[SPOILER] A theory on the show's ending

ToraiS said:
Since I've got a lot of time in my hands, and a lot of time before the last episode is aired, I've cobbled up a theory on how this show will end by compiling the thoughts I had and skimming through ep 1-6. Also really passionate about how this series will end. Don't know where to put this, so I'll put this here.

I think this show will end with Nagara and Mizuho saving Nozomi from her heavily implied suicide, and then having a nice and wholesome good ending . Here's why:

In episode 1, a veil of darkness and uncertainty literally fills the rest of the school. This is represented by Nagara's situation with his mother and, about his uncertain future with the career talk with his adviser.

This void can be also be interpreted as Nagara's purgatory. The school is unchanging, and so is he, perfectly content on just laying down on the floor and doing nothing. Without the weird drifting stuff and Nozomi being alive, this may just be the backstory of the film they were watching in episode 6.



Nozomi asks Nagara if, "there were a place that shone brighter than the place you're at, would you want to go see it?", implying that this was a critical point for Nagara. Mizuho is also there in the distance, observing Nagara and Nozomi. Nozomi runs and jumps into the abyss, but this time, Nagara prevents Nozomi from jumping. They both fall together, and with that action, Nagara breaks through the purgatory and they are booted off into an unknown, but sunny world filled with hardships and teen angst. Saving Nozomi is what Nagara should have done to prevent the school from drifting.



Episode 2 solidifies this theory by this really short scene in the middle of the episode with Nagara and Nozomi where a seagull had hit a window and is in critical condition. Remember the hurt birds in the show? With this scene, the hurt birds actually symbolize Nozomi and Nagara's failure to understand and show compassion. Nozomi asks Nagara if being abandoned is a reason to abandon another (the bird, or Nozomi in this case). Nagara didn't really think to save Nozomi because he was having problems that he was dealing with.



In episode 6's latter half, some students discovered a dead bird, symbolizing a dead Nozomi, and the teacher blamed Nagara for it. The curtains also moved like Nozomi was there. Episode 6 may be the continuation of the rooftop scene in episode 1 if the door didn't jam on Nagara, and he just left than to talk with Nozomi. This leads to this cut of him with the summer uniform opening the door, which may be after he ran away from Nozomi, and then on the next scene it cuts to Nagara leaving the school with his diploma, friendless and still depressed.



Also Yamabiko says something about if Nagara knew, the outcome might have turned out differently.


Nozomi also grows hesitant after episode 6, now knowing her death, and knowing that she is powerless. In episode 11, Nozomi also says that whoever remembers should be the one to make friends with them.

In short, Nozomi is the key.

Nozomi saved Nagara.


Now it's Nagara's turn to save Nozomi.

To whoever's made it this far, I'd like to hear your thoughts or if you have any questions. Drop your theories too, I'd like to read them!

Things I've noticed while skimming through episodes:
It's painfully obvious now that Asakaze has a crush on Nozomi. He's also really jealous of Nagara. Nozomi's compass points to her death. Her death became farther when Nagara saved her in episode 1. Similarly, her death became nearer when they were watching the film in episode 6.

Galamir913 said:
I actually agree with this theory. I came to roughly the same conclusions with the hints dropped by the show. Won't lie that I missed the possible meaning of the bird. But the rest I agree with. Thanks for putting this so neatly and compactly in one thread.

ToraiS said:
Since I've got a lot of time in my hands, and a lot of time before the last episode is aired, I've cobbled up a theory on how this show will end by compiling the thoughts I had and skimming through ep 1-6. Also really passionate about how this series will end. Don't know where to put this, so I'll put this here.

I think this show will end with Nagara and Mizuho saving Nozomi from her heavily implied suicide, and then having a nice and wholesome good ending . Here's why:

In episode 1, a veil of darkness and uncertainty literally fills the rest of the school. This is represented by Nagara's situation with his mother, and about his uncertain future.

This void can be also be interpreted as Nagara's purgatory. The school is unchanging, and so is he, perfectly content on just laying down and doing nothing. Without the weird drifting stuff, and Nozomi being alive, this may just be the backstory of the film they were watching in episode 6.



Nozomi asks Nagara if, "there were a place that shone brighter than the place you're at, would you want to go see it?", implying that this was a critical point for Nagara. Mizuho is also there in the distance, observing Nagara and Nozomi. Nozomi runs and jumps into the abyss, but this time, Nagara prevents Nozomi from jumping. They both fall together, and with that, Nagara breaks through the purgatory and they are booted off into an unknown, but sunny world filled with hardships and teen angst. Saving Nozomi is what Nagara should have done to prevent the school from drifting.



Episode 2 solidifies this theory by this really short scene in the middle of the episode with Nagara and Nozomi. A seagull had hit a window and is in critical condition. Remember the hurt birds in the show? With this scene, the hurt birds actually symbolize Nozomi and Nagara's failure to understand and show compassion. Nozomi asks Nagara if being abandoned is a reason to abandon another (the bird, or Nozomi in this case). Nagara didn't think to save Nozomi because of the personal problems that he was dealing with.



In episode 6's latter half, some students discovered a dead bird, symbolizing a dead Nozomi. The teacher blamed Nagara for it. The curtains also moved like Nozomi was there. Episode 6 may be the continuation of the rooftop scene in episode 1, if the door didn't jam on Nagara, if he just left Nozomi. This leads to this cut of him with the summer uniform opening the door, which may be after he ran away from Nozomi. And then on the next scene, it cuts to Nagara leaving the school with his diploma, friendless and still depressed.



Also Yamabiko says something about the outcome being different if Nagara knew.


Nozomi also grows hesitant after episode 6, now knowing her death, and knowing that she is powerless. In episode 11, Nozomi also says that whoever remembers should be the one to make friends with them.

In short, Nozomi is the key.

Nozomi saved Nagara in This World.


Now it's Nagara's turn to save Nozomi in that world.

To whoever's made it this far, I'd like to hear your thoughts or if you have any questions. Drop your theories here too, I'd like to read them!

On a side note, two things I've noticed while skimming through episodes: It's painfully obvious now that Asakaze has a crush on Nozomi. He's also really jealous of Nagara. Nozomi's compass points to her death. Her death became farther when Nagara saved her in episode 1. Similarly, her death became nearer when they were watching the film in episode 6.

ToraiS said:
Yeah, I thought the bird meaning was such a reach, but after seeing feathers on the music box in ep 11, then rewatching episode 2, then in episode 6 the bird dies with Nozomi, now I could safely say the birds symbolize Nozomi. I've left out something though, I think Hoshi killed the bird. Nagara just left it injured. Don't know if Hoshi just symbolizes death, especially after episode 11, or Hoshi had something to do with Nozomi's suicide. We'll see.

ToraiS said:


Oh damn, I honestly overlooked the details of the compass. I was too busy looking at the really well animated rocket and the not-earth atmosphere. The rocket ship for Nozomi is a nice catch, too.

But for episode 8, I lean on that bird symbolizing Yamabiko more, because it's specifically a blue jay. The girl also says to Yamabiko that he "should fly away", like if he was a bird (but he's a dog). Though I hope that your theory is true so it can spice things up.

If the ending is exactly Shonen Shojo I would be hyped as hell though. Would be one of the best endings for the show to have.

ToraiS said:


Oh damn, I honestly overlooked the details of the compass. I was too busy looking at the really well animated rocket and the not-earth atmosphere. The rocket ship for Nozomi is a nice catch, too.

But for episode 8, I lean on that bird symbolizing Yamabiko more, because it's specifically a blue jay. The girl also says to Yamabiko that he "should fly away", like if he was a bird (but he's a dog). Though I hope that your theory is true so it can spice things up.