Emotional; Nostalgic; Well-Animated; Slow Paced; Inspiring

I legitimately was not super into this for the first few episodes, but somehow I found myself caught up in the characters, their interpersonal interactions and their story. I really love a story that makes me cry, and this one for sure exceeded

Not very often does a show captivate me as emotionally as Anohana does. Such a simplistic story yet has complex relationships and characters. The story focuses on the lives of five childhood friends who grow apart after the death of one of the group's members, Menmna, who suddenly appears as an apparition to the groups leader Jintan after her tragic death several years back. Menma tells Jintan, the only person who can see or touch her, that she is there to have her wish granted by him and the other members of the group. What that wish is remains a mystery throughout the show. What really shines in this series is the depth & dimensions of each character portrayed, as well as their contribution and connection to the story. So much emotion and passion comes from each actors role and makes for such a passionate and heart wrenching experience. This show will suck you in and give you a feeling of connection to the world and this small group of friends as they reunite and deal with the conflicting emotions that have been bottled up inside after the death of their long lost friend.

I had just finished watching Clannad: After Story, and stumbled upon a comment about this very anime. When I read the synopsis, I was instantly hooked, & the excitement that I had begun with this anime, lasted all the way to the end. I recommend this for all anime watchers. It is not a show of much action, but more so on the emotional side. The characters are very much relatable, if not, very realistic, indeed. It is a quick 13 episodes that will make you feel queasy and content at the end of it all. This anime is up there, not one of my most favourites, but definitely close up there. So if you're looking for something to quickly finish & stay satisfied throughout it all, I suggest you to give it a go, & watch it. You will not regret it one bit!

It's super good and super sad. I can definitely recommend big time.

{This is my very first review so please forgive my simple writing}

In one word, inspiring.. Just from the very first episode it grabs hold of you and never lets you go... I've only just seen the three first episodes and I'm already hooked.. The storyline is really unique and dramatic, the characters are all very interesting and very well developed, the animation is superb, top of the line, the music fits with the scenery really well and of course there's some comic relief now and then ... Just mesmerizing... Perfect... If the slice of life genre of anime is something you might be interested in then look no further!! See for yourself, you will not be disappointed..!!!!!

Summary Review at the bottom for those who can't be bothered reading an chunk of words.

This anime has to be one of the best I have watched in a very very long time.

It was just so well executed, so beautiful, and needless to say, it was the saddest thing I have ever encountered.

Although it contained light humor, which blended everything perfectly, when it comes down to it, this show is so raw and it really pulls at the heart strings. Every single person has experienced a loss of some kind, and I think this anime is just spot on when it addresses the aftermath, the passage of time and human relations- therefore I feel every single watcher can relate to it.

Even though there were only 11 episodes, I felt that the story was not rushed. Every episode had meaning behind it. I got to know (and love) each and every one of the main characters. And I cried my heart out at the end.

This anime is a must-watch, even for people who have stone hearts and state that they will never cry watching a TV show. It was just impeccable! The animation was terrific! The story was incredible!

I thought I'd sit down, watch the first few episodes, and go to bed. But this anime hooked me in. Although the first few episodes contained M rated jokes, which may put some people off, they were still hardly noticeable in the big picture- and they were realistic too. I don't know any teenagers who don't make jokes like the ones in this show.

I found myself laughing along with the characters, and even mimicking their sobbing towards the end- the voice acting was truly magnificent.

This anime has taken 1st place on my list. I will be re watching this series. I will cry over the episodes again. I cannot recommend this any more, or shower it with higher praise!

Summary:

Story- 10/10 Captivating, enthralling and believable in every way shape and form!

Execution- 9/10 Everything smoothly fit together, the writers really thought about how they were going to link ideas, and when and where.

'Feel' Factor- 10/10 I know of no one who has not sobbed, or laughed, or done both at the same time watching this.

Voice acting- 9/10- Believable and full of emotion.

Animation 9/10- Clean style. Range of pallets used, in particular softer ones which make for a very enjoyable watch. Movements are realistic.

I didnt expect to get this emotional. But one i started criing i just couldn't stop. It hit me so hard. Ano hana unlike other show makes you feel for the characters the the main character isn't some kind of superhero. He is just a screw up like the rest of us. And thats the strength of ano hana. <[((In conclusion))]> I couldn't recommend this more. Just go watch it

It's really heartbreaking at the end. But I really loved this series. I can't let Menma go. I just finished it. And the end of the final episode. I also shout that, I love you Menma! I'm in tears now, sorry for this foolish review. This is the best anime you should watch!

The second anime I watched from A-1 pictures. Truly one of the most depressing yet uplifting story. The premise was not really new, but there was still unique elements to it. The first 2/3 of the plot was the complexed development of the 6 main characters and their relationships. Although they were childhood friends, certain event to one of the member drove the group apart, yet created a "peace" between them. Throughout the story, they all had to break this "peace" and move on with their lives. Because of the great developments of these characters, the ending of this series became tear-jerkingly painful. The anime, with its execution, sent a powerful and hopeful message about friendship, confronting personal trauma, and most importantly, moving on from the trauma. Absolutely beautiful animation and characters. 9.5/10.

Rating 4.8

Favorite Episode: N/A

Annoying and average, the whole story could've ended in 2 episodes if the protagonist did you know what to prove to his friends you know who really came back. Full of logic holes and a cringe ending didn't emotionally move me like it did other people. Watch your lie in april instead, they actually care to explain the melodrama.

I am big fan of the anime genre, so this might prove biased, but even then i would recommend it as one of the most emotional anime ever. There are other anime of the sad types but this connects on the different level. Those who have lost a close loved one will relate to it at some point (I did to the whole story). And this anime is specially for them too...But all can relate to it as well.

Superb Animation quality backed up with natural voice over and the sad awesome story .....U WILL and not just may literally WILL find this anime AWESOME!

JUST WATCH IT ALREADY!~~ITS AWESOME !!! !! !! :D :D

I watched this series in one day!! I love the story line. I usually don't cry because of a sad movie/tv show, but this anime really made my heart hurt.

Very sad story but great message to the viewers And keep promise between friends and family

I really like the show !!!!

I love muise very end of show

Menma is very cute girl

I tell please watch show you not will disappointed !!!!!!!!!

I watched this anime in English as I always have a preference of dub.

This anime is truly amazing and inspiring. I just finished watching all 11 episodes and I can tell you this I never regretted one bit.

At first it had a very slow start and I was having second thoughts on whether if I should drop it after the first two episodes or not but as a continued watching I am just glad I didn't stop.

The art style and the animation is truly unique. It bodes well with characters as the move and talk. Also every part of the background is very detail you would not find any parts incomplete or wonky as the shows.

I would also like to add on that the theme song for this anime is interesting and it adds a refreshing filter to each episodes. The music also fits the scenery very well.

There are many like able characters and of course the few comic relief. We get to explore many different themes such as jealousy, grief, friendship and learning from past mistakes and we can become a better person. Which is the strongest message this anime has.

The voice acting was very good Griffin Burns did an outstand job as Jinta.

My final words: watch this anime you won't regret it.

Wonderful anime! Very sad story, but inspiring for all of us.

A girl comes back from death to spend time with her childhood friends. They have all grown up into high school and college kids but have all grown apart over the years. She comes back and brings everyone together again. It is a very sad story and it will bring tears to hour eyes. Don't miss this one!

I'm a grown 16 yr old black basketball player and it made me cry like a baby

My enjoyment of Anohana was held back by the amount of melodrama and inconsistent characterisation. If more of the minor character developments were handled with subtlety, it would have helped make the relationships between them feel less contrived. Some plot points felt as if they were included purely to get an emotional reaction from the audience, and a lot of interactions and sources of tension come off as superficial.

In spite of this, the ending still retained an emotional impact. While the entire final episode was a bit excessive, it wasn't enough to bring it down.

If you can connect with the characters, you will probably enjoy this show more than I did.

I watched this series in one day!! I love the story line. I usually don't cry because of a sad movie/tv show, but this anime really made my heart hurt.

It is not a type of anime that a world should know.....as it don't contains any action or adventure....but It is a gift of a profound friendship...and these types of anime is really needed for progress of humanity.....yes this a kind of anime that made me cry whenever I give it a run.....so i satisfied with the part wise rating of IMDb but the overall rating(8.4) is not enough....it should be(8.7)....thanks for spending time to read my comment...

Anohana...I loved this series so much. It is one of my favorite anime for the sake of how well it made me cry. That last episode...wow. I binged watched Anohana from start to finish all in one night because I loved it so much. The interactions between the characters and my god the EMOTION. I couldn't stop crying after that last episode, and the ending theme made me tear up weeks after I had already finished the series. It is a pure masterpiece that you can finish super quick in a few hours total that will make you cry. And A-1 pictures did a nice job on the color pallet and designs of the characters too. They seem so natural. The only character who isn't natural is Menma because she is a ghost, but a cute an innocent one that looks exactly like your ordinary human. You start to feel for every one of the characters in the series despite it's short runtime. There isn't much I can say about Anohana except that it is a tearjerker and a well made mini series. I say it's worth a watch if you like powerful emotional struggles between past and present guilt as well as a beautiful and sad ending.