(L+CR) Nagi no Asukara (Nagi-Asu: A Lull in the Sea)

[Key Board]

Originally Posted by Guardian Enzo

It's remarkable how pedestrian Nagiasu has become - it was a really fascinating fantasy, but now the entire fantastical element of the story has been reduced to the point where it only matters as it impacts the pairings.

I personally think that romance and fantastical elements don't mix well together.
Either the lore/fantasy will compete with the romance, thus taking away the spotlight from it
or the romance will try to subvert the fantasy rules to its own purpose

So in the end you have to prioritize something.

Nagiasu, from what I can tell, is still primarily about appeasing the Sea God.
Namely, appeasing his his resentment towards the surface people.
By proxy this is also mending the relationship between surface and sea people.
I think this element is still dominant.

I guess I'll know by the last episode, which element (lore or romance) subverts which.

Originally Posted by Kirarakim

Agreed, I'd also be pretty unhappy if that was the case because why should one character have to give up their own life so everyone else is happy?

True Tears is pretty close. Noe lost .. a lot. And Okada wrote that.

I don't think it's necessarily bad story telling.

[tezu]

Originally Posted by Kirarakim

Agreed, I'd also be pretty unhappy if that was the case because why should one character have to give up their own life so everyone else is happy?

I could see Miuna for example taking this course of action for Hikari and Manaka's sake but I can't see that being the final solution.

I agree, a new human sacrifice would simply continue the vicious cycle. Both Miuna and Chisaki would have regrets if they sacrificed themselves, even if it might not occur to them in the midst of confusion (see Manaka). Miuna has friends and family on the surface - she has a place to return to and I don't think she'd throw all of this away. Chisaki's a bit more complicated, she doesn't seem to know where her place is because both being with her friends and Tsumugu causes her pain. Grandpa told her that when the Ojoshi-sama returned, there was no one left waiting for her. That might be what she's currently wishing for, to erase her friendship with Manaka & Co. and her feelings for Tsumugu (i.e. what the sea god tried to get rid of his sadness). However, running away from life won't bring her true happiness and she would be a miscast as Ojoshi-sama. A repeated human sacrifice would add nothing positive to the sea god's feelings and it'd also be against the series' message of change. If partially land/sea-people are starting to get ena, why can't they change the human sacrifice custom, too?

[bastek66]

Found this on /a/. Obviously some mashup with Noragami. Anyone found it on niconico?

[Zangor17]

and thats why Tsumugu's brilliant plan seems pretty good because it doesnt involve a human sacrifice the plan hinges on all Manaka's feelings that are held within the sea slug stone to fill in for the actual person and create an equilibrium. The feelings in the pendant and her lost feelings of love seem to be different things if i am understanding correctly. So when the balance is restored the scattered emotions from Manaka that Tsumugu felt in the sea may return to her.

[deadite]

There are those in denial that Chisaki liked Tsumugu pre timeskip. They said ChisakixTsumugu was "forced" in the second cour.

Is this willful blindness? I first noticed in episode 9. After rewatching the first cour, I saw hints as early as episode 2-3

[Thess]

Originally Posted by Arya

Well, I didn't say that Tsumugu's confession made it worse, just that his love for her would not work in the way one would expect, like love being a cure that magically will heal Chisaki.
I agree with you that it was pivotal to let her getting over the denial stage and set her in motion again. As much as I completely agree she is grieving. And now she stepped into the bargaining stage. The problem now is how worthy she believes her bargain is. That's what I was saying, that I suspect Tsumugu's love could not influence her in let her reach the last stage, acceptance. (If not through the dramatic way).
Her sacrifice ideally sounded too much alike to Gramps' story. Taking also into account the ominous similarities with the first ceremony that led to Manaka's sacrifice I'm leaning toward Chisaki really trying to sacrifice herself. And if we keep following the similarities someone would replace her at the last minute. Tsumugu? Miuna? Hikari?

Surely I'm also strongly against a real sacrifice as a solution, (except well, that solution), and I'm not expecting it.

Well, I don't think his love wouldn't help her, it's one of the things she'll have waiting for her when she gets over this. Chisaki's depressed and also bargaining. She's self destructive because of her depression. She'll need all the support she'll get and she needs someone with a firm grip to tell her off as Tsumugu did in this episode. But honestly? The only one who can help Chisaki is Chisaki.

Let's speak of Chisaki's flaws for a while vs Manaka's. They are foils.

Many (not here, in other forums) wrongly believe Chisaki's sorting out her feelings or indecisive. She's not, IMO. Chisaki's always certain of her feelings. She knew she liked Hikari first, then Tsumugu. But she makes up excuses to convince herself is better not to act on her feelings because she's a coward. Her cowardice makes her seem indecisive, but she's not. She wants to be a sacrifice and lose her ability to love because she's hurting and changing and she's afraid. She's not doing this for anyone's sake but herself.

Manaka is the opposite of Chisaki. She was never a coward for her feelings, she was indecisive and didn't know if she loved Tsumugu or Hikari. Because of her uncertainty, she appeared a coward, but she's not. Once she sort out her answer, she was going to declare herself head on. Her confusion and lack of awareness about her feelings were her hurdles. She actually offered herself as sacrifice selflessly, she didn't want to lose her ability to love, it was taken from her, she didn't want to be unchanged, she was the first girl who actually was moving forward.

Manaka and Chisaki are opposites in this story narrative.

[fractal4]

Originally Posted by Key Board

I personally think that romance and fantastical elements don't mix well together.
Either the lore/fantasy will compete with the romance, thus taking away the spotlight from it
or the romance will try to subvert the fantasy rules to its own purpose

I have to agree that Nagi no Asukara hasn't managed to achieve a good balance of those two elements. Personally I could have used a bit more about the end of the world and how to avert it and a bit less screen time devoted to the love polygon.

Zetsuen no Tempest, another anime Okada worked on, managed to balance the romance and end of the world elements beautifully. I wonder if that was possible because the main characters were older, and there was a tight focus on a smaller number of main characters than in Nagi no Asukara. I now feel like re-watching Zetsuen no Tempest

[Tempester]

God, Chisaki is so freaking obnoxious and unlikeable. After Tsumugu's confession last episode, I thought they would definitely clear up her problem by this episode. Do they really have to drag out her sappy self-pitying pathetic subplot out this much? Just about every other character is more interesting and charming than her.

[deadite]

I think people should start realizing that this show is not about characters winning popularity contests. I'm sorry if characters are acting like selfish individuals, This a drama after all, it comes with the genre. Why should a character's personality or disposition be relevant to weather they are written well or not? Did people actually watch this just to ship or to watch a drama? Because who ends up with who is not the point.

[Kazu-kun]

Originally Posted by Thess

Let's speak of Chisaki's flaws for a while vs Manaka's. They are foils.

Many (not here, in other forums) wrongly believe Chisaki's sorting out her feelings or indecisive. She's not, IMO. Chisaki's always certain of her feelings. She knew she liked Hikari first, then Tsumugu. But she makes up excuses to convince herself is better not to act on her feelings because she's a coward. Her cowardice makes her seem indecisive, but she's not. She wants to be a sacrifice and lose her ability to love because she's hurting and changing and she's afraid. She's not doing this for anyone's sake but herself.

Manaka is the opposite of Chisaki. She was never a coward for her feelings, she was indecisive and didn't know if she loved Tsumugu or Hikari. Because of her uncertainty, she appeared a coward, but she's not. Once she sort out her answer, she was going to declare herself head on. Her confusion and lack of awareness about her feelings were her hurdles. She actually offered herself as sacrifice selflessly, she didn't want to lose her ability to love, it was taken from her, she didn't want to be unchanged, she was the first girl who actually was moving forward.

Manaka and Chisaki are opposites in this story narrative.

Very well put. And it's true some people in other forums think Chisaki's indecisive. She's not, like you said. She knows exactly what's up with her feelings, she knows she loves Tsumugu. She's just running away from her feelings out of fear. That's why I keep saying all she needs is a little bit of courage. Of course that's easier said than done...

But anyway, you already said it all so I'll stop now.

[Thess]

Originally Posted by deadite

I think people should start realizing that this show is not about characters winning popularity contests. I'm sorry if characters are acting like selfish individuals, This a drama after all, it comes with the genre. Why should a character's personality or disposition be relevant to weather they are written well or not? Did people actually watch this just to ship or to watch a drama? Because who ends up with who is not the point.

I think most of us here are doing that. Granted, I can't speak for everyone else, but for instance, the 'ships' I like (or rather the ones I "support") are not really because I like them as couples (as I could ship in another show) but because I like the characters and I see the direction they are going to resolve their issues (which includes their pairings). In the first half of the show, I did not really care for pairings until the characters are were more or less established. The character growth are the ones carrying out the pairings and not the other way around which is very very refreshing. Yes, I also agree there's a bit too much focus on romance and not enough on friendship and family this second half, but it's because of the hormones in a way expected of their ages and the connection to the main "plot" (the sea god tragedy which was again of romantic nature).

Originally Posted by Kazu-kun

Very well put. And it's true some people in other forums think Chisaki's indecisive. She's not, like you said. She knows exactly what's up with her feelings, she knows she loves Tsumugu. She's just running away from her feelings out of fear. That's why I keep saying all she needs is a little bit of courage. Of course that's easier said than done...

Indeed. Which makes me very hard. Her character is highly easy to read. All characters of the show are flawed, humans and good people, but need to polish some traits. Tsumugu has issues with the way to express himself even if he is very understanding of others, Manaka can't make up her mind because she loves everything so deeply, Hikari is so passionate that he's overwhelming and out of control sometimes, Chisaki worries and dotes about a lot of things which makes her a coward because fear seizes her, Kaname tries his best to be friendly and charming at the result of placing a mask of maturity nobody knows how lonely he feels which embitters him sometimes, etc.

Some characters are moving forward, some are willing to struggle with their obstacles and overcome them step by step. Chisaki has the hardest time because of the nature of her fear is related to change itself.

[SirAlex]

Sigh.. I feel like I made a mistake watching this.

Does this show get better? I'm on episode 11 but I'm getting bored.

[Kakurin]

Originally Posted by SirAlex

Sigh.. I feel like I made a mistake watching this.

Does this show get better? I'm on episode 11 but I'm getting bored.

Hold out until episode 13, that one's good. But if you are getting bored by 11 already, let's just say that the second part is weaker than the first.

[SirAlex]

Originally Posted by SigUp

Hold out until episode 13, that one's good. But if you are getting bored by 11 already, let's just say that the second part is weaker than the first.

Oh no....

Ok. I guess I'll pretend like I care about the romance in this(I just don't). The only thing that I like is the water/ocean fantasy.

[Kakurin]

Originally Posted by SirAlex

The only thing that I like is the water/ocean fantasy.

If you like the water and ocean aspect then 13 will be good to you. My favourite episode for sure.

[Triple_R]

In fairness to Tempester, you can drag out a highly emotional character arc to the point where people just get tired of it and it starts to hurt a character more than it helps him/her. And while Okada is a good writer in some ways, she does fall into this trap sometimes (Zessica, anyone?)

A character being stuck in a rut is like a pendulum. At the beginning, it will tend to gain sympathy from the audience. But if a character just stays in that rut, no matter how much other characters try to help him/her, the pendulum will start to swing the other way, and people will get fed up with the character.

Basically, I think many viewers eventually put it to a sort of realism test - "If I knew a person like this character in real life, would I be exasperated by him/her by now?" If the answer is "yes", then all the well-written drama in the world isn't going to save that character from being disliked by some viewers.

I personally don't dislike Chisaki, but I definitely can see why people would.

[Key Board]

Originally Posted by fractal4

I have to agree that Nagi no Asukara hasn't managed to achieve a good balance of those two elements. Personally I could have used a bit more about the end of the world and how to avert it and a bit less screen time devoted to the love polygon.

Zetsuen no Tempest, another anime Okada worked on, managed to balance the romance and end of the world elements beautifully. I wonder if that was possible because the main characters were older, and there was a tight focus on a smaller number of main characters than in Nagi no Asukara. I now feel like re-watching Zetsuen no Tempest

I'm saying it's not just Nagi no Asukara. I'm saying that fantastical elements inherently compete with romantic elements.
The best kind of romances are the one that are grounded in "real life" setting, because it's easier to relate with real people with real problems

Adding fantastical elements to a story usually mean that now you have a lore/mystery to solve.
And fantastical elements gives the author one ignore laws of physics for the same of the plot card to use, and that can suspend disbelief

That being said I really liked ZnT.. with the exception of how dead set the story of how you know who really really needed to die

Originally Posted by SirAlex

Sigh.. I feel like I made a mistake watching this.

Does this show get better? I'm on episode 11 but I'm getting bored.

1st half made me lose interest when Miuna showed up, but 2nd half is what made me come back
but you need to watch the 1st half in order to appreciate the 2nd
Does that answer you question?
but if you're looking for pure romance, I think GoldenTime or (points to sig) is better, though.
if you're looking for character drama in a fantastical setting than NagiAsu is worth the watch

[SirAlex]

Originally Posted by Key Board

I'm saying it's not just Nagi no Asukara. I'm saying that fantastical elements inherently compete with romantic elements.
The best kind of romances are the one that are grounded in "real life" setting, because it's easier to relate with real people with real problems





1st half made me lose interest when Miuna showed up, but 2nd half is what made me come back

Does that answer you question?

but if you're looking for pure romance, I think GoldenTime (points to sig) is better, though.

Yes. I just finish episode 12. I only got interested in this show because I like swimming lol.
I thought this show would have some adventure in the sea. Kinda disappointed.

I would consider watching GT for the pure romance.

[Triple_R]

Originally Posted by SirAlex

Yes. I just finish episode 12. I only got interested in this show because I like swimming lol.

Set yourself Free!


(Sorry, I couldn't resist a chance to make a pun that bad and fitting!)

[SirAlex]

Originally Posted by Triple_R

Set yourself Free!


(Sorry, I couldn't resist a chance to make a pun that bad and fitting!)

WOAH. Thanks!!