27 replies to this topic

[rekaru]

I'm watching a drama slice-of-life series called Ano Hi Mita Hana no Namae o Bokutachi wa Mada Shiranai, roughly translated as "We still don't know the name of the flower we saw that day." The second episode just came out today. I'm really enjoying this anime, and I hoped that others would watch it with me. The episodes are once a week (15th first episode, 22nd second, etc..), so it's not as if it'll drain your time.

Six childhood friends have grown apart. The protagonist, Jintan, was once the energetic self-proclaimed leader of their group. After Meiko passed away in an accident, the group drifted apart, and Jinta became a hikikomori (shut-in). Meiko appears before Jinta one day and requests that he grant her wish. Jinta has come to the conclusion that her presence is a stress-induced illusion, but resolves to reunite the group once more so that they can all figure out her wish and fulfill it to make her happy.

You can watch it here.

I know most of you don't watch anime as actively as others, but it would be really nice if someone other than myself could watch it, and then we could discuss it together in this topic! Does anyone want to give it a try?

[SpazCat]

I'll watch it! I have the weekend off. (I have plans Easter, but I can do it. ^^) I'll watch ASAP.

[rekaru]

That's fantastic, thank you!

[SpazCat]

Alright, I watched both episodes, which I think you have too, but just in case I shall use spoilers!

Spoiler

So far I'm really excited about this series. I love how smoothly the story has shown the characters. I'm kinda getting antsy. I want to know more about Tsuruko and Yuki. Obviously the next few episodes is going to be about more character background and the actual story of what happened to Menma, but still. I've watched a similar anime, I'll have to look it up, and it was breath taking.

I know, without a doubt, that Jintan will go back to school. What else can he do at this point?
Menma is adorable and I really do wonder what her wish was...
Anaru is so going to get together with Jintan. I know I'm jumping ahead here, but I like to speculate.
Yuki has a crush on Menma, well did/does, and still isn't over it. I'm not sure if the piece of clothing he sniffed was hers or not. I'm thinkin' it is. Either way he's such a bitter ass.
Tsuruko seems level headed, but also mean. I'll add more to my thoughts on her later. Honestly , I haven't gotten a good enough feel for her.
Poppo is, by far, the cutest character. When I say cutest I mean lively. I'm glad one character, more or less, didn't change too much due to Menma's death.

So will the next episode be out this Friday the 29th, on the link you have there? It'll give me something to look forward to.

[rekaru]

I'm so happy you decided to watch it!

Indeed, I did watch the first two episodes, but I didn't want to start a discussion until somebody else had watched them already so that it wouldn't look as if I'm talking to myself, heh.

My thoughts:

Spoiler

There are so many different directions that this anime can go in, and so I have absolutely no idea how everything will end. I'm thinking Jintan won't go back to school until the conclusion, after he comes to grips with Menma's death.

I find it interesting that Menma still has the exact same personality as before. Right now, I don't think it's a stress-induced illusion and instead some sort of projection, but I wonder if part of the reason she's nearly the same as she was years ago is due to the fact that Menma really is just part of Jintan's imagination, and that this point won't be revealed until the end.

I'm reaaaally pulling for Anaru x Jintan, too. I disliked Anaru at first, but when it started delving into her backstory and personality a bit more, I became a bit more sympathetic and she ultimately grew on me.

And Tsuruko right now seems like such a *bitch* (she pretty much called Anaru a slut), but she's not nearly as bad as Yuki. I think Yuki is acting like an asshole because he's trying to distance himself emotionally from Menma/anything close to that, and so is suppressing/lashing out at anything that threatens the safezone he's created in his mind.

Yep, I'm thinking it was Menma's clothing he sniffed, and I also got the impression he had a crush on Menma.

No thoughts on Poppo yet. He seems like a neat character so far,

Right now, I'm speculating that Menma's wish is for all of them to stay friends forever, or something like that.

Like Jintan, I gasped when it looked like Menma was about to fall. I don't want anything else terrible to happen to her, I guess.

I'm excited to see how things turn out. Let me know if you have figure out the title of that anime.

The next episode airs on Friday the 29th. The fansubbers for this show are quick and had the first two up the day of airing. As soon as it's subbed, it'll be on that website.

Edit: The ending theme and sequence made me very happy. It's a cover of "Secret Base" originally by Zone (a song I've loved for quite some time), but in this case performed by the three voice actors that play Menma, Tsuruko, and Anaru. The words fit a little too perfectly and it makes me think that they may have based part of the anime off of the song. The animation of the flowers floating is beautiful.

[SpazCat]

Spoiler

OMG! The title is "We still don't know the name of the flower we saw that day." or something like that. ( I looked on Wikipedia... Do you think that after all of this is done that line will be said? Menma's real wish will be to know the name of that flower, but somehow they all get together and she feels at peace. I dunno, I think I'm just overly excited about this. I haven't watched a good anime in some time.

[SpazCat]

I also thought the clever word changes were great.
WcDonalds and Nokemon. ><

[rekaru]

Spoiler

Hmm. I'm probably wrong, but for some reason I've always thought of "that flower" as Menma, and that the title is referring to the group not realizing her importance in keeping them together as a group.

I'm also excited for this. Two more days until episode 3..

[SpazCat]

/>

Spoiler

Hmm. I'm probably wrong, but for some reason I've always thought of "that flower" as Menma, and that the title is referring to the group not realizing her importance in keeping them together as a group.

I'm also excited for this. Two more days until episode 3..

Spoiler

That actually make sense. In the title and ending sequences flowers are a HUGE theme. In the opening she's shown as a flower when all of the other characters are displayed.

[SpazCat]

Finished the 3rd episode! I was looking forward to this all morning!

Spoiler

At first I was going to go, "NAH-NAH! He did go to school!" but you were right he didn't. Seeing him forced to do it doesn't quite fit. I think it'll be as you said and he'll go back to school later on.

I wonder if Poppo did see Menma. It seems odd for him to see a ghost when Jintan is seeing her as a 'hallucination'.

I think Yuki is just being an ass again, but I can't quite tell. I was hoping to get to know Yuki and Tsuruko more! I'm sure all will be revealed.

Do you know how long this series is?

[rekaru]

Spoiler

Ahh I don't know what to think anymore. Yukiatsu and Poppo seeing Menma? I got the impression that they both were being very genuine, but maybe I just trust too easily. That really threw me off guard. I'm liking the unpredictability of this.

About school: Teehee, the entire time I was thinking "Argh, SpazCat was right!". Maybe we'll both be wrong? Those girls though..why didn't Anaru say anything to them? He was soooo close.

I wonder if at some point, they will all see different incarnations of her.

And the search party thing when they go running down the stream towards the end: It's almost as if they've all fully reunited and are playing together again. Which might mean what I speculated about the wish is wrong. Darn. What is her wish?

And Tsurumi and Yukiatsu going shopping together, and she asks him why he brought her. It reminded me of the garment that Yukiatsu had that he sniffed.

Totally expected Yukiatsu to bring food. He would. I've heard someone speculate that he may have been behind the "Menma" that Poppo saw, but I'm just not willing to believe he's that evil. Yet.

Compared to the last two episodes, this one wasn't as "Wham!", but I still enjoyed it.

Edit: Oh my gosh! No. No!~

Not only is he crossdressing as Menma, but he's also trying to trick the group. That was the reason behind his shopping for girl accessories.That bastard.

Edit2: Dear god, there is more that needs to be analyzed here. Exhibit B.

He's making Tsurumi dress as Menma.

Also, in the scene where's shopping, he's looking at scrunchies. Anaru wears scrunchies.

Secret Base (ED) single came out a few days ago.

From what I remember, it's supposed to be around 10-11 episodes. The episodes go by too fast. They need be like an hour long or something.

[SpazCat]

/>

Spoiler

Edit: Oh my gosh! No. No!~

Not only is he crossdressing as Menma, but he's also trying to trick the group. That was the reason behind his shopping for girl accessories.That bastard.

Edit2: Dear god, there is more that needs to be analyzed here. Exhibit B.

He's making Tsurumi dress as Menma.

Also, in the scene where's shopping, he's looking at scrunchies. Anaru wears scrunchies.

Spoiler

See I was wondering about the scrunchies thing. It was made a big deal about in the second episode. Anaru just needs new friends. Bitches...

Yuki better not be such an ass, and if Tsurumi is going along with it she's just as bad!

[rekaru]

Thoughts on episode 4.

Spoiler

Oh my gosh, it was Yukiatsu! I knew it! I thought he was going to die at the end when he fell down the cliff.

Tsurumi wasn't behind it after all, she actually helped catch him, and she pieced it all together before everyone else found out.

I want to know what happens next!

[SpazCat]

Spoiler

Good call on it being Yuki!
I also thought he died when he fell. I rewatched/ listened and it kinda sounded like water splashing! Trickie.
Yuki deserved to get hurt. Being so mean to Jintan and making things up. Go you Tsurumi!

Geez did you wait until midnight to watch this?!

[rekaru]

Geez did you wait until midnight to watch this?!

Maybe >>

I'm thinking that in light of recent events, Yukiatsu will probably become a more sympathetic character.

[SpazCat]

He damn well better be! The dick...

[rekaru]

Spoiler

Damn, this was definitely a good episode. I felt a lot of emotion all through it.

I'm glad Naruko is still rather innocent.

I really feel for Yukiatsu. I kinda want to know more about what happened that day.

Thought. Menma's wish: To know the name of a flower they saw that day. Maybe.

[SpazCat]

Spoiler

I'm thinking Menma slipped when she went to get the hairpin. That's why he blames himself.

I kinda suspected Naruko was better than what her character seemed to be, but I'm glad it's more or less confirmed.

[SpazCat]

Spoiler

Maybe it's the advice Menma wants from the group? Man, they keep throwing new things into the mix! ><
I'm not sure what to think. Maybe she just wants to know if everyone will be alright? I dunno. I loved the ending though.

[SpazCat]

Spoiler

Wow, I was surprised to see that Menma's Momma was the one to, more or less, stop them from doing what they thought was right. Talk about terrible timing. Sad that Menma's Momma suddenly decides that now is the time to 'get over' what happened.I also wonder what Yuki is up to. He asks out people so casually. I wonder if he's just trying to bury his feelings?