Review of Anohana: The Flower We Saw That Day

I can see why some people would like AnoHana. It’s an emotional, slice of life, feel good (although it deals with grief and guilt, it’s still rather hopeful and light) series with tinges of romance. So maybe it just wasn’t for me. Even if you’re into that genre however, it’s hard to overlook some major flaws. Plot: The series has only 11 episodes. So you’d think economic use of time would be a top priority. You’d be wrong though. A lot of time is spent doubting the character who can see the ghost friend (well, that’s just realism. Who wouldn’t doubt him?), proving that the ghost friendactually does exist (which is accomplished in a way that makes you wonder why they didn’t think of that in the first place, but ok, they have a pretty stupid excuse built in) and trying to figure out the wish of the ghost friend. They try various things without success before they find the solution in the last episode.

And that’s my problem with the series: the pacing is a disaster. I can easily understand why people like the series. It deals with a tragedy, but I never really felt depressed. The series doesn’t avoid the rather angsty moments, but to me it was generally a hopeful and light series instead of a depressing and dark one. But the series wastes episode after episode and resolves all of the problems in the last episode. It felt unnatural. Until the penultimate episode the different characters of the group didn’t get along, were clashing with each other and had major issues to deal with. If the last episode is supposed to resolve that (the answer isn’t clear, only hinted at in the end), it did a lousy and unrealistic job of it. Another reviewer described it as a group therapy session and I think that is an adequate description.

The built up to the “solution” just wasn’t there, although they built up the conflicts and issues facing most characters nicely. It makes you wonder if the series was planned out for more than 11 episodes and the writers had to end it hastily.

The unrequited romance ties in nicely into the main grief-storyline and isn’t overwhelming. I wouldn’t describe AnoHana as a romance and I don’t think it was intended as one.

Themes:
AnoHana deals with a range of emotions from grief, over unrequited love to (a little) guilt and jealousy. And the way it deals with it, is, ultimately I think, flawed.

As I mentioned above the built up for the conflicts is nicely done. The same goes for establishing the different themes. None of it seems forced and I think, even though I have never been in a similar situation, that it’s rather believable that the death of a beloved friend can affect people in a major way.

But again I’m coming back to how it is resolved. AnoHana gives off the impression that there is some miracle and in an instance every emotional problem is solved. That makes no sense. The grief, the jealousy, the romantic problems: none of them are satisfactorily resolved.

Characters:
Some negative reviewers argued that neither the characters nor the situation they’re facing was relatable. To be sure, most of us likely haven’t been unfortunate enough to see a beloved friend die and having to deal with the grief. Still I found the feelings and situation of said characters relatable enough.

I generally don’t subscribe to the idea of relatability though. Even in the slice of life genre relating to the characters and their situations is generally not that easy. Look at the sports Anime, or Barakamon or slice of life in live action TV. Can you relate to guys whose sole purpose in life seems to be playing Volleyball (Haikyuu!), writing Caligraphy (Barakamon), live in an English manor at the dawn of the 20th century (Downton Abbey) or work in the ad-business in the 60s (Mad Men)? To say nothing of all other Anime (please, tell me how you can relate to that Saiyajin fighter with the apelike tail or to that princess from the moon that fights demons at night).

Now you may argue that relatability is not in the situation, but in feelings. People are people, they become relatable not only through their experience and through their circumstances but mostly through the emotions they express. If that’s your opinion I don’t see how the characters in AnoHana are any less relatable than anyone else in any other Anime.

Now on to the individual characters:

Menma: The female friend that died and returns as a ghost is a cheerful airhead, that loves everyone, but especially Jin-tan. I’ve seen her physical appearance described as moe and I’d agree with that. But even if you dislike moe, I don’t think that would be a reason not to watch AnoHana.

Jin-tan: The main character, who stopped going to school, mostly out of grief over Menmas death and reappearance. He loves Menma and is the only one who can see her ghost. He’s also determined to make her wish come true.

Anaru: The girl that loves Jin-tan, therefore is jealous of Menma.

Poppo: The guy who completely dropped out of school and gets about no character development until the last two episodes.

Yuikatsu: He loves Menma too (unrequited and obsessively) and therefore logically is jealous of Jin-tan. That jealousy is also rooted in the fact that Jin-tan was the leader of the group back in their elementary school days. There is also one or two episodes in which he engages in weird behavior. I’m not gonna say what exactly it is, because that might spoil and/or deter some people, although the thing is really minor.

Tsuruko: She loves Yukiatsu (he is too dense to notice it, apparently) and is therefore also somewhat jealous of Menma and later Anaru.

I once read that it is hard to compete with dead people since they make no mistakes. That is certainly true for the two surviving female characters. Their plight was believable. Especially since the two males they love are dense and only learn of the females affection in the last three episodes. Another problem that could have been solved by proper communication (at least partially), but that’s why the group therapy in E11 worked, I suppose.

Now the characters are certainly not the best you’ll ever see in an Anime. But, with the exception of Poppo who gets about zero development, they’re decent enough.

Art: I don’t care about the art and therefore was ok with what was presented.

Sound: I liked the music, opening and ending.