Kobato heads outside the classroom to find Fujimoto making new wooden blocks from the ginkgo tree's branches.

Episode 13 marks the start of the autumn chapter in Kobato. Kobato has spent all Spring & Summer on Earth and is in is being introduced to concepts which will cause her to question those around her and later, to remember her past life.

Episode 13 marks the return of Kohaku, Kobato's angel friend who she met earlier in the year. Kobato stumbles upon a very large Ginkgo tree that is turning its yearly golden autumn hue. The town has decided to knock the tree over to make room for something new, and Kobato is absolutely devastated by the news. She hopes to prevent the destruction by bringing the pre-schoolers over to gather its leaves for their art projects, but in the end, the townspeople want it gone. With Kohaku's help, Kobato learns that the tree is ready to die and appreciates Kobato's hard work in making sure its final days were not lonely. Kobato and Kohaku sing to the tree to release its spirit into the afterlife, and later on, Fujimoto uses the tree's wood to make new blocks for the preschoolers to use.

When I was a little tyke, one of my favorite stories was "The Giving Tree". This background sort of reminds me of that book, with the tree's final gift being its wood to help make new blocks to entertain a new generation.

From Episode 13 - ...The Angel and the Protector


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