Nagi no Asukara – 08
PA Works just makes everything so gorgeous
I lead a pretty boring life, so it’s hard to come up with things to put here in these introductions. But I’m glad that this is a short work week, that’s for sure, so let’s mention that!
The Big City
Just a little worse for wear
I think that we finally get to see the results of some growth for Hikari, and even if he’s still a bit volatile, he definitely seemed a lot better this episode. But he’s not going to go crawling back to his father, even if he doesn’t want to impose on Itaru. I liked this more slice-of-life episode, with less overall angst, and more just normal kid worries on the part of Miuna. She’s trying to figure out a way to welcome Akari, and also to try to put her past antagonization of Akari behind them.
On the way to the city
The recognition of the sea people in even the bigger city was an interesting thing. Of course, you’d have some of that, but it was nice to see it, and even ended up giving the city a bit more of a welcoming feel than Oshiooshi. But even then, it’s a daunting experience, and they end up running around looking for Miuna’s present, especially after finding out that the expensive pendant she wanted to get isn’t available. It’s really one of those things that she knew what she wanted to get, but just couldn’t find it.
Showing She Cares by Overthinking
Miuna finds the perfect gift
You almost feel like Miuna’s trying too hard, trying to be the person who thinks about everyone. That manifests itself in her carrying around multiple bottles of seawater in case someone gets too dried out. And she’s obviously laboring, but shoulders her self-imposed burden, and when she fears Hikari is in trouble, drenches him. But it actually does well in lightening the mood, especially as the others appreciate her gesture for what it is. And even though they can’t find the right present to buy, everyone pitches in to search for the right things for Miuna to make into a present from the ocean.
Separation, but working on it
The other person who might be overthinking things is still Chisaki, who finally gets a chance to talk to Hikari. And she finally confronts Hikari’s feelings about Manaka, to learn that Hikari is more interested in Manaka’s happiness than his own. And if she decides to leave the sea, he’ll support her, just like he’s supporting Akari. The fact that he has decided on a position is really the indicator to me that he’s matured a little bit, more than the actual position he will stick with.
I just love this look Manaka gives Tsumugu
The other big thing to talk about is Akari and Itaru’s desire to buck tradition. Not content with having his second wife be exiled the way his first wife is, Itaru wants to actually try to gain the acceptance of Shioshishio in his marriage to Akari. You would think that he, of all people, would already understand the hurdles therein, but he seems adamant that he wants to try. And the idea of ‘properly’ takes hold in Chisaki as well, who thinks she’s an awful girl because of her feelings for Hikari, but I think she’ll finally figure out that it’s not wrong to hope that Hikari likes her, or even to hope that Manaka finds happiness elsewhere. And maybe Chisaki’s actually seeing that what she thought was set in stone just a few months before, that the boy she liked would never be hers because he’s with Manaka, is more like sand on the ocean floor.
Another image I just liked
I always like when a show becomes more ‘slice-of-life’ and shows us growth through normal things. And while there was maybe a bit too much urgency on Miuna’s part about finding a gift, this was a good opportunity for everyone to learn more about their world, and for us to learn more about the characters. Not only Chisaki and Hikari, but seeing a lot more of why Manaka is enthralled by Tsumugu, which I think made it more plain why the show is pointing those two together.
The big unknown is the falling saltflake snow. Why is it on land? What is the sea god doing, or is it even doing anything besides just being a passenger like everyone else. This interesting world is going to be changing, apparently, and we’ll just have to see where it goes.
A portent?
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 Athenaeum Châtelaine with 2212 comments
I’m not too much for SoL, which is why it was actually a surprise to me that I like this show as much as I do. However, this episode was a little too slice-of-life-y for me, as I spent most of it grumbling at the screen of why didn’t the kids just do what they ended up doing in the end anyway. The minute I saw what Miuna wanted to get Akari, I knew exactly where she was really going to get the necklace from and Hikari even actuated it by saying that they have lots of those kinds of shells and other treasures everywhere in the sea. I just spent the rest of the episode waiting for the characters to realize what I already knew.
However, that does give me pause to think. The oceans hold lots of treasures and resources that the people of the land would pay exorbitant amounts of money for. I mean, pearls, jewels, natural resources, salt, oil, and if someone can create a new energy source from the heat in the lowest depths, there’s no telling how much wealth they could make. And do you know how much people who aren’t affected by the pressures of the ocean or the lack of oxygen and light in the water would be priceless in such endeavors? Why has no one thought of this? Why on earth are the sea people fighting over fishing territories when there are parts of the ocean that only the sea people can easily get to and they can monopolize? They can revitalize their village’s economy by leaps and bounds. I wonder how long it will take them to figure this out? -_-
Other than that sudden thought bubble, I thought the strange tension in the beginning kind of funny. Everyone has felt that feeling where they know they’re imposing but the host is too polite to say anything and you’re too embarrassed to admit you’ve got nowhere else to go. I know Hikari still in his stubborn phase, but I have a feeling that eventually he’ll begin to feel like the fifth wheel. Akari, her fiance, and Miuna have to adjust to being a family unit, but Hikari is a little in the way of that. He’s welcome and yet, somehow you can feel as if he doesn’t quite belong. It’s like you getting married and moving into your new home, but your little brother suddenly comes and moves in the same day. You love him, but he’s also in the way.
Miuna however, is a wonderful little girl and I really loved her presentation of the necklace. And I like how she’s getting along with her soon to be step-uncle and how she made sure she had enough thought to bring salt water so nothing would happen to him.
However, it looks as though the calamity that the sea god, Uroku, and their father have been talking about is coming closer and closer. From the way they speak, it will be disastrous and practically wipe out the land, However, I have no idea what this calamity is. But seeing that saltflake snow falling in the summer made me think of ash and how Pompeii was destroyed. Whatever’s going to happen, it’s going to affect everyone and everything on land and sea.
POWUH: Meta Team and Spammy Tamer with 7115 comments
Was there a disaster or calamity ever referenced? I don’t recall anything like that, but it’s possible I missed it.
I think you might be overstating the capability of the sea people. I don’t think we can assume they can stand extreme pressures better than surface humans, especially given that they choose to make their town in the relative shallows. It’s possible they could, but it’s also possible that things like undersea vents are too unstable or poisonous for them. And the problem of transport doesn’t go away just because they can live there.
I think Hikari already understood his imposition, just that he was suggesting he’d go impose on someone else. I think that’s why Itaru insisted that he stay with them. It does show just how small that place is, tho.
POWUH: and Athenaeum Châtelaine with 2212 comments
If this land truly obeys the rules and laws of physics and how pressure should act, then it would reopen that logic can of worms that I had carefully shelved when I started this show. Don’t make me open it up again. Remember: this is magic water in the fantasy land that is able to change it’s properties at a whim. That is all.
Oh, and the calamity has been hinted at for the last few episodes, specifically last episode and episode 5, where Uroko is talking about making the boundaries of the sea and land separate and it’s inferred that eventually the land will be destroyed. He then says that the saltflake snow is only the beginning.
Whatever this disaster is, it was why he was trying to prevent Akari and Hikari from leaving and last episode he said that the time was coming closer and that they were rumbling in the sea. We’ve been speculating on Animesuki since episode 5 on what this disaster could be, and have guessed everything from ice age and tidal waves, to volcanos and earthquakes.
POWUH: and LOLi Defender with 10997 comments
…and then the saltflake’s came to the surface…
Does that mean they all share the same problems, land and sea?
POWUH: and Vampire Lover with 11746 comments
A really pleasing episode to watch. It’s not often I find myself content with slice of life stuff but seeing Miuna trying her best to show her affection for Akari by giving her a gift was just too cute.
Hikari sure has come a long way from being the hotheaded brat we knew at the start. At least he surpassed his father in the acceptance of having a couple, one from the sea and one from the surface, being together. Something the higher ups from both sides have yet to acquire.
Saltflakes on the surface? I wonder if that somehow has something to do with a possible climate change.