Review of Anohana: The Flower We Saw That Day

As generic as the Slice of Life anime genre can get with the boring everyday life repetitions as its name implies, Ano Hana is truly a series that oversteps these mundane boundaries as a Slice of Life anime series with its dual Supernatural genre. To put it simply, this show is about loss, grieving, and moving on. Yet, the anime itself is much more than that. From the beginning of episode one, there was something extremely different about this show excluding the obvious stunning animation by A-1 Pictures and the riveting music by Remedios. Although the story stars the generic ghost coming back because it cannotmove on as seen in multiple Supernatural animes, this anime focuses mainly on friendship which is different from the Supernatural norm.

Throughout all 11 episodes, this show keeps your interest with not only its aesthetic appeal, but also through the enthralling storytelling and character development. There was not a single moment I wasn't on the edge of my seat, eagerly awaiting the next episode. The characters were real. They had their own voices and their own problems and were extremely easy to relate to. The show worked hard to achieve a sense of realism with its time and characters and it did such, weaving a story that truly resonated with the viewer.

Although the series was only barely over 10 episodes long, the pacing is perfect and production-wise, it was pretty flawless. The voice actors were seamless in their delivery and I was overcome with a train wreck of emotions as the last episode came to a close.

This anime is perfect for those looking for something to fully engage yourself in emotionally. There were many tears shed throughout the series and the final episode in itself is a real heart-breaker.

The art, sounds, and characters were absolutely done to perfection. Although the plot was its only handicap due to its generality, it only barely affected the anime as a whole for it still told the story brilliantly. The story was still amazing although the ghost theme was unoriginal. Overall, this anime is by far one of my favorites and ranks as one of my top three Shoujos for a good reason.

I would highly recommend Ano Hana to anyone solely because it is a beautiful story intertwined with equally moving animation, music, and characters. I hope whoever watches it will also enjoy it as much as I did. To finally conclude,

"Super Peace Busters are friends forever!"