[DESDE SIEMPRE]

Please don't leave me. Never.

There’s a lot I loved about this finale, but I’m going to focus on two scenes that encapsulate what made this story so special. The first is Shizuka’s breakdown on Takopi. “What else could I have done? I don’t have a grown up to look after me. They all told me I stink but where do I stink?” Is one of the most heartbreaking things I’ve ever heard and exactly why I will always defend Shizuka’s crash out. She had absolutely NO ONE on her side to stick up for her or even teach her how to deal with things. How could you EVER blame someone when they were never taught an alternative? While Marina was abused, at least she had a dad(sometimes) and a mom(half the time before one of her episodes), Shizuka had her dog and the clothes on her back. Some of the best voice acting you’ll hear this year in that scene.

Takopi’s “I’m sorry I can’t do anything for you” line broke me too because it’s a reminder that Takopi himself is just a scared little kid who comes from a planet where everyone’s happy and kind. This is all a new experience for him and he doesn’t have anyone to talk to or get advice from either. He was too pure for this world. His farewell to Shizuka was such a profound scene. In his last moments, all he wanted was for his two friends to finally understand one another.

And that they did. As I’ve been saying since episode 3 or so, the only way this was ever going to end was Takopi somehow getting Marina and Shizuka to understand one another and become friends. They both have so much in common and their mutual pain could be the foundation of a beautiful lifelong friendship, which it seems like it is now in the post credits scene. I absolutely love the moment where Marina and Shizuka realize their souls still remember takopi and they just start crying together. You can see the moment they become friends.

“To you, my dearest, I hope you find what you want.” What a powerful send off to one of the most emotionally taxing and painful watches ever. It showed the worst in humanity, but also gave us a blueprint on how to become better. Takopi might be a fictional alien, but there’s real life lessons we can take away from this and I hope everyone reflects and will go on to try and understand people and be kinder.

P.S my only issue with this ending is the parents really got no consequences and will probably never change. Both the girls should’ve been taken by cps. While the girls are innocent, the parents should’ve been arrested/marina’s mom needs to be committed to a psychiatric facility.