Angel Beats! - Episode 13 (END) Discussion / Poll

[kache]

Nice ending.
Loved it.

[risingstar3110]

The episode with the background music was beautiful. It does not make sense, yeah. But still it play well on audience emotions. They really did a good job there....

But seriously there's several problems with it:

1/ The last episode actually didn't only wrap things up. Just like previous episodes, they tried to squeeze as much drama in as possible. Kanade got Otonashi's heart and she stuck there that long, trying to protect the school rule for no reason... Should she look like she was looking for someone all those time?

Otonashi and Kanade's romance were scaled up unnecessarily as well. It's more one-side-love through, as Kanade seems hold no romance over him (yet). The fact that she went there to thank him showed her appreciation. But love is not there. Whether it's to avoid fanboy's rage, or it means to be like that.... we will never know. The rushed romance for Kanade do not work anyway. The moment Otonashi try to grab her was sad through. Not sure if he has more luck in the alternative universe

2/ Otonashi, Yuri and Kanade's character development were rushed. Ok, so we can assume that's how Yuri act if she don't have to stress herself out and act as a leader (the time when she turned to NPC maybe the reason also). Still it's so OOC of her so.
Kanade also suddenly turn into a super moe girl who write song, decorate the state, write u certificate, run behind Yuri to hide, and smile,and hum song as she walk. I do not complaint through, even when it's clearly a moe bait right there.

3/ The shadows who turned people into NPC can somehow return them into normal? I means... come on!! So the whole final shadow arc is simply just a plot device to let people accept Otonashi plan and have everyone moving on? Isn't that too much of a forced plot device?


In short, F*** the plot,the storyline and drama. If they planned to attract audiences with slice- of-life pace, comedy, Kanade+ Yuri's moe and romance shipping anyway, they should just concentrate more on so. Angel Beats probably can even beat K-on!! in those department if they really try.

[Francismeunier]

Originally Posted by majestix1988

without a heart you cannot feel love....

exactly a sound logical thing. That's why things changed after that infirmary part but more likely when he held Kanade for the first time.......things really changed from that part on. The stabbing in the beginning was only to make Kanade realize things with Otonashi's identity. Just saw it subbed and have to say that it had a emotional effect still so it's a #2 best episode now but #1 will always be 10 for Yui.

[Sigsig]

I don't like the episode..

Kanade went totally off-personality
Otonashi looks like a despo hypocrite.. WTF, help everyone move on and but want to stay there forever? The concept of teaching others is good, but he kinda became... dunno, off-personality too?
They just disappear.. off the screen. Seriously, it'd be better if they faded away like in the ED.
And I hate it that the rest of SSS members were treated like extras. They don't even have a disappearing scene at all, we only got to see them in the previous episodes

Graduation seemed kinda weird, though it was funny and touching at times

Overall 6/10. The lowest rating I given Angel Beats

[risingstar3110]

Originally Posted by Sigsig

Otonashi looks like a despo hypocrite.. WTF, help everyone move on and but want to stay there forever? The concept of teaching others is good, but he kinda became... dunno, off-personality too?
They just disappear.. off the screen. Seriously, it'd be better if they faded away like in the ED.
And I hate it that the rest of SSS members were treated like extras. They don't even have a disappearing scene at all, we only got to see them in the previous episodes

Ah yeah agree with these two as well. Otonashi suddenly turn to a creepy character into just that one line. I expected him to start laugh in a madness fashion and claim "It's just as plan" right there. Then Kanade would fight him as the final boss

Btw, the disappearing ending that some guy made by roll the normal ending over... actually is better than the actual disappearing ending

[KaneDragon]

free(angelPlayerProgrammer);

;_;



Oh, sure, just deal with it offhand.


Good thing no one took his eyes, or limbs, or something else obvious and debilitating. So that's why they don't like donating their organs--no one wants to spend the rest of eternity without all their precious organs...

OOC or not, Yuri was pretty cute this episode. And I had been expecting Otonashi to propose (or silently carry out) that plan about staying behind to help those who come after, but his desperation and Kanade's expression made it clear where it was going. Good thing they showed the NPC's having track; it had seemed like the world had become a completely empty place, which would have been a pretty lonely and frightening thing for the next human to wander in.

I wonder what the state of the school library is in, with time being what it is...

[randombum]

I'm not going to comment much about my feelings towards this episode other than to say that I enjoyed it. I will, however, mention some of the interpretations that I had for this episode.

I've seen that some people have had concerns regarding Kanade's entrance into this world and also the timing problems that it poses relative to Otonashi's entrance.

I watched the short part where Kanade talked about her past a few times, and I'm still not sure whether or not she actually died. From the English subtitles and also my incomplete understanding of Japanese, it seems like the possibility exists that she might not have died and simply wandered into this world in a similar, glitchy way as Otonashi. Of course the reasons for entering are different for the two, but as far as the series explained, this world seems to be imperfect at controlling who can enter.

The next issue is that fact that Kanade existed in this world before Otonashi did, which would obviously pose a problem with respect to time, but who said that this world necessarily followed time linearly?

But a world with non-linear time is rather hard to accept, so let's just keep it as a linear one. In this case, I feel that the series did not specifically say that those who die and are destined to move to this world enter immediately after their deaths. It's true that many of the scenes create this feeling (Otonashi lying on the ground... even Hinata in the novel has something similar), but it's from the perspective of the dead person, so you could say that time could have stood still for them during the transitioning period between the two worlds, which could have taken a completely arbitrary amount of time. Otonashi showing up after Kanade would make sense here.

In the end what I'm trying to say is that some of these events were constructed in such a way that they can't really be considered to be plot inconsistencies. Of course the story could have avoided these vague areas, but that's not my decision to make.

Anyways, if I have additional thoughts I'll add them in later. Feel free to correct me if you feel that the things I mentioned are actually very concrete.

[Dralha]

Originally Posted by randombum

I've seen that some people have had concerns regarding Kanade's entrance into this world and also the timing problems that it poses relative to Otonashi's entrance.

There doesn't seem to be a satisfying resolution to it, even with all the interesting speculation.

Still, it was a great ending to a surprisingly good series.

Spoiler:

I actually would've preferred the two of them to remain in the limbo world, but at least they seem to have another chance at a relationship, a la KnM.

[SolCiel]

This anime didn't have to be longer, it needed to be longer. There are people who want to know the stories and I'm still curious about the Angel Player person.

[Arbitres]

there just wasn't enough bloody episodes to support it.

I believe even two more episodes would have helped... If they did the pacing right from the start. Than it would be a 15 episode anime series instead of a 13.

I am also disinterested in whatever speculative nonsense that may occur. The truth of the matter is it was never touched on well enough to support any factual argument. So therefore, any kind of "How did Kanade die?" or "How did Otonashi appear later?" debates are... pointless until we get words from those that made the anime.

I'm not holding my breath.

[Marcus H.]

What do we expect? It's a multimedia project, so it would be hard to trace the complete story if it's encompassed by different media.

[majestix1988]

to string (an instrument or no Sound)[Yuzuru] + [Kanade] (playing music)

= Hatsune(First Sound) change the Sound to Love

it becomes First Love

Otonashi doesnt know what real love is.....even though he changed on real life after her sister died then died accident(because he is deliquient or non-friendly type and anti-social type)

[roriconfan]

Originally Posted by rrw

if anybody complain about undeveloped character. i susgest go read track zero LN or heaven gate manga because it explain SSS before otonashi appearance. so it explain many hing like creation of SSS and other members back story (yes, it official and written by jun maeda)

Oh, hack//SIGN all over again. And it didn't worth it there either.

[Myssa Rei]

Originally Posted by roriconfan

Oh, hack//SIGN all over again. And it didn't worth it there either.

To be fair, the //HACK franchise relies on cross-media referencing TOO MUCH, to the point where the viewer has to literally work to make sense of anything.

Angel Beats, by comparison, only requires a read of the prelude Light Novel and manga.

[Anh_Minh]

Originally Posted by Sigsig

I don't like the episode..

Kanade went totally off-personality
Otonashi looks like a despo hypocrite.. WTF, help everyone move on and but want to stay there forever? The concept of teaching others is good, but he kinda became... dunno, off-personality too?

In Buddhism or Hinduism or something, isn't there the concept of Nirvana being the goal, but people coming back from it to help others reach it? It's the same. And it would be like him to sacrifice himself, I guess. I'm more worried about him volunteering to leave before Hinata, and then proposing to Kanade to stay forever. WTH?

Also, sad as it was, I felt strangely vindicated to see him cry over Kanade's disappearance. "Yes, asshole, it hurts when your loved ones go away and you don't know if you'll ever see them again. That's what you wanted to inflict on everyone without openly discussing it first."

[Marcus H.]

Funniest explanation as to why Otonashi arrived in the afterlife much later than Kanade:

Otonashi had to wait for all his organs to die to respawn in purgatory.

Serious comment: People should stop comparing this to other series, be it Lost, Little Busters or any Key series.

[Cream]

Oh god. It's really sad that the series ended so damn early. It's so good .
I gave this episode a 8/10 because I felt there was a lack of something between Yuri and Otonashi Q_Q. I never really liked Kanade lawl.

[risingstar3110]

Originally Posted by Marcus H.

What do we expect? It's a multimedia project, so it would be hard to trace the complete story if it's encompassed by different media.

Well, the manga and the light novel was in the different time line, while the 4-koma plays for joke. So the multimedia problem should not be a issue here

Don't worry people, few more years and there's a chance that we will see a remake... probably can even be made by KyoAni

[Marcus H.]

Well, let's just hope that it would look like Na-Ga's character design. I like the character designs in Angel Beats! and I hope if such a "studio shift" happens, they wouldn't make it any less emotional as the original.

[Mister Random]

Like many people I had mixed feelings about this episode of Angel Beats, while it was very satisfying on an emotional level, on an intellectual level I had the same problems as other people.

Like other people I have a problem with Kanade arriving before Otonashi since he would have died first and so should have arrived there first assuming that you go to the world straight after you die. If not or if it can vary from person to person then it really should have been established at some point that this was the case early on.

As other people have mentioned I too am uncertain about whether Kanade was actually dead or only in a near death/coma situation and had been drawn in by mistake. Regardless of what was the case I think it likely that Otonashi had been drawn in because of her to allow her to move on. I did find the "lack of a heart" and amnesia odd given that if physical condition at or before death is not carried over (e.g. Yue being bed ridden) why would a dead person be lacking a heart or have amnesia.

The after credits epilogue also had me scratching my head since it seemed to be set in the present day which would not make sense if they had both been reincarnated. This makes me think that it was either a vision Otonashi as he dissapeared, another after life world where satisified souls go or perhaps an indication that Kanade finds a way to give Otonashi (and herself) a second chance at life together (there was a Claanadesque Orb of light above the school when she disappeared).

Hopefully there will be at least an OVA if not a second series to resolve these and other unanswered questions.