Ancil
Directed by Tatsuyuki Nagai, with a screenplay from Mari Okada, the anime follows an estranged group of friends who reunited after the ghost of their deceased friend shows up one summer. The anime scores 8.31/10 on MyAnimeList from more than 957,911 votes and continues to be one of the most loved anime ever.
A-1 Pictures produced the first season of the anime. After ten years since the first season was released, fans finally get a sequel story. Does that mean a second season is on the way? Here is what we know.
Will There Be ‘AnoHana’ Season 2?
There is a sequel! Sort of, but not quite how you expected it. For its 10th anniversary, the official website of the anime ‘AnoHana: The Flower We Saw’ announced that the series would have a sequel story. However, it’s not going to be an anime series like we expected, but a staged reading.
The sequel story takes place ten years after the ending of the ‘AnoHana‘ season and reveals what happened to our characters after a decade. The anime screenwriter Mari Okada returned to write the sequel story.
In the event we get an update of the occupations of the Super Peace Busters and their relationship statuses.
When Did The ‘AnoHana’ Sequel Story Event Happen?
The stage reading performance happened on August 28, 2021. The voice actors from the original anime returned for the event.
When Will ‘AnoHana’ Season 2 Release?
We already have a sequel story, but there are no announcements for season 2 so far. The anime originally ran its 11 episodes in Japan on April 14 and June 23, 2011. An anime film was released in Japanese theaters on August 31, 2013.
Sadly, it looks like it will be a while before we see the anime return on screens, or if it will ever return.
What Is The Plot Of ‘AnoHana’?
‘AnoHana‘ tells the story of a group of childhood friends who drifted apart after one of them Meiko “Menma” Honma, dies in an accident. Five years after the tragic event, Jinta Yadomi, the leader of the group, becomes withdrawn and lives in recluse.
Everything changed when the ghost of an older-looking Menma appeared beside him one summer day. The ghost asked Jinta to grant her wish. She cannot pass into the afterlife unless it gets fulfilled. Jinta thought he was only hallucinating, so he tried to help her in small ways only. Sadly, Menma does not remember what exactly her wish is. So Jinta gathers his estranged friends to help solve the problem. Although some of the members are hesitant of his true intention, the group decided to help. Sadly though, only Jinta can see Menma’s ghost, so his friends thought that Jinta was only hallucinating and unable to move on from Menma’s death. That forces Menma to show herself to the other members to prove that she is real.
As the group members try to help Menma cross over to the afterlife, they too unload and move on from their long-hidden feelings and guilt of Menma’s death.
AnoHana Cast and Characters
Jinta “Jintan” Yadomi
Jinta is the leader of the self-proclaimed Super Peace Busters. He used to be a happy, outgoing kid, but after Menma’s death, he became withdrawn from society. Mutsumi Tamura and Tara Sands voiced the younger version of the character for the Japanese and English dubs, respectively. Miyu Irino and Griffin Burns dubbed the teen version of Jinta in Japanese and English.
Meiko “Menma” Honma
Menma is a Rusian-Japanese girl who died when she was young. Her older-looking ghosts appeared before Jinta one summer day. Despite being aware that she already died, Meiko remains lively and chatty. Ai Kayano and Xanthe Huynh voiced the character in the Japanese and English dub.
Here is the rest of the Super Peace Busters members and their voice cast.
Naruko “Anaru” Anjo – voiced by Haruka Tomatsu (Japanese); Erica Lindbeck (English)
Atsumu “Yukiatsu” Matsuyuki – voiced by Takahiro Sakurai (Japanese); Ray Chase (English)
Chiriko “Tsuruko” Tsurumi – voiced by Saori Hayami (Japanese); Erica Mendez Tetsudo “Poppo” Hisakawa- voiced by Takayuki Kondō (Japanese); Kaiji Tang
