Anime Review on Anohana: Prepare Your Tissues!

Hey, readers. I just got my results. 3 Credits and 1 pass. Anyway, it has been a while since I had wrote about FA Girl, Busou Shoujo and RokuAka. Well, I also had a special post. Anyway, I will now present to you...after so many years (BTW, I watch this anime many years ago.)...It is time for...

Anohana!!!

Well, people prepare your tissue box. Seriously, I'm NOT joking here. We are going on a tear-filled adventure. Let's go!!!



WARNING:-

SPOILER ALERT!!! If you haven't watched it and plan to watch it without anyone being the spoiler, please DON'T CONTINUE READING!!!



P.S. If you want to be spoiled, well, go ahead and read it. You HAD been warned.

Introduction

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DVD cover...I guess?

The anime, Anohana: The Flower We Saw That Day or in Japanese, あの花 is an anime that has a FREAKING LONG NAME. Actually, the name I just showed you is the short form of the original name of Ano Hi Mita Hana no Namae o Bokutachi wa Mada Shiranai or in Japanese, あの日見た花の名前を僕達はまだ知らない。. The name literally translates as "We Still Don't Know the Name of The Flower We Saw That Day."

Another poster...maybe?

OK, let's get on with the technicalities. This anime is produced by A-1 Pictures and directed by Tatsuyuki Nagai. It was aired on Fuji TV's noitaminA block between April and June 2011. BTW, there is also a movie for it. The movie was launched back on August 31, 2013. Besides the film, there is a novel, manga, and even a visual novel (basically, it's just a game that focuses on stories but it's usually more of a dating simulation game).

The movie...not a screenshot BTW.

Plot

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Regarding the plot, the story starts with a serious hikikomori, Jinta all of a sudden is able to see Menma's ghost. Well, Menma (or the real name, Meiko Honma) is dead. Then, Jinta started to go on a mission to fulfil her wish in order for her to pass on into the afterlife.

The meeting...

At first, he only tries to help her minimally because he thinks he is hallucinating. But since Menma does not remember what her wish is, Jinta gathers his estranged friends together once again, believing that they are the key to resolving this problem. All of them reluctantly helping him to resolve this problem.

Jinta and Hisakawa only...

And then...things started to complicate. They cannot bring themselves to believe in Jinta. Well, most of them except Poppo (or Tetsudou Hisakawa). As the story progresses, every person of the group had not moved on from Menma's death. And yes, Menma's died of an accident that happened in the forest where their hideout is located. Each of them blamed themselves for Menma's death and rekindled their long-hidden feelings. After that, they started to truly help Menma to move on and help themselves to move on from the pain of the past.

The gathering...

There is quite a love triangle within the group, which complicates their relationships even in their childhood. You can see from the picture below.

The simple diagram of the relationship

OK, now the movie. It is the sequel to the anime, which is the story after they helped Menma and themselves to move on. The movie mostly talks about the planned meeting with each other and their reminiscing the past. Well, it gives us quite a lot of info and insight into their childhood. I gonna give the rating for both the movie and anime series.

Sweet moments...

Anime Rating

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Story (Rating: 10/10)

The story is good. The flow into the conclusion is beautiful and well-constructed. The movie? Good story flow. Both of them have quite a lot of emotional moments as well. Just beautiful. Regarded by most anime fans as legendary. I'm not joking.

That moment that finally moves them forward...

Art and Animation (Rating: 6/10)

Decent. Nothing much to say. Pretty standard one. The final episode is great though. Nothing very memorable on this though. For both the anime series and movie.

The 'fireworks'

Sound and Music (Rating: 8/10)

The BGM...sorry, I didn't really notice much. As for the opening song and ending song of the anime series, both are regarded highly within the anime community. Great work. Well, I liked the ending song of the anime more. As for the movie theme song, not a huge fan of it.

The ED album cover...

Characters (Rating: 10/10)

The characters had a decent background story, has grown in character and sometimes really light-hearted moments. Hard to describe. Well, it's more like I'm biased. Tehee!

Quite a moment, huh...

Enjoyment (Rating: 9/10)

I enjoyed it although it's heart-aching to watch it. Seriously, I cried. The anime is just...beautiful. Seriously, just watch it.

Oh...the tears...

OVERALL Rating: 8.6 (8.5)/10

Screenshots

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Anime

Flashback...

Anaru and her friends...

Jinta and Anaru...

That's a cute apron...

Oh..what a cute plush toy...

 Movie

The hide-and-seek game

Menma and Jinta childhood moments...

Little Menma...

The first gathering, I guess?

Hide-and-Seek again, huh...

Anime PV

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Conclusion

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Well, it looks like I back to having a short post title.  Anyway, it looks like this is the end of this post. (And, with me, copied and pasted the conclusion part onto this post with some edits, of course.) I've nothing more to say but to thank you for reading till here. So, God bless you and hope to have you again. Bye!

Menma's altar