「Letter to Menma」Ano Hana Fes. Picture Drama (With Short Translated Summary)

I wasn’t intending to do this but as requested from a reader, here is my short translated summary of the picture drama that was on the bonus disc of the BD/DVD release of the Ano Hana festival. You can listen to the original recording below and find the summaries after the cut.

Short Summary

This picture drama takes place shortly after the events of the final episode from the series. The gang from the “Super Peace Busters” are all writing a letter to Menma to let her know on what’s been happening with their lives since then.

Jintan

Jintan starts off with asking Menma how is she doing. He tells her he’s been continuing to go to school and working with his part time job. He has also gone to karaoke for the first time ever with Anaru and bunch of friends. It was a bit embarrassing for him to sing in front of them but they didn’t mind and cheered him on. This made him happy and brought his thoughts back to Menma thinking she’s still with him, however, he realizes she’s not anymore. Despite this, he can still imagine as if she’s right there if he closes his eyes. Should she come back, he can show her that everything about him has changed for the better.

Anaru

She thanks Menma for the letter she got from her back in the final episode. She never knew there was so many things Menma had wanted to tell her but kept to herself since she was so cheerful and smiling all the time. Anaru tells her that she was jealous since Menma was always visible in front of everyone and she, herself, wasn’t. However, she realizes it’s no good to keep feeling that way. She lets Menma in on her secret that there is a person she’s always loved. If she can slowly become more cheerful and happy like Menma, then she believes she might be able to confess to him. She wants to believe it’ll be possible, just like the day she eventually saw Menma.

Tsuruko

Menma had always admired Tsuruko’s drawings so Tsuruko admits she loves to paint and draw, even as she’s walking to the classroom at school she’s sketching. However, no matter how hard she tries, she realizes her drawings would often be about the old times with the gang, so she tries to quickly divert her attention to something else. Still it always ends up back about those old times because she thinks too much about it. She would then quickly scold herself, then give up on the drawing and eventually stop moving altogether. However, it’s been awhile since she last saw Menma and will pick up drawing again as that is something Menma would probably want her to do. Right now, she’s painting a picture of the secret base that has everyone from the gang in it including Menma’s smile in the center of the picture.

Popo

Popo starts off with a humorous opening asking Menma if she’s eaten yet but then thinks that she has probably been given a rebirth by now. He says to give him a call if she’s nearby and then questions whether a baby can use a phone to make a call which he then asks for the mother to make the call on her behalf lol. Moving on, he apologizes to her for all this time for only talking to the pendant that contains her flower inside and considers himself to be the first one to fail the game of finding her. He thought it was rather cruel of the gods to take her away from it. Even so, he believes Menma is always smiling like as if nothing has changed, therefore he should stop using the pendant even if he’s thinking about her a lot. Should he forget about her though then she should give him a call.

Yukiatsu

Yukiatsu confesses that it’s because of Menma that he’s been able to be completely honest with himself and be relieved. He hasn’t been running lately but doesn’t think that’s so bad because he might have been running away from the reality that Menma is gone. He told Tsuruko that may have been the reason he was being annoying. Anaru tells him she definitely doesn’t want to bring along the “type” of people like him anywhere and he doesn’t know why. He’s been trying to see it in the girl’s point of view but finds it pretty troublesome. He meets them occasionally at the secret base although they look at him with spite. Even if they still stand away from him with some space, it isn’t so bad as they still acquaint with him. He then tells Menma that he would always notice if she was absent from the group back when they would play together, which all the more made him realize she was the only girl that he thought of. Despite that day where she rejected him after his confession, he ask Menma if he can continue his unrequited love for her.

Jintan: The Super Peace Busters will always be the best of friends.

Anaru: For all time, for all eternity, even if there’s no reality.

Tsuruko: But now, we’ve come to believe.

Popo: We are the Super Peace Busters.

Yukiatsu: Menma’s wish is our wish.

Menma: Isn’t that right? The Super Peace Busters will alllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllways be the best of friends! Isn’t it great right now? But you know, the Super Peace Busters will always be forever. The truth is we’ll be going on much longer and getting more and more amazing. Therefore it won’t ever end! Whether we go our separate ways over time does not matter, therefore…therefore I won’t ever be lonely when we’re all together forever. Therefore…therefore you know? Whenever I’m smiling, whenever I’m feeling the warmth…it’s because of everyone, I’ll allllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllways love you!

A live recording of this picture drama was also done at the Ano Hana Fes. event before the DVD/BD boxset of it was released. For anyone curious to check it out, the video is below.

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