Nagi no Asukara – 10
The footprints tell quite the story
A time frame, a remedy, an abandonment, and a confession: Nagi no Asukara gets deeper into the big calamity.
Hibernation Time
Uroko Explains It All
Not really hibernation, but the coming crisis of cold is inducing the sea people to go into what seems to be a state of suspended animation, made possible by their ena. Apparently, if they ‘fast’, it will thicken and put them in a state that will allow them to last through the coming cold. Of course, none of them have ever gone through this, so they’re all kind of hesitant about it, but most are trusting Lord Uroko’s knowledge of it.
Hikari’s dad is a terrible speaker
It kind of sounds like ‘starving’ to me, but I’ll go along with Lord Uroko as well. But I also wonder about the time frame. It seems like they’re really jumping the gun when they say that it’s 50-100 years away from getting too cold on the surface, but they have to start their fasting next week. What’s the big hurry? It would seem to me that putting yourself in that kind of state that early would be just adding a lot of exposure unnecessarily, and also missing out on decades of development. Of course, if it would just mean that your population bleeds away, maybe it’s better to go ahead and start hibernating now.
To Share Knowledge?
What will they do when they know?
Most of the adult sea people, in what I think is a pretty dick move, think they shouldn’t tell the land people about the coming calamity. Even if you think maybe someone wouldn’t want to know, again given the time frame that we’re talking about, 50-100 years, I think you have to share the information. To do otherwise is just to be inhuman. Give them the chance to do something about it. And I’m sure that people, given time to prepare, would be amply able to prepare for a coming cold period.
(And here’s where I annoy some readers by talking about Earth 😉 ) Since the evolution of modern humans, there have been multiple periods of glaciation, and they probably did have effects on humanity and population, but they were all survived. And with the amount of technological prowess that humans have now, I would think that more humans could survive a period of even extreme glaciation in more comfort than before. So I definitely think they should be told, because they could do something about it.
Manaka was separated through this whole episode
But even while knowing, the long time frame means that there isn’t the sense of urgency on the part of the land. And I don’t think that’s particularly wrong. 50-100 years is a long time, certainly difficult for most humans to comprehend. Even Akari eschews the offer to come back, deciding instead to stay with Itaru and Miuna. But with the knowledge, they’re at least going to try to spread the word, as Hikari also tries to do with their classmates (after convincing them to let him go back to school).
Relationship Pressure
Manaka just doesn’t know what she’s going to do
This is still a romance show, and with the uncertainty of the future, it’s making some people think. Manaka is thinking about what happens now, with an apparent limit on what she can do. She’s definitely scared of the idea of sleeping, of not waking up, of waking up too soon, of waking up too late. I think these are all valid worries. And she’s also worried about Hikari, and what her feelings are for him. I’m still not convinced that she’s really in love with him, but what happens if he’s the only eligible person around? I also noticed her first concern is “what about the people on the surface?” Is she ready to give up on Tsumugu?
Surprise!
And one more thing… Kaname decides he’s tired of waiting. Maybe with the same thing Manaka’s thinking about, that there’s no other eligible guys, Kaname is going to take the leap, and surprises Chisaki with a confession. What will happen when she gets over the shock? Or will she before the sleep?
The cold will be coming… eventually. I just really think it’s weird that they’re making such a big deal about something so far away. But do they really need to? Or is it motivated by something else. The other big news is the relationship news, and what waves will Kaname’s confession make? Will this mean that Hikari ends up all alone? Or will he be with Manaka? Is she thinking about Hikari? Or is she just grossed out by the idea of “popping out babies”?
POWUH: Metanorn Regular with 88 comments
To Kaname, the best thing to do before hibernating is to confess to the girl he likes. Compare that to the others who were freaking the hell out.
This is why he is awesome. He picks the best girl in the show and just says it like a boss.
POWUH: Metanorn Regular with 104 comments
Alas,I think that was the only thing I liked about this episode,heh.I hope that confession won’t just be swept under the rug though.
POWUH: Metanorn Regular with 88 comments
Most likely Chisaki will say no since she still has the hots for Hikari and that it was a sudden confession like Hikari did with Manaka.
If Kaname is as cool as I think he is, he’ll still go for her no matter what she says and change her mind about him.
POWUH: and Athenaeum Châtelaine with 2212 comments
One thing I noticed this episode, is that our 4 sea protagonists aren’t the only children in the sea village.
So, perhaps we might be exaggerating the whole species dying out thing a little? They are endangered, that’s for sure. But they don’t act like they’re nigh on extinct, which is what having a generation of only 4 children in the entire species would amount to. Ir could be that they have hit a large slump in the reproduction department.
POWUH: Meta Team and Spammy Tamer with 7115 comments
For me, it’s the dearth of children (I didn’t think that our kids were the *only* kids, but when you only have four kids in 3 years, in a place that had enough to justify a school, that’s falling on hard times) plus the policies that drive people away plus the hints Akari drops about no opportunities for men or jobs plus the general disrepair of things (the one working mill for instance). It’s not that they’re on the brink of extinction, but that they are failing in general.
POWUH: Metanorn Regular with 104 comments
Personally,I’m not really liking these developments at all.It’s like the show’s turned into Hikari & friends will save the world through the Boatdrift Ceremony.They are indeed exaggerating things and it’s not just about the species,but the whole world apparently.
I hope this won’t last too many episodes…
POWUH: Meta Team and Spammy Tamer with 7115 comments
As a fan of Discworld, the idea that gods have power in relation to the strength of belief in them is something I’m familiar with, and that connection here strikes me as kinda funny. I don’t think it’s going to save the sea god here, tho.
The idea that the sea god is the only thing holding back the freezing of the world is risible, tho.
POWUH: and LOLi Defender with 10998 comments
…think Hikari can roll a 7?
POWUH: and LOLi Defender with 10998 comments
I get it now. It’s about climate change effecting insular groups, and dividing them from the rest of society. And only by co-operating, does everyone stand a chance.
Or not. It’s about that confession. And that red bellied sea slug.
I still think the boatdrift mannequin has one more bit of abuse to suffer before they really get it right.
POWUH: Meta Team and Spammy Tamer with 7115 comments
Ojoshi destroyed for the 4th time in backlash against the sea people for trying to not tell them about the catastrophe?
POWUH: and LOLi Defender with 10998 comments
Maybe.
POWUH: and Vampire Lover with 11746 comments
So if left unchecked, humanity will face another ica age. Hikari should realize somewhere at the back of his mind that not everyone is going to believe him, especially since he’s one person. His classmates and certain adults are taking heed but the rest of the population won’t and it’s already clear the villagers have no intention of talking. It isn’t making them any better than what they’re saying about the surface.
POWUH: iLurker with 1 comments
Pff, the “popping out babies” part. I’m surprised no one had made a joke about that yet. I mean, it turns out to be on the forefront of our minds when we’re talking about all the women leaving to go join the land people and how it’s -women- and not men. They’re losing humans necessary for reproduction and the sea people have these two young, lovely ladies. I’m pretty sure that if such a story/world existed, they would have been raped already or forced into marriage. I would be surprised if such a sea world would still have functioning human rights for women if they became so crucial… oh.. wait.
Perhaps I’m completely wrong? In a world lacking women, would they have more power?
Either way. Manaka? You’re cute. Start poppin’ them babies.