A friend, also a fellow anime fan, left me a message on Messenger early one morning.

Friend: dude. i cried after watching the last episode of Honey and Clover II.

Friend: i understand EXACTLY how Takemoto felt. i understand why Hagu chose who she chose.

Friend: i will be depressed for the next few days, thinking about how closely art parallels real life. and who knows, maybe this story will push me to take my life into my own hands and not leave anything to chance.

Friend: funny what anime can do. and satisfying as well, knowing that there’s a purpose behind watching episode after episode of japanese animation.

I know exactly what he means. I’ve found myself in that sort of situation several times myself. I also know that any other anime fans reading this would smile and nod their head before they even realise it.

It’s not just romance or slice-of-life anime that puts us in deep contemplative moments. Science fiction [Ghost in The Shell, Serial Experiments Lain], even Steampunk [Last Exile, Steamboy] genres have been known to spark off wild thoughts and imagination that knows no boundaries.

We have been enchanted by the magic of it all.

Friend: now, this is why i watch anime.