Hana Yori Dango Episode Guide
Episode: 51
Title: "Nebaaendingu", "Neverending"
Summary:

Tsukushi has turned away Doumyouji. Time has passed. It is now 3 months later (I believe). Things have changed a lot since that day at Doumyouji's mansion. Tsukushi is pretty much left alone at school now. She walks around campus reflecting on the changes. She has been living alone, but does receive packages from her parents. She opens one and finds some pictures of her parents and brother. Her dad is standing on the prow of the fishing boat, looking like a manly fisherman. Her mother is wrestling with some slippery fish. Her brother is hanging out with some of his new friends on the fishing boat. Tsukushi smiles at the letter that comes with their photos, and unwraps the fish that came with the package.

At school, Asai & Co. have found a new freshman girl to be the target of their teasing. They ignore Tsukushi. Sakurako and Kazuya seem to be getting along very well, like they are becoming a new couple :) Tsukushi still works at the Dango shop with Yuki. The F4 have been reduced to the F2, because only Akira and Soujirou are left at the school. Rui has gone away to France to be with Shizuka, and Doumyouji has not returned to school since. I don't see any signs of Shigeru at the school either.

Tsukushi and Makiko-chan are still good friends. Makiko is a bit more lively now. Makiko-chan teases Tsukushi about getting a love-letter in her locker. As Tsukushi and Makiko are walking down the hall, they pass a group of boys, one of whom is blushing a whole lot, and trying not to look at Tsukushi. After the girls pass by, his friends all gang up on him and tease him. A new guy likes Tsukushi! However, Tsukushi is too preoccupied with Doumyouji still, that she doesn't notice this boy, or take any interest in him.

Tsukushi is lingering alone on her balcony/staircase where she used to meet with Rui. Down below her are Ayuhara and Yamano. Asai runs up to them with big news! Doumyouji is about to get married! He and Shigeru are scheduled to have a big wedding send off very soon! This news hurts Tsukushi. She looks very upset, and has a very confused expression.

The scene is the local harbor where a HUGE cruise ship is docked. There is a brass band there playing a lively tune, and the entire school has gathered to see off Doumyouji and Shigeru as they leave on some sort of voyage to go get married. Tsukushi is there too, but she is not cheering with everyone else. She is staring at the ground and trying not to look at all the splendid festivity around her.

Then the roar of the crowds gets louder. Two limos arrive. It is Doumyouji and Shigeru! They each arrive in their own car. Shigeru is beautiful in a white wedding dress. Doumyouji is equally spiffy in a white tuxedo. The happy couple runs through the crowd of happy admirers, ducking under streamers and flying confetti. They eventually make it to their ship, and stand at the railing, looking down at the huge crowd of people wishing them off. The crowd moves to be close to the ship, but Tsukushi stays behind, standing by herself, lost in thought.

Tsukushi's thoughts are interrupted by the unexpected arrival of Urara-sensei! She is also there to see the engaged couple off. The odd thing is, is dressed with her hair all pulled back, and in a man's suit! How totally odd. Was there something I missed somewhere along the line about her orientation or something? Maybe she just likes men's clothing. Anyway, she has a few of her usually profound words to say to Tsukushi at this important moment. (Urara always appears at just the right moment, saying just the right thing to move events forward!) She hands Tsukushi a letter she says is from Doumyouji, and then walks away.

Tsukushi opens the letter and begins to read. I wasn't sure what the letter says, but according to Julia who emailed me:

"The contents of the letter was supposedly from Doumyoiji telling Tsukushi that he does not plan to marry Shigeru at all but to just get away. He will escape on the journey(don't ask me how on a ship, it wasn't mentioned) to live by himself for some time first until things has quietened down. He is going to leave(or should I say desert) Shigeru alone, and that with her intelligence, she will have no trouble finding another guy." Ahh, okay! Thanks Julia ^_^

Needless to say, this letter makes Tsukushi MAAAAAAADDDDDD! She is absolutely FUMING! Tsukushi crumples the letter in her hand and runs towards the ship. The crowd gapes at her as Tsukushi runs past all of them and reaches a dock worker who is releasing the mooring rope that helps to keep the ship anchored. As he releases the loop, Tsukushi dives for it. Everyone gasps! Tsukushi catches the rope, and dangles from it, hitting the side of the ship! The people on the ship haul in the rope and help Tsukushi aboard the ship. Her anger burns in her eyes! (Incidentally, I think this episode must have been done by a different studio because suddenly everyone in the series looks as if they are wearing a lot of mascara, Doumyouji included!) Doumyouji looks totally dumbfounded to see her on the ship.

Tsukushi, in her rage, rushes Doumyouji, launches herself into the air, and kicks Doumyouji in the face in a VERY similar manner to how she did it back in episode 1. He goes sprawling. When he gets up, the two square off, face to face and yell at each other angrily. Tsukushi rages at him about the content of the note, while he denies stuff. Finally they are nose to nose, glaring angrily at each other when Shigeru's voice cuts through the fight.

Shigeru exclaims happily about Tsukushi's being there, and is glad she was able to come. This has both Doumyouji and Tsukushi staring at Shigeru like she was a total loon. Shigeru smiles. Tsukushi realizes that it was Shigeru who wrote the letter that got Tsukushi so angry. It was also Shigeru who gave the note to Urara-sensei to deliver to Tsukushi saying it came from Doumyouji. All of this had been Shigeru's plan to get Doumyouji and Tsukushi together! And now her part in the scheme was done! She walks up to Tsukushi, removes her own wedding veil and puts it on Tsukushi's head.

Doumyouji and Tsukushi stare at each other. Then they have totally stunned and blank expressions on their faces as they follow Shigeru's process as she goes over to the railing of the ship and jumps overboard! They run to the rail and look down to see Shigeru floating there (in that huge wedding dress?? I'd think she would sink...) until she is picked up by a little boat. It is Kazuya's boat! He is onboard, along with Sakurako, Akira, and Soujirou! (Hey, where is Rui? He didn't come back to town to See Doumyouji off to be married?! I guess he is busy with Shizuka.)

Tsukushi and Doumyouji are left on the boat to sail away into the sunset. They face each other, and, interestingly enough, the opening song begins! They play the opening song, because it isn't really the end, but instead a new beginning! Everyone waves from Kazuya's boat. Then the scene flashes to a beach landscape exactly like the one in the ending credits. Doumyouji and Tsukushi are wearing the clothes they do in the ending credits as well. Doumyouji is holing an apple, and takes a bite out of it. He tosses it to Tsukushi, who looks shy about biting into it (it would be like an 'indirect kiss' because his lips had just touched the apple there) but then she smiles and bites into it!

The scene changes again to the docks, where Doumyouji's mother is standing, watching the ship pull away from the harbor. She requests her cell phone, but Tsubaki blocks her, protesting, saying to leave Doumyouji alone! And Kaede does! She seems to have finally given in!

The series ends with the couple on the ship, kissing, going off to sail around the world together. (I assume they live happily ever after, of course!) It is really a great ending!


Toys used in the episode:
There was no time for toys in this episode!
THE END!! (waah!)

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