Anohana
I think I enjoyed the show overall more than I did Clannad but the best part of Clannad doesn't really top the best part of Anohana. Anyway, comparisons aside, the following is my thought and the possible review of Anohana I guess.
Anohana was amazing in almost every single way. It excelled in a plot that gripped me straight from the beginning and all the way to the end - despite its somewhat awkward execution. I think the aspect that stood out to me most was the dichotomy of friendships as a child and as a teenager. After watching the show I realize how naive, idealistic, uncaring, and innocent children are. These friendships create I think the more pure friendships at heart despite the negative feelings. It isn't until that people grow older and older that we become more aware of these negative feelings and it changes us. For the Peace Busters it was harder than ever as the link the binded them shattered. With Menma dead nothing could keep them in check and nothing held them together.
I think Anohana is a story of what friends hide each from other, how friendships last throughout time, how friendship changes us while all the time keeping us the same, and how friends are ultimately what drives us to do the things we do sometimes - whether it be good or bad. In all honesty, I watch Anohana and it helps me to remember that I am still the same person as I was over a decade ago while still being different. It also helps me to know that the friendship that I forged and broke long ago also created the person I am. Seeing how everyone reacted to Menma and their friendship with each other pretty much revealed to me the depth of their sadness as well as their happiness.
I would say that Anohana is much more than a simple anime because in many ways it could very well reflect our encounters with our friends now and how we interacted with friends previously. The childish innocence eventually grows out as we become older. People change for the worse, they become more refined and become more realistic. However, at the same time, it's our childhood friendships and the past that we cling to that can help bring out our old selves again.
The tangents, random events, and more helped me to realize that Anohana wasn't really filled with filler plot but events that help each of the characters reach rock bottom, only to ultimately prevail their sadness and anguish and rise above it. Acceptance of Menma's death and their selfish past that consumed them over the years quickly dissipates as they wave good bye.
Ultimately, I found the ending to be sort of contrived because it felt pointless. The first half of the last episode was exceptionally amazing and I was expecting a cliche ending. However, what I got was a lengthy second half that felt tacked on just for some random emotional tugging. It wasn't extremely bad but it didn't help either.
Overall, I'd recommend this show to anyone who enjoys drama and a good story. I haven't experienced something like it in quite some while and it was a thrill marathoning it.
