Nagi no Asukara – 24
How could you not fall in love with a face like that?
I’m really glad to be covering Nagi no Asukara, because it gives me a chance to 1) watch it a couple times, and 2) to really enjoy this show. I really like the way it’s going, and will definitely miss it when it’s not around anymore.
Is It Really a Rejection
Chisaki runs away, instead of admitting the truth
I think Chisaki’s biggest problem, and it’s been pointed out by many in the show, is that she’s rarely honest with herself. Even when she knows she’s not being honest with herself, she’s not honest about it. So it’s not just that she runs away from Tsumugu when he confesses, she actually denies that she loves him. And her explanation for why, to Kaname, rings very authentic for the person Chisaki is: She had to be the one who held together that group, she had to be the one who didn’t change through 5 years without them. She had to keep saying she loved Hikari because to do otherwise was to betray her feelings to him from when he got frozen. She wouldn’t allow herself to fall out of love with him. But still she did, because it’s not something you can help. She was so glad when Hikari thought she hadn’t changed, and she took that to mean that she still was in love with Hikari. And even though she tried to convince herself that she was, repeating it at times, it still wasn’t the truth. She could love things about him, but her heart really is somewhere else.
Trying to work out her feelings
And even now, when it’s all been laid bare by Tsumugu, she is afraid of things changing. Even if she can accept that she’s allowed to be in love with Tsumugu for Hikari’s sake, she thinks that Tsumugu has to be unattached for Manaka’s sake, even though we’re not sure that Manaka was really in love with Tsumugu (I thought she was, but I’m rethinking that, and I wonder if Manaka was really in love with anyone, or if she was just jumbled up like a 14 year old is going to be). And Tsumugu wouldn’t even be party to that, as he told Hikari. It wouldn’t be fair to him, to Chisaki, nor to Manaka. But I don’t know what to make out of Chisaki thinking she should move into a dorm for school. Perhaps she thinks that if she gets away from Tsumugu, that his feelings for her will go away, and he can be freed up for Manaka again? Or is it a kind of punishment, like her trying to hint that she should be the sacrifice to the sea god this time, to make up for Manaka last time.
They’re going to make her stay away from the ceremony if she keeps saying things like this
Ofunehiki Part ‘n’
Having another ofunehiki is better than getting cursed
This show has spent more time on ofunehikis than anything else. Now they’re going to try to have another one, but with the old school wooden maiden sacrifice, with Manaka’s sea slug rock (that is a totally unattractive way of saying it, isn’t it). And once again, everyone’s on board. I wonder what the motivation is for the residents of Oshioshi, since the previous one was pretty much a disaster, and it’s lucky that noone was killed and the only casualties were, in the end, Manaka’s feelings and some unused concrete pillars. Actually, it’s MORE of a thing this time than last time, with the whole town wanting to chip in. Itaru says that the fishing cooperative has been wanting to do this for a while, and people are even coming back to town for it (even gotta have the pregnant wife of a former classmate). And of course, this time it seems to be happening without all the repeated destruction of the ojoshi.
An early confession
There is something I’m wondering about Manaka’s love. There’s one person who it seems is closest to Manaka now, and whose feelings actually seem to reach her. This is going to sound weird, but it’s Akira. And I’m starting to wonder if there was something that went on with pregnant Akari when she was taken by the sea god, and then exchanged for Manaka at the last ofunehiki. All those feelings in the sea that they’re talking about, could some of them somehow been put into Akira? Could Akira somehow be affected by the sea god’s love for Manaka? It’s kind of weird that a 5 year old in kindergarten would go to the effort of making a love letter for a girl, and Akira’s been overly attached to her since she woke up. Sure, it’s safely in the realm of weird theories, but I don’t know if it’s beyond the pale.
Sayu pours out her heart
But for people who are finally making progress, the winners this week are Kaname and Sayu. After seeing Chisaki slipping away from him, Kaname’s really ramping up the pity party, only to have it interrupted by Sayu. And she finally confesses that she’s been thinking about him for all the years that he was gone, that she’s been looking at him, and holding him in her heart, for that entire time. For Kaname, the boy who’s always been the 5th wheel, always on the outside, that’s almost too much for him to learn that he was actually the one someone wants. He’s not really in love with Sayu right now, but he does promise to finally start thinking of her as a girl, as someone his own age.
This is probably going to be the last show to finish this season (actually, only Zvezda will be after it of the things I’m watching), and with two episodes left that means there are a lot of directions it can go in. It’s possible there could be a big dustup at the ofunehiki again, scratch that, it’s almost certain there will be a big dustup at the ofunehiki again. But whether Manaka will get her feelings back, that’s something I really don’t know, and what will happen with Miuna and Hikari after that, I don’t know. It almost felt like Hikari finally understood Miuna’s feelings just as she thought that she couldn’t let him see them.
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: and LOLi Defender with 10998 comments
This episode was just brilliant. I cannot wait to rewatch it with EveTaku’s translation.
Sure, it’s safely in the realm of weird theories, but I don’t know if it’s beyond the pale. Akira loves everyone. He’s a post-toddler. But your theory is awesome. Both he and Manaka are kinda like Nibutani for Chu2Koi Ren. It’s important that you love. In saying that she cannot love anyone specifically, Manaka loves everyone equally. Just like Akira.
Oh, Tusmugu. I felt for you so much. You had it. I knew from the moment that she held to him tightly in the aftermath of the first Ritual. And Kaname knew it too. And kudos to Sayu for just forcing it in a way that only she could.
I was on such tenterhooks with this episode.
It’s possible there could be a big dustup at the ofunehiki again, scratch that, it’s almost certain there will be a big dustup at the ofunehiki again.
This is not a prediction….this is destiny….
POWUH: Meta Team and Spammy Tamer with 7115 comments
I don’t have a whole lot of day to day experience with 5 year olds, but it just seems to me that even if kids that age are kind of clingy and love everyone, Akira’s seemed more attached to Manaka than that. Like the time when she was going out with Hikari and Miuna, and he was struggling and calling out her name. I’m still not sure what the purpose of that scene of him spilling soup on himself was, tho.
Tsumugu’s not the type to give up after that, no matter what Chisaki says. She’s just stuck in the space between what she wants and what she thinks she should want.
POWUH: and LOLi Defender with 10998 comments
I’ve been trying to figure out the soup scene myself; vulnerability of children perhaps? Why we needed that reminder then I don’t really know.
Yeah, small children can get like that, and it is an addition that he is Manaka crazy. I think, mentally, she might have regressed a bit more in age, so he sees her like a friend…try to tear two small children apart that age that have become thick as thieves…nothing but drama.
POWUH: and Vampire Lover with 11746 comments
In a way, this shows Chisaki is still very childish. Change will happen whether one wants it or not but the difference is whether or not that person will be ready when the time comes.
Finally Sayu got through to Kaname who can be a little too “generous”. It’s not that wrong to want to be a little selfish and tell people how you feel. If everyone gets what they want, why can’t you have a little something?
Tsumugu’s plan for the Boatdrift Ceremony is intriguing but it’s just a theory. Who is to say the sea god won’t feel cheated with the sacrifice and decides to take something else from Manaka as penance?
POWUH: Meta Team and Spammy Tamer with 7115 comments
Well, like Uroko said a few episodes ago, the sea god is dead. What’s left is the feelings and emotions, and while sometimes they get together like in the first ofunehiki, I don’t know if it’s something that could act volitionally like that.