AIR 11
Misuzu wakes up to find Yukito gone, and just Sora with her in her room. Though he's gone she'll do her best.. She walks outside with Sora, though it's tough on her, and goes to her favorite vending machine to grab some juice.. as she decides what to get someone comes up and pushes a button -- it's Haruko. Sora doesn't quite remember show exactly she is...
Back home, Haruko tells her about what she was doing over at Tachibana's (Misuzu's father's) place, trying to make it so that she'd be her child now... But Misuzu says she'll be fine by herself and faints.. In Misuzu's room, Haruko says she'll take Misuzu to the hospital so they can treat her, but Misuzu says it's nothing they'll be able to cure -- she learned that from Yukito. She says again she'll be fine by herself, that her and Haruko should go do their separate things.. Haruko comes to feed her some rice, but Misuzu doesn't like it too much, then starts to cry. If they get too close then Haruko'll get sick, too.. Misuzu cries, falling in into mother's -- Haruko's lap.
The next day Haruko cuts Misuzu's hair.. a bit too much, so she ends up with much shorter hair than before. Still cute, though ;) It's almost like she's a little kid, Haruko's kid -- they can start things all over again... At night, back in Misuzu's room, Misuzu says she wants to go to the summer festival. Do lots of fun things.. she remembers Haruko's smile. then goes to sleep..
The next day Misuzu is awake when Haruko gets up. "Who are you?", she asks; she doesn't remember who Haruko is, and asks where her mother is. . Haruko'll do her best until the day Misuzu can call her "mother". She brings a wheelchair so they can go outside, but Misuzu doesn't really want to go.. but after a bit of convincing they go on a walk, and end up running into Misuzu's father, Keisuke.
While Misuzu drinks juice, Keisuke scolds Haruko, asking what the heck happened to Misuzu. He says he can't leave Misuzu there getting sick with Haruko there. And he notices Misuzu calls Haruko "oba-san" (aunt) instead of "okaa-san"... Haruko knows she's not as smart as some people, and she's not good at this kind of thing and such, but Misuzu will want to be with her. So Keisuke asks... Haruko doesn't care if she goes if she really wants to, but she wants Keisuke to at least give her a chance..
So she's got three days for Misuzu to recognize her as her mother. Misuzu plays cards by herself. Must be dinosaur cards since Haruko asks her about them and she names the dinosaurs on them.. The next day they set off for the ocean, though Misuzu would rather go home. She really wants to go home, so Haruko stomps off, leaving her alone. Misuzu tries to roll her wheelchair back, but she ends up falling over onto the street.. Haruko comes running back and they both go back home. Haruko worries by herself, thinking she's not worthy to be a parent, when she hears Misuzu scream. A cicada is making a bunch of racket in her room, so Haruko catches it and releases it outside. Haruko goes to leave her room, but Misuzu holds out a deck of cards, wanting to play with her... That's all Haruko hopes for, to be able to be by Misuzu's side...
The day when she and Misuzu are to meet Keisuke comes, so she takes the sleeping Misuzu back to Keisuke, thinking this is where they'll part.. but before that, she wants to do something. She carries Misuzu to the beach. She gives her to Keisuke, who thanks her for what she's done for Misuzu. Haruko gives him the stuffed dinosaur and her favorite juice. She asks Sora if it's okay for him to say here when his "princess" is leaving... but Misuzu wakes up and gets out of Keisuke's arms and walks towards Haruko, crying out "Mama". Haruko runs to meet her and they hug as the waves break on the shore where they're at... Afterwards, Keisuke and Haruko talked for a while. And Sora finally remembered who Haruko was.. she's Misuzu's mother
Another episode with some big emotional impact for me. That scene of Misuzu running and crying, calling out for "mother", really got to me. Really good job this time showing us the relationship between Haruko and Misuzu crumbling as Misuzu forgot everyone around her, as Yukito said she would, but then at the end of those three days she calls Haruko "mother".
So I guess we're off to a happy ending for Misuzu next time, yes, the 最終回. I wonder if we'll see anything about the girl in the sky and how she's doing, whether she's been saved from the curse or not. We shall see as AIR wraps up ;)
Happy ending ? When Misuzu is the incarnation of Kanna ? I'm not so sure about that... it depends on what you would call a "happy" ending.
Misuzu carrys Kanna's spirit and curse, and as the last Yokujin, all the memories and pains of the past. With no happy memories, the curse carriers will die before reaching adulthood, and the curse continues as Kanna's spirit returns to the sky and it starts all over again. Yukito's sacrifice is to give Misuzu this chance to make happy memories, indirectly for Kanna as well (remember, Kanna wished to see the ocean, wanted to be with her mom, etc.). Only with happy memories, can the last Yokujin finally return all the inherited memories and burdens to the stars.
Personally I think Misuzu is going to die...but if I think of what orochi just wrote shed DID make it to get those memories, so perhaps there's a little, little chance for her to get healed...let's hope so!