Review of Anohana: The Flower We Saw That Day

Anohana is regarded as a classic. Here's why: 1. It is short. At 11 episodes, an anime that can make you ugly cry with that little amount of episodes is unheard of. Sure there are movies with shorter time, but you will cry HARD in this one from all the character building. 2. It stays focused. It takes time to build some characters, but it mainly focuses on the two main characters. This isn't a bad thing as those are the two we are supposed to care about. It doesn't provide unnecessary backstory and goes straight to the aftermath of Menma haunting Jinta for seemingly no reasonwhich is very refreshing. The story itself isn't new, but the way it is structured and the little details it has brings together a very satisfying ending.

Anohana is an anime I always recommend to anyone who is looking for a short yet meaningful story that will make them cry. The show deals with friendship, conflict and grief. When compared with other "sad" stories, it knows what it wants to tell and doesn't drag on episode after episode trying to build unnecessary suspense. If you disagree and feel it is dragging, I can still say that the payoff is worth it.