This finally finishes off one of two series I was blogging from the Spring season.
Series: Angel Beats
Media: Mazui Fan Sub (Episodes 11 – 13)
These final three episodes dealt with the mystery behind the “shadows” that was hinted at in episode 10. Perhaps not surprisingly, Yuri was well aware of what Otonashi was up in regarding trying to relieve the Battlefront’s member’s regrets, but was perhaps surprising is that she was supportive of the idea of members going that route if they wanted to, as opposed to being turned into NPCs by the shadows.
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As for the programmer of the “shadows,” I wonder if the whole point of it was because they knew someone like Yuri would arrive someday, and eventually she would need a mortal enemy to “defeat” in order to finally disappear. However, I felt kind of jipped that most of the people just decided that they wanted to leave, and so they left. I guess I shouldn’t be surprised with so many people and so few episodes to work with, especially since two of the three episodes dealt with the shadow things.
I guess my main question is…if Kanade got Otonashi’s heart in real life, what was she doing there before he was? Of course, it’s always possible that “time” in this afterlife and “time” in the real life have no relation. Though given that we didn’t see any characters that looked like they were out of place in that timeframe, if there is some variance on when they arrive in the timeline of this place and when they die, it’s not a very big one. Maybe only a few years, perhaps.
At the very end, I’m assuming Kanade and Otonashi are reincarnated in the real world some time down the road, where they meet again. So I guess instead of this being a show where long-lost lovers meet in some reincarnated future, and then we learn about their past, in this show, we see their past, and then see the start of their future.
Overall, I’d say Angel Beats was a pretty decent show. I think it could have been better in many aspects. I’m not really sure the shadow thing was necessary or even vitally important (other than getting Yuri to accept her regrets) yet it took up 2 of the final 3 episodes. I think this is definitely a series with re-watch value, even if it could have been better.
