

    my bet is that menma will be reincarnated into a flower(as indicated by OP song) and some other stuff people said.

    im going more uncertain with yukiatsu. I want to believe he really wants to help out anaru but most evidence points out she’s just there as backup, which is already proven but what I meant was that he doesnt really care for anaru. I hope he is sincere about it even with just seeing her as 2nd.

    amado
    Reply

  16. These last episode’s have been on the slow side. Plus like Kii said the characters have been stuck in place emotionally. At least it feels like the balls moving again. Im more into the other love triangle rather then the main one and why everytime I start to think Yukiatsu is cool he weirds me out by smelling the wig. You got to stop that man. P.S loved when Tsuruko told them girls he is a X-DRESSER

    infinite
    Reply

  18. I have so many speculations swirling around in my head as to what happened on the day Menma died and how each character plays their part in her death. But some of them are a bit too farfetched to even tell. One thing that has to be true is that none of the characters were there when Menma died at the river. First off, I believe someone would’ve said something already-hinted at it more.

    the animation at the end of the episode was gorgeous btw

    Thyme
    Reply

    1. Agree, the animation was splendid, particularly for Menma’s reaction to still being there (at least for me. She was so cute too). And I’ve never been one to really care for animation quality since most of the time I wouldn’t care enough to notice.

      Saya
      Reply

  19. I hope the finale turns out well if it is the last episode. This has been a great series. There seems to be alot of ground to cover in the finale so…

    I’m wondering if the series won’t end next week and go on for a 2nd season in the fall or next winter?

    Karmafan
    Reply

  20. My favorite character is still Anaru~ When she finally let it all out, i felt so bad. I hope in the end that she and Tsuruko are still friends. The launching of the fireworks was so dramatic. The music was PERFECT. This anime has an amazing opening and ending that i don’t skip it at all. But it didn’t really surprise me that this isn’t her wish. Flower foreshadowing? Either way, this is going in my top anime (along with Hanasaku iroha in this season, with code geass, phantom, angel beats, clannad)

    Evident
    Reply

  21. Saw the “Tsuruko loves Yukiatsu” bit coming. Was hoping it would’ve gotten at least a bit more depth, possibly in the form of a flashback. Really sad that the character I’m most interested in didn’t get much background. Probably could’ve devoted like 5 minutes of one of Anaru’s bits to doing so. =/

    Also quite worried about how the finale will go. I’m hoping they don’t throw in so much material to the point where it’ll be like Fractale’s finale, but at the same time, there’s still many things that haven’t been covered yet. This series really needed 12 or 13 episode, though this notion might change depending on next week’s episode.

    P.S. Short haired teenage Tsuruko ftl. Was cute when she was younger with the small side-tail. Just looks like a tomboy now.

    Soiyeruda
    Reply

      1. Guess I was replying as if Kiiragi thought there was a different possibility, but then I looked at his impressions for Ep. 9 and just remembered what “Yandere” meant. 😡

        Mostly though, was just trying to convey the disappointment in her scene, especially with the subtle build ups towards her over the past 9 episodes. (Page flip in ep. 5, Contempt at Anjou, etc.)

        Was all of it really just to make fully known her unrequited love for Yukiatsu? (which as implied as it was throughout the series, was still sorta vague, and wasn’t fully made clear till maybe episode 9) Just feels anti-climatic.

        Soiyeruda
        Reply

  24. Great episode and I must say I really enjoy Tsuruko’s character no matter how underdeveloped it is. With the new haircut, I take it that Tsuruko has decided to move on from Yukiatsu (that freak doesn’t deserve her anyway) and note that she’s the first one to do that

    I get that its always difficult to move on from your first crush but I just don’t see why the gang has stayed “loyal” for such an extended period. Tsuruko’s case is slightly different since she remained close to Yukiatsu over the years but I just don’t get Jintan, Yukiatsu and Anjou. How can they not moved on already? They need to realized that puppy love is overrated

    Seishun Otoko
    Reply

  25. This show is too awesome with every twist and turn ,but i was thing when i was watching this series what if this whole was a dream mennma had or what if maybe mennma wasn’t the one who died that day what if it was jinta that died that would be a good twist or at least a good alt. ending ep. but what for sure there are two secret i wanna know what did menna want every one together with out jinta for and also write can menna only write in her diary

    CinGen
    Reply

  28. Why the hell did he have to sniff the wig? It’s much scarier than sniffing clothes, I don’t know why. But this time he doesn’t really come across as a psycho, just pathetic. In a very intriguing way.
    I’m on verge of hating Jinta too, but then I realize if I were him I would probably feel the same too. Their confession for each other was sweet yet bitter. Menma who always seems so childish turns out to be more mature than him (although it’s backed up by a seemingly futile hope).
    I think they still have 2 leads. The first being why Menma called them several years ago. The 2nd might be related to the reincarnation thing, especially when Menma said “Before that…”
    waiting for the hopefully EPIC finale. I hope it will be tear jerking 😀

    KGFJ
    Reply

    1. That would suck if she gets reincarnated as a flower. That would last a few weeks to a month at best. I would rather she goes to Heaven and we dont find out what she was reincarnated as then its a flower.

      Karmafan
      Reply

      1. Agreed, it would suck. I think the title is meant to be metaphorical anyway. Taking it so literally it loses that poetic romantic something something feel to it. Maybe she’ll be reincarnated as a baby and Jintan can be a creepy lolicon. I’m only half kidding since I’ve seen something of the sort done before…

        Its so depressing for Menma to disappear. Its like I want her to go for the sake of the story, but I also don’t want her to go for the sake of the chracters (mainly Jinta).

        Saya
        Reply

      2. I don’t want her to go because I like her bubbly cute character. But she needs to move on for the sake of the other kids. Jintan needs to wake up and snag Anjou before someone else does and Yukiatsu needs to wake up and put Menma behind him and realize that there is a certain short black haired girl that loves him as well.

        Karmafan
        Reply

  31. honestly, when the ending came and menma was still there, all i could think of was “in your face, yukiatsu-teme!”. just when i thought yukiatsu’s character was going up, he pulls all that jealous hypocrite stuff all over again :/

    i still wonder what everyone saw in menma though x__x; i mean, how long was she dead again? it’s also getting hard to sympathize with jintan. i get it he lost his mother and the girl he ‘loves’, but menma herself said she wanted to go to heaven to be reincarnated and really, he should accept her wish and the fact that she’s already dead and move on with his life. heck, he should be happy that he was given the chance to see menma again and actually say he loves her during that re-enactment, since wasn’t that his original hang-up? *sigh* maybe i just don’t understand how social recluses think x__x then again, he only had a night and a day to mull things over…

    on another note, am i the only one that feels disappointed that tsuruko admitted to being in love with yukiatsu, as pretty much everyone guessed the first time it was hinted? i was actually hoping they’d put some other twist to it instead of going down that predictable path.

    dalman
    Reply

  32. Yukiatsu…always a creeper. Oh well.

    Man if AnoHana manages to pull all those little hints together to end on a good note…
    I kinda of have high expectations for it BECAUSE its only 11 episodes where hopefully they’ve tied everything together so that there wasn’t any need for any more.

    Other than the obvious things, I also wander if they’re ever going to tell Menma’s family particularly her brother about her being there…since you know how they blurted out her name and stuff in front of him…Though I assume they’ll just blow it off.

    Damn I have to go on a trip next week, hopefully gg/utw sub this fast enough for me to download it in time. Who cares if I cry on public transport? ;A; TISSUES AT THE READY!!!

    Saya
    Reply

  34. Regarding how EVERYONE is so in love/obsessed with Menma, I’m pretty sure in all of our (childhood) lives, there was always that one sweet girl that everyone was friends with, admired, loved, and adored. Cuz there was exactly that kind of girl in my 2nd grade class. Ultra popular but ultra humble. She was the sweetest and nicest thing ever, but I hated and envied her. Even though we were friends. When she broke her leg, I was happy. lol. I was just as twisted as these anime characters.

    It all just comes down to attention imo. Everyone wants attention. Especially kids. Its in our nature to be wanted, to be looked at. When someone takes it away from us, we react to it.

    Menma (and Jinta) was the source of attention. Jinta had Menma’s attention, which resulted in Yukiatsu despising Jinta. Anaru then envies Menma because Menma had Jinta’s attention. Tsuruko also envies Menma because Yukiatsu only had eyes for Menma. And then Poppo was always at the sidelines. Its this imbalance of attention giving.

    Lilian
    Reply

  36. Ano Hana is a lovely series. Easily among the loveliest I’ve seen. It feels as if it’s been created with much tenderness and care.

    I appreciate that there hasn’t been any sitcom-style character development. I’ll be a bit disappointed if Menma’s mom suddenly accepts the other kids or if everybody with unrequited feelings suddenly gains new outlooks on their futures and can casually walk away from what has become years of emotional investments. What I do hope to see is new resolutions to move in better directions even if hurt and disappointment still lingers. The pain of losing someone to death never goes away and we all fill the holes left behind with our most precious and extreme feelings. What the characters in this series need is a way to start learning how to live with what happened, not major changes. Or, at least, that’s my opinion. I’m not trying to say a differing view is wrong, just sharing a different viewpoint in that the series has value in how it has operated more like messy, unresolved real life as opposed to a tight plot. At not point while watching did I feel it was lazy, sloppy, or poorly plotted/written. Again, just an opinion.

    If I remember correctly, Jintan ran out on his mom as she prepared to die and, at this point, I’m assuming he never went back. Menma did and the conversation she had with his mom seems to be the reason Menma wanted to do something for Jintan. Did Menma want the group to do something to see his mom off to heaven so she can be properly reincarnated? Fireworks, maybe? I’m guessing that whatever Jintan’s mom asked of or told to Menma is what she wanted when Menma asked them all to meet that day. It seems that it is connected to whatever Menma’s ghostly wish is. Clearly there is a connection; how many times have we seen Menma paying respects at his mom’s shrine? Maybe Menma feels a need to help Jintan get over his Mom and his witnessing of her going to heaven might help him realize his mom experienced that, too. And that it’s not bad.

    On another topic, I think it’s become clear Poppo saw Menma’s death. From what was said, it seems he ran off after her (or possibly her and Jintan, his exact motives are still unclear: naive, optimistic boy wanting to heal the group rifts, chasing a crush, or wanting to hit Jintan for what he said? or all?.
    Possibly 2 things happened: he saw her accident but was unable to prevent it, thus has been carrying a terrible memory as he could only watch Menma die and/or he startled her and accidently triggered her fall which, again, he witnessed and has had to carry a secret guilt. It would help explain why his behavior towards Menma has been quite different from the others and possibly also why he’s the only one who really went out into the world and appears to have changed in those years. He saw the truth so hasn’t had the mystery of what happened hanging over him, plus he might have seen how easily death can come even to the young. If he has dwelled on what happened, he hasn’t let it stop his personal development, it may have driven him as the others got stuck in confusion and wondering.

    I’m unconvinced he felt romantically towards Menma as kids; considering the type of boy he was I imagine he would have been thrilled to have the attention of any of the girls. I suspect the seeming emergence of his feelings for Menma is complicated: youthful affection which grows distorted by grief and imagination. But the way he chanted at Jintan here seems to be the beginning of Poppo’s anger for what Jintan said about Menma surfacing. That’s not necessarily proof of youthful romantic feelings for one girl; it could be a loyal, idealistic boy’s idea of how girls (in general) should be treated, particularly by someone as admired as Jintan.

    Junk
    Reply

  38. “I just don’t see how they can expect me to keep sympathizing with the characters”

    Maybe they’re not expecting sympathy from the viewers, but exact same feeling that you’re experiencing right now. I mean, in real life trauma and feelings like that are not easy to surpass. Just look at Evangelion. People tend to think that the characters from this series are weak morons, but they’re the perfect example of some psychological pathologies (you can even name them, I just don’t remember it right now).

    I actually like this kind of sad plot with extremely depressed characters. And wouldn’t mind to see a bad ending for this show because, as you said, we (viewers) have no sympathy towards them. LOL.

    André
    Reply

  39. Menma probably wanted to tell Jintan about what his mother said – that people are re-incarnated when they die. Maybe she wanted the group to find a large field of flowers of “forgt-me-not”s, show it to Jintan and say: “Your mom is there – re-incarnated as a baby flower, she told me she would!”. Than Jintan will finally be able to accept his mother’s death (and possible re-incarnation), and Menma’s wish to help Jintab will be fulfilled.

    lucci
    Reply

  40. I think that my old prediction of the ending relating to Menma’s reincarnation talk with Jintan’s mum might be true. She prolly called the meeting to cheer Jintan up with her mother’s words of advice but ultimately wasn’t able to. That explains the talk she had with his mum this episode.

    Though, I’m not sure where the flower or the group bit comes into play if this is true. Or how that would liberate the whole group of their troubles. But that’s the only clue we have at this point.

    Bass
    Reply

  44. I’l place a bet for the ending….Menma moves on and is reincarnated as Jintan and Anaru’s child. Or she comes back to like as a butterfly or some shit and watches over her friends. Because if she comes back to life well, that just fucks up all the relationships. Imagine what a mind fuck it would be to her family and the government? lol

    MMBinNC
    Reply

  45. <>……personally i’ve grown bored of this shows story….SOOOOOOO anyway DOUJINS, yes my Perverted friends DOUJINS! I have one question regarding DOUJINS.. Is there a rule in the manga/anime production community in japan regarding DOUJINS?? what i mean is, are some projects not to be touched? like certain characters are never to be subjected to..lets just say for example a GB scene that features DP and psychotropic drug use?? for instance ,I’ve come across the “love hotel face” version with Anjou & friends, and this was expected. BUT WHY is there a scarcity of say a show like Kimi Ni Todoke?? and when u do find one it really doesn’t go any where… do said characters have statute of limitations placed on them??? sadakos friend, she seems like a ganguro dirty girl with a heart of gold, where is her DOUJIN? Hmmmmmm? I mean if you can “Taint” Bell dandy, who’s to say what u can or cant do?

    BROOKLYN otaku
    Reply

    1. probably depends more on the character designs and their personality. popularity plays a good part but not really that important.
      lets just say that an anime with girls who have big boobs have would higher chances than a famous anime.

      amado
      Reply

  46. It seems Menma is about to disappear anyway, regardless of the fireworks scene. It’s just that the fireworks is NOT the trigger to sending her off.

    https://randomc.net/image/Anohana/Anohana%20-%2010%20-%20Large%2020.jpg
    She saw her own hand growing transparent, after all, and said to Jintan’s mom (wherever she is) “Just a little longer.”

    I shall be looking forward to seeing how Okada Mari wraps all this up next week.

    PS Yukiatsu’s creep meter bounced back to stratospheric levels again. lol

    Kinny Riddle
    Reply

    1. She’d better disappear. This anime would feel really incomplete to me if she’s still alive by the end of it. /: Anyway, I almost forgot this was scripted by Mari Okada, and now I wonder if the fact that this is finishing next week, and Gosick a week after, will lead to a vast improvement in the quality of Hanasaku Iroha story-wise, since Mari will be able to focus fully on it once the other two are done with.

      Smuglord
      Reply

  48. Going off-topic a bit:

    The OP single Aoi Shiori by Galileo Galilei is out. The full version is pleasantly much better than the short version we’re used to hearing every week, I recommend everyone to go get it.

    Kinny Riddle
    Reply

  49. I TOTALLY agree with kiriagi. I mean come on, none of them actually getting over menma. I was hoping toward the end that yadomi will shout out all his feeling and then said that he’ll moved on with domino effect all of them do the same.

    Leaving last episode to elaborate all their after life [ jinta X anaru , yukiatsu X tsuruko , Poppo X ?? ] .

    Geez, i kinda unable to get my hope up for the last episode cause the possibility of them having a lame ending is high. cross finger for at least jinta X anaru

    lkaze
    Reply

  51. the main reason why menma didn’t disappear cause she promised Jinta’s mom she’s stay with Jinta forever, that explains everything, why she appeared in summer? Her time will come to be reincarnated since the promise still lives on she choose to be with Jinta until she is reincarnated. The baby will be delivered soon and she needs to go that baby before it would be borned.

    Reincarnation seems important part of this anime that would explain everything

    Scenario 1
    after 16 years, Jinta (31 years old) and Menma 2.0 (16 years old) finally get together to become a couple.

    Scenario 2
    after 10 years, Jinta and Anaru’s son gaze on Menma 2.0, Menma is a transfer student.

    QB
    Reply

    1. dude I say at least make them a bit older in 1st scenario.
      make jinta 35 and menma 20. a 31 year old with a 16 is pretty awkward especially since the 16 is still in school.

      amado
      Reply

  52. Menma is cute!

    However its obvious what will happen. Menma will be reincarnated as Hirasawa Yui and go on to join a light music club while Jinta gets off his ass and becomes a university teacher in a all girls school

    Zaku Fan
    Reply

  53. As I expected the fireworks were really just a red herring. As the flashbacks of Jin-tan’s mother become more prominent as well as Menma’s request to her friends to do something for Jin-tan, it should be interesting what the show has in store for the audience.

    Also, it’s not really that the characters haven’t changed in the 10 episodes; it is just that it shows just how deep-rooted the trauma has become for them. I mean, they were kids when one of their dearest friends died. They weren’t emotionally mature enough to deal with it, so the trauma wormed its way into each of their psyches and slowly festered over the years. For better or worse, the experience has affected them in ways that they probably don’t realize themselves, maybe even permanently. Still, the characters seem to be gradually trying to move on, but there is still a lot for them to come to get over. The series so far has just shown that the characters have taken only the first few steps on the road to acceptance but also indicates that they are nowhere near the finish line, at least to this point. I eagerly anticipate the finale and see how it all ends.

    argus88
    Reply

  55. I’ve been wondering for a while now, why Yukiatsu has a cup with a Swedish flag….

    Anyway, totally unrelated, but just wondering out of curiosity, is there gonna be a Summer season preview? Just wondering. 🙂

    teri
    Reply

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