Many fans of Crimson Maple tend to skim through the magazine if they are short on time. For those who read chapter thirteen of Anohana in isolation, the impact was likely modest. On the surface, it seemed like a straightforward sequence.
The friends launch a firework, the launch is a success, and the heroine is still there. However, for those who had followed the journey from the very beginning, the emotional weight of this chapter was on an entirely different level.
The individual personalities and struggles of the six characters, Jintan, Menma, Yukiatsu, Tsuruko, Poppo, and Anaru, had been scattered like puzzle pieces throughout the preceding eleven chapters. Their tangled emotions, their unrequited loves, and their conflicting views on Menma had been meticulously gathered by the author, Shiori Takahashi, detail by detail, until they formed a cohesive whole in the readers' hearts.
When the firework finally streaked into the sky in the novel, it served as the ultimate release for all the emotional tension the readers had accumulated.
In the past, these six had been inseparable friends, only to drift apart into cold strangers. They had reunited solely for the sake of the girl who was no longer living. To the characters, the handmade firework was a tool for Menma's salvation, a way to fulfill her wish and let her pass on. In reality, the entire process was Menma's spirit healing their shattered souls, which had been broken by years of suppressed guilt.
The dedicated readers who viewed the story through an omniscient lens finally understood the core message of the work.
The official Crimson Maple Literature website was in a frenzy.
"Bro, did you read chapter thirteen of Anohana? It absolutely destroyed me," one user posted.
"I found myself crying without even realizing why," another wrote.
"Jintan actually didn't want the firework to go up. Even as they hauled it up the mountain and lit the fuse, he was paralyzed. His heart was screaming for Menma not to disappear. He wanted her to stay by his side forever, even as a ghost. But in the end, he chose her happiness over his own. I think that was the exact moment he truly grew up."
"The whole chapter was written with such a joyful tone, but I couldn't stop sobbing. It's so painfully bittersweet."
"The most heartbreaking part was the moment of the launch. Menma greeted the explosion with the most radiant, happy smile. She fully believed that the moment the flowers bloomed in the sky, she would vanish and be separated from everyone she loved forever. Even with that knowledge, she chose to smile for them."
"Is this what they mean by using joy to depict sorrow? I never understood that concept in literature class, but I certainly understand it now."
"Shiori Takahashi-sensei spent twelve chapters building these six people up, making them overcome their internal rifts and personal grudges just to build this rocket... and then she used that moment to strike the readers down. I don't even know how to describe her anymore."
"I was just devastated."
"It's not just about being sad; it's about being moved. You're crying because of who Menma is, and because you're watching the 'Super Peace Busters' finally put aside their differences to work toward a single goal for her sake."
"But I don't want her to go. I haven't loved a female character in a novel this much in years."
"Honestly, with everyone talking about the fireworks, why is no one talking about the very end? Why didn't she disappear immediately after the launch? Is there a delay on fulfilling the wish?"
"Don't even say it! Shiori Takahashi-sensei is heartless. A slow, lingering disappearance is the ultimate 'knife' to the heart. She's going to try to steal our tears one last time in chapter fourteen."
"I'm not going to be able to sleep tonight..."
A quick glance at the official forums revealed that nearly every top thread was a heated debate over Anohana. This level of engagement left fans of other series in the magazine bewildered.
Is it really that good? they wondered. Calm down, you Anohana fans are being way too dramatic.
Even Winter Lake, which had dominated the top spot in Crimson Maple for six consecutive months, had never inspired this volume of passionate, real-time discussion over a single chapter.
The next morning, the staff at Crimson Maple Literature began the laborious task of compiling the sales data and reader survey results from the previous day.
By ten o'clock, the editorial department was buzzing with anticipation.
The release of data for the flagship magazine was always the highlight of the week. It was like a gathering of homeroom teachers comparing the grades of their star pupils; on the surface, it was casual conversation, but underneath, it was a battle of prestige.
"Hey, Summer Tale slipped another spot last week. You're down to twelfth. That's getting a bit close to the danger zone, isn't it? I remember when you were consistently tenth!"
"Don't remind me. That was before Star Sea and Anohana went on their tear. The quality of my book hasn't dropped, and my core fans are still there, but the rankings just keep sliding. It's frustrating."
"Shiori Takahashi and Airi..."
The editors sighed in unison at the mention of those two names. When the initial serialization meeting had been held, no one had predicted these two works would amass such explosive popularity in such a short window of time.
"Well, look on the bright side. These two series are short. Anohana finishes its run in the next issue. It's currently fourth in votes, so it's not really a threat to the top two titans. At most, the final chapter might cause a scuffle between Anohana and Star Sea for the third-place spot. But Star Sea is the one to watch long-term."
"Chapter thirteen of Star Sea came in at third place last week, and the story is supposedly only at the halfway mark. Do you think it could actually hit number one before it ends?"
"No way. Impossible. It might take second place, but first is out of the question. Winter Lake is our king. Its popularity among local Minamijo light novels has been top-three for years. It's been number one in Crimson Maple for six months straight, with ten volumes out and an average of six hundred thousand copies sold per volume. Last issue, Winter Lake had over twenty-one thousand votes. Star Sea only just cleared ten thousand. You can't bridge a ten-thousand-vote gap that easily."
"I suppose you're right. It's just fun to imagine. If our house actually produced an author who hit number one in their debut year in Crimson Maple... that would be legendary."
"Don't get ahead of yourself. Geniuses aren't that common. Every author in this magazine has talent. I admit Shiori Takahashi and Airi are exceptional, but third and fourth place is likely their ceiling. If they want the crown, they'll need to write a few more books and build up a bigger legacy first."
The editors continued their animated discussion in the main office. Without realizing it, the names Shiori Takahashi and Airi had become the gravitational center of the entire department.
When Yukino, dressed in her signature black dress, emerged from her office to join the circle, the conversation came to a sudden halt. It felt inappropriate to gossip about her authors right in front of her.
"The reports are in! The rankings are ready!"
The editors crowded around a single computer screen, their eyes scanning the data.
1. Winter Lake Reader Votes: 19,169 (Rank: 1)
Rating: 9.0 (Rank: 2)
2. Anohana Reader Votes: 14,565 (Rank: 2)
Rating: 9.2 (Rank: 1)
3. She's a Bit Strange Reader Votes: 12,339 (Rank: 3)
Rating: 9.0 (Rank: 4)
4. Star Sea Reader Votes: 11,963 (Rank: 4)
Rating: 9.0 (Rank: 3)
As they stared at the top four, a collective wave of disbelief washed over the room.
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