Anohana - I wish I was a part of the "Super Peace Busters"!

I knew about this anime when it first came out but never really watched. Then three of my friends completed Ano Hi Mita Hana no Namae wo Bokutachi wa Mada Shiranai and one came up to me - "You better f*&%King watch this! Or I'll murder you!" and, without a choice, I watched it from beginning to end and it was really a satisfying anime. Awesome drama. I could fill up my cup with my own tears (\/)

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____|| STORY ||____
A group of childhood friends drifts apart after one of them, Meiko "Menma" Honma, dies in an accident. Years later, the leader of the group, Jinta Yadomi, has become withdrawn and lives as a recluse. An older Meiko appears to him, and says that she must have a wish granted, though she does not know what it is.
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A very fresh and original story! The group of childhood friends who formed 'The Super Peace Busters' group that drifted apart after one of them died in an accident are all grown up to the point where they are going to Senior High School and also to the point where they do not talk to each other very much at all. That saddens me.
Jinta, the founder of the Super Peace Busters when he was young, is the only person who can see a grown up Menma, the childhood friend who died in the accident. She wants Jinta to grant her a wish she doesn't remember and in order to do so Jinta must revive their old Super Peace Busters group by bringing everyone together and fulfilling Menma's forgotten wish.
Throughout the series there is a lot of emotional things happening. Hardship, severed friendship, jealousy, isolation - they are all conveyed well in the series and I'm sure there are more that I missed.
The story was well played out and well paced; wasn't too fast nor was it too slow. It's drama and comedy is very consistence and balanced. Rather its aids one another creating a particular situation worth experiencing. You'll be on the edge of your chair with your eyes in it's own little pond. After finishing one episode I just HAD to watch the next.
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Loved the animation and art! Animation was very fluid. The series seems to have a lot of movement which made the anime more lively and realistic/natural. The art was "Simazing!!!" LOL!
Simple yet detailed and amazing. The picture the encoder has provided is pretty much what the art is like in the anime. Great composition. Neat lines and a variety of colours used to create this peaceful and realistic setting.
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_____|| SOUND ||_____
Sound were just as good as the animation. Especially the OP and ED. Totally gonna be on my iPod! LOL! But really have to admit that both the OP and ED animation along with its songs create a sense of longing and a little nostalgic. This might be because of the clever idea to put both the young and present form of the characters side by side. It really does create this sad yet happy feeling and at the same time makes the anime seem innocent!
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___|| CHARACTER ||___
The characters were the best out the whole series I believe. Personalities can be both portraying those of reality and those that are created after losing a childhood friend. Very memorable characters. Their peronalities and characteristion were done very well. Loved them to bits.
some of the great things I liked about the characters is their slow recovery of their severed bonds as childhood friends and their interactions with each other after years. I also loved the fact that the characters have a decent physical change from when they were young. I mean take naruto for an example. He still looks the same in Shippuuden whereas Ano Hi Mita Hana no Namae wo Bokutachi wa Mada Shiranai has done otherwise making the characters unique and having their own individuality - living their own life their own way.
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___|| ENJOYMENT ||___
I SSOOOOO enjoyed this! The drama, the comedy and character interactions. What I also enjoyed was that...there's...REFERENCE/PARODIES TO OTHER ANIMES IN THIS ANIME!!!
Nokemon --> Pokemon LOL!
There is also a game store that one of the character work in and in the game store we see quite a few reference to other anime. One i can remember was a poster of "Working!!" and "Code Geass" and two guys talking about One Piece.
Now that's what you call slice of life LOL! It's as if they are in our world watching other anime and playing games like we do xD

I really do recommend this anime to everyone. I'm trying to think of any kind of audience who would reject this anime but I can't coz I believe everyone is going to enjoy this.
And now to carry on my friend's words..."You better f*&%King watch this! Or I'll murder you!"