Review of Anohana: The Flower We Saw That Day

I've always known that anime or any piece of media has the power to thug into the heartstrings of the viewer whether it be to make them laugh or rage over what's to come. They can also make the viewer sad in the tough moments, the best ones could make someone moved to tears. That being said, Anohana was the first anime to ever make me cry. This show has many layers. At a first glance, Anohana is a supernatural tale about Jintaro being the only person who could see Menma--his childhood friend who passed away in an accident many years ago. Peel another layer, it'sa high school drama about a group of friends who drifted apart after Menma's death as her newfound presence driven them to end this cycle of grief. Peel more layers and it's a story about overcoming inner demons. It goes on and on.

Anohana is an engaging drama. Despite its supernatural elements, the story feels grounded and relatable. The pacing is well done, hitting the emotional moments when it counts. The climax in particular is the best build up ever. These characters feel like real people who's going through a lot. In relation to the characters, they are a great assemble. They have different personalities that started of as an archetype of some kind, only to find out that there's more to them if you decided to peel another layer. Each of them is going through something in relation to the tragedy. Each of them acted in accordance to certain agendas, and it just feels great to watch.

The production side is also great. The animation and art suit the tone of Anohana. The OST is a good complement, especially the OP and ED.

Anohana is a great drama that I wholeheartedly recommend.