(CR) Aquatope of White Sand (Shiroi Suna no Aquatope)

[Kanon]

Originally Posted by Kakurin

How is it nepotism when she and the Assistant Director are neither relatives nor even friends?

Her grandpa put in more than a good word for her, and that's the only reason she got where she is. Having a person who has worked less than a year and isn't even 20 in charge of a whole area just doesn't happen without that sort of thing.

[serenade_beta]

Please get permission from your superiors before working overtime please!

The ending was nepotism at its finest. Kukuru hasn't even worked a year here and she's already in charge of an entire area. The worst part is that she doesn't want any of that, she said once again in this episode she wants to return to attendant work.

The entire cast of characters have already come over from Okinowa or whatever and taken up half of the place thanks to connections alone. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
This anime has been riding the nepotism train more than the Trump family.

[Master_Yoma]

Well a cosplay event and Gousuke really got into it and with Suwa really looking cool with that eye patch

[Kakurin]

Originally Posted by Kanon

Her grandpa put in more than a good word for her, and that's the only reason she got where she is. Having a person who has worked less than a year and isn't even 20 in charge of a whole area just doesn't happen without that sort of thing.

But that's not "nepotism at it's finest" as you called it. In the end it was still the autonomous decision of Tingarla's whether to hire her (and any other of Gama Gama's former staff) and what tasks to grant her, which has nothing to do with her grandfather. That's not the definition of nepotism.

[BBOvenGuy]

Originally Posted by Kanon

Having a person who has worked less than a year and isn't even 20 in charge of a whole area just doesn't happen without that sort of thing.

Well, in fairness to the show, we don't yet know what "You're in charge of it" means. She's in charge of the area? In charge of the event that opens the area? How big an area is it? What's going into it? The line was written and placed there specifically to give us the same "ehhh?" reaction Kukuru had. What it actually involves won't be revealed until next time.

My gripe with the show continues to be the one I've had for several weeks now - that it's a perfectly good show about young women finding their way in the working world, but the entire Gama Gama arc may as well never have existed. Everything we've needed to know from the Gama Gama arc was summed up in a few sentences dropped into the dialogue during this episode.

[Liddo-kun]

episode 18:

neat, I did not expect them to do cosplay stuffs. They make some kids happy with that sticker game, and also entertained visitors with that weird fish dance. lol

Kukuru now in charge of something.. looks like Suwa has high expectations on things that she can do.

looking forward to next week.

[Kanon]

Originally Posted by Kakurin

But that's not "nepotism at it's finest" as you called it. In the end it was still the autonomous decision of Tingarla's whether to hire her (and any other of Gama Gama's former staff) and what tasks to grant her, which has nothing to do with her grandfather. That's not the definition of nepotism.

The director clearly does whatever Kukuru's grandpa wants. Fuuka got hired with only one month of experience, because grandpa told him to.

[serenade_beta]

Originally Posted by BBOvenGuy

My gripe with the show continues to be the one I've had for several weeks now - that it's a perfectly good show about young women finding their way in the working world, but the entire Gama Gama arc may as well never have existed. Everything we've needed to know from the Gama Gama arc was summed up in a few sentences dropped into the dialogue during this episode.

But they had to waste 1-cour on something.
I mean, yeah, they should have just stuck with 1-cour in the first place if the story comes to this.

[Liddo-kun]

Originally Posted by Kanon

The director clearly does whatever Kukuru's grandpa wants. Fuuka got hired with only one month of experience, because grandpa told him to.

grandpa's judgment is correct anyway. Fuuka is a hardworker, and willing to learn. She has 3 overnight shifts during the penguin nesting. Also memorized all those penguin names in a short time.

the director of Tingaara looks like he's only in his mid or late 40's, grandpa looks like he's in late 70's and has kept an aquarium going for a 48 long years. Good choice for the younger person to listen to the older one with more experience, and someone who has proven capable of maintaining a place for a long time.

[Infinite Zenith]

Originally Posted by Liddo-kun

grandpa's judgment is correct anyway. Fuuka is a hardworker, and willing to learn. She has 3 overnight shifts during the penguin nesting. Also memorized all those penguin names in a short time.

the director of Tingaara looks like he's only in his mid or late 40's, grandpa looks like he's in late 70's and has kept an aquarium going for a 48 long years. Good choice for the younger person to listen to the older one with more experience, and someone who has proven capable of maintaining a place for a long time.

Seconded. This isn't nepotism, it's the recognition that Fūka has potential that could be brought out when given the chance: she's hardworking and devoted. Plus, people with industry experience have been around long enough to spot things clearly.

[Ghostfriendly]

Hmm, a feelgood Iyashikei anime...about an aquarium built on the site of a WWII state-sponsored mass suicide? Which is brushed over with 'something bad happened here in the war (that has nothing to do with us now)' and forms a plot device to supply some friendly apparitions? If Mieruko-chan walked into Gama-Gama she'd see some horrific stuff.

To be fair, these terrible events would be difficult for any country to confront, although I understand that the Okinawans (who didn't make this anime) are none too pleased with the central government for letting the Americans stay so long. Still, it's a funny thing; romantic feelgood is can be cheesy and cloying, but feelgood stories like this one about hard work, the wonders of nature and the goodness of being alive can have 'all the sinister fruitiness of Nazi Youth propaganda' as William Gibson said of ray-gun space opera.

Unbridled positivity is fundamentally dishonest, especially viewing a story on the societal level rather than the level of interpersonal relationships, which was the level on which I could enjoy Hanasaku Iroha, a very similar series; except that the flawed and intricately developed Shijima women knock the idealised, saintly grandparents of this series into a cocked hat. As does Ohana's wonderfully developed motivation to work, compared to Kukuru's contrived and superficial motivation. The 'networking' referred to as 'nepotism' in earlier posts, by which Kukuru's grandfather gets her a job, is a major tool of a traditionalist, elder-respecting society to control the younger generation, ensure their obedience and respect, and keep unsuitable people, which would include single mothers, out of the workplace. We're seeing the most positive side of it here, which does exist, but the principle and generally in practise, it's corruption. Unbridled positivity, again, is a lie; it marginalises the people who are being shafted not because of their own faults, but because society really does have faults of a serious character. Credit where credit's due for including a single mother, but the issues of her having no right to child support payments in Japan, or ability to sue her former employers into the middle of next week for unfair dismissal, is of greater importance than the simple 'work-hard-for-your-family-and-beautiful-Japan' story that her character serves as a support for. Saying that you should be grateful to be alive because you weren't stillborn is very sinister excuse for ignoring real societal problems (Quite possibly she couldn't have sued her employers in the US or UK, which is also wrong).

Finally, I'm thoroughly fed up with yuri-baiting, something that Hanasaku Iroha, again, was free from. The absolutely key make-or-break part of this series is Kukuru and Fuka's relationship, and it is in fact very heartfelt and touching. But as with Hibike Euphonium a pointless male is already waiting in the wings with his crush, as a grating reminder that no lesbians are allowed, just two girls with a personal devotion to each other that is going nowhere. That may be a mercy, considering that Japanese same-sex couples have no right to marriage, adoption or IVF, and of course two girls can just be friends. Or have their relationship exploited with yuri-baiting for male entertainment. And be excluded from actual developed romance, even with the blue-haired boy, because romance is something very personal to the individual. Immature and fruitily fascist stories exclude it because they want their characters to put that energy into something external, in society's interest rather than theirs. Which could be mindless shonen action, yuri-baiting titillation, or hard work for the sake of Japan, which is to say hard work for the sake of hard work.

After all that, it's not such a bad series, with decent art, relationships and overcoming of unusually serious obstacles which were still unsatisfyingly used. I haven't finished the series yet, 5/10 so far.

[BBOvenGuy]

Originally Posted by Ghostfriendly

Hmm, a feelgood Iyashikei anime...about an aquarium built on the site of a WWII state-sponsored mass suicide? Which is brushed over with 'something bad happened here in the war (that has nothing to do with us now)' and forms a plot device to supply some friendly apparitions? If Mieruko-chan walked into Gama-Gama she'd see some horrific stuff.

By that reasoning, no one should be allowed to make a "feelgood" anime about Okinawa ever. I know perfectly well what happened there. I wrote my own story about it, and it was not a "feelgood" tale. But if we're going to be governed by what Mieruko-chan might see walking into a place, the bulk of the civilized world would be off-limits.

[Infinite Zenith]

Originally Posted by Ghostfriendly

...

Nepotism is not in play in this series, contrary to suggestions otherwise. Kukuru and Fūka already had demonstrated some experience in the aquarium environment, hence the director's willingness to bring them on once they'd finished high school. Further to this, both have proven competent in their jobs.

Secondly, there was absolutely nothing to suggest that that Aquatope was a "yuri-baiting" series. Right from the start, this anime has been about workplaces, dreams and the like.

[BBOvenGuy]

Originally Posted by Infinite Zenith

Secondly, there was absolutely nothing to suggest that that Aquatope was a "yuri-baiting" series.

Well, actually... the first I heard of this series was the buzz in places like Anime Feminist, the YuriMother Tumblr page, etc., about the yuri potential of the story. Although I have no idea whether that was just wishful thinking by the sites or the studio did something to encourage such wishful thinking.

That said, Kukuru and Fuuka hit the sisterzone pretty quickly, so the wishful thinking didn't last long.

[Infinite Zenith]

Originally Posted by BBOvenGuy

Well, actually... the first I heard of this series was the buzz in places like Anime Feminist, the YuriMother Tumblr page, etc., about the yuri potential of the story. Although I have no idea whether that was just wishful thinking by the sites or the studio did something to encourage such wishful thinking.

That said, Kukuru and Fuuka hit the sisterzone pretty quickly, so the wishful thinking didn't last long.

I never did get why it’s such serious business when a series doesn’t go down the route of yuri. Aquatope never once have any indicator this would be a focus, so I’m not even sure how the writers at Anime Feminist et al. would draw those conclusions.

[Liddo-kun]

on the topic of yuri baiting on this show, I'm neutral on it. If this show does not give bait, then it's fine, show is still good - but if it does give some, then I might open wallet to give support. Literally no reason for me to argue for this show to have yuri, when I have easily obtained yuri (or strong enough bait) elsewhere.. yesterday, dumped some cash into Yuna and Assault Lily Fruits items.
Those items and the Nights of Azure 2 game on my pc, should be enough yuri supply for the rest of this year. lol

on more casual talk.. I wonder what "extension" of Tingaara that Kukuru will be in charge of? Excited to see next episode.

[Ghostfriendly]

Originally Posted by BBOvenGuy

By that reasoning, no one should be allowed to make a "feelgood" anime about Okinawa ever. I know perfectly well what happened there. I wrote my own story about it, and it was not a "feelgood" tale. But if we're going to be governed by what Mieruko-chan might see walking into a place, the bulk of the civilized world would be off-limits.

I'm sure your own story is good, but a feelgood anime being set in Okinawa is not what I objected to. The show directly mentions that the aquarium is built on the very site if an atrocity, and then brushes this aside as if to say that this doesn't matter, it requires no deeper consideration. It's symptomatic of a serious flaw; if you're going to bring up real problems, make a dramedy and not a feelgood show that says they're really no problem, or that the problem is always with people, never society. Moreover, don't seriously disrespect the victims of a terrible war by using their as the source of the calming, family friendly apparitions encountered by Kukuru and friends. Whatever these men women and children died for, it was not to tritely warm their grandchildren's hearts and be forgotten. It's like a metaphor for failing to confront past trauma. If grandfather doesn't have the nerve to say more than 'something bad happened' then he should never have mentioned it at all.

What I called 'networking' rather than 'nepotism', as others did, could also be called 'patronage'. Again, it's not always a bad thing, and a good thing in this case because Kukuru certainly has the talent for her role. It is often a very bad thing, however, and strongly associated with traditional values which are also not always bad, but certainly not so good as the unwarranted saintliness of the elders who represents them here implies. Corruption and prejudice, in fact, are big traditional values the world over.

Lack of consumption isn't the most objectionable thing about yuri-baiting to me, or even lack of deserved development; Hibike Euphonium was an infamous offender in that regard, but in this show at least relationship development is rather good. What sinks it all is the switch that always comes with the bait; the declarations of sisterhood after the declarations of love and the hoiked-in male love interest. Unsubtle, familiar assurances, to people who apparently wish to be assured, that there are no lesbians in this show either. This is more than an artistic issue; it reflects the miserable way that real life Japanese society romanticises casual schoolgirl lesbianism, but cannot accept gay marriage, gay adoption, IVF or mature gay relationships. In fact, this isn't so much on the Japanese people as corruptly elected politicians of the same age and values as the saintly grandfather. Again, not that British or American politicians are any better, or that it's not made very hard to be gay in this country.

[Kanon]

Glad Fuuka got an episode to herself once again. She confronted her past and moved on for good, and also eased the burden she unintentionally put on her junior's shoulders.

The Penguing's first dive was kind of funny though. Fuuka was being all wise saying they have to trust him/her to conquer her fear on his/her own and then proceeded to push the penguin into the pool

[Nachtwandler]

Originally Posted by Kanon

Glad Fuuka got an episode to herself once again. She confronted her past and moved on for good, and also eased the burden she unintentionally put on her junior's shoulders.

The Penguing's first dive was kind of funny though. Fuuka was being all wise saying they have to trust him/her to conquer her fear on his/her own and then proceeded to push the penguin into the pool

You know, just at the beginning of the ep. she sincrecely said that their job sometimes requires to give a push.

[deadite]

Gostfriendly pushing their political and ideological views on others is so cute.