Heartwarming / AIR

• The final four episodes. Sure, some may argue that it is a heartbreaking Downer Ending, but consider that Misuzu and her Mommy were closer to each other that one brief summer than most mothers and daughters ever will be in a lifetime.
  • Misuzu could have had a long life of empty loneliness or a short one of deep love. The fact that she wound up with the latter was a triumph, and it's implied it broke her curse as seen by the kids at the end. Also heartwarming beyond measure: that Yukito is willing to sacrifice his humanity just to be with her for all of it.
  • It's a Bittersweet Ending in that, yes, Misuzu does die, but thanks to Yukito, the curse she inherited by being a reincarnation of Kanna was broken. Same as the previous statement, except that it was never specified if breaking the curse breaks the chain of reincarnation, so Kanna/Misuzu should be happy in their next life.
• Watching Haruko and Misuzu grow close in the TV series and even seeing them start off close in the movie.
• Heartwarming in Hindsight:
  • In AIR, Kano has the wish to be able to perform magic; you will feel happy for her if you have played Eternal Fighter Zero, where she fights with a fantasy role-playing staff, and is able to cast tiered versions of fire, ice and lightning spells, as a reference to an RPG named Ragnarok Online, then you realize that her wish became true.
  • So, Misuzu dies at the end, and the story ends with the implied Hope Spot that her curse was broken, and she will finally get the happy life she deserves in her next life. Like Kano's example above, you will feel happy for her if you have played Eternal Fighter Zero, where she looks pretty happy with her new fighting skills (And for this same reason, you will also feel happy for Kanna, if you're familiar with the Misuzu/Kanna link and story, you don't mind her SNK Boss status).