Yingjie

Episode 1 and 2 were well made, with nice slow paced character development between Tono and Akari. Reaching Episode 3, the hard working Tono suddenly changes and becomes a loser, sobering over losing contact with Akari. The story gets rushed, new characters got introduced but thats it, nothing more was told. In the end, we learns that he moves on from Akari after seeing the cherry blossom falling like their promise. At first I was confused at why everyone was saying it was a good ending. I read explainations about it's realism and that life moves on for everyone, whether we like it or not. However the juxtaposition of Tono's state from the beginning of Episode 3 to the end was just too drastic, not even normal people can come in terms with their feelings that quickly, let alone that person being Tono, who sobbed for over 10 freaking years.

Personal complaints:

In Episode 1 the way how Tono lost his letter to Akari was just too cliché, I anticipated something along the line when the snow started delaying the train. This then lead to Akari not showing her letter to Tono, I really disliked these chain of events.

In Episode 3, the story is set in 2008 and we see Tono browsing his computer, during this time he has clearly owned the computer for a while, with the internet existing why has he not looked for Akari on using the web? This really annoys me.

Tono narration wanting to go back being 13 years old and stay by Akari's side was finished by Akari suggesting that they still share the same feelings, this makes me really frustrated how Akari causally moves on from her feelings for Tono and getting engaed with someone else when Tono falls apart in despair.

At the end, when crossing the train tracks, he hints that he recognised Akari straight away, yet continued to walk across when he could've stopped in the middle with Akari. Akari didn't wait for Tono because she didn't want to hurt his feelings, her narrations on the train tells me that she still loves Tono and would prefer him over her fiancé, so her letting him go just makes me think that she would regret her life for making this decision.