Review of Anohana: The Flower We Saw That Day
Let's put this as its simplest: Do you want to cry? Do you want to get emotional? Are you having a hard time and want to watch something touching and deep to unleash your feelings and move on? Or maybe you just enjoy this kind of stories that envolve deep feelings and want to watch something that makes you feel a lot of things. If it's any of those cases, this is your goal. Usually I don't write reviews and less with such known animes like this one. But I need it. I need to get rid of this pain on my chest. I need morepeople to watch this because it's so precious that every single soul on this planet should give it a shot.
Best way to describe Anohana in one word would be: beautiful. It's just so beautiful on any aspect. But of course, it will demand compromise from you to take it seriously and get into the story to actually feel it. If you have ever lost someone you loved so much and he/she's gone or he/she passed away, putting yourself under the skin of the characters would be really easy.
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STORY (9):
The story goes around a girl, Meiko Honma (Menma), who passed away when was only a child and her five childhood friends which are now teenagers. Back then, they were all very close, but since she has died, they took apart from each other and changed a lot. All of them seem to have got over it and moved on with their lives, but the truth is none of them have successfully done it. Each one have their own secret and feelings around what happened which are slowly being revealed throughout the anime. It begins when Jintan, the main character, starts to see what he thinks it's an hallucination of Menma talking to him. Once he realizes that he's not dreaming and she's actually there, Jintan tries to reunite the group to fulfil Menma's wish so she can go to heaven and finally rest in peace. He's the only one who can see and hear her, that's why they don't believe him at first but she manages to communicate with them.
I won't spoil anything, I've just made a pretty short summary so you can know what can expect to find. Seriously though, give it a try, you won't be disappointed. It could fall into cliches, yes, but it's so organic and perfectly crafted that it's not bothering at all. Also it's not depressing even if it seems to be. Although it has dark and really sad moments, it will make you smile and even laugh your ass off as well.
Why I didn't give it a 10? Just because some of the twists are cliche and it could be made better honestly. It totally works for this story by the way, so it's a nice 9.
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ART (10) & SOUND (7)
Have did I say how beautiful it is already? There's no much more to say about the art. It looks simple but pretty, colorful and bright. The soundtrack isn't mindblowing, but is nice too and works so great.
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CHARACTERS (9)
As I said before, Anohana has a few cliches, specially speaking about its characters, but it's not annoying at all and each one of them is lovely and charming in its own way. They're very different but at the same time they all share the same tragic story and a big trauma for their friend's death. Again, I wouldn't give it a 10 because they're not particulary original.
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ENJOYMENT (10)
Do you know that feeling when a story digs deep under your skin and sticks in your mind for hours after you've finished it? That's what will happen if you watch this. It's short, 11 chapters are nothing and you're going to devour them.
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OVERALL (9) & CONCLUSION
I can't say enough how much I've loved it, but I wouldn't be honest if I'd put it a 10. Anyway I think it's a story that's worth it to watch and enjoy for yourself. And prepare the tissues, my friend, because yeah, you're gonna cry like a baby.