Review of Anohana: The Flower We Saw That Day

ANOHANA: THE ONIONS WE CUT THAT DAY! (I had written this review on an online journal which has since gone into disrepair) (Had watched this anime in July 2020) Humans are emotional creatures. Even the smallest of events can rouse the strongest and most poignant of emotions. Loss and guilt--tremendous, tormentous guilt--are two such powerful emotions that are capable of overwhelming a human being. “Loss” can be inordinately overpowering and unbearable--the loss of your beloved parents and family, close friends and acquaintances, pet(s), and in a more broader sense, the loss of your “freedom”. In this regard, the loss of your loved ones can permanently scar your subconscious andtorment you for eternity. It becomes increasingly difficult for you to deal with it; you become morose and surly. If you happen to be an adult, you might find solace in drinking, playing games and engaging yourself in your daily activities; However, if you happen to be a child--an innocent, ignorant child--erasing the memory of losing your loved ones becomes implausible. And this is what Anohana is all about.

PLOT (mild spoilers)
The plot revolves around five childhood friends who have drifted apart after Meiko “Menma” Honma died in an accident. The group was particularly intimate and had designated itself as “Super Peace Busters”.
Five years hence, on a summer day, an older Menma appears before Jinta Yadomi as , the protagonist of the anime. Initially dismissed as a mere hallucination, the spirit continues to pester Jinta to fulfill a wish of hers that prevents her from resting in peace. Utterly helpless, Jinta gathers his estranged friends, who are initially reluctant to help and blame Jinta for not getting over Menma’s death. As the story progresses, they are made aware of her presence and soon long-lost feelings of remorse and saudade are rekindled. To quote Wikipedia, “All the group members eventually wish to shoulder the blame for Menma’s death and help each other move on”.
The basic plot is divided into subplots, each concerning the ways in which the individual characters deal with the loss and try to move on. Like many of Okada’s originals, each episode deals with an aspect of the major theme rather than treating it uniformly. The episodes are characterised by constant flashbacks which at times becomes kinda exasperating because the audience wants the story to progress and not stagnate.

THEME

This is where the anime hits the hardest and makes one bawl and scream in agony. I have brought to tears by merely thinking about it. The theme has a persistent emotional impact on the audience. The anime is a grim reminder of the fact that as time fleets, people change and friends drift apart. It also reminds how self-denigrating a constant flowing guilt can be. One is stimulated to remember everyone that one has lost and to cherish the tender moments we have shared with them. Indirectly, the anime emphasizes the importance of enjoying every second we share with our loved ones, for the world is but ephemeral and unpredictable.

There's something about this anime that makes me nostalgic and feel close to home. A must watch.