[ViewtifulAlchemist]

I had this anime on my backlog long before the events that happen in Japan but decide bump it on my priority to-watch list afterward. I was pretty uneasy going in because I didn't know what to expect out of the series, especially considering the pre-episode warnings on how supposedly accurate this would be due to all the "research" done on earthquakes.

Spoiler:

However it basically played out like a longer version of Grave of Fireflies in the end.

I was a little slow to pick up that Yuuki had actually died even though I shouldn't have let my "guard" down during the various dream hospital scenes. It really became obvious to me though when I saw Yuuki running with his backpack on even though he left it at the hospital earlier when Mari reunited with her family.

Between that and the post-ED credits news reporter mentioning the Crush syndrome I had that "wait a minute.." moment. Then it all came together and made the later episodes pretty sad to watch knowing that Mirai was simply having delusions the whole time.

I also should have picked up on Mari's facial expressions shortly after when Mirai, Mari, and "Yuuki" left the hospital. It obvious the series was trying to throw a small hint out there but I was so absorbed and distracted by seeing them just simply get home I forgot about it.

Mirai was really bratty and selfish at the beginning, it was nice to see her change into a decent in the end but pretty sad it took an event such Yuuki's death for her to experience such development (but that's sometimes how it goes for some people...). I felt much better about her than that brother from Grave of Fireflies who I wanted to punch in the throat what that movie was all said and done, heh.