“We once loved when we were 15. Even though that time seemed to be so faraway now, we used to exist in that time. Then, we were there. We spent our time together. Do you still remember?”
It ended, just as it was at the start. Did you enjoy the journey of Nana, Yano, Takeuchi and Yuri?
I know I did. Let me bring you through the last journey of “We were there”. They were there. For sure.
Episode overview 25-26 in bite-size
Nana realized that Yano did have intentions to move to Tokyo. She then said that he could do anything he wanted, and she would be happy with it. However, she realized eventually that it was not what she wanted and she found that one year of waiting was way too long. Yano was in fact waiting for her to regret the decision and asked her if she was regretting anything, but she still told him that it was all right. As Yano told her to meet up one night, he said he had thought of the Christmas celebration but it was pushed forward a week on December 18th. He was going to join his mother to Tokyo.
Yano actually wanted to bring her to a hot spring and the zoo for their last meeting, but Nana did not want Yano to spend so much considering that his family finanical status was not that good in the first place. Nana then said she did not want anything too special, because she did not want to feel that he was going away. Still, she dressed up very well and cutely, as they spent their time doing the things they usually do, with flashbacks appearing. It seemed that Yano had kept the neo-prints that they took during their first time there, and it was clear that the decision made by Yano to leave Tokyo was an extremely painful one for him. As the day finally arrived, Nana was in tears as Yano simply told her that when negative feelings and positive feelings conflict with each other, it is not zero but positive. That was what Nana brought for her, as he left, leaving Nana chasing for the train…The story ends but they were there.
Resolution, thoughts and review
That is the premise of Bokura Ga Ita, of two people who used to be in love at the age of 15, with the delicate relationship of two young people who simply wished to be with each other, yet with their very own insecurities, confusion and pains of growing up. This depicts well of the romance of the teenagers, their relationships with their friends as well as the many questions that
It is perhaps a very bittersweet ending to this wonderful shoujo series that I consider to be the top shoujo series of 2006. I remember at the start of the series, I totally hated Yano for all his silly antics with Nanashi, only to see his journey as he escaped from the cage that he jailed himself in and finally releasing himself from the pain that he had. He became more and more likable in my opinion, and that was when my impression of Nana went totally downhill.
Prone to crying, insecurity and her jealousy of someone who was already dead made me annoyed at her, as well as the fact that she was definitely not ready for a relationship after the incident with Yuri in the hospital. Still, Nana ends the situation well, even though I wish she was a bit stronger mentally. However, that might also take away some of the charm of the show, because it capitalizes on the flaws of the characters. These characters are not perfect beings. They are like us, weak and making stupid mistakes even though they know jolly well they should not do it. That is why we get angry, we get sad, we get happy and we get annoyed with what they do.
The ending to me really symbolized the whole feeling of “We were there”. Perhaps, some other viewers wanted a more close-ended resolution but I personally feel that by leaving it this way, it ends the romance at a point where they both know that they have found love somewhat. To make a fake “happy ending” to me will be a tad disappointing since it is clear that the love that they have is strong enough. That, to me, is more important than having a “1 year later” resolution because it will defeat the purpose of the title. However, I can see why Hinano disliked the ending, which probably does seem to scream “Read the manga for the continuation”.
Talking about the graphics of the show, which is really nothing, it is perhaps a nice soft style of art that is very basic, yet fitting to the whole shoujo genre. I know of many people who are turned off by the pretty medicore graphics presented in Bokura Ga Ita, but this is a shoujo series that screams out loud at you with the style of graphical design. In that aspect, I like the series simply because I am a great fan of shoujo-styled art. However, this is a double-edged sword because it will veer some neutrals out of this series. As it is, Bokura Ga Ita will only appeal to shoujo fans, and not the normal anime fan.
The greatest strength of the series is its use of appropriate music sang by the wonderful Mi. Some of the insert songs in this series are just about the best songs that I have heard from an anime series, and I even got a few friends interested in Bokura Ga Ita after sending them some of the EDs. I think it is a great thing to have different EDs for this show, because most of the songs that are inside are really wonderful. Music, in this series, is one of the biggest plus in the series.
The characters, as I have stated earlier, were given enough character development throughout the series and you learn to hate or like them. It is perhaps one of its redeeming points too, even though the story can get a bit too emotional at times that might turn off some people too. The drama, however, is painfully realistic and I think that some of the scenarios are very possible in real life, except about Yano’s history that is seriously screwed up. Still, to add, the realism of the relationship, where the couple quarrels over small incidents is something that I feel is an interesting thing to debate about.
All in all, I think Bokura Ga Ita is an excellent addition to the shoujo anime genre. With that, I toast this wonderful series and I am a little sad that it has to end so fast.
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Comments (37)
I don’t think it was fast. It was very suitable, very bittersweet, like you’ve said. I used to hate the normal shoujo kind of art, but BgI stylized the usual art into something… extraordinary. It must be due to the emotions colliding with the feelings that the art style potrayed that made it striking. Totally agree on it not appealing to the general anime watcher; non (except one) of my campmates are attracted to the story JUST SOLELY because of the art style and slow pace. However, I find the pacing of the entire anime to be just perfect.
The ending was very real, not the usual ‘happy ever after’ kind, or the ’super depressed mood’ kind that most anime watchers would be fond of. This ‘real’ treatment just totally blew off my mind. Best part of the whole anime was the ending theme songs; they totally suit the atmosphere of the entire anime, bringing in loads of memories from the past episodes, especially the ‘dead Nana’ recap eps.
I’d seriously think that this anime, comparing it to Kanon (another sob story kind), I’d vote for BgI to win over Kanon (even though I’m an avid Kanon fan myself)
sentinel011 added these pithy words on Dec 30 06 at 11:01 amI think it was the perfect ending the anime could have given us. It probably would have been worse if they tried to include what they were doing now, because that wasn’t the point of the ending. The point was that they were there at one time, even if they wont be there together again.
I personally loved the art style, but I’ve always liked artlands minimal take on animation. Mushishi will probably always be their best piece, but Bokura ga ita has been like the only good shoujo-like shoujo manga adaption this year. Sure we had Ouran, but that focused more on comedy than the shoujo aspects. I prefer shoujo that focuses on the characters and their intricate relationships. Not to mention I just realized why I’ve been more into moe and anime aimed more towards guys… there’s not enough shoujo anime out there these days! Unless it’s aimed at like 10 year old girls. It’s not that I don’t like any genre, but I just feel like there’s a lack of choice in what anime have been airing. Shoujo manga and anime is what I grew up on afterall. But more yuri anime is fine too.
Speaking of yuri… I HATE YURI. As in Bokura Ga Ita’s Yuri.
Tess added these pithy words on Dec 30 06 at 11:40 amThis anime is just great i loved it. (hugs bokura ga ita dvds) the ending is perfect,for me one of the best anime of 2006 (apart from ouran high school host club and nana) Thanks for reviewing the anime, i would not have been able of watching it without some reviewing (lives very far away,were anime lovers are discriminated and its pretty hard to find somebody who likes anime)
Thanksssss.
Does the manga go on further? Where does one find the manga and have it translated at? I love this serise & would love to collect it =) Thanks
April added these pithy words on Jan 06 07 at 4:32 pmhmmm if u think the ending is bittersweet the manga leaves you hanging off a cliff. I wished that the anime kept on going where the managa ended off… well what i have got that is =3
Daemon added these pithy words on Jan 09 07 at 10:16 pmawwww…I think it was about time it ended but I am still sad that theres no more…*sob sob*
Lily added these pithy words on Jan 10 07 at 2:36 pm@sentinel: That is so true. Most people would have wished for an emo-fest (which really had indications at the start). However, the realistic manner in which it portrayed teenage love makes Bokura Ga Ita essential reading. The fact that it had to end before the manga series ended, because that will always disappoint fans who know the manga.
I knew it as well but i am not disappointed because it really illustrates the “We were once there” feeling. I can only hope with my imagination that an OVA will appear somehow. I do not believe so sadly.
@Tess: Aww. It’s true though. Shoujo generally tends to be a really big niche and Bokura Ga ita is one of the very few series this year that has portrayed this style of art. Why do you hate Yuri though? It seems pretty sad for her and she is simply in love with Yano. Yes, she had been vindicative before but now…I do not know, i pity her a little.
@G-cel: That sucks :(…You have the same situation as me then. Oh well, we still have the participatory culture online!
@April: Yes, it does up to book 11 in Japan. I am not too sure about where you can get the manga though. I am not too much of a manga fan.
@Daemeon & Lily: Who doesn’t? But i guess even if they continued, they will get stuck since the manga is ongoing. This is the best that can be done for the anime and I am proud of it. The best shoujo series for 2006.
And worthy recipient.
Impz added these pithy words on Jan 10 07 at 8:02 pmI would love to read the rest of this manga series just to see how it ends. It really pulled at my hearts strings though because the story is so tragically human. Even though I do not like young Nana, I would love to see how she matured in the end. We did catch glimpses of that through her narration, but I also want to find out what happened to Yano!!!
Great series!
It was just wonderful 
Love the music too!
If its open ending like what you guys are saying…then perhaps upon realizing it they could have had a happy ending. I dunno i have not finished the entire series but perhaps its open ended for the reader to have its own speculation. I know I am subjectively hoping that at the end tho they parted ways they did realized that they found love and perhaps decided not to leg go…gosh i gotta finish the series.
She added these pithy words on Feb 01 07 at 3:05 ami love this anime and the music too…
anyone knows where i can find the music?
Nanami, please email us because we do not mention about finding music and the likes. 
thanks.
@She: you have to finish it because it will really make a good circle, even though there is a bit of open-ended feeling that makes you think what is going on.
Impz added these pithy words on Feb 12 07 at 9:17 amDo in Japan Bokura Ga Ita have been end?
What numbers of Manga?
I like it very much….I like Yano…He is very cute…
If I am not wrong, it is now up to vol 11. The anime ends the series at vol 8, so ya
my goshhh,, where is yano,, can some one help me???
i’m sick coz of this.. in my country the manga still not end,, until takeuchi said that he has meet yano 3 years ago..
what happen to yano??
please tell me or i’ll cry all night long,, just email me at
ice_leciel@yahoo.co.id
please reply as fast as u can
thanks…… my gosh, where’s yano???
Yano’s working as an assistand designer who’s set to help the same company Aki and Nanami are working on after running away for his mother suicide. Also, he’s now living, and probably in a relationship with Yamamoto.
I’m serious.
7Th added these pithy words on Feb 17 07 at 12:16 ami just finished watching Bokura Ga Ita and i thought the ending was unexpected. every other show has a happy ending and i thought that this anime would too. but it didn’t. i read the last 10 pages of the manga…Nana and Yano never met after Yano left to Tokyo. Nana said “but as he turned 18, he was left all alone”. then she said “life never gave him what he wanted. the only thing he ever wanted was…”then someone a friend of Nana called out “Nana…” she was 21.and then Takeuchi gave her a text message…then Nana said to her self that she had another dream that she knows would never come true. and the next page shows Nana staring at yano’s train and said “because that was…the last time i’d ever see Yano”. it’s so sad. i think Yano’s mom died because…there was a note from the doctor…remmember? and maybe Yano got together with Yamamoto cause she said she wanted to go to Tokyo to get something she really wants. oh, by the way…i’m 13
Mariah added these pithy words on Feb 17 07 at 11:04 pmI want to know… do the manga already the end or no?
What happened in vol 11 ?
Why did Yano break his promise to Nana?
Is he get together with Yamamoto? I hate it!
Tell me the truth
Anyone Please give me a reply
or contact me at j_chan_92@gmail.com
this anime! cn touch people.through their lives..and for couples at age!
you cn learn from this series.,!
FOR ME BOKURA GA ITA is 4 thumbs up! and that’s even if i count it with my feet!
most people say also this needs a second season!
for me i think..it’ll end up not having any!
EVEN IF I WANT TO!
i hate yamamoto!!!!
i hate sungenji!!!!
oooh god please tell me this is just a stunt..
i don’t want the end like that..
why obata yuuki made that kind of ending?!!!!!
i want nana to be together with yano at the end..
i don’t read the end yet,,
and i hope what mariah wrote is wrong!!
i know that’s wrong!!!
PLEASE TELL ME THIS IS JUST A STUNT!!!!
0.o umm guys calm down.. the manga series isn’t over yet.. and what mariah said is true from what i know…
god i dun like yamamoto shes so gross.
sob, if nana and moto dont end up together this world is doomed….
btw anyone know any other animes like bokura?
excluding big titles like kanon, welcome to nhk, karekano, etc.
I just finished this series a while ago and I don’t know, I really liked it at first, but then I got really annoyed at with their relationship…. Even though it would be great to have Nana and Yano get together, I don’t think it would work out between them. There doesnt seem to be any trust on Nana’s part and she’s so insecure all the time. If their relationship would have kept on going, it would have fallen apart at the end, because she wasn’t ready. The fact that this whole thing started when they were only 15 also kind of gives you that prediction of doom, as they were young and didn’t really know what they wanted, and as they would have matured, things would have definitely changed.
The moment it went downhill for me was when Nana walked away from Yano when he needed her most. From then on, my opinions of Nana took a nose dive and it didn’t recover, even at the end. I still don’t like her much, but maybe after I’ve read the manga and see how she’s matured….
Anyway, all in all, I think the anime itself (the storyline and whatnot) was excellend and I do agree it was one of the best shoujo animes in 2006…. by the way, for those who love shoujo, there’s a manga called B.O.D.Y thats really cute……….
Jen added these pithy words on Apr 28 07 at 10:25 pmHeyy ^^
I was hoping to start reading the manga and i just found out that the Anime existed.. Any link where i can download the episodes? maybe via torrents??
Thanks
shavonne added these pithy words on Jun 12 07 at 1:22 pmThank you so much for putting up the summaries. Since most of the episodes are in spanish, I don’t get to watch them. About Bokura Ga Ita, I think Yano isn’t as bad as some people say he is. Nana really loves him, even if they fight alot. Now that I know where to find a certain episode, I’ll come here all the time.
Oh, Takeuchi is a sweet guy, but the fact that he wants to steal Nana away isn’t. Nana probably would’ve chosen Takeuchi if Yano never came back to apologize. I know how Yano feels. I know how Nana feels too. I like this boy and he doesn’t know that I do. He admitted that he liked me in sixth grade, but I liked someone else. I wonder if he likes this other girl though. It is his ex, because they dated in the sixth grade. I want to write a story, too. I don’t think I need super powers, though. And I already found out the coolest power of all time, the power of love.
To the author who wrote Bokura Ga Ita, thank you. I want to become like you someday. Look for a new book on the best sellers shelf in about 3 years. I think your book is the best book I have ever read. I was wondering if their was a sequal? I really want to know what happens. Does Yano come back to visit Nana? Will Nana find someone else? Will Nana make it into the college in Tokyo? What will Yamamoto do? Will she go to Tokyo? Will Yano fall for her? I dream about it every night. What happens.
Sometimes, I think that Yano and Nana will ” Do It” again, in Tokyo. I also think that Yamamoto will go to Tokyo to break Yano and Nana up. For some reason, I remember her saying that. Thank you for leaving the story this way. Because no matter how much I want to know what happened, I keep dreaming. You are allowing me to finish off the story. How do I think it will end? I’m not even sure. Some stories give you the end, while others keep you thinking and dreaming for a lifetime. I just recently found this anime, and I stay up until 3 am watching it on my computer.
It’s 5 am right now. I’ve been typing this for 1 hour. This love story makes me think about my love life. I think I may even tell him that I like him when school starts again. Nanami had the courage to tell Yano, so I’m going to tell him. Thank you again for writing this story. Oh, and if you ever write another love story, then I would be happy to read it.
Ariana added these pithy words on Jun 26 07 at 5:13 amomg..i love the anime..but i havent read the continuation in the manga but i really want to..i cried during the ending..i wonder if its a happy ending..:D
nuky101 added these pithy words on Aug 02 07 at 6:52 pmany idea where i can read the manga online??
nuky101 added these pithy words on Aug 02 07 at 6:53 pmcan someone pleaseee tell me where i can read the manga online from volume 9 and up? i’ve been searching forever but i cant find it. yes. i am a loser. please help?
vivian:) added these pithy words on Aug 08 07 at 2:53 amThe manga scans volume 1-10 can be found by downloading the torrent here
http://www.datorrents.com/torrents-details.asp?id=13402
thankyou veryyy much jen ^^
vivian:) added these pithy words on Aug 17 07 at 8:24 amSo I very much enjoyed this series. I found it through some recommendations. I’d watched Peach Girl a few months back. I used to read the manga and didn’t know about the anime series. If you haven’t seen it and like this, you should watch it. Any-hoo… from what I’ve read up above, the way the mange turns out sounds pretty horrible. I just looked to see what I could find of the manga translated to English but I also can’t seem to find anything past 9. I’m so concerned with the part of the manga that resembles the anime as I am with what happens where the anime leaves off… -sigh- Oh yea, I didn’t think that was the cutest Nanami has looked throughout the series lol. I guess Yano did though. XD
LerN added these pithy words on Oct 14 07 at 8:19 pmThis was one of the best yet depressing, hit way to close to home for me, animes Ive seen in a very long time. I watched the fansubs and got the last 10 pages of the manga chapter… All I can say is OMG, That hit me like a ton of bricks. What ild like to ask is: Does anyone know if the manga is or going to be published for US market? Ive done a bit of looking but no luck. either email me or post a reply Please.
thanks KJB
kingjoebob(IAT)gmail(dot)com
kjb_linux added these pithy words on Nov 03 07 at 4:34 amAFTER YANO AND NANAMI GOT SEPERATED!!!
ok here is the storry
yano mu dies and yano wants to forget about his past
there is this new girl who likes him
but she know yano loves nanami
so they become good friends
AFTER SOO MANY YEARS!!!
nanami starts going out with take
she is were with new girl
and they become good friends
then the new girl hooks nanami and yano together
and take is about to propose to nanami
take did tell nana that he say yano years ago
and told her he wanted to forget the past
take thougth yano would come back
he nver did soo
nanami and take were couple
and yanso real dad came o get him
cause his real wife couldnt get pregnet
but both yano and his mom denied
yano went out to look for nanami but his mom
goot scaared he was going o leave her
so sh hanged her self
wrong… yano’s dad died didn’t you watch the anime??..
the one who wants to get yano is the wife of yano’s dad
you know how the last episode is when yano leaves to tokyo? and some of you wrote stuff tht happened after like nana chan going with take? where do i get these episodes from??
lolalalala123 added these pithy words on Dec 25 07 at 5:39 amhi guys… do you know where can i read or download the manga of bokura ga ita? is the anime stops in volume 9? am i right?
please… help me guys… im gonna be crazy…T_T
aoife added these pithy words on Mar 10 08 at 7:00 amAWWW!!!!!!! I just ended with episode 26! I just finished my marathon and I got so happy and filled with love!
BUT!!! I want to know where to read translated mangas??? not the raw ones. Please tell me… ^^
I totally hate Yamamoto. She’s screwing everything. I mean, is she insensitive or what!? Can’t she just leave the two alone and move on with life!?
Grrr.. anyways, I totally love the series! wahahaha! I’m a love-love person! And I can say it is better than Ouran High School Host CLub (for me).
The anime itself is already a very very good storyline.
But when I read the posts on the manga continuation,
I went… “what?? Sh**! Sh*t!” Why did Yamamoto and Take ever enter the story!
YanoNana Forever! hahaha! ^^ (I know I sound crazy! I just finished the marathon…what do you expect!)
nikki m. added these pithy words on Mar 23 08 at 3:36 amBokura ga ita is a very simple story for me, but it stands out among the simplests. The plot is simple. The characters are simple. The event are simple. Everything is simple. I don’t know what but, there’s something in the story that makes it remarkable and memeorable.
Caryl added these pithy words on Apr 06 08 at 6:11 am