Back to shuirochan's Profile shuirochan's Profile

Ano Hi Mita Hana no Namae wo Bokutachi wa Mada Shiranai (The Flower which we saw that day, whose name we still don't know) is about a group of childhood friends who have drifted apart after the death of a member in their group. But, one day, Yadomi Jinta (or Jintan, as he was known when they were younger), is visited by the ghost of Menma... the childhood friend who passed away. She asks him to fulfill his wish, which she cannot remember. Yadomi, who is know a shut-in who spends all his time eating and playing video games, sees himself reaching out to the ... group once more.

Story - I'll give this a 9/10 for the simple reason that the story was great! The pacing was good, and since the show only ran for eleven episodes, I actually found myself wanting more. The show was adamant with bittersweet, funny, and downright tear jerking moments -- and what's good is that all these were woven together so nicely that you are not overwhelmed with just one raging emotion. For me, a good show is one that gets you tearful, and then smiling at the next.

Art - The art was smooth and clean. The character designs are superb, and you can really see the effort they put in showing the individual characteristics of each one. The reason I didn't give it a perfect score is that there are some frames that just get me asking... "Uhm, why?" -- It's a pet peeve, but there are some things that just make me raise an eyebrow. For example, there were times when the edges of Yadomi's hair are round and curvy, instead of being sharp as it should be! It was so strange to look at.

Sound - The music was superb. Period.

Characters - This was one of the aspects of the show that really made it stronger. Along with the story, this made the show was it is. Watching the characters grow as we learn about their inner troubles was what kept the whole series going. We learn about their jealousy, resentment, guilty, love, and so much more.

Enjoyment - It was enjoyable. 'Nuff said.

Overall - I give it a 9, just because it was near to perfect.

Story: 8, Art: 8, Sound: 8, Character: 7, Enjoyment: 7, Overall: 7

The anime is about a futuristic world where humans don't walk out in the sunlight by themselves, but instead they control non-solid apparitions that are called "doppels". Even the world that these doppels move in are mostly apparitions. All this is controlled by 'Fractale', a system which encompasses the whole world that they live in. Some groups are against this system, saying that the system takes away their freedom. While others are for it, because it can give them all the benefits that they want (which causes them to be to dependent on the ... already failing system).

I give the story an 8. Why? Because the story, while very engrossing, will only start to become so at the later half, when more things are explained to the viewer. At the early part of the show, you will keep asking yourself: "What's going on!? Hurry up with the explanations already!". Still, when things are finally explained to us, the story redeems itself. For this reason, this show will probably be more suitable for those who are patient enough to wait through unexplained scenes and later realize "Oh, so that's what that meant."

The art is crisp and clean, and it has a refreshing feel to it. The details that the animators put into every frame is amazing. Still, I can't give it a perfect score for the reason that the pacing of the animation can be very slow at times. Sometimes, I wonder how even just the wave of a character's hand can be so slow. They did a good job putting a lot of detail into each frame, yet they didn't seem to put into account the real time of every action, which can be unnerving and unrealistic at times.

The show has a good soundtrack, and the songs that they use are fitting. However, I don't appreciate the techno feel of the opening song, and the blinding colors that come with it.

This anime showcases a variety of personalities, albeit some of them are very stereotypical and unrealistic. Clain, the main character, is what I would described as "flat". He seems to have two reactions: weirded out (by something said or when he's thinking about something), and surprised (when a girl character embarrasses him). Most of the other characters are the same as well. They are given a main trait, and they stick to it for the rest of the show. However, in a show with only 11 episodes, they somehow managed to make the three main characters -- Clain, Phryne, and Nessa -- memorable as a group.

The reason I only give it a 7/10 might be because I'm an impatient person. This show is incredibly slow-paced, and for the first half of the series, it can really get on your nerves if you want to find out just what the heck is going on. Towards the end, it becomes better, but I feel like they cramped most of the action and the explanations in the finishing episodes. Since the show has only 11 episodes, I think it would have been better if the excitement was spread out more evenly.

Aside from that, the writers seem to have a difficult time looking for a good punch line. They seemed to focus on calling Clain a "pervert" for the smallest actions. It wasn't funny the first time, nor did it become funny at all. I think what I really enjoyed was Nessa, the character who seems to bring out the good and bright aspects of this show.

I wouldn't say that this is a show for everyone. I think those who would enjoy it the most are those who like shows with characters fighting for what they think is right: freedom to choose, or the ability to have everything while being watched? In the end, the show doesn't really tell us which side was "right", and they leave that to the viewer. To get your own opinion about what should have been done about the Fractale system, then you have to watch the whole series to find out!

Ookiku Furikabutte: Natsu no Taikai Hen is the sequel, or the second season, of Ookiku Furikabutte. Of course, you will have to watch the first season before even thinking of trying to watch the sequel. If you liked the first season, then you will definitely enjoy this as well. It's a perfect continuation with the same story and characters, and not much changed, except for a few things. For example, since the two seasons were shown three years apart, one of the notable improvements is the art.

Also, I disagree with other reviewers: you do not need to be a baseball fan to enjoy this ... series. I'm definitely not one, but I still enjoyed Ookiku Furikabutte. Many baseball terms were used, and I found myself searching through google just to understand the context. Still, what I really enjoyed about this anime was the character development. Like most anime that deals with team sports, the actual team members are what actually draws us to like the anime. And, in Ookiku Furikabutte, we see the characters grow, adapt, and interact. The team showcases unique but realistic individuals, as well as opposing teams with the same type of members.

I'm not going to dwell to much on other aspects, because as I said, the bottom line is: if you enjoyed the first season, you'll definitely enjoy this one as well.