Ano Hi Mita Hana no Namae wo Bokutachi wa Mada Shiranai.

Dealing with the death of a friend or loved one isn't easy, no matter how old you are, and everyone comes to terms with their loss in different ways. Adults can drink themselves into a stupor in an effort to dull the pain, take off on a journey of self discovery, bury themselves in their work, or find some other coping mechanism. Unfortunately the same isn't true for children, and all too often they are unable to truly deal with the emotional turmoil that occurs.

Now it may seem a bit odd to talk about death, grief, and learning to deal with the loss of someone ... close, but essentially that's what Ano Hi Mita Hana no Namae wo Bokutachi wa Mada Shiranai (We Still Don't Know the Name of the Flower We Saw That Day), is all about.

The story opens with Yadomi Jinta, a seemingly grumpy teenager who is playing a game in his room on a hot summer's day whilst his childhood friend Honma Meiko (Menma), pesters him repeatedly. Having had enough of the game, Jinta decides to make lunch, but only for himself and his father which annoys Menma no end as she also wants to eat the ramen he has made.

It all seems like a fairly normal, everyday scene that one might see in anime, but not everything is as it seems ...

On the surface AnoHana looks like a fairly straightforward tale of teenagers learning to deal with a past trauma and maturing in the process, and for the most part that's a fairly accurate perception. The plot is well constructed and takes a measured, almost methodical approach to events which is reflected in the often placid tone of the narrative. Unfortunately this leads to a degree of predictability as certain events in the storyline are clearly foreshadowed, and while the series promotes a degree of empathy for the characters and their situation, there may be occasions where viewers want the story to get to the point.

One surprising aspect is the manner in which flashbacks are used to punctuate specific occurrences or emotions, whilst adding historical context to the relationship between Jinta, Menma, and the rest of the "Super Peace Busters". These sojourns into memory act as a nice counterpoint to the current state of relations between the characters, and highlight just how much has changed for each of them over the last ten years.

This contrast is also reflected in the visuals, and while there is a marked difference in the appearance of almost all of the Super Peace Busters, it's actually the subtle contextual setting that makes the change much more pronounced. The key thing to remember is that people often romanticise personal history and memories, especially if one has undergone some kind of trauma, and AnoHana plays on this by sharpening the focus and darkening the tones on the present day, which contrasts with the soft focus flashbacks that are often filled with "light".

The design itself is well handled, but while efforts have been made to really highlight the changes ten years can make to a child's physical growth, it's the character animation that stands out. A-1 Pictures have tried to visualize the movement differences between a child and an adolescent, and while there are a few niggles here and there, the overall effect promotes the sense that the characters are no longer the children they once were.

Because AnoHana is a character driven piece there is a heavy emphasis placed on the dialogue, and while the majority of the script is actually pretty intuitive, the manner of speech during the flashback scenes can sometimes seem a bit odd. Thankfully the series has some very talented seiyuu on hand, and it's interesting to note that some of the roles feature two different voice actors - one for the present day and one for the past. Each role is given due care and attention, so it's unfortunate that even with so much talent on hand, there are a few issues from time to time as the seiyuu handling the child roles are all adults. Now while this may be standard practice in the industry, studios like Ghibli have proven time and again that children are much more capable of playing the younger roles than the majority of adults, and while the relatively minor flaws in the dialogue do stand out, one has to wonder how different the series could have been if child actors had been used.

AnoHana features a number of slow pieces of background music performed on piano or guitar that reflect the measured plot and add a slightly bittersweet air to the storyline. The opening theme, Aoi Shiori by Galileo Galilei, features a sequence that shows the characters in their past and present forms and hints at the the reason for their emotional difficulties. The ending sequence features a montage of the three girls of the Super Peace Busters, Menma, Anjou Naruko (Anaru), and Tsurumi Chiriko (Tsuruko), and is set to Secret Base ~Kimi ga Kureta Mono~ (10 years after Version), which is a cover of the 2001 single by Zone and is performed by Kayano Ai, Tomatsu Haruka and Hayami Saori, the seiyuu who play the roles of Menma, Anaru and Tsuruko.

Now given the nature of the series and the near constant focus on the characters, certain viewers may assume that AnoHana should feature almost continuous development, so it may come as a surprise to some people that the show takes more of a "stop-start" approach. Because of the attempt to apply a degree of realism to the characters and the emphasis on depicting them as plausible, any attempts at continuous development would seem overly contrived.

Balancing that though, is some rather strong characterisation. One of the key things to remember about each person in the story is that they have experienced a specific defining moment in their lives, and that allows the characters to be depicted as individuals from the start. The strength of the characterisation is even more palpable if one compares the present versions of the Super Peace Busters with their past selves from the flashbacks. That said, there are occasions where the story has difficulty finding a resolution to a given situation so it can sometimes seem as though events are being dragged on in a effort to develop the characters.

AnoHana is a surprisingly simple, yet slightly over sentimental, look at the coping mechanisms of children and adolescents when coming to terms with a past trauma, and in that respect it's one of the more surprising titles of the last few years. The series errs more on the side of soap opera than outright drama from time to time, but like many of the other relatively minor flaws, this can be forgiven in light of the fact that the subject matter is well managed and delivered. In truth, the closest neighbour to AnoHana would probably be Tokyo Magnitude 8.0 as that also highlights the difficulty children have in dealing with the sudden loss of a loved one.

It's difficult to say whether I actually enjoyed the series or not. On the one hand it has some genuinely entertaining moments, but on the other the series deals with an issue that has little enjoyment value (unless watching kids coming to terms with emotional scars is your thing), and even though AnoHana isn't a story without flaws, that doesn't mean it's bad. In fact, the reverse is true as while the series does take a slightly romanticised look at the characters and events, the constant element of realism that runs through the narrative sets this anime apart from many others.

If nothing else, AnoHana is a great example of how good a completely original anime can be.

"Oh no, here come the tears!"
Anohana was a fantastic, emotional story of loss that struck all the right heart chords. Anyone who has abruptly lost someone premature in their lives can relate to this series. What it does, it does very good in fact... And I really started empathizing with the characters like I knew exactly what tragedy they had gone through. All of the characters and their motives were believable, and it made for one enjoyable experience.

Although Anohana only had 11 episodes to get it's point across, I had no problem understanding any part of the plot. Six kids, inseparable ... it seemed were devastated when one of them was tragically killed in an accident. Now they all gather back several years later to attempt to send off the memory of one of their best friends by granting an eternal wish. The exact details of Menma's death were never explained, but it was unneeded. The writers did an incredible job of making that information irrelevant. The subject was so sad to even talk about, the characters all got fragile when they started talking about it.

I can't help but think the writer had some personal tie to a similar situation like had transpired in the series. It seemed so gripping and personal to me. Especially near the end, none of the characters wanted to let go of the memory they had of Menma, and often had trouble coming to terms with their own personal guilt. I'll just say it takes a lot to make me cry, but at the end as the closing theme played, I lost it. Incredible, original and emotional storyline.

Like I previously stated, all of the characters in Anohana were believable... and it made the show that much better. The main, Jintan struggled constantly between wanting to move on and wanting Menmas memory and love to stay with him forever. He is obviously stricken by what had happened that day, and leads a very closed off life because of it. However, Jintan opens up more and more as the show continues. I love the growth he had even through such a short amount of time.

Poppo reminds me a lot of myself. He handles grief by putting on a "everything is ok" façade, which the others mistake for him just being a goofy individual. Deep down is more than likely a sad grieving man desperate to make amends with his regret from that day. Yukiatsu kind of rubbed me the wrong way, but his character was still strong and understandably jealous of Jintan. The only strange thing I thought about the characters were how they all filled in a strange love triangle of sorts. I felt it was unnecessary to write in love interests of 10 year olds... And after years later their feelings were all still so strong. A bit odd.

The animation was very good in this series, but nothing buzzworthy. I thought it was a little strange how they made Menma age, but still not quite as much as everyone else. I'm not sure what the artists were going for here. The opening was also alright, but didn't feel as as fitting as the ending song (which I felt was very good). Especially how it was incorporated into some of the episode's conclusions.

I think it's safe to say that after all of the action animes I've seen recently, it was really nice to see Anohana. Even with as blubbery as I was at the end, I felt it showcased the feeling of loss and grief to the best extent possible. I would recommend this anime to just about anyone, especially those who enjoy heart-felt stories. Loved it!

Ano Hana follows the flashbacks of six teenagers. Well, to be exact, five of them.

Honma Meiko (Menma), Yadomi Jinta's childhood friend returns after many summers. Jinta, annoyed by her childish attitude, tries to ignore her with everything he's got. But Menma is so persisting, Jinta can't overlook her anymore.

Jinta, who has been an all energetic boy from his childhood now finds himself to be a lethargic teen, uninterested and unmotivated to absolutely everything, ignores people around him and a complete shut-in. As he merged himself to video games over the years, his grades dropped and couldn't even make it to a reputed high school.

Anjo ... Naruko (Anaru), one of the six childhood friends has grown interest in make ups and dresses, like most of the teenage girls of her age. But she has become more distant and snaps pretty easily. She is not the all shy "Anaru" Jinta and Menma used to know anymore.

Matsuyuki Atsumu (Yukiatsu) and Tsurumi Chiriko (Tsuruko) are different. They are now students of a very good high school. Both got themselves absorbed in school and are taking life more seriously as anyone should. But in the process, they have become distant too.

Hisakawa Tetsudo (Poppo), who was the smallest of the childhood friends, is a big guy now. He has grown interest in 'erotic' stuff, well, any teen of his age should be interested in stuff like that.

With everyone drifting apart from each other over the years, Menma is left with shock as she met her childhood friends after so many years. She thought everyone would remain the way they were during those colourful summer days. And now, she insists that everyone should get along just like before. A wish she has unfulfilled and wants Jinta to grant it for her. Just that, she has no idea that her childhood friends have all drifted apart because of none other than herself, ever since that day in a summer she left them. For all eternity.

Despite being in its very first episode of an 'Anime-Original' story, Ano Hana caught me off guard as I wasn't expecting such a sad story to unfold.

As the name translates, "We still don't know the name of the flower we saw that day," it is understandable after the first episode that the "We" is the five of them and the "flower" is Menma, their childhood friend who was the slowest of the lot, but was an inseparable member that kept them together. Only after she was gone, they realized it as their bond fell apart.

At the beginning, I was kinda annoyed the way they started the anime thinking it will be yet another loli-chara anime. But it all made sense after I realized she is an existence made by Jinta's imagination, the Menma who died so young, that everything she does is nothing more than the shards of memories Jinta has. She might have a physical appearance of a teenager, but everything about her remains exactly of the Menma Jinta got to know, making her the only one unchanged after so many summers have come and gone. But is she really an existence made by Jinta's imagination? Her existence around Jinta is so profound, that I was unable to tell.

The characters are so brilliantly portrayed in the very first episode, you can already tell them apart. You can already see their inside like a mirror. Despite all of them showing they have moved on since that summer day, their facial expressions say otherwise.

The story is so nicely paced and gently told with flashbacks and fond memories, I don't see places where it might improve to get your attention, yes, it is that good. Noitamina at their very best.

The character animation style is nice. Exactly like Toradora. The background is very detailed and it is one of those shows you wanna see in glorious 720p resolution at least.

The OP and ED are nice and the lyrics go wonderfully well with the storyline so far.

If you are a fan of nice slice-of-life anime or in general, looking for a very good anime, then this should be your auto-pick of the spring season. Ano Hana left me with an impression powerful enough to make me write a review just after completing episode 1.

I've heard of depressing animes being "stupid shit", because feelings and emotions are such "garbage". No, I disagree. If pulled off with realistic character psychology, such "depressing animes" may teach a viewer a lesson. Any anime can teach a viewer a lesson.

So, why do we care about AnoHana? Simply, because of death's inevitability. AnoHana portrays different ways in which people cope with a death, whether through blaming oneself, becoming a shut-in, or obsessively buying anything in relation with the deceased one. These examples presented by AnoHana helps us delve deep into characters.

"Jintan" has the core of a leader, but Menma's death has made him a ... shut-in, as it is his way of coping. However, he shows leadership in several parts throughout the 5 episodes, but he's just unsure of his ability to lead after Menma's death. He acts as a leader that had just been defeated. On the outside, he looks like a messed up person. However, he is dependable because he is true to himself.

"Anaru" is a dependent person, struggling to fit in with society and reaching conformity. Little does she realize that the path she is going down does not lead to happiness, because she is preventing herself from expression and self-freedom. She actually like games and being at home, but she decided to stop doing that because it doesn't help her reach "normality". According through direct dialogue, it is said she is easily influenced by others. I agree, because the concept of "normality" is created by others.

"Yukiatsu" is the most messed up dude in this show. On the outside, he is a charming honors student that seems to have a great future. However, his unstable core depends on either a person and/or a dream. For example, his dream of being with Menma is ruined by her death. Now he couldn't depend on anything in regards to that situation. He fell apart. But he creates a facade of a responsible and dependent guy so he won't be looked down upon.

There are plenty more characters a viewer would get to know.

That message I'm getting from this show is that when somebody dies, or anything bad happens, breathe in, accept the fact, swallow it, maybe cry, breathe out, and keep living.

Oh yeah, the art is brilliant...

The OP is brilliant...

And I enjoy it a lot, except for the beginning. Sure, maybe to hook the nasty people out there. But oh well, it's a great show with deep characters, and has a message. Why should one watch this show? What is the purpose?

My guess, it's to deliver a message saying: Let's not forget the dead, but let's not obsess over it, either.

I've been watching anime for a while, having watched over 50 series, and at least 10-20 OVA/Movies.
This is the anime that finally made me decide to create an account here and share my thoughts. I was going to sum this up in one word, but I realized that no single word in the English language does this piece justice.

Since if you're looking at this page, I'll assume that you will have some idea of what the story is about, and that you're into this genre. In that case, to make it short, this is absolutely worth watching.

... Having only watched the first episode, I find this show quite promising. In fact, I can honestly say that it is the best first episode I've ever seen. Even masterpieces such as clannad and elfen lied did not contain so much emotions in one episode. This first episode is at least as good as the first episode of five centimeters per second, and considering that it's a whole series and not a movie or OVA, that is quite impressive.

I know a couple of people who are not used to this kid of a character design, but if you're one of those people, you'll get used to it, and the background is quite good.

My only concern, is that such an impressive first episode might bring too much of an expectation for a great ending, which seems quite hard considering how fast paced the first episode is. I hope this series doesn't lag on for 20+ episodes, it doesn't seem to have enough material to fill in that much. If this series nails the ending at say 12 episodes, it may just become my all time favorite, and one of the best animes of all time.

Updated in response to Uriel1988 1/01/2012 Happy New Years!


[Hello,

Having just read your review on Anohana, I'm truly saddened to see you didn't enjoy it, at the very least you didn't buy into any of the hype. But more on that later, the main issue I would like to point out is that I don't agree with you on a couple fine points. First off, the series sets no lofty goals, it's flawed with execution errors and plot holes undoubtedly, but its base method in itself is its simplicity. Like you stated, it's a story of loss in a form of a "ghost story". I don't ... see it as a profound series at all, in fact, it often lacks in presenting a serious tone. However, for someone who can step into the characters' mindset, the technicality and surface value of the anime is rendered forgivable, reason falls apart in the face of emotions. And I believe it's not fair to only judge it from your eyes. Especially when you claim most people in real life eventually forget about such a "loss" as day-to-day routines and just life in general forces us to forget. Which normally I would more then agree with you on, we see it happen all the time e.g the death of a relative/loved one or the shock of a sudden undue revelation. However, keep in mind these are indeed kids you're talking about. And no matter how you argue, children are at their most vulnerable age, they soak in every detail and every event influences their personality. From my personal experiences and working with many mentally challenged individuals, I can tell you it's no small thing to have someone/ something you love taken away, especially with all the implications of painful realism, forcing decisions upon unanswered questions. Without a doubt all individuals react differently and I can't say such a generalization of yours can be made. And additionally, I don't believe that all the characters' inability/ or at least difficulty of moving on is hinged on the fact of how "perfect/wonderful" Menma really was. Think of it in a child's perspective instead of an adults'. And add that to the fact of how her death marked the end of innocence for all those involved and the beginning of regret, so many words left unspoken, the true manifestation of loss/grief with no way to set things right. Then tell me if it's simply normal to walk away, that might be the case in today's modernized western world but it's not within the culture of the Japanese. They don't blot out the deaths of cherished family/friends, but instead pay their respects to something that clearly defines what they are to that day. That being said, I clearly understand your position on this anime but am having difficulty just accepting it, I loved this anime not for what it is but what it provided me as a medium, the joys of adolescent friendship preserved, the remembrance of certain things I thought had left me, rediscovering elements I've clearly needed to think more upon.]


My Review:

If you're reading this, it means you have no life.

Read on if you dare... All jokes aside, if it takes you this many positive reviews and what-not just to convince you to pick this series up, then I have no words to say.

*But, however, if you're like me and like to read over some of the reviews of your favorite anime then proceed. (Warning: I'll be including as little plot summary as possible.)

After the completion of this work of art (Yes, in my opinion it's that great) there's only one phrase I could write.

"This anime defines the reason why I watch anime."

So much so that I didn't even bother writing a cliched philosophical statement regarding this work's main theme and/or problem.
For those who ignored my first statement and still wish to continue -It's best to go in with no expectations and no prior knowledge of the plot... It'll make it even more amazing. If that's possible.-

That being said, after deciding to place this among the top of my "planned-to-watch" list I had very high expectations and was ready to judge harshly if necessary. I can be a cruel sadistic bastard when it comes to something that I find dry and overly lacking in innovation. However... even I'm surprised at how badly I contracted brain damage. I went in with my many preconceived notions (Is this just another tragedy?) and cognitive biases (If it's repetitive material then I'm going to hate) (My friends are probably up to their usual "Freak of the moment" rants).

The end result? I was still absolutely floored.

Now time to analyze:

Is it original? Perhaps, but it still had many of the elements found in other less-than-original-anime. And what are those? The setting for one. Childhood friends centering around a memory-ridden landmark. Slight plot-holes due to the rapid transformation of adolescence characters into adulthood. Transition was done quite well and even the middle episodes were quite interesting to watch.

Is it life-changing? Few works are. But this one could perhaps edge out one or two of the masterpieces. Although there's only 11 episodes there's more than one pivot point in the anime where raw tendrils of earth-shattering thought are summoned from even the dullest of minds. (No offense, I don't mean dull. Just dense in the metaphysical criteria) You feel this sort of fire and restlessness from a simple scene. There is definitely power in Anohana to be witnessed.

Is it emotionally provoking? Sometimes, but there is also a smooth liquid quality to most of the story. The beginning started strong. I was immediately hooked. You sort of get used to the quality of the scenes. It becomes mentally harder and harder to draw yourself away from each and every little detail.

Is it informative? Critical issues are addressed but this is not one of those slice-of-life portraits. But if you mean informative in terms of sheer joy and gratification you'll be hard pressed to find another that is both serious and light.

Why exactly is this anime so damned good?

I guess it all goes back to the holistic representation + the sum of all its parts. The message is almost starkly dismally hopeful, pardon the oxymoron. You dream of life for the characters but at the same time you are sad because of the result. The story-line is balanced and well construed. There are almost no fillers of any kind and almost each little conversation and flashback plays a paramount position in the overall work. The music made starting each episode easier, as well as giving one of those joy-rides upon the completion of each sequence. The characters are quite realistic and not your typical stereotypes; They are also designed well with actual capacities for growth.

However...
For me at least, those were just the key points of a good anime. Not a great anime. So why did I just give it a score of 10 overall?

Along with many other titles I enjoy there is a goal the main characters hope to achieve. And just like those titles there should be a pleasing story that usually runs smooth while finishing the conclusion with a bang. But what sets Ano Hi Mita Hana no Namae wo Bokuachi wa Mada Shiranai apart, asides from it's slightly long name, is a thoroughly different approach to a traditional method. It's this style that makes Anohana so enjoyable. But how is this possible? What possible ploys and techniques from the usual suspect directors have we not seen? A profound sense of loss? Death and an unavoidable universal subject matter? A basis on a belief of afterlife and reincarnation? Psychological dilemmas and love triangles? Of course not. The truth is by the time most of us get to watching Anohana, we would have witnessed some of these more than just a couple of times.

By now you are probably a little tired of the reviewer for avoiding the point. Here's where you skeptics ask "Yes, I reckon it's a good anime but why should I drop what I'm doing and give it a try?"
More than one person has already suspected this review is another one of those multi-section circular breakdowns which is a practice in the art of saying nothing. But it's missing a few things.
1.) Where's the statement of undying loyalty?
or
2.) Where's the "It was damn good but I'm too cool to admit it because I'm the reviewer so I'll just pretend I didn't love this anime so much that I apparently wasted my time writing a review".

And if you didn't understand what I just wrote up there then look down.

Questions have arisen. Such as: I understand Anohana is probably amazing but how come you haven't explain it properly yet in your own terms? What are you exactly saying and where's that ground-breaking theory of yours at? Why should I waste my time reading this kind of wishy-washy overly florid review? (aka when I could just STARE AT THE NEXT REVIEW DOWN and read me a complete plot-based thriller or a fan's praise-fest) The answer? I don't know. At this time of writing this review I still have no idea. Ha, you think If I knew I wouldn't tell you? Probably. But once I know I'll most likely share. Until then, I'll try to abstain from writing at 3 in the morning, even if it's about my favorite anime. It would also be good if I didn't fret so much if I was being too sarcastic.
Rest assured I loved this anime and you should too unless you didn't get past my first statement in which case...

I watched Ano Hi Mita Hana no Namae wo Bokutachi wa Mada Shiranai (I will call it Anohana in this review) after all the episodes had aired so I didn't have to wait for each episode. I saw a lot of posts about this on tumblr so I decided to give it a try.

Story:
I really liked this story. Well, the story wasn't exactly out there but it was still very interesting and I was able to watch episode after episode eagerly. The cliff hanger endings were great and I've already rewatched the whole series. The story was great!

Art:
The art was indeed outstanding! The characters ... were all different and easy to tell apart and they each had an appropriate set of outfits (except Menma of course). I had no problems with the art. In fact I was extremely impressed. The animation was great too.

Sound:
All the voice actors did a great job and I really love the sound track. A cry manly tears when I listen to 'Last Train Home'. The voice actor who played Anaru did superb! So much emotion! I was really impressed!

Character:
Very interesting... I found it kind of odd, coz well, Menma died when she was a kid. She has grown like everyone else but... she still thinks like a kid. Isn't that a little awkward, I mean there seems to be something going on between her and Jintan but how is that okay, when she's still emotionally a kid? Menma's character was okay. She really was a bother to me though. All the other mains were very interesting and unique.

Enjoyment:
I enjoyed this anime a lot! I felt like crying in every episode (welll almost every). It's definitely one of my favourites! Unforgettable anime!

I definitely recommend this anime to shoujo fans and people who like a good tear jerker. I want to rewatch this anime..

At first AnoHana didn't catch my attention at all. I thought it was a plotless anime about a group of friends who spend their summer with each other. When I ran out of ongoing anime I could look forward to during my week, I decided to try this one. I realized that I had completely underestimated this show.

About the story:
Like I mentioned before, I thought that there was no real plot to this anime. The reason might be that the information on the website I visited to watch the anime wasn't complete. Well, I encountered an anime that made me tear up every single episode. ...
I like how the show describes various possibilitys on how different kind of people react to the loss of their dear friend and which impact it has on them, even after a few years.
Every character had their own way to handle Menma's death, but in the end it is shown that none of them has been able to be at peace with themselves. They are only able to do that once all of them have revealed their feelings regarding Menma's death.

I apologize for those vague statements, but the rules say that I am not allowed to write spoilers, which makes the rating of the story pretty hard.

About the art:
The art itself isn't really that outstanding. However, it accompanies the plot really well. Every place in this anime becomes familiar during the show and we can relate them to certain events.
Especially the group's 'secret base' in the forest is a constant reminder of old times and gives off a feeling of safety and home.
The character's personalities are outlined by their individual character design.
The artwork is pretty colorful, which supports the overall theme of summer and gives off a comfortable feeling.

Sound:
This one is probably the one thing, one can praise the most. I don't know about the background music, since I don't remember it. Well, that probably means that it mixed in so well with the rest of the anime that I didn't realize it individually.
However, what I want to praise is the opening and especially the ending theme.
The opening song 'Aoi Shiori' makes one start the episode with a relaxed, maybe abit nostalgic feeling, which -in my eyes- is a really important thing for this anime.
I am pretty sure that it was the ending theme, which made me tear up at the ending of every episode. It starts playing during the last few sentences and makes the whole thing a lot more sentimental. I also think that it was a really good choice to make the female main cast sing it.
The seiyuu cast in this anime show did a really great job. They transmitted the feelings of their characters really well. I have to admit that I didn't know most of them, excluding Takahiro Sakurai. The fact that one of my favorite seiyuu voiced the anime's male hottie probably got it a few extra points.

Character:
Because the story is about a group of friends, there isn't such a wide palette of characters. However, that was made up by the big character development.
Well, the next part is going to get hard again, since I don't want to spoil anyone, so I want to apologize beforehand.

Menma:
Menma died when she was a child, so even though she looks like she has become older, she has maintained the pure and innocent character of a child.
She does her best to make her childhood friends become close again.
I think that they did a really good job giving her that kind of personality. Her appearance was probably chosen to be that of a teenager, because she is a love interest. Since it's a show with a serious plot and just as many ecchi moments as needed with a male teenage protagonist, a prepubescent love interest would have been totally misplaced.

Jinta:
Jinta has become a shut-in because of Menma's death and the way his friends changed since then. He is the kind of teenager, who is angry at the world.
He wants to grant Menma's wish because he thinks that it is his fault that she died. However, he often doubts his decisions, because he often comes to the conclusion that his childhood friends won't help him.
In my eyes he represents teenagers who feel abandoned by their friends.

Anaru:
Anaru has always had a one-sided love for Jinta, which made her become jealous of Menma. She can't hate her, though, because Menma is her friend and has always been nice to her.
She is heavily influenced by her female classmates. She wants to be part of a group, so she adapts herself. She has an inner conflict, because she likes Jinta, who is an outsider, but does not want to be one herself.
She represents teenager, who make themselves fit into a group, even if that means that they won't be themselves anymore.

Yukiatsu:
Yukiatsu is handsome, smart and charming to his classmates.
He suffers because of his one-sided love for Menma and treats Jinta in a bad way, because he is jealous of him.
I like the fact that despite the characteristics mentioned above, he is not perfect. As he said himself: ''I'm hot and I'm smart, but unfortunately I'm lacking a bit in the strength department''.
He represents the misjudged teenager, who is idolized or envied by others.

Tsuruko:
Tsuruko is a quiet, smart girl. She seems to be pretty apathetic to the things that happen arround her, which is proved wrong later during the series.
She represents the misjudged teenager, who seems think of him/herself as superior.

Poppo:
Poppo seems to be the only one from the group who hasn't changed. He is the first who believes that Jinta can see Menma and is pretty desperate to help her. the reason is mentioned later in the series and would be considered a spoiler.
He represtent the kind of teenager, who acts like a happy person around others even though he doesn't feel happy.

Well, so in the end all kinds of problems that teenagers can face are represented by this set of characters. That's why everyone who watches this series can be sure to find a character whom he/she can identify him/herself with.

Because of everything mentioned above i think of AnoHana as a really enjoyable anime and I would recommend it at any time.

I begin this review with informing you.
If you want the full effect of this show then don't read anything about it. I just recommend to watch it as blind as you can, as long as you aware of its genres.

It's not just because every review contains somewhat spoilers but I speak out of experience. I wish I wouldn't have known anything about this before I watched it, then it would have been even better. So this is my final warning, just go ahead and watch it, ignore all other information.

Now that that is out of the way, I will start by making a bold claim.

There ... are only 2 kind of anime.

Type 1 - This type is about telling you a compelling story, with cliffhangers, plot twists and and interesting setting or theme.
This is all about to make you think.

Type 2 - This type on the other hand is all about making you feel a certain way. It's not that Type1 cannot make you feel, it's just that Type 2 disregards the plot more than type1 and focuses more on manipulating your emotions.
This is all about to make you feel.

Of course you could argue there are Type 3s that are a mixture of both, or then there are weird ones that are all about art. But those could usually be categorized in one of the 2 more than the other.

So what is AnoHana?
Type2 it's that simple.

AnoHana isn't about telling you this interesting story that keeps you hooked and craving for more. It's about making you feel. It is entertainment for the heart not for the brain.

So the right mindset to watch it would be: Turn off your brain as much as you can, and embrace the feelings that will overcome you. If you focus to much on details you will find yourself in a spot where you cannot appreciate what this show is about.


!!! Warning - Some Spoilers contained !!!


AnoHana was directed by Tatsuyuki Nagai, who is also responsible for Toradora! and Railgun. But also directed Ano Natsu de Matteru and Honey and Clover 2.

You can see a pattern here. He likes SoL. And drama.
And he is really good in this.

Besides Nagai, Mari Okada was responsible for the Script of AnoHana.
She also worked on Toradora!, and wrote the script on Black Rock Shooter, Gosick, Sakurasou and True Tears. (as well as many more).

You can see a pattern here as well, she loves drama and romance.

With this background information we can take a look at the

Story:

AnoHana takes place at the end of Summer in an idyllic small town in midst of Mountains and surrounds a group of Teenagers who used to be best friends in their childhood. Though a tragic event happened, in which one of their friends died, which led to the disband of the group.

The Story revolves around how Meiko Honma returns as a ghost to bring these friends together and get her wish granted.

The premise sounds already heartwarming and is maybe not something you never have seen before in some way or the other but still gripping enough to make you interested.

Through out the course of only 11 episodes we see the maincharacter Jinta Yadomi, who is the only one who can see "Menma" ghost try to come in contact with his old childhood friend again and get back on track with his life, as well as seek redemption for the burden he imposed on himself regarding Menmas death.

11 Episodes though is far enough, and 10 would have been enough as well.
The story does not drag on and is fast enough/things happen on a steady pace, that you never get bored.

The story is not particularly complex, which is good, since it can focus completely on the plot and the characters. The viewer doesn't need to know much in advance, nor is it 100% necessary to pay attention at all times.

Though AnoHana is farm from being plausible. There are so many things that are never answered or looked into with great detail it fills the plot with so many holes, if it was a ship it would sink the moment it enters the water.
But as I said, this show is not about a great, well thought out plot. But about emotions.

If you disregard all the supernatural things that never get any explanation then you will have much more fun watching it than nagging on every occasion something doesn't make sense.

At least the ending is solid and we get a satisfying, sad but yet still happy ending.

Overall the Story is just cute, nothing too heavy. It's about themes like, friendship, love, redemption and dealing with the death of a loved one.


Characters:

It boils down to 6 characters that matter in the show, and a handful of sidecharacters that are at least mentionable.

Yadomi, Jinta (Jin-tan), is the male maincharacter, he skips school for quite some time and lives alone with his father. He is the only one who can see Menma and first thinks of her as a mere hallucination. He is stressed, not only did he lose his childhood friend he could never tell his true feelings, but also his mother due to an illness.
Since he is the maincharacter, we'll find out the most about him compared to other characters in the show. Not only do we have the biggest insight on his past and the way he lives, but also on his thoughts and emotions. Obviously he grows the most as a character comes from accepting Menma as real, to confessing to her and finally in a struggle to let her go, lets her go.

He is by far one of the most likable characters in the show, though not the most likable character I've ever seen in such a show. At least he feels somewhat new and original and I have trouble fitting him into a stereotypical archtype without thinking about it too much. If I had to, he would be the antisocial "emo" teenager.

Honma, Meiko (Menma), is the second most important character. Even though the story revolved around her, Jin is still the protagonist and we get the most insight on him.
Menma is still like a child even though she (supposedly) has grown (but still looks like a loli). Her attitude is that of a curious happy go lucky girl with very playful character traits. She is pushy and somewhat clumsy. Compared to Jin she is much easier to identify as stereotypical character as him, but that's mostly because you are supposed to feel sorry for her.
I personally enjoy characters like her, and wish I'd have a ghost like her being around me, she is just too cute, both in her appearance and in her attitude.

It's hard to tell if she grows as a character since her mindset is so simple at times. Unlike Jin who turns from an antisocial emo to a strong, independent male.
Her change comes more from what happens to her, rather what she becomes.

Anjou, Naruko (Anaru), is almost as important in the show as Menma, though the story doesn't revolve around her. Besides Jin she gets the most attention and undergoes the most changes. She starts of as being your typical tsundere, but is a bit more than that. She is in love with Jin and always thought as Menma, not only has her friend, but also as a rival.
She grows in terms of confessing to Jin, forgiving herself and accepting Menma as the "winner". She learns to stay true to herself and becomes less easily influenced by those around her. Similar to Jin she learns to become less dependent.
She was more likable than I first thought she'd be and I found it kinda tragic that she didn't "win". But it wasn't so much a romance as it was a drama.

Tetsudo Hisakawa (Poppo), is the comic relief of the show show, but turns later to become a bit more than that, though I kinda found his motives too attached and not well fleshed out. They were tagged on way to late in the series and thus never truly making him a really serious character like the others were.
But that said he was good comic relief and a very likable character. You kinda feel sorry for him being the "forever alone" guy of the group, but they handled it well and so did he.
He doesn't go through a lot of transformation but was a very important character in bringing everyone together again, also he was a true friend to Jin.

Atsumu Matsuyuki (Yukiatsu), I personally couldn't stand him. Right from the start he is introduced as Jins childhood rival/friend who has turned to a real dick. It is revealed later on, that he didn't really overcome Menmas death either and also was jealous of the bond between Jin and Menma. Though not the most likable character, he is important and is the direct counterweight to Jin, which was very important for the story.
Unlike Poppos resolution, his wasn't as cheap but also not really founded in the end. They gave him enough screentime though, yet I had the feeling they didn't really know what to do with him in the end. I found it hard to see him as anything but a counterweight.

Chiriko Tsurumi (Tsuruko), the forgotten character. No really she has not only the least amount of screentime, also her backstory is explained the least. I can't really say if I liked her or not, but I feel sorry for her being so underrepresented in the show.

Mentionable sidecharacters:

Irene Honma, the crazy mother of Menma, who also got her salvation in the end. Not much to say here.
Atsushi Yadomi, Jins father who is like the coolest dude ever. He is calm and lets his son work out his own way without leaving him behind. He wins the award for best dad 2011.

Everyone else isn't really that mentionable.

Overall AnoHana has a good, l likable cast with fleshed out characters and interesting interactions.
The entire cross romance thing felt like attached drama though. Especially since some of it wasn't really mentioned before ep10.


Animation:

AnoHana uses a mixture of warm but soft colors, emphasis realism over stylizing things and is in tradition with similar shows like ToraDora or Sakuraso no Pet na Kanojou. It didn't use any crazy techniques or ugly 3DCG that was out of place. It was overall very clean looking and had simple but somewhat realist animation.

Despite being "just" a Slice of Life, Drama, AnoHana actually had some really well animated scenes. But sometimes you also got some "quality". I can only remember one occasion where it actually was unintentionally funny, when Poppos eyes looked cross-eyed and everything around him was super serious. Despite that, it is neither amazingly animated nor bad. Above average.

Backgrounds were good looking but not stunning. I cannot remember any amazingly beautiful drawn backgrounds but it was always fitting and looked well made.
I mean, it's "just" a SoL, don't expect some crazy action scenes with stunning backgrounds and beautiful light effects. Well done is all you'll get here.

Talking about character designs is more interesting, because those were done by Masayoshi Tanaka, who also did the character designs for Ano Natsu de Matteru, Highschool of the Dead, Toradora! and others.
I personally don't really like his style. His characters Hair always looks like one piece of cotton, rather than hair. It's way more puffy that it could be, and also he likes to use all sorts of colors for his hair, instead of sticking to more realistic ones.
That aside his style is at least rememberable and you'll see the similarities in his other works (especially Ano Natsu).
I do give credit for Menma though. She was darn cute.

Again. AnoHana is not about winning awards for amazing animation, it's a cute story with cute visuals which are somewhat realistic. So don't go in and expect to be blow away.


Sound:

When it comes to voiceactors AnoHana had some famous names like Haruka Tomatsu (Asuna/SAO, Shizuku/Tonari), Ai Kayano (Inori/GuiltyCrown, Shiina/Sakurasou), Takahiro Sakurai (Suzaku/Code Geass, Makishima/PsychoPass), Miyu Irino(Makoto/DenpaOnna, Kiritsugu/FateZero).
So needless to say the voice acting is great as for most modern shows done but big studios such as A1 pictures.

The opening was pretty cute, but I personally skipped it (mostly out of time issues) since I wanted to see the show. I watched it 3/11 times and maybe a 4th time considering the song was in the last ep at the end.
The ending was also good but inferior to the opening in my opinion. Both were fitting to the show though. Not the best but good ones at least.

The ost is a mixture of Piano pieces, acoustic songs, sometimes mixed with hip-hop beats (don't misunderstand that, with hip hop beats I mean 4/4 with the snare on the 3).
It wasn't special or anything but fitting for a SoL and was well used in dramatic scenes. Overall it was calm and melancholic, like the show itself. I think it's hard to fuck up soundtracks in well made anime nowadays.

Value/Enjoyment:


On MAL AnoHana is one of the top anime, and also THE top anime under A1 pictures.
Not my personal favorite of A1 pictures (that would be Shinsekai Yori) but I can understand why.

The show itself wasn't anything new or special. But it was really well executed and deserves to be one of the best anime of A1 pictures. Yet I think it is overrated.
It gets compared to Angel Beats a lot, and I know Angel Beats has a lot of Problems as well and they are both tearjerkers. But if I had to pick one, I'd go with Angel Beats offering more than AnoHana.
So AnoHana stands among all the sad, romance/drama/SoL of the history of anime, but where?
It is one of the best, yes. Tatsuyuki knows how to make a good SoL, and so AnoHana was one of his successions. It will be remembered and watched by many to come and will make many people cry, it's just that good. But not the best...


I enjoyed it greatly and will treasure it, but it is not as good as people say it is, at least for me. I know the problems and I am not afraid of pointing them out if I need. I just ignored them because I can enjoy both, a great story and a great emotions.


Now to the Scores:

Story 7/10 (good)

Premise 2 (intriguing)
Pacing 2 (through out interesting)
Complexity 1 (Simple but sufficient)
Plausibility 0 (none)
Conclusion 2 (manly tears)

Characters 7/10 (good)

Personality 2 (multidimensional)
Behavior 1 (sometimes illogical)
Development 1 (mostly good)
Motivation 1 (at placed tagged on)
Likability 2 (great cast)

Animation 6/10 (fair)

Artstyle 2 (Fitting)
Quality 1 (mostly good)
Background 1 (well done)
Character D. 2 (good but nothing great)

Sound 7/10 (good)

Voiceacting 3 (top notch)
OP/ED 2 (good op, fitting)
OST 2 (nothing outstanding but fitting)

Value/Enjoy 14/20 (7/10) (good)

Value 6

Rewatch/2.S 1 (maybe some day)
Sentimental 3 (very attaching)
Historical 2 (A1 pictures "best" work)

Enjoyment 8

Art and Animation 1
Music & Sound 1
Story & World 2
Characters 2
Value & Attachment 2

In youth, we tend to over-exaggerate, over-analyse, and over-experience any event. That ice cream we ate for the first time as a child will never quite taste that good again; even as teenagers and later adults, we chase after these childhood fantasies, never quite giving up on finding that metaphorical "fountain of youth." What's the most likely thing, then, to happen if one were to experience childhood trauma? Perhaps insanity in later life, a cold heart, apathy, denial, or maybe all of the above? What exactly does happen? Ano Hi Mita Hana no Namae wo Bokutachi wa Mada Shiranai explores this phenomenon that happens when ... we simply can't let go of the past, because in all of us, there exists a child that yearns for the good ol' days.

Story: 9/10

When you experience something earth-shattering (that's awful) isn't the first thing you want to do is forget about it? To bury it with something, anything to get rid of those horrid memories? Don't you just want to curl up in a ball and forget reality for maybe, ever? Years have passed since a tragic accident happened between what used to be five really close friends. How do they interact? How will they react to one another if they become forced in close proximity? Isn't something so terrible it's hard to speak of it without bringing up memories supposed to be left buried? Yadomi and the gang struggle to make peace with their past, all the while finding out who they are and what they mean to each other in the present.

I was shocked, more like flabbergasted, when the series laid out. It opened up faster than expected and completely caught me off guard. Where I thought there was a continuity, it turned out to be a broken link in the old rusted chain of the past. Maybe there weren't many plot twists; maybe the story got a little repetitive; maybe it was just a little too short. However, the anime moves fast, and you have to keep up. It really was beautiful story-telling; the truth is a dark, dark secret many are willing to risk their lives to keep hidden. Many times, it's to protect people you love or to have the burden of it on yourself. Yadomi and the gang have to learn: is it worth it to keep your true emotions hidden? Or are you actually hurting those around you for your own individualistic needs? This anime delves deeper than simple human or friendship or even love relationships. It answers questions much deeper that pervade the subconscious.

Art: 9/10

Interestingly enough, many a time the art wasn't gloomy. In fact, it was almost like a juxtaposition of light and dark: when Yadomi was happy, sometimes the colors flitted about between midnight and sunshine. However, the majority of the time, the colors stayed neutral; but there were key moments where light had an interesting role in keeping up the story.... The characters were drawn normal, skinny, not too flashy and not to dull either. The animation wasn't disappointing in the least. I didn't see many flaws; however, nothing really jumped out at me. However, I do want to mention the facial expressions. They were accurate and went anywhere between lighthearted laughter to deadly serious in seconds. Each character had their moments, and what fantastic moments they were.

Sound: 9/10

The score is high, not because of the OP and ED, but because of the voice acting. My goodness, I have never seen such raw emotion in a voice before. The pain is almost tangible; you can literally almost empathize with every fiber of the being, even if you weren't there and this isn't your life. It was beautiful, really, to hear the sounds of human emotion, of raw pain, pleasure, or sadness, to creep into the voices of each character. Normally, the voice acting is pretty sub-par, but that's because nothing compares to the depth at which these morals and lessons pierce through one's fragile childhood heart. The OP is upbeat, a little slow; the ED is sad and depressed, almost like a love song to a deceased wife or husband. It's not like I didn't like them, it's that I thought they were pretty plain, considering the weight this anime carries.

Character: a perfect 10/10

People have blasted this anime because of how "static" or "inflexible" these characters are; how they don't change throughout the anime, and how each of them is surprisingly bland. Who in their right mind would drastically, completely change because of a trauma? I know it sounds wrong to judge others so harshly, but the reason people go into depression or turn to alcohol or drugs when they experience such trauma isn't because they changed as a person, but because they want to get out of the past. But it haunts them, day in and day out, never ceasing to be erased from the curse and blessing that is the human memory. Yadomi exhibits this through his attachment issues; Anjou through jealously; Hisakawa, through belongingness; Atsuma, through clinging to a hopeless past; Tsurumi through learning to let go; and Homna Meiko? You're going to have to find out.

This fantastic anime takes average kids, high schoolers, and really brings out basic qualities of a person that can't be changed from the past. Interestingly, it does so with accuracy and gusto, with plenty drama in between. The character score is a perfect 10/10 because they followed the human condition with such perfection I tend to never see. Maybe this is my opinion; maybe you are supposed to change after a series of events happen. I personally have experienced trauma; maybe not in this sort of way nor in the magnitude, but it has happened. And you don't change. That's simple and plain. You slowly turn into a shell of yourself if you don't let your emotions out from time to time. Externally, you may lose friends, become antisocial, or turn to other forms of relieving yourself. But inside, you stay who you inherently are, reliving that experience for the rest of your life, afraid to change because change is what made said event happen in the first place. So coming from personal experience, these characters really nailed that topic. Hard.

Overall, I was more than astounded at what this had to offer. Originally recommended by friends, I only agreed to watch it because it was barely 11 episodes. Trust me, you won't be disappointed in the least. There was enough drama to keep you riveted in your seat, enough emotions to keep your head spinning, and even some metaphysical references that keep the story interesting as a whole. I loved every juicy bit of this wonderful show; it took the worst out of people, and could turn it around so quickly to show the best of humanity. So if you know where to look, hide and seek is a really easy game to win....

Writing a review as I sit in a hospital bed.... DEDICATION!

This anime struck a sour cord for me when it finally clicked in the first episode what the setting was all about, because at that point it hit far too close to home for me, and if you must ask, yes one of my childhood friends died when I was in year 6(Last year of elementary school), only really difference is I'm pretty sure none of us can see her. So please be aware that there might be bias in this review, but I think my reason is justified.


Ano Hi Mita Hana no Nam-. Nope ... fuck that. Ano Hana or The Flower We Saw That Day by the English translation is about loss at a young age and how that effects people later in life, specifically the Super Peace Busters! a former collection of some no-longer-really close friends, with our main view of the story coming from the eyes of Jintan (Only nicknames shall be used in this review) an almost prefect depiction of shut-in gamer, almost never venturing outside and when he must leave his den he does so with a disguise.

Next in the second focal character Menma an awfully cheery little thing who loves her ramen with egg mixed in and is almost inseparable from Jintan, more would be said but that enter's spoiler territory. Next on the block is my personal favorite character Poppo he is just one of those guys that everyone needs in their lives, the funny, energetic if occasionally loud dude that you meet at parties, again not much else to say without cross the line.

Fourth to the plate is Anaru who I'll say is the most deliqual of everyone, hanging around (in the words of the anime) "Crotch loose girls", there's something between her and Jintan but I'm not telling.

The fifth and sixth members of the former Super Peace Busters! I can some up in two words each for Yukiatsu, tranny and cunt (sorry but he is, at least at the start, and Tsuruko, bitch and bitch. These opinion will change over the anime but first impression are what i remember people by.

The art is really fluid when it wants to be and there are moments when my brain clicked "Well that looks pretty." The sound is par I only give it a 10 because the piano came in when it was needed.

The thing that I noticed when I finished Ano Hana, apart from the standard fact that I was crying, was that it just did in 11 episode what other shows fall to do in 26, I think that feat speaks for itself.

Goodbye my brethren, see you in the next one.

"I never had any friends later on like the ones I had when I was [little]. Jesus, does anyone?"

Childhood friends often mean a lot to us, maybe because we feel they understand us better for having a longer relationship than anyone else, or maybe it's the memory of having fun without having to worry about anything. But what happens when you lose one in your early life? What happens if you're stuck in the past?

This series is about a group of six kids who had a very poor naming sense, once called themselves the "Super Peace Busters" as well as giving one of the girls ... the nickname "Anaru". Yes, that's how the Japanese pronounce "anal". Other members of the group are "Jintan", "Menma", "Poppo", "Yukiatsu", and "Tsuruko".
Fast forward 10 years and Menma is dead, with the group almost completely split up.
'AnoHana' is the tale of Menma's mysterious return from afterlife to reunite the "Super Peace Busters".

Much of the first half of the story focuses on "seishun (coming of age)", with childhood friendship and the bond that connects the six as a major theme. The second half focuses on 'Junai (pure Love)', the unwavering love and the pain of losing someone dear, and the inability to move on with their lives.

The main characters are all suffering from Menma's death in their own unique ways, and conflicted with their own inner struggles.
Jintan and Yukiatsu are still obsessed over Menma, Anaru and Tsuruko can't get over her because she's still the focus of the guys they love, and Poppo for always watching in the sidelines. The story really focuses on the development of the five living characters, and there are many memorable, touching moments of youth.

Animation in this series is extremely fluid as expected from an A-1 Pictures production. The director Nagai Tatsuyuki who worked on 'Toradora' and 'To Aru Kagaku no Railgun' is a master at presenting seishun series in anime. 'AnoHana' is set in a countryside town with a slow, gentle atmosphere, but the director manages to inspire in key scenes as usual, using dynamic animation and sudden change in pace after building up for climax in each episode. The slower scenes have interesting camera positions and composition to draw in the attention of the audience.

Sound in this series is absolutely spectacular. BGM is the single most effective element in this series in setting the atmosphere, especially enhancing the inspirational and touching scenes.
Seiyuu cast, other for Menma, were also extremely well done. One can tell they are all very much absorbed into their characters, and really sound like they mean it rather than just reading the script. This is especially crucial in emotional/sentimental scenes, because acting make or break a series like this.
The OP 'Aoi Shiori (Blue Bookmark)' has a very catchy tune with matching vocal by Galileo Galilei and poignant lyrics. It should also be noted that "blue" is a part of kanji for "seishun ("blue" + "spring")", symbolizing coming of age.
The ED 'secret base ~what you have given me~ (10 years after Version)' is a masterpiece. I was a ZONE fan back in the day, and 'secret base' is undeniably their iconic song, and one of the most memorable Jpop songs of the decade. I hate to admit it, but the vocals and the music composition in this remake has surpassed the original. Not only that, the choice of this song as ED is absolutely godly. The lyric is about the memory of childhood and dreams for the future, and also a verse about "10 years later in August". The original song was released in 2001, AND the story of 'Ano Hana' is about a girl returning 10 years after death, in August. The ED animation scene with gray flowers falling to colored flowers rising was nothing short of incredible. I don't think it's an exaggeration to say, this may be one of the best ED ever made.

'AnoHana' is rather generic as a seishun/junai series. In fact, the premise of this show: "Dead girl coming back into life, and tracing back" is identical to that of 'Ima, Ai ni Yukimasu (Be With You)', except the girl is still much younger, and that only the protagonist can see her. And eventually, turns into 'Sekai no Chuushin de, Ai wo Sakebu (Crying Out Love, In the Center of the World)' type developments.
Still, it has an interesting use of plot devices, effective flashbacks, and very strong presentation. It feels like a true Japanese story and direction, and if you can connect with the characters, it's a very touching and memorable series.

First things first... This will be mah first EVER Review... plus, I wouldn't even bother calling it a review... I'd say more of a guide to why U should watch this show !! I will edit and write more when the series comes to a final. Until then, this is loosely based on the first episode, since thereis only one out !!

Over the years, I've been struggling to find time to really sit down and enjoy many different Anime (oh, the joy of being a teenager again). There are soo many Animes out there, and very few good ones to say the least... I used ... to be the one that watched everythang, hoping for the next big Anime in life. But w00t I found was dissappointment after dissapointment. So I started narrowing thangs down a bit... now I basically only watch new released Anime. Since those are the ones I tend to like the most. But even so... there hasn't been any Anime that has REALLY blowed mah mind, since the 2009 period. (Clannad AS, Hatsukoi Limited, Toradora etc...) A show that would gief meh back a reason to watch Anime...(except 2nd seasons of good shows) because I am not getting any younger... and where I am from, Anime is not very popular... It's considered geeky, weird and childish in many comparisons, but that's probably why I luv it so much !! Liking somethin that the majority doesn't... It becomes more "special" d; )

But now I think I've finally found it in: Ano Hi Mita Hana no Namae wo Bokutachi wa Mada Shiranai, also known as Ano Hana. The Anime was able to shockingly surprise meh !! I was mesmerized from the gecko. The story and staff was w00t interested meh the most. The story seemed beautiful !! And I felt this was a story not only I, but mostly everyone that is growing up to adulthood can relate too. U sit back and remember how wonderful, easy and problem free, life used to be. But not only do people change, ur surroundings and way of thinking aswell. U lose touch with old friends and family, u perhaps wish u still had contact with. U get new priorities, more responsibilites, and less time.

I mahself is blessed with still having contact with most of mah childhood friends, but I don't see em as often as I used to. Mostly during holidays etc... and even then, it's hard to find time for each other. But, not only that... people DO change, and some of mah friends that used to be all lively, and easy-going, are drenched in responibilites, rules, goals and ambitions. Not to mention, some has married and gotten children... so thangs will never be the same... NOT that this is a negative thang...

But u still look back sometimes, wishing thangs could be more like back in the dayzz.

The music and art was w00t surprised meh the most. The art is exceptional good. The backgrounds, the characters, everythang is so smuuuth and detailed. And they've created the perfect setting and mood for the show. It giefs a nostalgic, summerfeel about it, but also perfectly mixes a melancholy mood in it all. The first episode gave me a huge SMILE on mah face, and also gave meh the longing for summer.
The music is also very good. They have chosen the right songs to fit the mood and settings for the show. Which for meh means everythang to get out the feelings and emotions of a person. So expect a tear-jerking finale, or at least a bitter-sweet one !!
d; )

Ano Hana Has the same director as Honey & Clover and Toradora,
The same script writer as Toradora and True Tears. Which means... I have lots of expectations for this show. It is also an original work. Which means it's not based on any manga or game.
Considering the first episode and the history and experience of the staff, I do not think this is one of the shows that will dissappoint !! Hopefully it will live up to mah expectations, and if they stick to the theme and don't do anythang to cliché, this show will most def end up in mah favorites !!

Feedbacks are always welcome, both negative and positive !!
But REMEMBER, this was mah first review... and the show is still not finished d; )

Despite all the bad things in this world, or how the anime industry seems to sink lower than the bottom of the sea, there is always place for originally and quality content. Even though we seem to dig in a pile of charcoal, there’s always a diamond hiding underneath. All in all, the summer season hasn’t been particularly a bad one. We had a share of original productions that didn’t work the way it had to be, we had some disgusting shows such as a 10 years old succubus princess and some other shows that you still don’t know what it supposed to be ... about. In other words, it was one of those normal seasons. However, there was one anime that truly went above standards with a solid point in every aspect, and that is AnoHana.

The reason why AnoHana is so solid is because of the direction it was given. For once, you actually know what it will be about during the first episode. No, it doesn’t offer a pointless 4 episodes introduction with a beach episode in between, nor does it wander around in circle thinking what cheap trick I can use to please the viewer. AnoHana is a simple story about the lost of a childhood friend and the repercussion it had on them years later. With a glimpse of a look, AnoHana might as well be just one of those cheap dramas, but it is in fact not cheap. What makes this series above the other drama is the fact that this anime has a mission, or should I say a purpose. Really, the whole charm of it resides in the simplicity and naivety of the story. This is to say that nothing in AnoHana is overcomplicated. Only, AnoHana is absolutely not a flawless show. It does feel like the series is dragging or simply not getting to point. This is mostly due to unnecessary side plot that doesn’t really develop into something concrete. In example, some sort of love triangle will develop, but this is merely as a form of emotional fan service. There are also some few scenes in the anime that aren’t really needed, but it is far from being distracting. While it doesn’t derivate the plot by much, the audience might find it irritating. Also, AnoHana’s story falls into the category of melodrama. There is a lot of crying in this anime, but unlike some other anime out there, the melodrama is justified and doesn’t feel embarrassing in any bit. All in all, these small problems aren’t enough the flip over the quality of the storyline. AnoHana has a good story and this is entirely because of the cast. Which is not surprising, since this is a character’s driven show.

I’ll be direct on this, AnoHana really has a good cast. Now I am not talking about the flash backs where their children past was showcased with some childish moments. I am talking about the whole point of the anime, and that is dealing with the lost of someone who is dear to you. We all know that death in anime is often a plot element to create a mental breakdown for the main character, but it’s often too deep shit for me. Now of course, there is some sort of mental breakdown in AnoHana, but nothing that goes batshit insane. It is mostly due because the characters didn’t know how to adapt after the event. Thankfully, there is actually more to the characters than some mourning. Through the small 11 episodes of the show, the main cast is developed into a three dimensional way that is simply amazing. Basically, it is marvellous to see how the broken relation between them will rebuild once again. As for the side characters, they serve the purpose to show the consequences from another point of view, since there are more than friends in the life of someone. However, my main problem is with Menma’s mom. Whether she is a good character or not isn’t the question. It is actually her behaviour and reaction that I find a bit unbelievable. To sum it up, a near perfect cast supported by a perfect main cast.

Production value doesn’t have anything that is notable, but it end it is pretty much solid all way through. The animation is fluid for the most and it is beautiful supported with its background. The character design for the most part is well done. My main issue is with Naruko’s bunches which looks rather silly at times. Thankfully, her hair style changes in the series so that she can actually look beautiful. As for the music, it does a perfect job at highlighting the dramatic moments. The opening song and ending song are also well fitting with the anime series. There’s also a great job that is done with the voice actors. Their performance feels for the most part believable and strong.

AnoHana is a good show and there is no doubt about it. Only, even though I only pointed few flaws that don’t really matter, it is not a show that is exceptional either. Mostly, this show is a melodrama that can often feel too dramatic for some viewers, so it all depends on the viewer’s taste. Don’t get me wrong though, in the drama aspect, it is a solid one because it is supported by a strong story and a great cast. It is truly one of the highlights of the spring season.

Ano Hi Mita Hana no Namae wo Bokutachi wa Mada Shiranai, or just Ano Hana for short is an anime that took everyone by surprise this season. I was on another forum looking over the list of anime's that were airing this season and I came across Ano Hana. The plot didn't look too special, especially considering C's and Deadman Wonderland's plot synopsis'. But I decided to to check it out the following night in what would be one of the best first episodes that I have seen in a long time.

The story starts out in the home of Jinta Yadomi. Jinta is a recluse ... and has stopped going to school. He's not just any recluse, though. Jinta(n) has the ability to see the ghost of his deceased child hood friend Menma. The story revolves around Jintan and his childhood friends (the super peace busters) attempting to fulfill her wish. The only problem is that they do not know what this wish is.

The production value of this anime is very high. Both the ED and the OP are excellent. The ED in particular sets the mood perfectly as it often plays during the final scene of the episode and transitions into the ending credits. The music that is played during the episode is usually a soft piano which often goes unnoticed. You know the soundtrack is good when you don't notice any of it. The animation is also superb. The animators did a good job of making the characters look life-like by constantly moving during scenes. Another nice touch is the fact that the characters change their clothes and hairstyles.

The characters in this anime were actually not that special. It didn't feel like any of them were original; they just seemed like old ideas that were rehashed. Actually, I shouldn't say that because nothing was wrong with any of these characters. It's just that there was not anything special about them. The only character that stands out to me is Yukiatsu. At first he is just your typical douche bag, but as you get deeper into the series you find out what a deranged individual he really is. The other characters have realistic motivations, but none of them really stood out to me. Though the characters do go through a good amount of development, the main focus of the show was to show that people never change. Which I thought was brilliant.

This show wasn't any "fun", but I don't mean that in a bad way. This show isn't fun in the way that Code Geass is fun. There is no over the top action or ham-like performances. Ano Hana instead focus' on the main plot: Menma wanting her wish granted before she goes to heaven. This show is very melodramatic, and some parts even I admit I got teary eyed at. Despite it not being a "fun" show, I enjoyed it immensely. This is a series I would definitely re-watch in the future. The only complaint about my enjoyment is that it was too short. This series would have been better off as a 26 episode show.

Despite my high score (and now that I will be reviewing anime I will be harsh on scoring), there are many things that stop this anime from being a true masterpiece. There was WAY too much crying, and a lot of the melodrama seemed forced as a result. The show really wanted to get their point across: this is supposed to be sad. But I feel like it would have benefited more if they had more character interactions because the episodes that did show character interactions were some of the best ones. Also, I have another problem with the show: the finale. It is in every way emotionally satisfying, and I admittedly teared up a little despite having a heart of stone. But I felt the ending could have been handled better. I won't explain as it may spoil it, but they could have did without the "shouting" in my opinion (among other things).

Anyway, despite the many faults this anime has it is still a must watch. Hell, being so short may even be a good thing as you can finish it in no time.

"I wonder... What were the names of the flowers that bloomed during that season?"

Sorry, just give me a minute, I can't seem to stop these tears from coming out of my eyes... my goodness, it's been a long time since I've seen an anime that can make me cry like that.

AnoHana... truthfully, I didn't know what to expect when getting into this anime. The first thing I always do when looking for an anime to watch is get recommendations from my friends, but due to some recent trust issues regarding the recommendation of School Days from a friend of mine, this was probably the first ... anime in a looong time I actually decided to give an anime recommended by someone. And let me just say, thank God I listened to her. This anime was beautiful.

When I first read the plot, it seemed simple. The ghost of a girl shows herself to her childhood friend, and he and the rest of his friends from back when they were kids tries to help her figure out what's keeping her earthbound, that way she can pass on and transcend into heaven. Now, the thing that makes this story amazing is how it all plays out, and then the overall outcome of the goal. What I can say right now is that despite the sound of the story, this anime's plot is incredibly unique and very well thought out. One of the things I tend to look for in an anime is how they finish off the series. One bad ending could knock a couple points off the overall score. Luckily, with AnoHana, they ended the series on a good yet emotional note with an overall feel of satisfaction. True, the ending left me in tears, but they were tears of joy.

A-1 Pictures brought us this magnificently detailed anime. The setting, the characters, and the animation style brought good memories back to me when I watched OreImo and Sword Art Online for the first time. The artwork to AnoHana was remarkable. Sure, at a glance, you might not think much of it. It's simple, but once you start watching it, the animation really pops out at you with its details and color.

There is no English Dub for this anime. Truthfully, I'm happy about it, because this anime should only be watched in Japanese. The voice acting was top notch. This is easily some of the best work that Ai Kayano and Miyu Irino have brought to us, as well as the rest of the cast. Now, for the music. If you think back to the soundtrack in other anime such as Clannad, Kanon, or Angel Beats, you can get a good idea about what kind of music AnoHana works with. The medleys are soft, slow, and calm, while letting you feel peace within your body. It might be a little hard to notice while the anime is playing, but if you listen closely, you'll see what I mean. As for the Opening and Ending, wonderful. I can't really describe them, so you'll need to listen to them to see what I mean.

Characters were nearly flawless. Each filled with emotion and unique personalities, while hiding secrets within them that will tell you a lot about them. My personal favorite character was Menma. She seemed so full of life (haha, pun) throughout the series, and her smile was contagious. Jintan was one of the best male protagonists I have seen in a long time. He started off as that one gloomy character you see every once in a while, then started opening up and becoming more likable each episode, until the very end where you can't help but think how cool of a person he is. Poppo was the comedic character in the series. 17 in terms of his physical body, but childlike at heart. He brought joy throughout most of AnoHana, as well as some good laughs here and there. Anjou was the tsundere of the show, well... kind of at least. She seemed nice most of the time, but there were some issues that I had with her every once in a while, but they were easily resolved later on. Chiriko didn't really seem to stand out that much to me. She was shy, quiet, and seemed like the really smart person that you'll see studying in her free time. An overall likable personality though. And then... there's Yukiatsu. He was the one person I had the most problems with. To put it simply, he's a cross dresser with anger issues and can't seem to leave anything alone, even if it meant helping someone out. It doesn't make him a hateable character, but not a very likable one though. But for the most part, the characters in AnoHana were very well made.

AnoHana is a tearjerker. My friend told me she cried her eyes out while watching it, but I had to see for myself just how emotional it could get. Well, I figured it out. It was able to make me cry from the last episode all the way to the end of this review. You will get emotionally attached to these characters, I can promise you that. You might cry out of sadness, you might cry out of joy, you might cry out of both. Some of you might be a lot manlier than me, but I'm not ashamed to admit that I have a softspot for anime like this, and this was well worth watching. I hope that you think so as well.

It seems that in recent years there has been a rash of heartstring-tugging dramas featuring high school aged main characters trying to cope with unfortunate events. I normally avoid such shows, having been disappointed by them in the past. They tend to make use of a formula in which the main characters, having been firmly established as big cutie pies, are showered with traumatic incidents in an attempt to garner sympathy from the audience. The audience then watches as the aforementioned cutie pies either get crushed by the pressure of the events they've undergone, or stand up and triumphantly solve all of their problems with ... simple, touching solutions. Either route presumably leads to tears on the part of the audience.

Believe it or not, that isn't good writing. Imagine for a moment that there's a “Please Enter Password” box to reach your audience's heart and mind. Writing in the above fashion is equivalent to smashing your face (or any other serviceable part of your anatomy) on the keyboard and hitting enter in the hopes that something will touch the right note. It's lazy, blunt, overtly manipulative, makes certain unflattering assumptions about the intelligence level of the audience, and leads to characters who are defined not by their own personalities, but by the (pardon French) shit luck that they've had in life. Characters become as simple as “the girl who was raped,” “the girl whose parents died,” or “the guy who is a blind, anemic, legless albino.” Memorable characters are those who have formed a unique, composite perception of the world based on what has happened to them—they are not simply defined by the event itself.

All that being said, I decided to give “anohana: The Flower We Saw That Day” a watch because the concept intrigued me, and there's always the chance that something can surpass the average in an over saturated genre. By the end of the series, I was pleasantly surprised. Anohana isn't quite what I'd call “great,” but it's relatively original, and it's leaps and bounds better than many shows which rely on the formula that I described above.

Anohana is about six childhood friends. The death of one member of this childhood circle of buddies drove them apart at a young age. Fast forward ten years; the five remaining friends are now in high school, and a very strange event has forced the friends to gather once more to help each other confront their guilt about what happened on the day that their young friend's life was cut short.

Part of what makes the show so charming is the multitude of ways it plays with traditional character development. The first is that, in a somewhat ass-backwards approach, the show begins by displaying the characters in high school, and then reveals what they were like as children through narrative flashbacks as the plot moves forward. Interesting concept; we're shown the way the characters have changed (or, in some cases, haven't changed) in reverse order. The second thing that's of note here is that every character has been affected by the same event, but they've all responded in different ways. Some throw themselves at school with a passion, some live simple lives of menial labor, and some have dropped all their aspirations and become shut-ins. “Dealing with guilt” is a pretty mature theme, and for a show to tackle it using a character study, in such a head-on manner, through showing and not telling, is pretty admirable. The plot itself is relatively simple and a little slow-moving at times, but these characters actually have enough depth that I was content just to watch them interact with each other.

The art and animation here strike just the right note: Pretty enough to give a semblance of realism, but not overly flashy. Backgrounds look nice and all that good stuff, but what really shines is the way that the characters have been designed and animated. Obviously childhood vs. adulthood is a running theme in the show, so it looks like special effort was taken to highlight both the similarities and the differences between the adult and child character models. High school isn't that far in the past for me, and I can honestly say that in terms of mimicking the motions of people in the 16-19-ish age group, I feel the animation here is spot on. The awkward sidelong glances at ex-friends, the slouchy manner of walking, the way they expertly handle their smart phones. Every motion that these characters make seems to echo that of real teenagers. A job well done, to be sure.

So where did the show go wrong? Well, it's a drama, and an essential element of drama is striking the proper balance of emotions. Subtly conveying feelings in a visual medium like animation is a difficult task. To its credit, I'd say Anohana gets it right for about seventy percent of the show's runtime. When the characters stand in uncomfortable silence, avert their eyes at awkward moments, smile wistfully as nostalgia creeps up on them, laugh at old inside jokes, or transition to using old nicknames and phrases instead of proper “adult” speech, that says a lot about their state of mind without out-and-out screaming and crying. However, there are plenty of moments where the series is guilty of the old sin of “laying it on too thick,” and resorts to...well...out-and-out screaming and crying. A few of these outbursts are forgivable—after all, sometimes things in real life DO get that heated, especially when dead people are involved—but by the end of the series, there is too much bawling and shouting, and too often. This knocks the show down a few pegs.

Another flaw, although very slight, lies in the soundtrack. It's not a bad soundtrack (the OP/ED songs are obscenely catchy, and the rest of the music is about average for the genre). But there seems to be one piano-driven melody that plays during just about every potentially sad/touching moment of the show. It's a good track, but my life would have been just fine if I hadn't heard it seventy-five times in the course of four hours, thanks.

The last main problem I had with Anohana is that, while the characters are interesting, it is necessary to remember that the show does, in fact, have a plot. Sometimes that plot seems to stagnate a little bit, and there are a lot of “false conclusion” moments where the characters think they've solved a plot-related problem, only to suddenly go “Oh wait...guess that didn't REALLY solve it.” These are gimmicky, cheap excuses for suspense, and the series would be better without them. Similarly, when the show really does conclude, the presence of so many false conclusions makes it not quite as satisfying a payoff as it could have been.

So, despite a couple of flaws, I found this to be a fairly enjoyable series. Well-crafted characters and decent writing, occasionally marred by some flaws in overdramatic execution, lead me to place this firmly in the “above average” realm. In my humble opinion, this is teenage drama done well.

The Super Peace Busters will always be the best of friends.
For all time, for all eternity, even if there’s no reality.

Being a tale revolving around a tragedy suffered by one of its main characters, Ano Hana does a very good job of showing how the decisive incident had affected the other characters, and how the fact that each of them were unable to let go of the tragedy in their shared past drove them to deal with it in their own ways. This makes for a cast of sympathetic characters, each with unique quirks and underlying motivations, which interact with each other quite seamlessly… apart ... from the one character which the whole story revolves around in the first place.

Indeed, in a cast of more or less well-developed personalities, it is Menma which comes across as something of an anomaly, being simultaneously a childish and an idealized figure which everyone else somehow loved unconditionally, despite being rather flat as a character.

After the accident which took the life of Honma “Menma” Meiko, the surviving childhood friends which made up the “Super Peace Busters” broke up, and gradually drifted apart. Several years later, her ghost appears before Yadomi “Jintan” Jinta, who was the leader of the band, but had withdrawn from society and become a hikkikomori. However, since she cannot be seen by anyone else, Jintan’s insistence of her reappearance only reopens the old wounds that the rest of the former childhood friends have been harbouring since that day.

AnoHana generally achieves an animation standard on par with many of its peers, although it manages to add one or two interesting distinguishing touches. We notice an effort to capture the tone of the story in the visuals - scenes prefer the dusk, dawn, and evening, meaning melancholy shadows creep in many a nook. Though I've got to add I'm a big fan of the animation in this one. It’s really smooth and nice looking. The characters are simple looking, but it's what makes them look more "down to earth". Since this story is light and focuses on feelings, the animation is bright and soothing.

The overall sound quality in this animation is excellent. The voice acting is great bringing out the emotions of the characters. However, the soundtrack and songs are another matter. The OP/ED really spice up the story! They both are calmer than average, but still make you want to listen to them over and over.

During the anime, sad sounding songs are used to add more to the emotions displayed all to make the anime greater.
This is a wise soundtrack that knows its presence is required to accentuate and not dominate. Melodic, mellow, and utterly fitting, it works with the mood of the show when it is needed and stays completely out of the way when it is not.

AnoHana never allows its leads to wallow and instead sends them bumping along a dynamic grieving process marked by poignant rediscovery. The result is a piecemeal deconstruction of their final moments with Menma and how uniquely it affected them. Considering the brief running time, AnoHana manages a heroic amount of characterisation and whenever two characters interact, the resulting drama sparkles.

Such as when geek Anaru’s relationship with her new vapid friends, for instance, becomes a fascinating glimpse into her pushover personality and brings an added gratification when she rediscovers the joys of gaming with Jintan. Yukiatsu, an arrogant overachiever brimming with undisguised resentment, proves a peculiar success as the hidden contrasts of his personality come to light.

All in all, it's a must see anime. It's very heart-warming and touches at that right spot. It's very dramatic, so you won't like this if you don't like drama. The story really draws you in, has cute characters and the atmosphere is soothing. If you've lost someone close to you, this is an anime that you can really feel close to you. I'm a person who really doesn't really display my emotions but DAYUUM this one has made me cry for a good 10 minutes.

AnoHana- Making rivers and dehydrated people since 2011.

If you're looking for an anime that values the meaning of friendship, this is the right anime for you. This anime is beautiful in so many ways, but mostly because of the message that it gives us. Growing up is a very certain thing, just like death, you cannot stop yourself from growing up. Most of the time, when you become older, you started to lose bonds with other people especially with those who shared memories with you when you were little. Trying to keep that bonds strong just like they were in the old times are hard when we have gone our separate ways. ... We go to high school, become friends with 'cool' people, changing the real us just to fit in, thinking that we have made it, but are we happy with ourselves ? That's how Naruko feels. She lost herself little by little, trying to be apart of something she's not. In life, you also deal with the hardship of moving on from something or someone that means the whole world to you, even after years of trying to be free from the dark past, you just can't seem to forget that one incident that is killing you from the inside, it seems like it happens just yesterday. This situation portrays Yukiatsu, the guy that tries to act cool but deep inside, he suffers from years of sorrow, just like a volcano waiting for the right time to erupt. One of the most common problems when growing up is making the right choices and trying to change yourself to a better person. Sometimes, you know that what you're choosing is not the right thing, but you just can't seem to change, you. It's still possible for you to be on right track but you at least, just need a little push from behind knowing that someone's got your back. That's Jintan's dilemma. He doesn't go to school, actually skipped the whole semester, but his dad seems to let him be on his own way, that's why he is upset. Love is an exceptional thing when it comes to growing up, sometimes you fall in love with the person that you spent you childhood with, because when you didn't know much about this world, that person gives you so much joy. Just like you, the person that you love also falls in love, but the person is not you. Years pass by, you're still close to him, still spend time together, still walk to school together, and you feelings towards him never change. So does his feelings toward the other girl, and you're torn apart. because no matter how much you try, you will never be good enough to replace the one that he loves. You're right beside him, you exist in his life, and that's how it will always be. You just exist. This is the story of Chiriko. Tetsudou is also one of the main character in this anime. His character is relatable to many of you, or probably people that you know. As a kid, he was always the cheerful one, and even after so many years, he still is. He loves travelling and knows how to regain that strong bonds he once had with his childhood friends, but just like other characters, he hides a terrible feelings about his childhood, but still tries to move on live his life. When you grow apart from those people you used to spend your time with, things will change. It saddens you how you and the rest have changed, you don't talk anymore, you rarely see each other, even when you meet each other, it's not on purpose. But somehow, you want things to go back to the way it used to be, no matter how much time it will take, you just want to feel the way you felt a long time ago. This is how Menma feels. Even though she's just a ghost, she was saddened by the fact that her childhood friends have changed so much, and worse, that might be her fault.
This anime is probably the closest to what is happening in the real world, except for the ghost part, but this anime is certainly heart warming and soothing. Perhaps it will make you value what you have especially the bonds that you have made with your loved ones.

Tragedies happen everywhere and if you have ever been struck by it then you know how it can change you as a person.

AnoHana is a story along the lines of such where a group of friends are forced to face the death Honma Meiko (Menma) and it takes places years after when they are all in high school.

By the end of the first episode, Menma and Yadomi Jintas' past have been explored and we get a slight idea of how the death of Menma changed the once energetic and cheerful Jinta into a shut in wrapped up in his own emotions.

The story so ... far is compelling and immediately hooks you by the end of the first episode. The plot gets more and more in depth as each episode progresses which continues to draw you in and keep you interested. The room for interpretation makes the story much more enjoyable and does so leaving you with twists in further episodes and in doing so keeps you guessing and wanting more. Characters are dynamic and draws your desire to connect and understand them more which overall makes this a very moving and enjoyable anime.

For those of you interested in a well planned out drama, AnoHana is most certainly worth the time and does not look to disappoint in terms of the depth and as a result makes it one of the better series of spring 2011. Even with all the new releases this spring, AnoHana is sure to be a great series to watch whether you are into this type of genre or not.