Umi no Misaki

[DragoZERO]

Originally Posted by Ravenblitz

i want more... damn long wait again

It's the usual wait, so it isn't so bad.

Originally Posted by GrrDraxin

Well, one can surmise that Kisaragi-Sensei might also have a slight interest in Nagi by the way she does some of her antics, especially the one where she was saying that he could "practice" on her if he liked. But that might be more of the drunken physical attraction, and she certainly doesn't want to tread on the island's customs, and the feelings of the three Cape maidens by trying to romance him herself when she can't even take herself seriously.

Yeah, she looks and acts like a kid for a reason after all.

[Mughi]

77 goes even so much more into sundome territory than the previous... there is something kind of unsavory about these last two chapters with Nagi slipping out into the surf in the middle of the night to play hand games with a starlet while the maidens sleep unknowingly a hundred yards away. It'll be interesting to see the followup in coming chapters.

On the one hand, I am thoroughly enjoying this series. it is simple in its formula and has a leisurely pace that befits it's setting. On the OTHERHAND, unlike Ai yori aoshi's Karou who was established fairly early on as the next in line in a zaibatsu and thus a person of actual standing, Nagi has only been NAMED as a "god." There are no supernatural powers present, he has no specific duties he is needing to fulfill for the islanders, there has been no formal announcement or ceremony (other than the introduction to the "Maidens") to give weight to his position of standing in the community or with the girls. Consequently, Nagi just goes his way, being a typical decent guy who happens to have three awesome babes fawning all over him because of his rumored blood ties to a role.

Nagi has undergone no transformation into the vaunted Dragon God. He has had no formal training in how The Dragon God is to behave. He has no appearant community role, nor do the islanders seem to recognize his elevated position in the soceity. He's just another guy and as such, open to advances from girls of all stripes, like Mike. Mike for her part seems to have some sort of slightly twisted fetish for younger men, and so under the guise of "teaching him how to be with women" has made him a plaything right under the noses of his betrothed. This is couched so far, as a slightly helpful and ecchi outing of little judgement, but OUGHT to be seen as a betrayal of epic proportions, if indeed there is anything special about Nagi due to his title.

Now don't get me wrong. On a titilation level, this has been a fun ride, but it would be SO MUCH MORE effective of a story if Nagi had specific rules of how he was to live in his community and comport himself in his daily life. While the Maidens are praying, caring for the spiritual and communal health of the island's population, Nagi has been given free reign to saunter around in plain clothes and lark about with no responsibility. The islanders we HAVE seen Nagi interact with seem only to wonder why he hasn't gotten horizontal with one of the girls yet... and perhaps that's his WHOLE role, like the male in many insect species, he is to choose a mate from the girls, pass on the bloodline and then go just away. If so that's rather unsatisfying from a protagonistic standpoint.

What made Kaoru such an effective character in Ai yori aoshi was his decision to NOT bend to the rules and role placed on him until he'd done it on HIS OWN terms. Nagi is missing this conviction to be or not to be cast into his role. He simply accepts that some people call him a god, but otherwise it wouldn't matter at all to him. He claims a form of ignorance in this role, but does little to nothing to discover WHAT he should be doing above and beyond attending school and living with three babes. If he were cast and living into a role with gravity, his romping in the surf with a movie princess would have deeper repercussions beyond jealous live-in girlfriends. I wish Fumisuki-sensei would put the pressure on and force Nagi to "God-up" in other ways beyond taking turns with the girls in the shower and on the futon. THEN we'd have a story with some guts.

[Fran~]

I know that what i will say is very weird... but... is there any reason to not think in Rinne as a candidate to the Dragon God?

I know she is a child... but childs grow up.

BTW, Mike is so much win, the trio of priestesses sure are eye-candy, but Mike can be confused with those blonde bimbos/actresses but she sure knows what he is doing...

[Mughi]

Originally Posted by Fran~

BTW, Mike is so much win, the trio of priestesses sure are eye-candy, but Mike can be confused with those blonde bimbos/actresses but she sure knows what he is doing...

Well, she's a woman. The maidens are children still.

[Fran~]

Tama-chan is a woman too...

It must be that i'm very tired of these harem mangas, where the girls are the same (they are different, but in the end, are the just different flavors of the same ice-cream), that's why Rinne caught my attention at first and now Mike (one is a delicious pudding and the other one is a sweet juicy peach <3 ).

[Mughi]

Originally Posted by Fran~

Tama-chan is a woman too...

It must be that i'm very tired of these harem mangas, where the girls are the same (they are different, but in the end, are the just different flavors of the same ice-cream), that's why Rinne caught my attention at first and now Mike (one is a delicious pudding and the other one is a sweet juicy peach <3 ).

Yes, the peaches are ripe and the apple bottom isn't bad either...

[Fran~]

Yeah... you know what i'm talking about

[Nosauz]

in the end the entire village will be his harem, and they will all ask for the "dragon god's favor" I will say that so far this mike arc is really rather boring, I'm hoping we'll get the dynamic of the los tres maidens and the two meddlers or at least something that isn't this wierd actoress possesor story line.

[DragoZERO]

Originally Posted by Nosauz

in the end the entire village will be his harem, and they will all ask for the "dragon god's favor" I will say that so far this mike arc is really rather boring, I'm hoping we'll get the dynamic of the los tres maidens and the two meddlers or at least something that isn't this wierd actoress possesor story line.

As slow and annoying it has been at times, it has served a great purpose.

[Fran~]

Nah... to me Mike has been fresh air to a manga who was in a loop of chapters with each Maiden.
She's teasing the protagonist and his girls, that's a win in my book.

[Nosauz]

Originally Posted by Fran~

Nah... to me Mike has been fresh air to a manga who was in a loop of chapters with each Maiden.
She's teasing the protagonist and his girls, that's a win in my book.

No i mean the mike is an actor, therefore she can immate every girl arc is getting tiresome, mike herself is interesting, and I just find the false narrator is just not very effective because mike is not that intuned with the girls, she might no some of the surface things but in the end she doesn't understand the tradition of the maidens, etc that tama sensei is trying to dig out.

[Fran~]

But Mike is there just to add some fuel to the fire... Tama-chan is just having a party with this

Mike doesn't understand the tradition, granted, but as an actress and a mature woman, she is capable to see what think every one of the girls, perhaps she can't see everything, but these girls are very easy to read, how many girls live like those 3? And i think that Tama-chan talked about the girls and Nagi with Mike.

OTOH, Mike is very sincere and she knows that she would easily fall in love with Nagi...

[Nosauz]

Originally Posted by Fran~

But Mike is there just to add some fuel to the fire... Tama-chan is just having a party with this

Mike doesn't understand the tradition, granted, but as an actress and a mature woman, she is capable to see what think every one of the girls, perhaps she can't see everything, but these girls are very easy to read, how many girls live like those 3? And i think that Tama-chan talked about the girls and Nagi with Mike.

OTOH, Mike is very sincere and she knows that she would easily fall in love with Nagi...

The reason she doesn't kiss him is because she is attracted to him, the attraction is strong enough to break her face dancer abilities. Seriously Nagi is the kiswatch Haderach 2000 generations too early.

[DragoZERO]

Originally Posted by Nosauz

No i mean the mike is an actor, therefore she can immate every girl arc is getting tiresome, mike herself is interesting, and I just find the false narrator is just not very effective because mike is not that intuned with the girls, she might no some of the surface things but in the end she doesn't understand the tradition of the maidens, etc that tama sensei is trying to dig out.

She only acted out the girls for two chapters. It's because of the break that it felt like forever.

Originally Posted by Fran~

OTOH, Mike is very sincere and she knows that she would easily fall in love with Nagi...

She is already falling for him. She's +1 to the harem if you ask me.

[Nosauz]

Originally Posted by DragoZERO

She only acted out the girls for two chapters. It's because of the break that it felt like forever.

She is already falling for him. She's +1 to the harem if you ask me.

It does feel long, but the there two more chapters before that with them at the beach party which again was heavy mike so she was very intense in the past couple of chapters. Also i'm not sure if she's guaranteed because of the possibility of being wisked away at any moment to the mainland. Plus Nagi only has a few short years to woo her before he falls out of the shounen rabu phase for her.

[crossguy]

What a great discussion. There's a little something for everyone in this story, and sorting it out has given me pause. (Also the reread of the tankabon releases whilst marveling @the art.)

Mike, you threw me about a mile. I was convinced you were lookin' for some under-aged D-God lovin'. And what happens in the last three frames!?? Of course, the little thought balloons " I want to make you mine alone Dragon God-kun." just means you're able to plot instead of looking for instant gratification.
NOW Nagi has admitted his Love for Shizuki! While doodlin' in the surf with Mike!!!
Mughi: Yeah, It's a HUGE betrayal. And I gots no doubts things WILL get thick.
(as a side note, The Dragon God side of Nagi always seems to pop up when he meditates on " What would the Dragon God say") and the lack of defined "duties/skillsets/talents" has always bugged me about this series. One of my grinding issues is suspension of disbelief, and the anointing of Nagi has long been a bug.
Backstory would help a lot in explaining his duties..

[Mughi]

Originally Posted by crossguy

...the lack of defined "duties/skillsets/talents" has always bugged me about this series. One of my grinding issues is suspension of disbelief, and the anointing of Nagi has long been a bug.
Backstory would help a lot in explaining his duties..

Yes, exactly! Why as a civilization does society care about the cheating behaviors of kings, priests, and even entertainment notables while the average scummy guys who hang in bars and bored husbands are ignored for all of the same transgressions? Mostly because of their celebrity and how their actions reflect upon the society at large... If someone is just an average joe and he cheats on his girlfriend with two or three other girls, he's a dog and a "bast@rd", but not much more. Girls would do well to steer clear of him. OTOH, if a politician, or sports figure or great leader of a company is caught in a tryst, LOOK OUT! THAT guy is betraying not JUST his wife/girlfriend/loved one, he is destroying the mores of the society as a whole. (And I DO believe this to be true BTW. Look at how bad behaviors by sports figures and movie stars has tainted western society's view of monogamy.) And that's the piece that's missing here in Umi...

I LOVE this series. The art is gorgeous, the characters, even if they ARE tropes, are believable enough to become invested in them, BUT... Without a pedestal to place Nagi upon, all of the fooling around by Kisaragi and Mike, mean nothing. All of the concern over WHICH Maiden he picks has NO bearing on the ultimate outcome of the story beyond who he, Nagi, as a protagonist goes to bed with for the "rest of his life." The entire premise of Nagi being more than another "outsider" going to the school, the whole crux of why the three Maidens pay him any mind and try to jump in his bed every night, the beginning and end of why each girl second guesses their own characters and lives up to this point is based on the assumption that pairing with "THE DRAGON GOD" has such gravity in the Island society that to NOT do all of this is dishonoring centuries of tradition that would shake the island to its foundations... and yet WHY this even MATTERS has been totally ignored.

We need some people praying at Nagi's feet, some rigorous training for Nagi, and some sacrifice on Nagi's part before this manga wraps up or what has been a pretty sweet series will ultimately fall on its face.

[DragoZERO]

They don't know he is a the Dragon God. I think it's secret so that the maidens can win him over. I'm sure all will be revealed one day.

[Fran~]

I don't know if this manga will last enough... but if it does... i would LOVE to see Rinne fighting for Nagi...

In these kind of manga i always pick a girl outside the main trio.

[Mughi]

Originally Posted by DragoZERO

They don't know he is a the Dragon God. I think it's secret so that the maidens can win him over. I'm sure all will be revealed one day.

Well, having Obaa-san telling him (us) that would be a plus to the flow of the story and only take up one panel. In meantime, Nagi's still nothing special in any way beyond the "title on his business card."