(15/12/2011 02:59 AM)S7* Wrote:  What happened to Menma obviously had a great effect on all of their lives and what paths they all took - which evidently involved (almost) total separation of the group and it's reasonable to assume before that day they got along very well with each other - as you do when you're young.

The effect her passing had and the following consequences when they started getting together again led the emotional attachment they had to Menma individually to increase. They already felt individually responsible in some way for causing her death.

I pretty much gathered something like that.

(15/12/2011 02:59 AM)S7* Wrote:  Finally letting her go led to an immense emotional response... this included the alleviation of some of the guilt they felt as well as the emotional debris of finally being honest with each other regarding the feelings they had for one another.

Also, they knew she was there but they couldn't see her - they were probably desperate to make sure she heard them.

I know it's hard to say if that would be the response humans would have - the idea of her being there in some way was ridiculous in itself but I don't think their reaction was that over the top given the situation.

I don't think everything can simply be justified over the death of a friend.
Yes, it's normal to mourn for them after a while, but if a few years down the track, it's typically considered a mental disorder.  Of course, they met the dead person again, so there's a bit of leeway here.
If you meet a childhood friend again after many years, you don't suddenly revert to childish behaviour.
I really still can't see the justification of how anyone normal would do something like they did in the last episode (and disregarding their own personalities).  I can understand everything in the first 10 - that seems alright.