AnoHana - Episode 3 Discussion / Poll

[xris]

Welcome to the discussion thread for AnoHana, Episode 3.

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[Deconstructor]

Episode 3 lacks the emotional weight of the first two episodes, but still has some of the signature "make the viewers feel really bad about themselves" moments. Jinta's dead mother; the Super Peace Busters re-uniting.

If Anohana is good at anything, then it's drawing upon the saddest memories possible to create massive sympathy for the main characters. Now, I understand why Jinta is shut into his own house, refusing to make any new friends. Or re-establishing the happiness he had with his past ones. It's because... he doesn't want to go through the pain of losing anyone, ever again. This applies to everyone else as well. Even though they seem to be having fun together playing Nokemon and roasting barbecue, the heavy air of Menma and Jinta's mother still lingers. That's why the Super Peace Busters are reluctant to become friends once again... they now understand no one can be together forever. Yet the show's greatest success is also my concern. There are only so many sad memories Jinta can have. Only so many people close to him can be dead. I hope the show expands outward to include more of everyone else's depressing memories - I'm particularly interested in Yukiatsu and Anaru's past with Menma. Besides Jinta, they seem to be the ones most affected by Menma's death.

Perhaps everyone's sudden reunion is a little too sudden. I didn't expect Tsuruko and Yukiatsu to join with the rest of the group by episode 3 - I thought they would be reluctant to hang out with their childhood friends after being separated for so long. I have the feeling Yukiatsu is lying about seeing Menma in order to sow the seeds of dissent within the group. Why would he claim to have seen Menma, but act so calmly about it? Doesn't he seem a little too relaxed to see a ghost, being the skeptic of the group? Rather, I believe he's going to accuse Jinta as a liar who just can't get over his past. Come back to Earth, everyone! There are no such things as ghosts. Menma really is dead! Noted, of course, Yukiatsu is the one keeping Menma's old sundress in his closet.

Episode 3 Rating: 8.5/10, but for being so awesome and the purposes of this poll, I'll give it 9/10.

[Solace]

There's definitely some tension among the group. We saw glimpses of that in the previous two episodes, between Jintan and Yukiatsu in episode one, and Anaru and Tsuroko in episode 2 and 3.

This is in addition to Anaru's unrequited feelings for Jintan, and whatever the relationship is between Yukiatsu and Tsuroko. Yukiatsu also shows some serious mental issues related to Menma....I guess they all do, but his feel creepy. The antagonistic manner he used when he proclaimed that he saw Menma is troublesome too.

I think Poppo's reunion will be short lived, and I think for a short while at least this "fake" Menma is going to be one of the driving factors behind it.

[charizardpal]

Its rather lame how he doesn't confess his feelings to the girl. I would have done it the instant she came back, having learned how painful it was to lose her in the first place.

I'm really digging the charecterization and loyalty of this group, who once lived through an ideal childhood...

[Daniel E.]

Originally Posted by Solace

for a short while at least this "fake" Menma is going to be one of the driving factors behind it.

For the time being, I am actually a lot more interested in knowing about this than to figure out what Menma's wish could be about. The speculation in the general thread was pretty interesting to read too.

[Solace]

Originally Posted by charizardpal

Its rather lame how he doesn't confess his feelings to the girl. I would have done it the instant she came back, having learned how painful it was to lose her in the first place.

I think it's more difficult than that. For one, I'm not sure he's convinced that she's the "real" Menma. If she's not, would it be like forgiving himself? Sometimes it's easier to forgive others than it is yourself. On top of that, so far all we know is that he said something mean in a defensive response to an accusation of liking the girl. Regardless of if he liked her or not, first he has to overcome her death, the regret of his (possibly) final words, and now it appears his mothers death as well.

Tough nut to crack, really.

Originally Posted by Daniel E.

For the time being, I am actually a lot more interested in knowing about this than to figure out what Menma's wish could be about. The speculation in the general thread was pretty interesting to read too.

It was good speculation. So far we have three mysteries. One, what is Menma exactly? Two, what is her wish? Three, who is the "fake" or "alternate" Menma?

For the last one, I almost feel that Yukiatsu is a red herring. My money is on Tsuroko. So far she seems the least attached to anything, but her conversations with Anaru suggest otherwise.

[tomphile]

Strangely enough, I'm really keen on finding out what's going to happen between Anaru and Jinta in terms of their relationship. There's just something about this show that just pulls in my interest. Sure there's a bit of confusion going on about the multiple Menmas, but hey, that's how the producers make the show interesting. And god, is it working on me.

[Malkuth]

Originally Posted by Daniel E.

For the time being, I am actually a lot more interested in knowing about this than to figure out what Menma's wish could be about. The speculation in the general thread was pretty interesting to read too.

The name of the flower they saw that day it seems that it will make an appearance on the 5th episode