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The Fragrant Flower Blooms With Dignity - (final) Episode 13 Discussion
Considering the naturally slower pace of this show, I actually didn’t expect us to jump straight into the festival like that. Not complaining though, it just gives us more time to see Waguri in her lovely yukata, so all’s well ofc. Though, we know why we’re here… picking up where we left off last time, confession time. And wasting no time, Rintaoru just says the simple words: “I love you.” His reasons are nothing short of genuine as he lays them out for Waguri. Sweet and genuine, the Rintaoru special.
Waguri knows all too well that he’s always been this sweet and genuine person. That’s how they first met after all, not in episode one, but way further back. Even further back than that, Rintaoru was always someone who reached out to Waguri and helped her, almost the reverse of how things are in the present. At first glance, that’s true. We’ve been in Rintarou’s POV this whole time, but now seeing things from Waguri’s perspective, we realize they both equally helped each other into a light neither had seen before. Seeing everything from her POV really changes a lot, really glad they showed us her side and didn’t just stick with Rintarou.
It’s THEIR romance after all; we need to know how both of them feel. And the way they feel is nothing short of mutual love for each other... though, we’ve known that from the start, haven’t we :) Which leads us back to the present, where would ya know it, the feelings mutual, as we've know xD
Man, I could dissect this finale for how perfect it is in every aspect, but then I’d have to dissect the whole show for how perfect it’s been from start to finish… and from here, it’ll only get better. We’ve barely reached the tip of the iceberg, much more is to come, and I’ll be here waiting for that day.
Peak romance, drama and progress with them, can't wait for a season 2 (if any is announced soon)
Perfection. Just pure perfection. Its series like this and Insomniacs After School that give me hope that top tier romance stories can still be crafted. Yes good romance anime / series still come out but none of them usually DO it for me that makes me want to praise it outside of being like "yeah that was pretty dang good!" but then come along series like this and insomniacs that make me feel like "goddamn top tier romance animes can actually still happen" 
I’m so happy to see someone else mention Insomniacs After School :,)
Kaoru Hana wa Rin to Saku #13
SB/ED: Miyuki Kuroki 黒木美幸,
Katou Makoto 加藤誠It’s impossible to put into words how beautiful and heartwarming this finale was. From start to finish, every gesture, every line, every moment was perfect. KaoruHana stands as a masterclass in shounen-romance adaptation, one everyone should take note of. I am deeply grateful to Miyuki Kuroki and the entire CloverWorks Studio staff for delivering such an emotionally rich and captivating experience over the past 13 weeks.
I’m looking forward to a sequel announcement later this year for 2026. We cannot be left hanging like this. What’s life without KaoruHana in it.
I WAS HERE.
AMEN!
Such a masterpiece.
In my opinion, not only it portrays an ideal romance tale of 2 humans leaning on each other for help, but also... the author clearly shows how love between persons of different sects (be it religion, race, caste or nationalities) is still frowned upon the society, just based on stereotypes and past events, while the society should have no role in how 2 persons feel about each other. A great way to convey the message.
Really looking forward to a new season.
I wonder if they will do a second season. this one ends with chapter 40, there are a lot more to animating.
Absolute perfection, not really a whole lot else to say.
Please adapt more Cloverworks, you can't stop before we get Madoka joining the group. That would be an injustice.
Highly recommend the manga to anyone who likes to read manga, you won't regret it.
Half of this episode was a flashback of her obsessively stalking the 'blonde cashier' who she thought was a grown adult, and whose name she didn't even know. A lot of people catch charges for engaging in that sort of behavior.
what a weird way of saying "I never had a crush on someone outside of kindergarten". Neither is she "stalking" him by going to his family backery once a month nor is it ever implied anywhere that she thought he was a grown adult.
You were saying?
Yea thats what I meant. She said: "I thought he was older" not "I thought he was a grown adult".
Right, because high school freshmen typically work late nights as cashiers. She didn't even know it was his family's business until she learned his actual age. I stand by what I fucking said: Instead of behaving like a normal person would, and trying to strike up a conversation with the person she found interesting/attractive, she decided to engage in some mild stalking.
i mean... depends on where you live and when you were born, some people absolutely work late night as cashiers because it's after school the only time they can and in some places they are indeed freshmen, like japan where high school is grades 10-12, they only have 3 years of high school which means a freshman there is a junior in the US, and by then some juniors ARE in fact getting jobs (i myself almost got one but decided against it)
though yeah she did engage in a tiny bit of mild stalking but not a kind that isn't abnormal, as weird as it may seem to you if somebody has a crush on someone and knows where they work or something they sometimes might find it easier to get closer to them but just stopping by and striking up a small conversation while buying something until they become closer with them, just how it works most of the time, same thing with school, you might "conveniently" take a route to class that intersects with theirs, just how trying to get closer to somebody while you have a crush on them typically works
Well, I wouldn't call that "stalking". She said firstly that she started to visit once in a while every month because she liked THE BAKERY. And everytime she went to that bakery, she MEANWHILE hoped there was the blonde guy serving as cashier like the first time. Stalking someone is something else very different, trust me...I'd call this instead pure being progressively in love for someone.
Late nights? Are you fucking dumb? The time says 17:42 dawg, that's 5:42 PM holy clown. Why are you taking this so seriously
Holy moly the High School first year thought someone was older.
That clearly meant she thought he was 40yo with 3 children a wife and an ex-wife.
And not at all that he's a second or third year.Crazy stuff.
No one fucking said 40, don't put words in my mouth. It's pretty clear that she at least thought that he was 18-20. I can't really blame her for that part tbh, because other than Rintarou's oddly tiny face, he actually DOES look like a Zoomer.
In any case, if you guys really enjoyed this odd and extremely awkward explanation about how Kaoru found her man, good for you.
Bruh that ain't stalking, what are you on about? She went there once or twice a month because she liked the cake with the knowing off chance she might be able to talk to him again, that is in NO way stalking, factually not! You are basically just telling us that you didn't watch or listen to what was happening without telling us you didn't watch or listen to what was happening
And just who tf is 'us' supposed to be? Y'all building a cult around this mid-ass show or something?
Sim, somos todos do culto KaoruHanaForever ??
Great finale episode, the festival as well as seeing the first episode in waguri's perspective was really cute. Any manga readers had the issue of feeling like you wish you never read the manga so you could witness the anime for the first time? Cus as a manga reader, knowing the story way beforehand, im a little said my excitement wasn't blown off the roof like the anime only fans, but regardless I very much enjoyed the anime. 8-8.5/10 for me.
It was a bit surprising to see a moments montage in the anime, cus thats a sign that we won't be getting another season, or that there isn't plan for another season for a very long time, but that isn't definitive. But thinking about, I wouldn't be that surprised if we dont get another season for a very long time or if not at all, I would love another season, but the problem is that where the manga goes, it goes very indept in the side casts, which is great, but you will be waiting a long time for major moments for the main couple, so I could see discouragement for another season when the first gives a complete narrative so well.
But man, I can't believe we are finally done with the cloverwork trio. I honestly think the summer 2025 anime season is on the best anime seasons of all time. If I had rank all three, dress up darling, rascal santa claus, and fragrent flowers:
Fragrent Flowers would have the best romance
Rascal Santa Claus has the best story
Dress up Darling has the best animation.but thats my opinion.
What an amazing season...
I fell in love with this story. The portrayal of how love shouldn’t be bound by class, stigma, appearances, or social status was beautifully crafted.
Not only the love story between Rintaru and Waguri, but also the way they feel the need to share their love and companionship with friends and family—and how important it is for them to be understood and embraced—was just incredible.
CloverWorks is truly an anomaly with these shows, man… what a beautifully animated season. The timing, the music, the atmosphere—everything was on point. WTF dude, these guys are on another level. (And if we compare it to some of the slop this season cof cofWatari-kuncof, it really shows they’re on another level.)
I’m super happy that the manga is launching next month in my country so I can start reading it physically almost right away.
I’m SO hyped for season 2!
Your honor, them.
Your honor, it's peak.They killed it. I have no notes, them moving Waguri's flashback to the middle of the episode rather than it happening after their confession like in the manga was a great choice. Please return #CloverworksNights for Season 3 of Dress up Darling and Season 2 of this.
Everyone else, go read the manga. The diabetes only gets worse from here.
This whole season to me was simply...
Absolutely PEAK! CloverWorks did a phenomenal job, as I'd expect. But this turned out to be my favourite anime of the season, and that's no easy feat when it's up against other shows like Dandadan ! So so good, please renew it for season 2 CloverWorks!
Something that i thought was cool is, the first ep was called: Rintaro and Kaoruko but the last ep is called: Kaoruko and Rintaro. I think the anime has been leaning towards Rintaro perceptive most of the time and his feeling, hence why Rintaro is the first word. Ep 13 was more towards Waguri's perspective, i was quite surprised to see how much an impact Rintaro made on Waguri as she always seemed fairly cool headed. It's all speculation but one thing that isn't speculation but a fact is, this is peak
It was DAMN good, and the best part was its TOTAL LACK of that DEGENERATE, infuriating garbage that pollutes nearly every other anime.
Absolutely no need for a second season they'll inevitably turn it into the very thing we just celebrated it for not being.
Of course there are other beautiful things but I will suffice with what I mentioned previously.
Peak Romance
this ending is so stupid I'm in constant mental loop thinking about just dropping the last ep. Whole show was great, but this is [REDACTED]. Does he have Alzheimer? 1. Doesn't talk to women 2. Says a few good uplifting sentences while girl is CRYING and getting rizzed up by his cake not him. 3. forgets this whole interaction a year later (remember he doesn't have a lot of these interactions). Says he's selfish for loving. This is bad and stupid
Favorite romance anime and it's not even close. I'll be hoping for a season 2
applause
chad mc! Both confessed in the first season finale. What more could we ask for!
I just love the shows where they depict the show from POV of other person. The story from Kaoruko's side helps us understand what they have is mutual love and both accepted their feelings
Well, although there is a manga ongoing, I won't complain if there isn't a season 2 announced soon. One of the most perfect finale this season. (Dandadan, Kaiju 8 & To be Hero X had me hanging fr)
PS - still shipping Saku & Subaru
Until next time ✌?
I am honestly so happy they decided to have Rintaro confess his love for Kaoruko in the beginning of episode 13. It makes me so happy because most romances finish off the adaptation with the confession at the very end.
But now with the confession being at the beginning of the last episode it gives us time to reflect on what just happened and carry that through the rest of the episode.
This anime and other animes this season has genuinely impressed me. I honestly don't think I could ask for a better season than this.
I am genuinely so happy that i took my time watching this anime. I was smiling through each episode that came out and when it came to the last episode I really couldn't hold my tears in. I was that happy to where i'd cry. What a lovely show. This was amazing.
