Well, I just watched the last few episodes of this one. I had the same reaction as Yukimura when they showed the hospital episode and I was like, "Pffft, a dream sequence, what a lame waste of an episode" but then they started dropping hints, and you realize he really is dead, and your heart aches for Mirai.

I don't usually cry when I watch movies or anime. Maybe I got a bit teary when I was watching Grave of the Fireflies. Or the first time I watched the Lion King when I was young. This one I think I would have been fine if Yuuki had actually died for me in that hospital. But he didn't die for us or for Mirai, and so the writers sneakily catch their viewers off-guard, unprepared for the raw grief they manage to convey. Part of it too is that it's such an unassuming series. They temper the story with bits of heartache and disaster, but for the most part it's a sunny and positive tale of sibling bonding and restoration of family relationships. They lull us into a false sense of security, and make us worry about the parents/Hina, and when we're not looking they hammer us with Yuuki's death.

Honestly, I thought it was brilliant. They did a superb job really connecting me with the characters so that by the end I had to make sure I had a box of tissues handy. I had no problems with the ending. I'm glad to have some closure and know that Mirai and her family are moving on, and dealing with their grief together as a family. Good resolution to a very touching and powerful series.