YMMV / The Rose Flower and Joe

• Awesome Music: The theme song "Bara no Hana to Joe" performed by Youko Seri, is beautifully sung that perfectly captures Joe's love for The Rose Flower. Especially the emotional variations that's performed later in the short.
• Harsher in Hindsight: After Minori Matsushima's passing on April 2022, seeing Joe dying besides The Rose Flower and later reuniting with it in heaven as an angel puppy has become very eerie to watch.
• Moe: The main protagonist Joe, due to his dedication on protecting The Rose and being extremely cute. Especially when The Rose Flower gives Joe a kiss which causes his entire body to turn pink. Never has a romantic relationship between an animal and a plant look this adorable.
• Narm Charm: It's an animated short about a dog who falls in love with a rose flower. While the premise sounds humorous, it actually works out due to how charming and genuine Joe and The Rose Flower are with each other.
• Nightmare Fuel:
  • The crow's surprise attack at Joe by attacking his face (mainly aiming for his eyes) causing him to go permanently blind. For a few seconds, it looked like Joe was dying but ends up unconscious after taking care of the black crow once again.
  • The Storygate Picturebook flash adaptation from 2003 actually shows both of Joe's eyes bleeding getting attacked by the crow! He instantly covers his eyes in pain before passing out on the ground.
• Sweet Dreams Fuel: Barring the bittersweet nature, this short is one of Takashi Yanase's cutest and most upbeat works on par with Anpanman and Mighty Cat Masked Niyandar. Joe is extremely adorable due to his upbeat and kindhearted nature, and his determination to protect the rose flower is just icing on the cake. Even the short's Bitter Sweet Ending is uplifting since they actually share a romantic kiss.

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