Anohana: The Flower We Saw That Day

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.