Nagi no Asukara – 21
I think this pair is coming back together
Manaka is awake! And group dynamics are going to change, as they always do.
Is She the Same?
Manaka runs around!
I don’t know if I was the only one with this feeling, but Manaka’s return felt significantly different from Kaname and Hikari’s. The biggest thing is that Manaka gave a feeling of having been gone for some duration. While Hikari and Kaname both woke up in what was, essentially, the next day, Manaka seemed to implicitly understand how much time had elapsed. Her pointing out things that changed, almost exclusively “there’s Saltflake Snow HERE too!”, and her general demeanor were both of someone who had returned home after some time away. Like she expected things to change while she was gone, not that things had changed under her. Also, she never had that sense of disorientation and irritation that both Hikari and Kaname had when they awakened. Maybe some of that is down to Manaka being Manaka, but she certainly had times in the past where she was irritable, and there was none of it here.
Chisaki becomes the onee-san
I think what I’m getting to is that Manaka, more than anything in Oshioshi, has changed. And she really felt like someone different, like the personal growth that she was going through before the ofunehiki has continued for five years. She was far more confident, far less worried about making other people happy, far more individualistic than she’d been. And while Hikari looked at her the whole time as “Manaka is back”, I kept thinking “this is not the Manaka he knew before.” Perhaps I’m reading too much into it, or seeing things that aren’t there, but there just really seemed to be something different about her, more than just not having ena.
Breaking Apart
Chisaki looks back as she walks away
Despite the talk of “Now everyone is back together,” the return of Manaka seemed to herald a breaking apart more than anything, particularly for two people who always seemed to be feeling outside the group: Miuna and Chisaki. I think Manaka’s return really made Chisaki feel like she’d transitioned to an onee-san, realizing the differences between her life now and her life then. Becoming a nurse, taking care of Tsumugu’s (and effectively her own) grandfather, living with Tsumugu as an equal, having that lifestyle of a housewife. She now realizes that she really can’t go back to those days of hanging out with the middle school kids. And I also get the feeling that she might not really want to. Mentioning to Tsumugu that she likes coffee gelatin more than crème puffs, leaving the group early, she seems to be realizing that she’s grown up. Even her choice of words when assuring Tsumugu that she won’t be lonely tells me that she’s put herself outside the group: “I have to take care of Manaka.” Will this free her up mentally to become more of a pair with Tsumugu, now?
Possibly the new group?
Meanwhile, the breaking apart that Miuna felt on Manaka’s physical return may be reversing itself as things play out. She and Sayu definitely seem to be more directly involved in the group of 5 after Chisaki seems to separate herself. That’s after some initial hesitation, and not wanting to really be around Manaka and Hikari on their first day out. But I think age and interests will win out, and she’ll definitely stay part of the group.
Gods are Always Nearby
Pthbbbbbbbt!
That’s the lesson that Tsumugu learns, with a long-distance callback joke. I kind of wonder why Chisaki wasn’t cursed as well, since she’s the one who thought that bribing Uroko with porn mags would work. My question is more about the thing that Tsumugu stepped on. Was it a scale? Was it part of Manaka’s ena? And how did it get there for him to step on? Does Tsumugu getting cursed mean that he could also gain an ena, or maybe that he already has? That would be kind of an imposition, but an interesting development. In any case, I think Chisaki’s right that Uroko doesn’t really give out answers, but maybe they’ll get some information from him anyway.
This seemed to be awfully threatening
Again, Manaka’s back, but I’m not sure if it’s the same Manaka that we knew from before. But what I’m sure of is that her return has had some interesting repercussions in the interpersonal relationships of the group. I’m still on the Miuna x Hikari ship, especially since Manaka seems to have no idea what she was going to tell Hikari after the ofunehiki, and may not be interested in him anymore. Chisaki also seems to have disembarked the Hikari ship, realizing that she likes his qualities, but she’s just not the person she was anymore. I wonder if Kaname picked up on her separation, or maybe he’s just naturally realigning with the group of kids his own age again, since he didn’t seem to be angsty at all about not going back to their house. I’m also left to wonder if there was something more significant to Akira’s spilling soup on himself, because that seemed to be focused on a lot more than it ultimately warranted.
More significance than it seemed?
About Highway
Proving that you don't have to be young to love anime, I enjoy all genres and styles of shows. If it's not hurting anyone else, you should never be ashamed of what you like!
POWUH: Metanorn Regular with 102 comments
Manaka is back. We can hear her “Hii-kun” again.lol
I personally like, Chisaki x Tsumugu.But,errr feel bad for Kaname =/
The staff amazes me in every single way…Especially in their artwork but now including Manaka back in the Opening?!?!Man, love their dedication!!
POWUH: 900-999 with 915 comments
To feel better, just ship Kaname x Sayu \o/
POWUH: Meta Team and Spammy Tamer with 7115 comments
Sayu’s a better match for Kaname anyway.
POWUH: and Vampire Lover with 11746 comments
I second that suggestion. With that, it leaves Hikari x Manaka by choice of elimination.
POWUH: Meta Team and Spammy Tamer with 7115 comments
*coff*Hikari x Miuna*coff*
POWUH: and Vampire Lover with 11746 comments
Too many ships going around. One of them has to sink.
POWUH: and LOLi Defender with 10998 comments
…for story purposes I think the Sayu x Kaname one is there. Neither one of them has matured enough, and both of them are fixated on the idea of love, rather than the love of that person. Even if she does manage to snag him, I think he would not respond.
POWUH: Meta Team and Spammy Tamer with 7115 comments
It’s really hard to not take screenshots of the sky and just use those.
POWUH: and LOLi Defender with 10998 comments
They did the triple take with the fishy appearance didn’t they?
Is Manaka just extra genkii to cover up how crazy it all feels?
POWUH: Meta Team and Spammy Tamer with 7115 comments
I don’t think Manaka’s trying to cover it up. If they were going for that angle, you’d expect them to at least hint at it. I think this is genuinely how she is, and there’s not really anything underlying it.
POWUH: 900-999 with 915 comments
That fish curse feels so gross =.=’ Just looking at it gives me chills on my whole body. But it’s funny how Uroko-sama can’t hold back, even when he’s most likely trying to hide.
I really don’t think the curse means Tsumugu has ena. He isn’t even related to gramps, right?
There’s something I began wondering when Manaka remembered me that all the snow around them was actually saltflake snow. First: Where is such a huge amount of salt on the sky to snow tons of flakes of it? Second: If saltflake ever fell from the skies in reality, wouldn’t it be real bad? Like, it’s not water you know?
POWUH: Meta Team and Spammy Tamer with 7115 comments
We’ve given up on most aspects of ‘this can’t be real’. I mean, it’s cold enough that the ocean is frozen, yet they’re running around in shorts and miniskirts. Just assume the snow is normal snow.
As far as I know, Gramps is Tsumugu’s grandfather. So he’s related to him that way.
POWUH: 900-999 with 915 comments
I can’t help it. When Manaka was throwing saltflake snow in the air, I just kept thinking about how it would hurt if it fell on her (HUGE) eyes.
Lolz, I really thought Gramps just took Tsumugu in and they weren’t related at all. I don’t even remember it being mentioned.
POWUH: Meta Team and Spammy Tamer with 7115 comments
Tsumugu left his parents who live in the city to move in with his grandfather. That’s what that awkward scene with his mom was. I’m certain that it’s his biological grandfather, tho.
POWUH: and Vampire Lover with 11746 comments
Well, I can’t say it’s the exact same Manaka because of her memory loss that was indicated when Hikari was asking her questions. A person’s personality is defined by memories of personal experiences. If any of those are lost, then you’re not the same person you were before. Much like Banri’s scenario in Golden Time.
I doubt Uroko was on land when he cursed Tsumugu so that probably means Tsumugu was in or near the sea. My guess is he’s developing a certain amount of ena. And there was the scene of him stepping on something that looked like flakes while speaking with Chisaki.
POWUH: and LOLi Defender with 10998 comments
New from HELLOGS! Salt Frosted Ena Flakes! Now with recurring humour!
POWUH: and LOLi Defender with 10998 comments
New from HELLOGS!
Salt Frosted Ena FlakesEna Frosted Salt Flakes! Fortified with fishy humour and mystery.Even bad jokes need an edit…
POWUH: Meta Team and Spammy Tamer with 7115 comments
Well, that’s what’s weird. Hikari and Kaname woke up like it was the next day, but Manaka seems to have forgotten things, seems to have been away for a longer time in her duration.
Uroko is on ‘land’ in the OP, sitting on top of the crane, so I don’t think he’s limited to water. I was wondering if that scale he stepped on was placed there for him to step on or if it was just random.
POWUH: and LOLi Defender with 10998 comments
Can we assume Deus Ex Machina with Uruko? I’ve seen the scales in the second cour as a symbol of finding things previously lost. With Miuna getting Ena, it’s not a stretch for Tsumugo to get the same treatment.
As for now, it’s alright, it’s alright, he moves in mysterious ways.
POWUH: and LOLi Defender with 10998 comments
Weight Anchor! Hoist the Colors!
Kaname x Sayu
Hikari x Miuna
Tsumugo x Chisaki.
Manaka x Not even long Vegas odds folks.
POWUH: Meta Team and Spammy Tamer with 7115 comments
You don’t think Manaka goes back to the Sea God? I thought “Messenger from the Bottom of the Sea” had a lot more meaning they didn’t get to, and still think it means Manaka.
POWUH: Meta Team and Spammy Tamer with 7115 comments
Of course, didn’t I swear off predictions for this show last week?
POWUH: and LOLi Defender with 10998 comments
…just can’t help yourself…
POWUH: Meta Team and Spammy Tamer with 7115 comments
It is why I’m writing these articles after all. Well, that and hearing my keyboard rattle. 🙂
POWUH: and Vampire Lover with 11746 comments
So it’s like an addiction you refuse to kick, eh?