So who else saw a sad ending coming? I wasn't spoiled for anything in particular, but there were OMINOUS MURMURINGS on tumblr that made me fear the worst starting a few weeks ago.
Also, these two beautiful, heartwrenching gifs:
My initial interpretation of them turned out to be (mostly) correct. You first see Nezumi and Sion dancing together when they're young, but after just a short spin, Nezumi runs off and Sion is left reaching for him. But then younger Sion is approached by older Nezumi, and as they dance, Sion ages into his older self. In the next gif, Nezumi uses his cloak - a symbol for all he is, and all he suffers in the West Block - to hide Sion's face and draw him in for a kiss; Nezumi then leaves, leaving Sion with the cloak and with his white hair and scar.
(I forget, did Nezumi leave his cloak with Sion? I'd go back to check but it's too soon to rewatch, too much right now T_T)
It's all symbolic of how Nezumi affected the course of Sion's life, helped him grow up and realize that there's a world outside of himself. How much Nezumi changed him, and how much the West Block changed him, is symbolized by the cloak, which stays with him even after Nezumi left as a part of him.
I was originally afraid that Nezumi leaving in the gif meant Nezumi dying in the series - I was terrified of that so much that I was thrown off guard all the times we thought something would happen to Sion, and then I would worry incessantly about Sion thinking that all the symbolism suggesting otherwise was a ruse XD; And then when Nezumi covered Sion's body with his cloak, and then just laid down next to him ready to die with him? And sang for him? When he sang, I was afraid it was gonna go first-FMA-anime and have Nezumi sacrifice himself for Sion. I WAS REALLY SCARED THAT WOULD HAPPEN XDDD;
ALSO THE ED:
Just like the gif - showing Sion's life with Nezumi in the winter, them together; the snowball flying as a symbol for time passing into spring. Sion catches it in spring and it shows it melting - I always took this as Nezumi leaving/dying - and he turns away to leave, alone.
Now if it WASN'T Nezumi I was afraid was gonna die - if they showed anything happening to Sion, like holy fucking shit this episode I was
weeping - I took it as the reverse, how much Sion changed Nezumi, that Nezumi needed Sion in his life to teach him how to love and to really
live. And omg I love their relationship so much, it's all about how they change and grow together and it's SO BEAUTIFUL OKAY.
BUT YOU GUYS. Don't despair! NEZUMI COMES BACK. HE PROMISED HE WOULD. AND HE LEFT SOME OF HIS MICE WITH SION, HE WOULDN'T JUST DO THAT IF HE WASN'T GONNA COME BACK.
I WANT THIS AS AN OVA. PLEASE BONES. FOR CHRISTMAS. FUCKING DO IT. Show the reunion with his mommy and reunion with Nezumi in the same episode MAKE YOUR FANGIRLS HAPPY DAMN YOU.
An alternate translation of part of the novel end:
“Nezumi, I’ll be waiting.
No matter how many years pass, no matter how old I get, I’ll be waiting here for you.
The wandering star and the fixed one. [emphasis mine] Someday our paths will cross again. When that happens, I’m not going to sit quietly and let you go.
Nezumi, I’ll be waiting for you.”
The song in the ending theme, Rokutousei no Yoru - it means "Night of Sixth Magnitude Stars." (And it can be downloaded in full
here.) Stars visible from Earth can be categorized based on the level of their brightness. This categorization is called "apparent magnitude" (m). Sixth magnitude stars are the dimmest stars still observable by naked eyes.
Here's the lyrics and what they mean:
kizutsuita toki wa sotto tsutsumikonde kuretara ureshii
koronde tatenai toki wa sukoshi no yuuki o kudasai
omoi wa zutto todokanai mama kyou mo tsumetai machi de hitori
koko ga doko ka mo omoidasenai
owaranai yoru ni negai wa hitotsu "hoshi no nai sora ni kagayaku hikari o"
modorenai basho ni suteta mono de sae umarekawatte ashita o kitto terasu
hoshikuzu no naka de anata ni deaeta itsuka no kimochi no mama aetara yokatta
modoranai kako ni naita koto de sae umarekawatte ashita o kitto terashite kureru
nemurenai toki wa sotto te o tsunaide kuretara ureshii
yoake wa kuru yo to sasayaite ite uso de mo ii kara
negai wa zutto kanawanai mama kon'ya seiza o tsuresatte
kiete shimatta mou, modorenai...
owaranai yoru ni negai wa hitotsu "hoshi no nai sora ni kagayaku hikari o"
ima wa toosugite hakanai hoshi de mo umarekawatte yozora o kitto terasu
hoshikuzu no naka de deaeta kiseki ga hitogomi no naka ni mata mienaku naru
modoranai kako ni naita yorutachi ni tsugeru sayonara ashita wa kitto kagayakeru you ni
konna chiisana seiza na no ni koko ni ita koto kizuite kurete arigatou
owaranai yoru ni negai wa hitotsu "hoshi no nai sora ni kagayaku hikari o"
modorenai basho ni suteta mono de sae umarekawatte ashita o kitto terasu
hoshikuzu no naka de anata ni deaeta itsuka no kimochi no mama aetara yokatta
modoranai kako ni naita koto de sae umarekawatte ashita o kitto terashite kureru
When I'm wounded, it would make me really happy if you could gently embrace me.
When I stumble and can't stand up, please give me some of your courage.
My thoughts still can't reach you; I'm still wandering alone in this cold street.
I can't even remember where this place is.
In this endless night, I have only one wish: "Let there be shining light in the starless sky."
Even the things I threw away into places of no return will eventually radiate and illuminate tomorrow.
I was able to meet you in the stardust. It would have been great if my feelings had stayed unchanged.
I wept to my unreturning past, but my tears will eventually radiate and illuminate my tomorrow for me.
When I'm unable to sleep, it would make me really happy if you could gently grip my hand.
Please quietly assure me that morning will come, even if it's a lie.
My wish is still unfulfilled. Tonight, I have taken the constellation with me
and disappeared completely. It's already impossible for me to go back...
In this endless night, I have only one wish: "Let there be shining light in the starless sky."
Even a star too distant to be visualized clearly will eventually radiate and illuminate tomorrow.
Our miraculous encounter in the stardust will be blurred out by the crowds of people again.
I bid goodbye to my unreturning past and the nights of weeping, so that tomorrow I'll be able to shine.
I thank you, for having found me even though I am such a small constellation.
In this endless night, I have only one wish: "Let there be shining light in the starless sky."
Even the things I threw away into places of no return will eventually radiate and illuminate tomorrow.
I was able to meet you in the stardust. It would have been great if my feelings had stayed unchanged.
I wept to my unreturning past, but my tears will eventually radiate and illuminate my tomorrow for me.
(from
here.)
YOU MAY NOW CRY. And now let me find that one picture I have saved of Nezumi and Sion as constellations...
