Iriya no Sora, UFO no Natsu

[DanielSong39]

A quick question about the movie that was playing in the theater in Episode 2...

By any chance, were they showing Zero no Tsukaima? It looked suspiciously similar.

[Alex Ikari]

Hehe well I just finished watching Iriya no Sora, UFO no Natsu and except for a minor scene that angered me I'm totally in love with it. Unfortunately Iriya's very similiar to Air because of it's rather open ending; or maybe I just missed it.

In any case I was hoping someone could really explain what happened at the end. First off, who was that guy that attacked Iriya, at first I thought he was Enomoto but he didn't seem to be and I'm pretty sure he wasn't a random character either. Secondly, did Iriya die at the end? It didn't seem like she would but they never really clarified. Lastly, what was the purpose of that Mystery Sign Asaba drew at the end? Thanks!

[DanielSong39]

I'll take a stab at answering your question:

They guy who attacked Iriya (and Asaba) in the last episode WAS Enomoto. The pressures of the war got to him and he went off the deep end.

As for Iriya, she may or may not have died from the mission. But her body was clearly breaking down and she didn't have long to live. In any case, she will never return to Asaba's hometown.

As for the mystery sign... it's Asaba's way of remembering Iriya. He has decided that the best way to honor her efforts is to move on with his life, and the make the most of it - but he will never forget her sacrifice.

[Alex Ikari]

Ah okay, thanks for the input. Except for Enomoto's attack on Iriya, this Anime was perfect in my opinion; I'm glad nothing bad actually happened though. In any case I'm going to assume things ended well and hope for a sequel.

[DanielSong39]

OK, maybe there was a bit of a misunderstanding here; Enomoto was the guy who attacked them when Asaba tried to stop Iriya from going on her mission near the end of Episode 6.

The guy who tried to rape Iriya while Asaba was away at the convenience store was some random guy.

[Deathkillz]

well i finally found the time to check this series out ~ i must say it was amazingly done

there was some confusion leading up to the final ep but it was all sorted out nicely in the end...

yep i do get the feeling that it was something similar to saikano which i have also recently watched but lacking the deaths (not including Enomoto) ~

i really felt that Iriya should have at least kissed Asaba before she pushed him down to go off to the final battle ~ that would have pushed me into the sobbing zone

open ended end as it were...its really nice to keep us guessing what might happen in the future
~ if im optimistic ill say that Iriya is still alive and living somewhere without her memories of Asaba but occasionally gets flashbacks from the past...and hopefully one day they can be reunited ~

~ if im being pessimistic then she would have died along with whatever alien she had to kill in the final battle...

i think that crop circle image that Asabe made in the field was to commemorate Iriya's feelings for him...its the very same symbol used for her attendence into the club which means it would be something special for her as she uses it to remember Asaba and her friends...could also act as a guide back home if she ever needs it...

beautiful story imo...and the animation was top notch together with the sound track ^_^

but one question still looms in my head ~ why did Enomoto decide to die in the end? i think he has actually gone a bit crazy ever since that incident where Iriya forgot to call him...did he decide to die because he knew that Iriya was going to as well? ~ kinda like "i will protect you even in the afterlife"

[npal]

Originally Posted by Deathkillz

but one question still looms in my head ~ why did Enomoto decide to die in the end? i think he has actually gone a bit crazy ever since that incident where Iriya forgot to call him...did he decide to die because he knew that Iriya was going to as well? ~ kinda like "i will protect you even in the afterlife"

I need to rewatch that part I kind of remember the scene but I have the feeling that he needed to die or Asaba would have been killed. Just a feeling though, it's been long since I've watched the series so I can be wrong, but there was this scene where people were hunting him and he met Enomoto or something like that?

[Furudanuki]

Originally Posted by Deathkillz

but one question still looms in my head ~ why did Enomoto decide to die in the end? i think he has actually gone a bit crazy ever since that incident where Iriya forgot to call him...did he decide to die because he knew that Iriya was going to as well? ~ kinda like "i will protect you even in the afterlife"

My take on that outcome was that Enamoto wanted to die as a form of atonement for the part he played in what was done to Iriya and her comrades. In the scene near the beginning of episode #6, when Enamoto tells Asaba the truth about Iriya and the war while they eat ramen on the roof, Enamoto's parting words are something like "Don't worry, I'm the one who is going to Hell for this." IMO, once Iriya lauched for her final battle, Enamoto felt that there was no more that he could do to affect the outcome of the war, and that it was time to pay the price for his deeds. He no doubt thought it would appropriate to have Asaba, whose love for Iriya was used by Enamoto as a tool to manipulate her, act as his executioner. And it apparently did not surprise Enamoto too much when, just as Asaba was unable to save Iriya, the boy was also unable to kill him cleanly.

[Rall)eon117X]

I just completed this series as well, and i have to say, i loved it! However, i really feel like i want more.

The animation was definitely extremely well done. I loved the character designs, especially Iriya. But i didnt like it that much when her hair got cut (Something with me and liking girls with really nice long hair) .

This story was great! I think this is most sorry ive ever felt for an anime character. Ive seen some sad anime before this (like Mikoto in Utawarerumono being 'dismantled' and Fate in Nanoha) but i dont think ive ever felt this emotional about a character. It really really hurt to see her in those different conditions: having frequent nosebleeds, her hair losing its pigment, her eyesight disappearing, her nervous breakdowns where she bled profusely and needed so many injections. It really hurt that there was nothing anyone could have done for her. Worse yet if youre the one viewing the anime itself.

Because i want to be optimistic about this, im going an optimstic version (thanks deathkillz!) of the ending, where she fought, won, and is alive somewhere, with a high hope of coming back to Asaba. Even though in the final letter to him from his (evil) nurse, where she said something like '...towards the end of her (Iriya's) life...' or the other, that one can assume she died, id like to believe she didnt.

Overall, i loved this anime a lot. Great sci-fi romance story, with lot's of nice parts, and a lot of emotional substance!

On a tiny side note: In OVA Episode 5, when they were walking on the railroad tracks in the rain, why was Asaba that mean to her? If i honestly really cared about someone like that i wouldnt say ' im sick and tired of your sloppiness' especially when he damn well knows its not her fault at all for the way she is! If youre that angry that you cant do anything to help her, run up to her, give her a hug/comfort her and say it!!! He overcomplicated the situation so damn much by saying those things and corrupting her memory. (I know it happened for the drama/increase in romance in the series, but still!!!!!! Makes me mad!!!)

[Owaranai Destiny]

Originally Posted by Rall)eon117X

On a tiny side note: In OVA Episode 5, when they were walking on the railroad tracks in the rain, why was Asaba that mean to her? If i honestly really cared about someone like that i wouldnt say ' im sick and tired of your sloppiness' especially when he damn well knows its not her fault at all for the way she is! If youre that angry that you cant do anything to help her, run up to her, give her a hug/comfort her and say it!!! He overcomplicated the situation so damn much by saying those things and corrupting her memory. (I know it happened for the drama/increase in romance in the series, but still!!!!!! Makes me mad!!!)

I recall this being addressed a little earlier in the forums. For convenience, here's my version of an answer:

Asaba might or might not have (probably more of the latter) been genuinely frustrated with Iriya then. After all, he's just a normal high school student until Iriya came into his life. It's true it has changed, and in some parts for the better, but when his resentment and confusion of being hunted down, having to leave the comfort of his home and run away, facing the hardships of having limited monetary resources and facing the harsher realities of running away, I don't find it hard to see why Asaba snapped, and his breaking point was probably at that scene, something which he did in the heat of the moment, as it can be deduced and seen afterwards when he started worrying about Iriya again.

[Veni-vidi-vici]

Damn, I can't believe I missed out on this great anime. It was in my downloaded folder forever, but I just kind of shrugged it off; man was I stupid, I absolutely love this series, it is going on my favorite list.
It actually got me really emotional (yes, I cried) the ending was bittersweet, I would've preferred a more direct and happier ending, but the ending is perfectly fitting.
Part of me wants a sequel or short follow-up, but another part of me knows that it'll probably not have a lot of content or live up to the original 6 eps. But I wouldn't mind a retelling of the same story but with longer episode count and more story from the novels.

I'll just take the chance to ask now, could anyone recommend me other series similar to this? (I'm a sucker for this type of anime) Thanks.

[Deathkillz]

^ well another short ova that fits into this kinda catagory comes in the form of Hanbun No Tsuki Ga Noboru Sora

[martino]

I finally got to watch this and well, I wasn't disappointed. In fact, I was very impressed. The story was very good, seriously, you've got Sci-Fi and Romance mixed in such a beautiful way. I just couldn't ask for more. No silly school shit, no annoying harem stuff. The characters were awesome too, mainly Iriya who was just so cute, and mysterious at the same time. The animation; God, take a look at those clouds! It's no Makoto Shinkai stuff, but the animation is awesome, including the very detailed backgrounds and very good running and action animation. The character designs were very nice too, but nothing new on this side. Though they were really well drawn and were rather cute. Sound, lol, the praise from me just doesn't end...

This has to be one of my favourites.

P.S. I would have expected a higher rating for this...

Spoiler for maybe...:

Bittersweet anime FTW!!!

[Skyfall]

Another one joins the club

I can't do anything but agree... i don't know why this one seems to be flying below the radar, because it is gazzillion times better than a lot of popular animes.

[holyman282]

hey martino, by

Spoiler:

bittersweet ending do you mean that it isn't a happy ending? Is it another anime where the couple have to separate and then the one on earth has to wait for her... I really don't like those endings cause there are just too many of them these days.. i'd go for a happy ending anyday

[Skyfall]

Well, we are not given exact information about what happened in the end, but

Spoiler for the couple:

They do not end up with each other

and it is strongly implied that

Spoiler for Spoiler of DOOM, if you do not want to HEAVILY spoil the ending, do not open:

Iriya dies in the final confrontation, but apparently manages to save the Earth.

At any rate - holyman, if you have yet to see this - watch it. It is more than worth it. And most likely better than the thing you were about to watch instead of it

And bittersweet ending shouldn't be that much of a problem - i remember you going on left and right about how you loved This Ugly yet Beautiful World, and that thing has a bittersweet ending as well

[martino]

Spoiler for my explanation of bittersweet:

When you don't know whether you should cry or be happy

/me starts sobbing

I seriously hope that this will get licensed some day... God, I just love this kind of stuff, now I just wish that my photoshopping skills were 1337 enough...

TBH I was kind of careful when I was DL'ing this because of the low ratings, but it paid off a million times.

[holyman282]

lol you got a good memory skyfall, i guess i'll give it a try..

the thing is i liked bittersweet endings, but i'm seeing too many of them these days... Now these days i would like to see a happy ending for once...

Don't get me wrong bittersweet endings has a greater bearing after watching it, but it gets me a bit too depressing and i would settle for some good old, "and they lived happily ever after" ending...

But since everyone says this anime is good i'll give it a try, although i can't escape the impending doom that awaits me at the end...

[Deathkillz]

^ well im sure you will enjoy this "bitter sweet" end as i still stand by the fact that Iriya will reture home one day sometimes an open ending can save my soul ^_^

Originally Posted by martino

Spoiler for my explanation of bittersweet:

When you don't know whether you should cry or be happy

/me starts sobbing

*points at avie* yea i feel like sobbing too

[npal]

Yes, it's good, despite being too dark, too depressed, with a bitter bittersweet ending.

But seriously, even if I prefer happy endings, the series was very well made (at least on first watch), and the ending, while bittersweet, was well executed and justified. It's one of those little gems like HanTsuki and Shinigami no Ballad that only few of us have watched because they weren't well advertised and talked about on the forum.

It's those series that makes you have faith that even 6 eps may deliver something worthy of remembrance.