Ano Hi Mita Hana no Namae wo Bokutachi wa Mada Shiranai.
(We Still Don’t Know the Name of the Flower We Saw That Day)
Anohana was co-produced by five different companies.
The studio responsible was A-1 Pictures who are known for Fairy Tail, Sword Art Online, Magi, and Shigatsu wa Kimi no Uso.
Embark on a quest to bring to rest the ghost, Menma, as her five childhood friends try to make her one wish come true. This anime is emotional and really brings out the feeling of a loss of happiness for children. It explores the pain that children carry due to trauma and how it affects them later in life. Anohana is few minor mistakes away from being a masterpiece. You have to see it to understand it.
Story: We are introduced to Yadomi Jinta, a stay at home teen who has dropped out of high school. During the summer he is visited by the ghost of his childhood friend, Menma. Menma died when they were kids and she has suddenly appeared before Jinta to have her wish fulfilled. The story then moves on to Jinta working to gather all of his childhood friends to put Menma to rest. Of course they think he’s crazy but he is determined to help his friend. The story focuses on the themes of regret, guilt, desire, and hardship as we come to learn about the five childhood friends and the feelings they have over their friend dying. Every character feels a unique pain and sense of loss since the traumatic event and they have all struggled to fill the hole in their heart as not only did their one friend die, but their friendships faded as well.
Characters: The characters are really special in this anime as the story is about how these five former friends can rebuild the friendship that was lost because of the traumatic event. Each character has pain and guilt that they feel because of the event and every character has a moment to shine. The main character, Jinta, handles the events of the show very well considering his crazy circumstances and his determination in his mission to see Menma’s wish come true is what makes him stand out. I personally felt that Anjou and Tsurumi made the most logical sense and I found myself really coming to grips with what they’re going through. The girls have the the more reasonable sources of pain compared to the boys. My only issue was the behavior of some of the characters towards the end of the show. You’ll understand what I mean. Overall the characters in this anime are wonderful and create the unique atmosphere that Anohana has.
Atmosphere: This anime surprised the hell out of me. I had no idea I was in store for the emotional rollercoaster this anime is. Throughout the anime you are shown how impactful a traumatic event that they go through is like. If you are able to put yourself back into the shoes of a kid it is really heartbreaking. The characters hold onto these feelings for their lives and you see that shine through in the anime. A moment really late in the anime is soul crushing as you discover the reason for why all of events happen. This anime is really special and has a selection of fantastic, emotional moments.
Problems: My only big issue had to do with the idea of Menma’s ghost and her physicality with the world. Without spoiling too much a major chunk of the show would have been different if she just displayed an ability that she shows later on from the start.
Art: The animation was pretty good, there were very few errors if any. Every character came to life on screen and the experience was very enjoyable.
Sound: This had one of the best soundtracks that I’ve heard recently. There are a ton of emotional moments in this show and the music was always captured the moment. Music is the thing that gives depth to the show and what they did with music in this show is astounding. I also have to say that the opening gave me goosebumps on the first episode, before the viewer is even supposed to know what is going on. The opening theme became an instant favorite because of the sadness it portrays yet this strange feeling of accomplishment and joy. The closing scenes in the opening are heart wrenching and I honestly believe that this image is incredibly powerful.
Overall: I loved this anime, I can’t praise it enough. Just go watch it, it doesn’t take long and it’s well worth the investment. I loved the ending and I wish there was something extra to see. I’m rating this anime as an anime to make the time for.
I’m giving Anohana a 9/10.
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