The 2nd Day of Christmas Anime: Angel Beats!

It is December 15 and I have the opportunity to cover one of my favorite anime, Angel Beats. This show doesn’t have an episode dedicated to Christmas, but rather shows an intimate flash back of the main protagonist, Otonashi and his little sister, Hatsune in episode seven. Otonashi made a promise to his little sister, who is very sick and dying in the hospital, that he would take her out for Christmas. He starts working a second part time job to pay for that night, but the hospital denies her the right to leave because her condition worsens. Otonashi sneaks Hatsune out and takes her around town. They enjoy their time together. Hatsune passes away some time later, leaving Otonashi all alone.

As an older brother, this story really messed me up. As someone who has lost people who were close to me, I can relate to the bittersweet pain and joy memories such as these present. Memories like these are even more prevalent around the holidays, because they mean something to you. They are a sign of a deeper bond that you shared and are not easily lost or forgotten. This however doesn’t mean that they don’t hurt. I once heard someone say regarding these memories, “You don’t forget; you learn to keep living.” This is what Otonashi learned. You have to find something to live for, and you have to keep living.