AnoHana - Character Discussion - Anaru (Anjou Naruko)

[HayashiTakara]

Originally Posted by mellomarie

has yukiatsu treated anaru remotely as shitty as jintan has? no he hasn't. besides, with the most recent episode anaru has stated that she does not want to date yukiatsu so i suppose it's a dead deal. i still maintain that their banter was pretty refreshing and they actually seemed like they were enjoying themselves. yukiatsu has his issues (as does anaru) but if it's not affecting their interactions, what's the big deal?

and no, rebounding is not THAT horrible. it happens all the time and it's a pretty human instinct. if it's a mutual desire to move on from childhood loves that are at a standstill...then what's the problem?

@trippedup:

i would've agreed that jintan can move on when menma's gone and finally see anaru for who she is. but in the most recent episode, he declared that he does indeed love menma. can't see a realistic way for him to suddenly get over the dead girl he's CURRENTLY in love with.

to be perfectly honest, i don't see anybody hooking with anybody. every character seems to be obsessed with their unrequited loves and have no desire to move on. i felt as though yukiatsu (and anaru at times...) showed the most success in attempting to move on, but the sniffing seems to say otherwise

utter shit? how so? I don't see him mistreating her at all. Sure its cold of him to not reply back to her "confession" but he needs to sort shit out first. Saying something now while he himself is still confused is half-hearted and irresponsible.

Also, rebounds are terrible, they never last and it's generally physical. The best way to move on from someone is to spend some time single and get a fresh outlook on life. Jumping on the next piece of tail in an attempt to get over a broken heart generally leads to regret and self-loathing. I'm old and been through enough relationships to know better.

Originally Posted by Yumii-chan

I agree with this.
In my opinion, Anaru loves the idea of Jintan, not Jintan himself. Its been years since they talked in the beginning of the show and both of them are completely different people. But she clings on to her memory of him when they were kids and then gets let down when he isn't the person she expected and remembered him to be. In one way, Anaru not only need to move on from Menma's death, she needs to do it for Jintan too.

I disagree, she's still in love with him despite his apparent flaws. If it was just an idea, seeing him in his current state would put her in utter despair for shattering that image.

Going back and revisiting those scenes where Anjou is spending time with him again after so long, you can see her feelings igniting again. It's the person, not the idea.

I think you're taking her affection too lightly or is refusing to see it for what it is.

[fazer]

Originally Posted by Yumii-chan

I agree with this.
In my opinion, Anaru loves the idea of Jintan, not Jintan himself. Its been years since they talked in the beginning of the show and both of them are completely different people. But she clings on to her memory of him when they were kids and then gets let down when he isn't the person she expected and remembered him to be. In one way, Anaru not only need to move on from Menma's death, she needs to do it for Jintan too.

Originally Posted by HayashiTakara

I disagree, she's still in love with him despite his apparent flaws. If it was just an idea, seeing him in his current state would put her in utter despair for shattering that image.

Going back and revisiting those scenes where Anjou is spending time with him again after so long, you can see her feelings igniting again. It's the person, not the idea.

I think you're taking her affection too lightly or is refusing to see it for what it is.

I have to agree with Hayashi.

I feel that Anjo was in love with the "idea" of Jinta at first, Jinta was smart, athletic and the leader of the gang, but now it seems she is not just clinging to the "idea" of Jinta anymore.

Her feelings for Jinta evolved over the years as she watches Jinta change (before Menma return, Anjo was probably the closest "acquaintance" Jinta had for years, despite not having regular conversation, they went to the same school), I feel she have fallen in love with Jinta for being Jinta and not just the idea anymore.

She was let down because Jinta did not reciprocate her feelings.

Originally Posted by HayashiTakara

utter shit? how so? I don't see him mistreating her at all. Sure its cold of him to not reply back to her "confession" but he needs to sort shit out first. Saying something now while he himself is still confused is half-hearted and irresponsible.

Have to agree again, Jinta is really a nice guy, he genuinely cared for his friends, he did saved Anjo from an awkward situation in class. Its just that he has too much things on his plate now...he need to get over Menma...Would it have been fair, if Jinta give Anjo a positive answer for her affection while still so lost in Menma?

At least he is been true, Yukiatsu was probably looking for a substitute.

[mellomarie]

Originally Posted by Anh_Minh

Yukiatsu was enjoying himself. Anaru just looked various level of uncomfortable.

not how i remember it. i'm pretty sure she was smiling/laughing herself.

Originally Posted by Yumii-chan

I agree with this.
In my opinion, Anaru loves the idea of Jintan, not Jintan himself. Its been years since they talked in the beginning of the show and both of them are completely different people. But she clings on to her memory of him when they were kids and then gets let down when he isn't the person she expected and remembered him to be. In one way, Anaru not only need to move on from Menma's death, she needs to do it for Jintan too.

basically this. not to mention her feelings are based on a childhood love. her feelings are stagnant, they haven't grown at all and hardly represent the current jintan. i don't think that warrants her being "devoted" to him and not moving on.

Originally Posted by HayashiTakara

utter shit? how so? I don't see him mistreating her at all. Sure its cold of him to not reply back to her "confession" but he needs to sort shit out first. Saying something now while he himself is still confused is half-hearted and irresponsible.

how is he confused? what does he exactly need to sort out? i mean he just declared that he's in love with menma. it's also very obvious that he's NOT confused about his feelings for her. seeing as he loves menma, he should've had the decency to give anjo a proper reply. i think being "cold" enough to not give her a reply, especially when it's obvious that he's thought about it, is mistreating her.

Also, rebounds are terrible, they never last and it's generally physical. The best way to move on from someone is to spend some time single and get a fresh outlook on life. Jumping on the next piece of tail in an attempt to get over a broken heart generally leads to regret and self-loathing. I'm old and been through enough relationships to know better.

not all rebounds are terrible, it depends on the person and the context. it also helps if the people are honest with each other about their motivations. not to mention a relationship can grow from a rebound to something more, especially in the case of anjo. her love is a ditch, its not going anywhere. let's also not forget that yukiatsu/anjo HAVE been single. they weren't in relationships with anybody, let alone with the people they WANTED to be with.

you're talking about conventional relationships. yukiatsu and anjo have no other choice BUT to move on. i'm not necessairly advocating them to move on together but if that's what they want then i'm all for it.

[Irenicus]

Originally Posted by mellomarie

basically this. not to mention her feelings are based on a childhood love. her feelings are stagnant, they haven't grown at all and hardly represent the current jintan. i don't think that warrants her being "devoted" to him and not moving on.

Then how do you explain how super happy she was that he started to connect with her again, that he tried to go back to school, that he awkwardly and clumsily saved her, that he started working with her? That was teenage Anaru responding very very positively to teenage Jintan. He wasn't cool, he wasn't the popular leader, he was stuttering and awkwardly clawing his way out of hikkikomori state -- and she was so, so happy at every little bit of it.

Loving an idea? Please. If that isn't a love for the person then I don't know what is. A person who's in love with an idea would have been annoyed at Jintan's imperfections in the earlier episodes. Instead, in the very first reflection she made, the one that set the tone of her character for the rest of the series, she outright stated that she was instead annoyed at herself for being unable to help him in any way -- him, the flawed, wounded, locked in, school-skipping, uncool, messy-haired, Menma-obsessed Jintan. She didn't want "Jintan," she wants Jintan.

how is he confused? what does he exactly need to sort out? i mean he just declared that he's in love with menma. it's also very obvious that he's NOT confused about his feelings for her. seeing as he loves menma, he should've had the decency to give anjo a proper reply. i think being "cold" enough to not give her a reply, especially when it's obvious that he's thought about it, is mistreating her.

He's in love with a dead girl. Half the time he thought Menma was his hallucination. He knows damn well he needs to let her go, he knows it more than anyone, yet his heart cannot lie. He loves her. He wants her by his side. And this is after years of being a shut-in suffering from her death which he blamed himself, and the death of his mother.

That shit fucks people up. How is he not confused? If he hangs himself to go after her or something nobody can even blame him! And the fireworks scene in episode 10 just tells it all. How much he didn't want her go. How he was practically going to burst with emotions, and how conflicted he was -- how he knows very well the selfishness of his heart's desire. That last scene, when he realized Menma was still there, he had this look that said, oh god oh god, what have I done?

And you want him to turn around and give Anaru a real answer? I'm a fan of Jintan x Anaru, yet I would have been angry if he just half-heartedly said yes. She deserves better.

[mellomarie]

Originally Posted by Irenicus

Then how do you explain how super happy she was that he tried to go back to school, that he awkwardly and clumsily saved her, that he started working with her? That was teenage Anaru responding very very positively to teenage Jintan. He wasn't cool, he wasn't the popular leader, he was stuttering and awkwardly clawing his way out of hikkikomori state -- and she was so, so happy at every little bit of it.

Loving an idea? Please. If that isn't a love for the person then I don't know what is. A person who's in love with an idea would have been annoyed at Jintan's imperfections in the earlier episodes. Instead, in the very first reflection she made, the one that set the tone of her character for the rest of the series, she outright stated that she was instead annoyed at herself for being unable to help him in any way -- him, the flawed, wounded, locked in, school-skipping, uncool, messy-haired, Menma-obsessed Jintan.

i'm pretty sure i said her love is "based" in her childhood, doesn't mean that jintan in his current form isn't going to affect her in anyway. she still loves him, of course she's going to be happy by any attention he gives her. i'm just suprised that people think jintan x anaru is endgame or something.

and please, when she was confessing her feelings to him she was bawling her eyes out and begging him to stop--that's clear frustration. anaru tried her best to help him but she couldn't break through, she shouldn't feel less than because she doesn't have as much an impact as menma.

it's heartbreaking that she has to constantly compare herself to a dead girl, a dead girl that jintan is currently in love with.

He's in love with a dead girl. Half the time he thought she was his hallucination. He knows damn well he needs to let her go, he knows it more than anyone, yet his heart cannot lie. He loves her. He wants her by his side. And this is after years of being a shut-in suffering from her death which he blamed himself, and the death of his mother.

That shit fucks people up. How is he not confused? If he hangs himself to go after her or something nobody can even blame him!

And you want him to just give Anaru a real answer? I'm a fan of Jintan x Anaru, yet I would have been angry if he just half-heartedly said yes at any time between when she confessed and, well, "now."

jintan is not confused about his romantic feelings anymore--that's the point i'm getting at. he knows he loves menma & he wants her to stay. i highly doubt that anaru will join the running in any realistic way. if she does, then it has to be way, way into the future.

as for his potential answer, what makes you think it will be a "yes"? there's also the option of simply saying "hey, i can't answer you right now but give me some time". but no, he ceremoniously ignores her and THEN declares his feelings for menma.

[karice67]

Originally Posted by Irenicus

she outright stated that she was instead annoyed at herself for being unable to help him in any way

Hm? The impression I got was that she was annoyed at herself for not being able to get over him.

Originally Posted by Irenicus

That last scene, when he realized Menma was still there, he had this look that said, oh god oh god, what have I done?

That's debatable too. I think he was just stunned that she was still there.

Though you're right in that she does deserve better.

[fazer]

Lots of debates today, I see a lot of Anjo fans wanting her to have a good ending whether its ending up with Jinta or moving forward without him.

Go Anjo!

[mellomarie]

Originally Posted by fazer

Lots of debates today, I see a lot of Anjo fans wanting her to have a good ending whether its ending up with Jinta or moving forward without him.

Go Anjo!

exactly!

i'm just pretty fascinated by how people can interpret a "happy ending" differently.

really i wouldn't mind anjo with jintan and granted i was privy to the idea first few episodes...i just want anjo to be first in his mind, seeing as most of her insecurities revolve around not being GOOD ENOUGH.

and she is <3

[fazer]

I am in favor of Anjo + Jinta ending(that is if Jinta wakes up and realize Anjo is a good girl!), but it doesn't looks like its going to happen, not with 1 episode left, too much issues to resolve..

I guess Anjo is destined to be stuck in love with Jinta for awhile before she can move on.....I don't think there will be happy ending...sob

[Kyuu]

Originally Posted by fazer

Lots of debates today, I see a lot of Anjo fans wanting her to have a good ending whether its ending up with Jinta or moving forward without him.

Go Anjo!

Either of those options work. With Jinta or on her own. But with Yukiatsu? People are crazy.

[Jan-Poo]

As much as I hope that in the end Anaru and Jintan will end up together I side with those who say that Jintan hasn't been very nice with Anaru when she confessed.
And she wasn't just confessing, she was crying and screaming too.
Confused or not he could have shown a little more of concern if he really thought of her as a friend.

You don't leave your friend crying and despairing without saying a word, especially if that friend is begging for your help.

He didn't have to say yes, he didn't even have to say no! He just needed to stay a little more with anaru or try talk if not at that very moment, later.

Jintan basically did the same thing he did when Anaru asked if he liked Menma 10 years before: he ran away.

I don't know why it should be even debated that this is not the right thing to do. He might have his reasons, but that's not nice.

[mellomarie]

Originally Posted by Kyuu

Either of those options work. With Jinta or on her own. But with Yukiatsu? People are crazy.

why crazy? i mean the dude actually has an interest in her and while his motivations MAY be debated, no one can say he has mistreated her.

i think he's in just as much in a pitiable position as anaru.

[fazer]

I don't think its crazy to having the idea of Yukiatsu and Anjo ending up together.
I just don't like it....its not the perfect happy ending I want lol

If Menma moves on and Yukiatsu ends up Anjo (+1), ...and he would be letting Tsuruko down(-1). Jinta would still be alone(-1).
This scenario scores a -1!

If Menma moves on and Anjos ends up with Jinta(+1), and Yukiatsu ends up with Tsuruko(+1).
This scenarios scores +2, Happy ending!
But not like its going to happen...

*I didn't give the score for whether they would be happy ending up in the possible scenario, its too hard to judge, some people like to be loved and others prefer to love.

[Jan-Poo]

And Poppo forever alone (-1)

[fazer]

I didn't factor in poor Poppo...since he is a (-1) in all scenario...and there haven't been any signs of relationships for him. Actually I think he is a (+1) even if he is alone, he seems like the happiest or least sad person in the group...at least up to this point..

[mellomarie]

but jintan is in love with menma, so anjou will never be sure of his feelings (-1) and tsuroko's also unsure of yukiatsu's feelings (-1) leaving them both in potential painful relationships.

so -2 scenario lol

seriously though, i think everybody going their separate ways may be the healthiest. they could come back as friends later in life when the memory of menma isn't tainting everything.

honestly, it's hard for me to swallow the prospect of any romance when none of them are being good friends to each other.

[Jan-Poo]

I agree but there's still the hope that Jintan will change at the end of this story and that seems to be somehow implied.

Like he should stop being a hikikomori (and he's already working on that)
He should start going to school more frequently
He should part with Menma once and for all (she's dead! I don't mean to say you must forget her, but you must move on!)
He should stop running away from his feelings
and so on...

What I mean to say is that while the current Jintan is really unfit for Anaru, maybe the new Jintan will be able to realize what a wonderful girl she is.


Yeah maybe I'm a bit biased towards Anaru, she's really the best character in this story in my eyes. And I also like Jintan, but the guy needs to solve his issues.

[fazer]

I agree, the best scenario now is everyone going their separate ways or at least keeping a neutral relationship with each other until everyone gets over Menma.

I think with 1 episode left, it is the most probable outcome, if not everything will feel rushed and incomplete.

[TrippedUp]

I think the most plausible ending would be for Anaru to get over Jintan. He's far too messed up for anything right now. They should rebuild their friendship before they even begin to touch a relationship.

Same goes for everyone else. I think the end should show everyone tentatively hanging out again, not be all buddy buddy. Unless there's a time skip, it just wouldn't make sense.

[Jan-Poo]

Unfortunately I've seen anime where a whole deal of problems gets magically resolved in the span of 10 minutes and everyone conveniently gathers in the same spot to laugh and rejoice.

Man... that's the lamest ending ever...