Life can be a little dark sometimes. Because we’re selfish & take everything we have for granted, we wound up losing sight of what’s most precious, including the things we always had within us. The hardest part is not realizing how important something is until you’ve lost it. Maybe that’s why I foresaw Wakana’s regret with throwing out everything related to her mother and music, although watching her come to that realization was… something else entirely. Words cannot truly describe how emotionally investing this scene was, so we here go with the rest of episode 6.
I’ve always felt Konatsu & Wakana were opposites of each other, but not just through personalities. When Konatsu shares her view on promises as opposed to Wakana’s, it becomes perfectly clear that they both look at life, and music, very differently from one another. Not that it’s a bad thing at all; they get along really well and learn alot from each other. Opposites attract, so it’s natural for things to be that way whether for better or for worse (my bro and I are the same way, after all).
Promises should always be kept… or so I used to believe, but now I know it’s not always for the best. So, why do we break promises, when we know it hurts the ones we love? Because it’s the price we pay for independence. Quoting Kaito from AnoNatsu, “…people wish to leave something behind. They don’t want to be forgotten. Nobody wants to be forgotten.” Kept promises are often forgotten, and alot of good parents don’t want that; they want to leave behind a piece of themselves even after they die, so that the one(s) they love will always remember the promise made. Promises you can’t keep are the best kinds, after all.
I love Wakana’s dad; seeing everything he did for her just goes to show what a wonderful father he really is. He made sure to keep the piano, the whale charm, and her mother’s unfinished song for Wakana knowing she’d experience an emotional breakdown – how many fathers can you name would do something so heartwarming? Wakana’s dad isn’t as tough or strong like most old & wise guide-like characters in anime; he had to deal with alot of tears and sadness back then and even now, showing that even he has a fragile, emotional side. He may be the kind of goofball who asks a cat about his daughter, worries too much about things, and doesn’t make his own meals, but he’s still that loving & caring father that every kid should have. The kind of father I want.
You didn’t think I’d forget about the others, did you? True to the spirit of Tari Tari are those simple, light-hearted but endearing moments from the rest of the Choir-with-badmin Club – Sawa teaching Wakana to horse ride, Sabure smiling at Wakana, Wien and Taichi’s intensive training to improve, Konatsu thinking Wakana was about to fall off a cliff (and fell in a puddle), her lousy attempt to sneak in there, and Wakana trolling her dad with bread. But above everything, the final scene where the 5 gather together for the newest and most glorious rendition of “Melody of the Heart” yet! At that point, I had nothing left to say but… wow. Even now, I’m like… wow. I can’t seem find the right words to describe just how beautiful the song is.
I know it’s only half-way through the series, but I can definitely say that Tari Tari is one of the best anime of this season. Period. So far, there’s a near-perfect mix of light-hearted & dramatic moments, lovable characters, and a simple story that’s not too deep, but hits the right notes on your emotional heartstrings… if that makes any sense. Perhaps I’m way too emotional, getting teary eyed during these last few episodes, but those tears were well worth it. By the end of the episode, I just sat there with a really, really awkward grin on my face. This episode is a masterpiece in more ways than one, and it’s something I’ll definitely remember for the rest of my life.
Thanks for reading! ^_^
Wanabrar's Blog 
The fact Wakana didn't know about her mom's illness still isn't a justifiable reason to have been mean to her. Seriously? You didn't know why mom didn't tell you she had a terminal disease? You have exams. the last thing your mom would want to do is make you even more stressed than you already are. Common sense Wakana.
Whatever, it's over with and the entire two part episode served to increase my love for my own mama so it served its purpose of making me sympathize with mom and not Wakana.
Huh?
That argument seems a little odd. I guess I can't change your opinion on your unsympathetic nature towards Wakana.
I will argue that Wakana has developed a twisted sense of self-guilt towards her past self. The fact that she retroactively got angry (and self-depreciating) at the truth that her mom hid her illness serves to accentuate her guilt and emphasize her hatred towards her recent decisions she made in an attempt to mature into an adult (also serving to analyze the depth of the main them of "not being exactly children nor adults).
It is perfectly reasonable that Wakana would be upset by the truth. Not only was the mother incapable of keeping her promise to her daughter, Wakana's ignorance and refusal to accept herself forced her to shut out the love both she and the mother had.