Questions about the end of the last episode

I've watched and rewatched this series several times. I've watched both the fansubbings and the "official" US release. It is one of my favorite series, and so one of the many I've pondered over time and again. Though I may be answering some of your questions, please note this is entirely theoretical. I may be way off the mark. Also, if you haven't already, go out and buy the manga. It's at volume 4 right now and ends just before the earthquake that ends with the incident of Akemi. I believe it goes on for another 3 graphic novels, and it explains so much more than the anime did.


okay, that stuff out of the way.

Why did Shuuji survive? Simple. Chise, in a last ditch effort, saved him. Though in the effort, she was (or was she?) destroyed along with what apparently is the rest of the world, save for the slab of concrete that had Chise's etching on it.

It may also be interesting to note that the white dust Shuuji frantically shoves aside may be ocean salt. Perhaps the sheer energy Chise was emitting dried up the ocean, or at least evaporated most of the tidal wave coming towards Shuuji?

Next question, answered it partially, I guess. Well, in my interpretation, as soon as Shuuji realizes he could very well be the last human alive, his mentality breaks down. It's actually amazing he didn't go insane earlier in the series. All of his male friends are killed. His best friend admits to him she has loved him since they were children while dying in his arms. He basically watches the death of his own parents. Plus the heavy burden of being the sole person outside of the military who knows what Chise really is. I think he snapped, and Chise was all in his imagination (as shown from the scene were he pats her on the head, and the scene switches back to the desolate world with Shuuji patting the air). So...in summary, he went nuts.

Next question see above. I'm more than certain Shuuji truely was in love with Chise (else there wouldn't be a point to the series). His love brought about a dilusion that his brain chose to accept. Laymen's terms: he went nuts. I mean....I'd like to think that he's alive she's alive and everyone's happy, but I'm trying to be realistic. It is very apparent he was the only one in his general area that survived.

Atonement. To atone usually means that one has committed a sin. Perhaps they feel they have to atone for indulging in their pleasent love for each other whilst the rest of the world falls to pieces? At some key points, manga or anime I forget, Chise says that it's wrong for them to be in love. She felt continously guilty about her love for Shuuji due to her duty. I like my first thought though.

Next. I like your thoughts in your interpretation and would just like to build upon it. I think there was a point where Chise just gave up being human. The strain on her was too great, and it was tearing her apart inside. It would be best if she gave in to the mechanical side and receed into the darkest, safest places of her being. Yet, no matter how hard she tried, she could not...nay would not...forget about Shuuji. And the simple interaction between him and her during that scene, and the sly comments Shuuji interjects, helped to pull her humanity back to the surface.

Last. Difficult, but I think it ties into the atonement area. Chise, whom has taken so many lives and destroyed so many dreams, is still allowed to love someone and allowed to live. To someone who wants nothing more than to walk to school with her beloved, to someone who normally would not harm any living thing, that must have been heart shattering. She never asked to become a weapon, nor did she want to destroy. But she did. She killed thousands, nay millions of people worldwide. And still, there was Shuuji whom still believed in the human side of her. And this is where the series truely shines and truely becomes a love story. Chise was allowed to live and to love, though countless deaths lay upon her shoulders. And Shuuji was always there to help her carry the weight.


As you can see, I've given this series much thought. And I'm glad someone else can understand it well enough to not criticize all its faults like many people I know.

1. How did Shuji survive? The tidal wave heading straight for him would certainly have been moving at a speed more than capable of killing him. My belief is that Chise's wing, despite shattering, stood long enough to prevent any lethal force to hit Shuji, though obviously enough was left to knock him out during all the chaos.

2. If everyone but Shuji is dead, how is Chise there? Again, I say he's lost it, that his love is the only thing keeping him from suicide (Though that may be a touch difficult in a completely barren wasteland). So, the strong love he has for Chise, finally snaps him to a new sense, and there we go: Shuji and Chise are back together. It's also possible that a part of Chise that couldn't be overridden by Weapon was left in the crashed wing that appeared near Shuji, and they fell into a shared delusion once Shuji realised he had Chise

3. How does Chise reform? Again, it's almost definitely a delusion or hallucination, but shared forms have been seen before. This could mean that their love for each other helped to create the illusion, a total and complete shattered sanity snapping into something of a relaxed world.

4. Atonement? What for? Chise always seemed to feel bad about being allowed to love someone after destroying so many people's lives and homes, even if that was purely the influence of Weapon. Meanwhile, Shuji felt bad for being selfish and trying to keep Chise all for himself, which can be seen throughout most of the series, especially when he first attempts to run away with her. It's likely that they plan on living in atonement for their individual sins, combined with the fact they had no real regard for anyone else while the Earth was falling apart.

5. Did Shuji help Chise overcome the weapon side? I think that Chise, although obviously not being human anymore, had created a third personality for herself while she was away from Shuji (The first being the real her, and the second being Weapon), to help her cope with the separation. If we consider what she was probably going through in this time, a mechanical mind with little romantic knowledge makes perfect sense. I think she probably caused it to collapse when she started appologising to Shuji, reminding her of the real Chise.

6. The Joy of Living in Sin. She again probably felt that she shouldn't be allowed to feel love for all the people she killed and all the cities she'd destroyed.

I'm personally wondering why no-one is questioning the state of the world afterwards, as well as the appearance of Chise's wing. I personally believe that the fallout from the Earthquake and mankind's demise may have destroyed a large part of the upper atmosphere, the Ozone along with it. This could account for the seas boiling and evaporating, leaving the sand. This would make the atmosphere very fragile, and prone to flash phenomena, such as the strong wind that dug up Chise's wing. The wing probably broke off in the End days, falling near Shuji as something of a lover's leap.

The last episode is quite abstract to interpret I guess. In the DVD series of Japanese version,we can see interview of Mr. Tsukino and Ms. Kase who are producer and director, respectively talking about it.

They said how to make the last episode is the biggest theme that they kept wondering from the beginning of this project. It is quite hard to express all the stories that lead to the end described in the comic, since this animation series only have 13 episodes. Then they tried to focus on love story between Shuji and Chise, then cut down other elements. They have several meeting with the author Mr. Takahashi about the last episode and big discussions as well. Then their conclusion was the ending of comic and the animation is different but describes the same thing - love.

I have not realised until they pointed out that all the episodes from 1 to 12 are shuji's reflections with Chise's diary. That's why at the begging of the episode 1, Shuji picked up Chise's diary at the observation deck, and then the same scene was described in the episode 12.

I guess staffs making this series including director Ms. Kase had not got to the concrete conclusion how to end this series. That's why the episode 13 was really abstract or looks like half Evangelion and Ideon. However, if it is allowed to write my understanding, it is not the point whether Shuji survives in the end or not. There's possibility that the schene of monologue of Shuji in the last episode might describe his afterworld. But what they really wanted to describe is regardless of looks, feature, fate, surroundings, alive or death..., their love is the only truth in the world, I think.

"One more question though...

If I ABSOLUTELY LOVED this anime/manga, what other anime/manga would you suggest I watch/read?"

Evangelion. But it apears you appears saw that.

Then I suggest RahXephon, Paranoia Agent, and Boogipop Phantom.

"Those who can make you believe absurdities can make you commit atrocities" - Voltaire

I was wondering how Shuji survived that tidal wave?

As others have said, Chise probably used the last of her strength to save him. Since, Shuji promised he'd wait there for her, she wanted to make sure he'd still be there to meet afterwards, even if it did lead to her own death.

But then, isn't Chise there with him now?

If she's really there or not is debatable. Most would say he's gone insane, and that is why you can see in the one scene him patting her head, but in reality he's just patting air. Which, is probably what happened. However, it's also possible that she really is still alive inside of him, though how much actually being her, and how much being his own mind causing delusions really is more up to personal choice, as there's no definitive answer.

Why? How?

Why? It really depends upon which you believe. If you believe he's simply gone insane, then that's why, and how. He knew she had died. He knew he was the last person alive. He felt angry that she would leave him there alone. But, he loved her and didn't want to be angry with her. So, he created a fictional Chise to make himself feel better. That way she didn't leave him, and he wasn't alone.

If she was really there, it would be because of their love for each other. He loved her so much, that even in her death, their will to be together was great enough to overcome life and death, and to recreate life.

Really that includes the how too, so I'll just skip over that.

What do they have to atone for?

Shuji has to atone for keeping Chise from the world, and for keeping herself from being healthy. There was no real win, because whether he left her with the military, or took him with her, both ways she'd be in pain. Different ways, but it would be difficult either way. In the end, he thought of himself before everyone else, and he took Chise with him. He hurt Chise numerous times throughout the series as well.

Chise has to atone for killing. She wasn't a killing machine, she was turned into one. She was still the same person, and she never wanted to kill anyone. She was allowed to continue to live, and love, but she denied the same rights to so many people that she killed.

I may be wrong, but near the end of Episode 12, it is the love that Chise and Shuji share that allows Chise's humanity to overcome the mechanized machine that she's been turned into? Shuji helped the "weapon persona" of Chise relive some of the old memories that the two shared together thereby allowing the "human Chise" to overcome the "weapon Chise." That's my interpretation of that scene.

I would say the real Chise was always there, she didn't really need to overcome it. But, she was hurt, and she kept hurting worse. So, she tried to forget about her humanity, to just live out her days as a killing machine, and never think of Shuji, the earth, or anything. Just to follow orders. And, she does a good job. It's all still there, but she cannot remember it. I think Shuji helps her remember. Though, there's no definitive answer for any of this, so my opinion is as good as yours.

Finally, at the end of Episode 12, when they are at their spot and make love for the first time, what do you think it means when Shuji says that "[Chise} cried again and again as if feeling the joy of living were a sin?"

Once again he was implying that she felt as though simply living, and enjoying life, was a sin, because of all the lives that she destroyed and ruined. Refer to my previous response about the sins for a better answer.

But, like I have said before, it's all up to interpetation, and you could be just as right as I am.

I really love this series though...and I think I'm going to go watch it now.