Anohana

Anohana: The Flower We Saw That Day (あの日見た花の名前を僕達はまだ知らない.) is a Japanese anime television series created by Super Peace Busters (超平和バスターズ), an artist collective consisting of director Tatsuyuki Nagai, screenwriter Mari Okada, and character designer Masayoshi Tanaka. The anime was produced by A-1 Pictures and aired in Fuji TV's Noitamina block between April and June 2011. It has been licensed in North America by Aniplex of America.

A novelization by Okada was serialized in Media Factory's Da Vinci magazine from March to July 2011. A manga adaptation illustrated by Mitsu Izumi was serialized in Shueisha's Jump Square magazine from April 2012 to April 2013. A visual novel adaptation for the PlayStation Portable was released by 5pb. in August 2012. An anime film sequel that takes place one year after the series was released in Japanese theaters in August 2013. A live action television film adaptation premiered in September 2015 on Fuji TV. A stage reading that takes place ten years after the main story, written by Okada, was performed by the original cast for the series' tenth anniversary in Chichibu, Saitama on August 28, 2021;[3]

Characters

Jinta "Jintan" Yadomi (宿海仁太)

Jinta Yadomi, the former leader of the childhood Super Peace Busters group, transforms from an outgoing boy into a reclusive after the deaths of his friend Meiko and mother. His childhood crush on Meiko and refusal to admit it contributed to her accidental demise. Years later, when Meiko's ghost appears, he initially dismisses her as a hallucination. Her presence ultimately helps him reconnect with friends and overcome his isolation. As an adult, he co-founds a company with friend Tetsudo and develops a romantic relationship with Naruko.

Meiko "Menma" Honma (本間芽衣子)

[9]

Meiko "Menma" Honma is the ghost of a cheerful Russian-Japanese girl who died as a child. Years later, she reappears wearing the same dress from her accident, always barefoot, visible only to her childhood friend Jinta. Though deceased, she interacts physically with the world—opening doors, cooking meals, and playing games. Others sense her presence through faint scents or sudden chills. The selfless spirit harbors no resentment about her death, instead wishing to be reincarnated to reunite with her friends. She holds special affection for Jinta, eventually revealing her childhood dream of becoming his bride. Later hints suggest her possible reincarnation, including a dream where she claims to have returned as potato liquor—a moment her friends accept as characteristic of her playful nature.

Naruko "Anaru" Anjo (安城鳴子)

[9]

Naruko Anjo, a childhood member of the Super Peace Busters, maintains a complex relationship with Jinta. Outwardly cold yet secretly concerned, she delivers homework to his home while criticizing his reclusive lifestyle. Though easily swayed by peers, she harbors deep guilt over her indirect role in Meiko's death and lingering jealousy of Jinta's attachment to Meiko's memory. Atsumu observes they both remain trapped by unrequited feelings—hers for Jinta, his for Meiko. As she matures, Naruko grows more independent, wearing her hair down and preparing to confess her feelings. A decade later, working as a dental hygienist, she navigates a tentative relationship with Jinta. His sudden marriage proposal surprises her, though she doesn't reject the idea, signaling their evolving connection beyond childhood bonds.

Atsumu "Yukiatsu" Matsuyuki (松雪集)

Atsumu Matsuyuki, a popular high school student, hides deep trauma over Meiko's death. Secretly dressing as her ghost, he blames himself for her accident after confessing his feelings that fateful day. His resentment toward Jinta stems from both jealousy and guilt. Though outwardly successful, he remains emotionally stunted—later abandoning a Tokyo banking career to return home. Even as an adult, he struggles to move on, seeking to rekindle a past relationship with Chiriko while still haunted by childhood regrets.

Chiriko "Tsuruko" Tsurumi (鶴見知利子)

[9]

Chiriko Tsurumi, the Super Peace Busters' most analytical member, maintains a fraught closeness with Atsumu after Meiko's death. Though secretly wearing the hairpin he discarded post-rejection, she openly criticizes his crossdressing coping mechanism—even sketching it clinically. Her unrequited love coexists with guilt over indirectly causing Meiko's accident. While skeptical of the ghost's return, she assists Meiko's passing both from genuine care and to free Atsumu from the past. As a web designer living outside Chichibu, her adult self retains short hair and artistic habits. A failed romance with Atsumu gives way to enduring friendship, proving her pragmatic acceptance that some loves remain unresolved.

Tetsudo "Poppo" Hisakawa (久川鉄道)

Tetsudō Hisakawa, the most easygoing Super Peace Busters member, travels the world working odd jobs while secretly haunted by witnessing Meiko's accident. Despite his carefree exterior, he actively reunites the group and supports Meiko's spirit. Years later, he co-founds an import business with Jinta and starts a family, finally finding stability.

type	tv series
director	Tatsuyuki Nagai
producer	Shunsuke Saito Noriko Ozaki
writer	Mari Okada
music	Remedios
studio	A-1 Pictures
network	Fuji TV (Noitamina)
first	April 14, 2011
last	June 23, 2011
episodes	11

Plot

Characters

Media

Printed media

Anime

Visual novel

Live-action drama

Reception

See also

External links

References