Ano Hana Episode 9 and 10

This scene was amusing to watch.

As you may have noticed, instead of just doing a one-episode review, I've decided to lump episodes 9 and 10 together. Sadly, I had suffered from the laziness syndrome for a while, and before I knew it, episode 10 was already out. So...yeah...I'm still recovering, but worry not, I will fight this ailment and continue to diligently submit my reviews for my few readers out there! As a result, the reviews may also be briefer than normal...Some of you may have also noticed, but for some reason, the caps I took for episode 9 are mirrored, so please bare with it.
Episode 9:

Awkward.

 After Menma's existence is revealed to her other childhood friends (barring Jinta), she decides to bake some muffins as a sort of celebration. However, since Jinta is the only one that can see her, the rest of the group can only see a tray of muffins levitating mid-air. Yukiatsu continues to irk me with his drama that "Oh, Jinta didn't want to share Menma with us because he thinks he's better than us and blah blah blah". Before I have time to reach through my laptop's screen and wring his neck, the scene shifts back to Jinta's house, where we witness a heart warming scene between him and Menma.

Yukiatsu, please go die.

 Later, Yukiatsu decides to actually do something for Menma instead of just ranting about how Jinta gets to have her to himself. He asks and gains permission from Menma's father to create the dream fireworks from Menma's diary. Later, the group then sets out to get everything ready. Anaru and Yukiatsu have a chat away from the rest of the group (with the exception of Tusuruko, who happens to be eavesdropping on their conversation) and Yukiatsu brings up his offer to go out with Anaru again, believing that the two are kindred spirits since both have lost in their respective battles of love. Anaru rejects him again (ha!), and the two start to somewhat playfully bicker with one another. Afterwards, Jinta goes out and leaves Menma alone with Popo, only to finally realize that he doesn't want Menma to disappear.

It makes sense, and yet, it doesn't.

Noooooo, don't tell me... Menma, you player!

What you say is what you are.

Menma~

This episode gets:

Jinta's mom was so pretty~

Episode 10:
The fireworks near their completion, which means that Menma will be leaving soon...Jinta decides to invite Menma's parents as well, but Menma's mother still refuses to go. Satoshi, on the other hand, firmly states that he plans to see the fireworks, leaving his mother in tears. 

There's alot of crying in this episode.

Yukiatsu and Anaru continue to meet with each other despite their agreement to "not date". That evening, a "farewell party" is held for Menma who shows her appreciation via her diary. Yukiatsu then suggest that they recreate the day before Menma died, and surprisingly enough, even Popo goes along with it. This time, though, instead of denying his feelings and calling Menma "ugly", Jinta finally admits that he does like-like Menma. And instead of wearing an embarrassed smile, Menma cries in response.

I want this mug.

 After Jinta's "confession", Anaru starts crying on her way back from the secret base, Tsuruko in tow. It is also revealed that this entire time, Tsuruko has had a thing for Yukiatsu (despite his jerky personality and borderline creepy obsession over Menma, seriously, the only thing this guy has going for him are his looks and grades). Back to Jinta and Menma, the latter seems to have taken the confession extremely well. Jinta then finally tells Menma that he doesn't want her to disappear. Menma disagrees as she believes that she will be reborn once she gets to heaven. As much as I love this show, I strongly disagree with the whole "reborn" belief (probably because I'm a Christian), but anyway, either way, I'd still like to see these two somehow get together.

I knew it.

I don't care if she's dead, I'm still shipping these two together.

This guy needs a new hobby.

 The day that the fireworks will be set off arrives, and Jinta is having second thoughts about pushing through with it. Satoshi arrives and more crying ensues with Menma embracing her younger brother. Though Satoshi can't see her, he comments that he smells a "familiar scent" and possibly feels the added weight to his body. Afterwards, the fireworks are finally set off...And Menma's still there.

I'm liking Tsuruko's new look.

It's kind of sad that, if Menma were still alive, she'd only be a few inches taller than Satoshi. Pfffttt...Like I'm one to talk.

They don't really look like fireworks, but they are colorful.

This episode was heavy on the drama and angst, but that's what makes this show and its characters feel so real. The animation was also turned up a notch during the fireworks scene, especially when Menma started moving about when she realized that the plan had failed. The way she moved looked...so..lifelike, I guess? Well, you get the idea.

 This episode gets: