Japanese Title: Gekijouban Ano Hi Mita Hana no Namae o Bokutachi wa Mada Shiranai

 

Related: AnoHana (prequel)

Similar: Angel Beats!

Waiting in the Summer

 

Watched in: Japanese

Genre: Young Adult Drama

Length: 100 min. movie

 

Positives:

• Still cute and heartfelt.

Negatives:

• Mostly repeats of the series.
• Didn’t need to be made.

No much more can be said about AnoHana: The Movie other than the uselessness of its existence. This is ninety minutes of flashbacks repeating key events from the series and ten minutes new footage. The new scenes take place after AnoHana’s end with the cast writing letters to Menma, their lost friend. The narrative cycles through the five friends in turn, flashing back to their respective threads from the series. Some struggle with what to write, others have grown in life.

And that’s it. There is still plenty of cuteness and heart to the characters, but the series has more. All the film has going for it the series does better.

AnoHana: The Movie could have been a ten-fifteen minute OVA instead. As is, the recaps aren’t worth sitting through for such measly new content.

Art – High

Same colourful art as the series, low character detail included.

Sound – High

Given this is a best-of scene collection, the emotional acting carries over, as does the pleasant soundtrack.

Story – Low

The emotion is still here, the cracters are still good, but without the in-between moments to weave a fluid narrative, the engagement is gone.

Overall Quality – Low

Recommendation: Watch the series instead – AnoHana: The Movie is for those who want a little extra, like the RahXephon Movie, though AnoHana: The Movie is easier to follow without seeing the series.

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Awards: (hover mouse over each award to see descriptions; click award for more recipients)

Positive: None

Negative: None