Tsurumi | Animated Observations

Welcome, weebs, to Animated Observations

So, remember last time when I said I mostly do not remember the series? Yeah, this episode is the one that really stuck with me, Mostly for its big reveal, but also because of the moments that lead up to it. I talked last week about how AnoHana has a lot of smaller moments that make its bigger moments feel that much more powerful, and this episode is another prime example of that. With that being said, lets get into it.

Yukiatsu’s Spell of Doubt

As the crew search for the Menma, Jintan and Anjo reflect on the fact that Jintan liked, and seemingly still likes her. This causes Anjo, who also still seemingly has a crush on Jintan, to have some mixed feelings. After a little while the crew go back to the barbeque only to find Yukiatsu cooking food. He then uses the opportunity to say that the Menma he saw wishes the group would stop obsessing over her and just move on. Jintan, knowing this isn’t true, tries to convince the group otherwise, but just ends up leaving.

The most powerful thing about this scene is just how powerless Jintan is. He knows that he has no way to prove Menma’s existence, and so its still just his word versus Yukiatsu’s, despite Menma literally being right in front of them saying otherwise.

Tsurumi’s Redemption

Tsurumi up until this point has been rather cold, except for eventually making up with Anjo in the episode prior. She also seems like the most calm of the group even when confronted with the idea that Menma’s spirit might still be out there, haunting the group. However, it has also been evident that her suspicion of Yukiatsu has been growing with each episode, which is why it makes sense that she finally helps uncover his secret.

Using Jintan and the rest of the group as bait, Tsurumi manages to lore the supposed second Menma out of hiding by having everyone meet up at the hideout once again. After another night of waiting for Menma’s spirit to appear once again, they finally manage to find her running through the woods. After catching up with the supposed second Menma, they catch her only to find out

Yukiatsu’s Secret.

Advertisements

Projection (Noun): the presentation or promotion of someone or something in a particular way, the unconscious transfer of one’s own desires or emotions to another person.

Humans do not really have a lot of tools to help ourselves through emotional and mental pain, so the tools people do have are used quite often.

It takes a lot of repressed pain and suffering to go out dressed as your dead friend pretending like your not affected by her passing at all. It was definitely weird to repeatedly see Menma’s clothes in Yukiatsu’s closet up until this point, but when it was revealed for the first time that he was dressing up as Menma himself, my mind nearly collapsed from sadness. Certainly people will cope in there own ways, but it became obvious after this episode that some people confuse healing with release.

Conclusion

Next episode brings the fallout of this discovery, with all of Yukiatsu’s stored away pain to the forefront. It becomes obvious in hindsight just how much projecting and repressing he was doing while the others were trying to confront the loss of their friend, and while it may be strange reveal, it certainly makes sense considering Yukiatsu’s character.

How do you all feel about episode four? Let me know in the comments below.

If you are interested in reading more from me, check under blog to read my most recent stuff, or look below for some related posts. Also, if you would like to support Animated Observations, consider donating on Ko-fi or through paypal, or pledging on Patreon. You can even support by just liking and sharing this post.