Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		4.5
Audio		4.0
Extras		2.5
Overall		4.0

AnoHana: The Flower We Saw That Day: Complete Series Blu-ray Movie Review

Learning to move past regret.

Reviewed by Jeffrey Kauffman July 23, 2012

Memory is a fickle mistress. Sometimes the most insanely picayune moments will be lodged in the mind for no discernable reason, while at other times, especially as aging works its “magic”, major events slip at least temporarily out of reach. But traumatic events of course tend to imprint themselves more strongly and can often be the hardest things to shake from an obsessive mind. That’s one of the recurring subtexts in AnoHana: The Flower We Saw That Day, a kind of melancholy and wistful anime outing that is charming and gentle, but which goes slightly overboard as it works its way to its bittersweet conclusion. The main character of AnoHana: The Flower We Saw That Day is a young outcast named Jinta, a teenaged boy who seems to be nursing some kind of major grudge as the series gets underway. He’s being repeatedly accosted by a young girl named Menma, a little kid who seems to be typically intent on getting attention, not to mention getting her own way. Could Menma be Jinta’s little sister, perhaps? AnoHana: The Flower We Saw That Day reveals its secrets rather slowly as the opening episode unfolds, but in one of the series’ nice little twists, it turns out Menma isn’t related to Jinta at all, and in fact she is in a way not “real”: she’s a ghost, a spirit of a childhood friend of Jinta’s who has come back to ask her former comrade a favor. The problem is, Menma can’t quite recall what the favor is. That sets AnoHana: The Flower We Saw That Day on its eleven episode arc, where we’re introduced to a gaggle of former friends who were all affected in their own ways by Menma’s tragic death when she was a little girl. AnoHana: The Flower We Saw That Day is an interesting exercise in memory, regret and the vagaries of time, vagaries which often see close childhood friends drifting apart, even if they’re not really sure exactly why.

Things are played partly for comedy in the opening sequences, as it turns out Jinta is the only one who can see or hear Menma. Jinta’s father thinks his son is suffering from some sort of heat stroke, and once Jinta reconnects with his gaggle of childhood friends, all of whom belonged to a club that also included Menma, even they can’t see or hear the girl, leading to some initial confusion (later, a certain degree of jealousy also rears its ugly head, as some of the former friends wonder why it is that Jinta is the only one with this paranormal ability). But the overall emotional tenor of AnoHana: The Flower We Saw That Day is rather sad, filled with a sort of nostalgia and morose look back over decisions made years previously which have rippled forward into the present with unexpected consequences.

AnoHana: The Flower We Saw That Day slowly but surely examines the interrelationships between the so- called Super Peace Busters, the once strong childhood club that has since frayed in the wake of Menma’s death. We meet the other characters, which include the kind of uptight and emotionally tamped down Anaru, the kind of superior “Big Man on Campus” type Yukiatsu, the introspective but observant Tsuruko, and the kind of geekish Poppo. The series does a nice job of revealing little character quirks that each of these individuals exhibit, and also engagingly details both their childhood interrelationships as well as how those relationships have changed as the group approaches adulthood.

This is yet another very sweet and often gentle enterprise coming from Aniplex and NIS America. As we come to understand Menma’s motivations, things go at least slightly off the rails, especially in the series’ final episode, which devolves into an unintentionally funny series of teeth gnashing and cries to the beyond. The series would have been manifestly better had it stayed low key up through its denouement, and the hyperbolic wrap up may tip the scales in some viewers’ eyes, especially since it’s what comes last, somewhat negating the authentically sincere content that has come before.

The series is also notable for its quasi-religious content. At least a couple of characters have shrines to departed loved ones set up in their homes, and they “talk” to these loved ones as well as leave food and other items for them. There’s repeated discussion of reincarnation and an afterlife experience, and Menma herself, though “only” a spirit of a very young girl, is completely aware that she’s died and that she needs to move on to the next stage before she can reincarnate. In fact her “stay” in her own private Purgatory is what sets the plot in motion in AnoHana: The Flower We Saw That Day. This unabashed willingness to deal with rather “heavy” issues is handled quite well in the series, never in a screed-like way, but certainly with the seriousness the subject requires.

AnoHana: The Flower We Saw That Day is ultimately a series about reconciliation, coming to terms with one’s past and learning to let go and becoming able (however slowly) to move on. The reconciliation angle is actually two fold here: on one level, all of the former friends must learn to reunite in order to help Menma move on, but in another, perhaps more important, way, they must learn to reconcile their own decisions with the repercussions they ended up creating. If you can get past the kind of silly screaming and yelling that mars the final episode of AnoHana: The Flower We Saw That Day, there are some very valuable lessons imparted in this overall quietly effective little series.

AnoHana: The Flower We Saw That Day: Complete Series Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

AnoHana: The Flower We Saw That Day is presented on Blu-ray courtesy of Aniplex and NIS America with an AVC encoded 1080p transfer in 1.78:1. This is another sumptuous looking anime, with nicely delineated characters and very appealing backgrounds. Jinta is given a suitably "universal teen" look, with scraggly hair and a slouching demeanor, until Menma's efforts to get him out of his funk begin to take effect. The character designs here are actually quite notable in how nicely differentiated they all are, and that helps to create a sense of community and realism in this otherwise otherworldly outing. Colors are bright and very well saturated and line detail is exceptionally strong and precise throughout this high definition presentation.

AnoHana: The Flower We Saw That Day: Complete Series Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

AnoHana: The Flower We Saw That Day, as with most NIS America releases, does not have an English dub, and instead is presented with only a Japanese language track delivered via an uncompressed LPCM 2.0 stereo mix. Fidelity here is very strong, with dialogue (which is often quite soft for one of these anime outings) delivered clearly and cleanly. The score here is middling, with an overly treacly closing theme that almost sounds like someone channeling Karen Carpenter, but the score is also presented cleanly and clearly. Dynamic range is somewhat subdued, though the final episode, whatever other flaws it may have, does at least open things up sonically with a lot of screaming and yelling.

Note: NIS America continues its recent wise decision to offer removable subtitles, for those who simply want to enjoy the beauty of the image without text intruding.

AnoHana: The Flower We Saw That Day: Complete Series Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

As with other NIS America Premium Editions, AnoHana: The Flower We Saw That Day comes housed in a sturdy slipcase that includes two slimline cases, each holding one Blu-ray and one DVD. There's also a hardcover book with character sketches and episode recaps. The Blu-rays contain these supplements:

• Episode 1 Clean Ending (HD; 1:36)


• Online Episode Previews (HD; 3:30)


• Teasers and Commercials (HD; 7:47)


• Trailers for Other NIS America Releases

AnoHana: The Flower We Saw That Day: Complete Series Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

AnoHana: The Flower We Saw That Day is another NIS America release that works its magic slowly and deliberately. This isn't an "in your face" anime, and its quieter ethos may turn off some prospective viewers. But the series is a remarkably thoughtful little exercise on memory, regret and ultimate reconciliation, even as it deals with seemingly dour subjects like the deaths of children. Anyone who has experienced a traumatic event which is etched in their memory will certainly empathize with Jinta and his once and future friends, as they attempt to make sense of the incomprehensible and move toward a happier future. AnoHana: The Flower We Saw That Day is undeniably melancholy for the bulk of its brief eleven episode arc, but sometimes sadness can deliver a very worthwhile message to the heart. This is another very handsome Premium Edition from NIS America which features great video and excellent audio, as well as a few on disc supplements and a nicely packaged set which includes a hardback book. Recommended.