Azumanga Daioh: “Raspberry Heaven”
In the last episode, Tomo provides her first completely selfless act. Chiyo is on stage during Graduation after receiving an honorary certificate, which basically proves that she is smarter and more dedicated than everyone else in her school an entire age bracket above her. Tomo then impromptly shouts “BLAVO! BLAVO! BL-A-VO!” over and over again while clapping furiously. This is not sarcasm or a display of childish teasing, two things I’ve come to expect from her. She’s saying what everyone watching at home is thinking, herself included, and has no inhibition with echoing her pride for her friend throughout the auditorium.
Osaka isn’t too far behind in joining in. Then her class in the very back joins in. People start whispering if they’re supposed to clap at that point, and then, obviously, feel they are. From the back to the front-row, they all start standing up and applauding this little girl. After 26 episodes of being responsible for her teachers and family, and wonderful for her friends, she’s earned it. And when that graduation music plays, and she finally comes face-to-face with the closing of her high-school years, she’s earned the right to cry as histerically as she does.
Cliché? Yes. But fantastic. Not because everyone joins in the applause. They don’t care, they do it because they feel obligated to. But Tomo of all people is the first, and even during the long and awkward silence before the storm, she bravely continues cheering on her little friend. There is a certain level of gusto required for something like that. It’s a cliché alright. Twisted on itself, into a joyful appreciation for the simple decency of these characters. How could anything be more perfect than this?
I knew the moment Osaka came onscreen earlier with a box of tissues that it wouldn’t just be for her allergies, either. But then when Yukari loses her wallet, Osaka re-purposes it into a donation box. Isn’t she something? Two acts of altruism through the same box, from the same High School graduate. And even the purpose I knew it was intended for played out differently than I had visualized. It gave me precisely what I expected, and took me by surprise at the same time.
Azumanga Daioh ends not with a tearful goodbye or anything hokey and cheap, but with the six girls gathering to attend a “graduation trip”, to the very same amusement park Yomi was unable to attend before. It’s an ending for us, but a beginning for them. A lot of shows and movies attempt this and come off as sanctimonious, clueless and cheesy. I’m amazed that this program managed to be this consistently good without resorting to tragedy, sex, or any of the things modern television uses as a crutch to make things less “boring”. There’s no “very special episode” where Maude has to help Kagura through an abortion or something. And yet it never comes off feeling like those neutered Itchy and Scratchy cartoons in an ancient episode of The Simpsons.
"...LEMONADE?" "...PLEASE."
Chiyo-chan comes to the conclusion that “(They’ll) always be together”. This show has made me a little bit less of a cynic, but she’s still young and naive, and I’m firm in my belief that she’s in for some crushing life-lessons. Metaphorically they will always be together, but not physically. To do that, several of these characters would have to re-assign their goals in life to stay in the same place.
Or maybe not. Maybe I’m over analyzing this. But after being invested in these characters this long, I can’t help but wonder if their school life was a safe haven from the sometimes ugly, sometimes unmerciful nature of the world. Kimura is not even close to the worst thing life can spring on you. Of course, there’s appears to be a better world than ours. The fact that I’m concerned at all for these imaginary personalities says a lot. Likely about my sanity, but also a testament to the quality of the show. I’m going to miss every last one of those girls.
Except maybe Tomo. I haven’t decided yet.
END OF LINE
~A.H.
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