Nagi no Asukara

[shinta|hikari]

I am starting to hate Tsumugu a lot less as a character. He has become more human, with emotions, faults and weaknesses. His outburst in the dining room, his blatant affection for Chisaki, and the extremely stupid decision to blame ask Hikari about not seeing Chisaki.

These people must be absolute idiots. Waking up to a world 5 years later is enough to break a person, and all they do is say "You must be tired after sleeping so long." I really loved Hikari in this episode. He is probably the strongest out of all the characters in the show. He lives honestly and accepts the consequences of that, something not many people can do.

I am rooting for the Miuna pairing, but sleeping beauty is bound to make a comeback sometime. I cannot wait for Kaname to return. It should throw another cog into the train wreck machine we already have.

[Ryllharu]

That is what makes Hikari a great character (honestly it is his natural charisma to reference the other thread), though it ultimately made things worse for him in this episode. He was able to slip right back into things almost immediately, which is why so many of the side characters acted like nothing had changed and their connection to Hikari hadn't altered.

It's true that for Hikari, it didn't, but the other people didn't realize that they had changed, which brought additional stress to Hikari. Thankfully, he's nothing if not persistent and resilient, falling into a new stable pattern by the end of the episode.

I also agree with him that Chisaki might be the only person he knows who didn't change, she just got more attractive to others. She is still constantly fussing about where she fits in and where she wants to be, who she wants to be. Physically she's changed, emotionally, a lot less so.

Tsumugu had some damn fine lines in his pursuit of Chisaki.

I'm interested to see Sayu blow up next episode. Miuna has it good now. She's the same age, she lives with him, her feelings haven't changed at all, and she presently doesn't have any competition (Chisaki wouldn't dare and Tsumugu would be more active in his own pursuit even if she did). It's not surprising that Sayu, still waiting for her undersea prince to be upset while Miuna gets to be happy. She's still a lovesick spaz after all, just like I hoped. Perhaps she has been preparing for years to show that she is a "mature" and pure maiden, and her serious attitude has all been a sham.

[Kraco]

I don't agree overly much with you, especially Shinta. The dry ground people had to experience the beginning of a minor ice age, or something, in addition to losing all the contact with the people undersea, so it's not like they would have just happily and gleefully continued their old lives while the sea folks were hibernating. Objectively speaking the sleeping undersea people got the easy card out of the deal. So, treating Hikari all happily and not understanding his stress and suffering is nothing but a single side of a coin. Still, Hikari himself seemed to realise that after his outburst with Tsumugu.

The relationships really are a mess in this story. Chisaki certainly hasn't changed at all, aside from her age and body, and I reckon that's the reason why Tsumugu is keeping his distance most of the time, assuming he really is chasing after her like you seem to believe. I'm not so sure of that, but for the sake of the argument I'd reckon that he won't make bold moves until Chisaki changes also emotionally. Who knows if Chisaki can ever forget Hikari on her own or if pushing her would allow her to move forward or break her. I guess Tsumugu doesn't know either.

[Buffalobiian]

If it wasn't obvious (it's debatable) it is after this episode: Tsumugu has the hots for Chisaki. There's really no question about that. He's not making any aggressive moves, but he's sure not backing down when people are rude about Chisaki. Like I've said before, neither Tsumugu nor Chisaki made obvious moves because the latter still couldn't reach closure regarding her relationship with Hikari, and the former knew it.

I'm not sure if Tsumugu will start making any bold moves (50/50 I think right now), but if not then he's definitely on 'standby', ready for when Chisaki finally gets over Hikari.

[Kraco]

but he's sure not backing down when people are rude about Chisaki.

Tsumugu has always been a sympathetic person (in actions, even if not in expressions) and was helping the sea folks well before he could have developed any special feelings. He would defend Chisaki even without a romantic interest. She was left all alone on the surface and has now been living for five years under Tsumugu and the geezer's care. There's no way he wouldn't treat her preciously just for that fact alone. He would have needed to hate her for that not to happen.

Well, I'm not saying he's not having an interest in her. I'm merely saying that it's still slightly possible he doesn't and far more possible he has but nothing at all will ever come out of it. After five years it's safe to say Tsumugu isn't overly likely to ever try to actively push Chisaki forward, perhaps due to being afraid that could sever whatever connection they now share.

[Ryllharu]

Tsumugu defended the four in school before, but never the way he's defending Chisaki now. He doesn't tolerate anyone saying a bad thing about her.

He's also never called a girl pretty, just fish attached to their knee, or their ena itself.

There's exceptionally little room for doubt.

[Kraco]

Aside from that, I suddenly realised that instead of the wooden Tsumugu, how is the situation viewed from the opposite perspective? If what you say is correct and Tsumugu is so obviously in love with Chisaki, how much of it does Chisaki see? She's always so unsure of herself and doesn't think much of her own worth that does she feel guilty of having lived in the Kihara house for so long yet not responding to Tsumugu's feelings? Obviously that sense of paying back must be a part of why she's so dutiful, taking care of the geezer and preparing the bed for Tsumugu's boss, but is she feeling she should go beyond that? You could certainly interpret her behavior and expression as guilt when she was getting back home and met Tsugumu at the door. As if she was betraying Tsumugu by meeting Hikari (even though Tsumugu encouraged their meeting).

[Buffalobiian]

That could possibly be so. Chisaki's feelings toward Tsumugu and his gramps are already that of family and beyond though. Recall her breakdown when the old fellow went to hospital. Tsumugu's been showing us affection towards Chisaki, but I don't think he does it much (if at all) while she's around. She was family around him for 5 years and he was more or less comfortable with their relationship thus far. His "is becoming pretty not enough" comment seems to be the first time he's said anything directly to Chisaki like that.

She may well feel guilt since she feels indebted to them, but at the same time I think she understands that such debts should not override your romantic feelings. She certainly feels uncomfortable now that Tsumugu knows she's met with Hikari. She doesn't like change after all, and this meeting kind of sets that off.

[Ryllharu]

She's probably almost certainly of the "If I confess and get rejected, I'll have nowhere to go but I wouldn't be able to stay!" mindset.

So the two of them are suppressing their feelings on both ends. Tsumugu doesn't want to make her uncomfortable by pressing things further, and Chisaki doesn't want to lose the only family she has left. He started loving her when she stopped crying all the time (and over time things gradually strengthened) and she started admiring him when they began high school.

Hikari's reappearance won't make of mess of things, I think it will finally push them in the right direction. Chisaki, who hasn't changed emotionally these five years, will slowly realize that she can't keep staying this way, caught in standby mode. Tsumugu will see Hikari as a threat to Chisaki's attention, and might actually make a move. He's already started by consoling her and telling her she's pretty.

[Kraco]

Tsumugu will see Hikari as a threat to Chisaki's attention, and might actually make a move. He's already started by consoling her and telling her she's pretty.

I wouldn't be so sure of that. Considering Tsumugu's personality, he might see Hikari more of a key than a threat. With Hikari now here, Chisaki can't anymore keep herself unchanging with the excuse of waiting for Hikari. She will have to decide things for herself, one way or another. I believe that's why Tsumugu wanted them to meet; it would finally force Chisaki to do something. Of course it might also mean Tsumugu could lose, but he was slowly losing anyway, with both of them growing older but Chisaki's heart stuck frozen in the past.

[Buffalobiian]

HS - Episode 16

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I think the sea folks are waking up based on how much they didn't fast prior. Hikari probably ate the most while Kaname followed closely afterwards. This discounts Manaka since she's trapped by the sea god.

[Kraco]

That is a good threory, although on the other hand both Hikari and Kaname are abnormal cases also because they were left wherever to sleep. There might be some epicenter to the phenomenom, and we know there's the border than cannot be passed around the sea town. Were Hikari and Kaname even properly inside of it?

Miuna starting to breath underwater came out of nowhere. It also could be the first time people could move from the land to sea, so it should be quite a significant event.

Based on the preview, did Kaname move to the Kihara household? That might be somewhat awkward. Maybe he's only bunking there for the moment.

[Buffalobiian]

That is a good threory, although on the other hand both Hikari and Kaname are abnormal cases also because they were left wherever to sleep. There might be some epicenter to the phenomenom, and we know there's the border than cannot be passed around the sea town. Were Hikari and Kaname even properly inside of it?

Not sure, but they sure weren't recovered during any form of rescue event. We never saw any scuba-diving in this show, but they did mention that the humans couldn't reach Shioshishio.

Miuna starting to breath underwater came out of nowhere. It also could be the first time people could move from the land to sea, so it should be quite a significant event.

It could be, but then I remembered that her mother was a seafolk. Whether humans are now gaining underwater abilities from this event, or whether it's just by chance that Miuna can breath there is still a debate I'm having.

[Ryllharu]

Miuna gaining ena really came out of nowhere. I expected the phenomenon to be Kaname returning to save her. Ultimately it was both.

Not sure, but they sure weren't recovered during any form of rescue event. We never saw any scuba-diving in this show, but they did mention that the humans couldn't reach Shioshishio.

Miuna's father (now Akari's husband) attempted to scuba dive with borrowed equipment to ask for her hand properly. He failed and nearly drowned because he wasn't certified and had no idea how, not so much the sea god interfering. Hikari (and possibly Kaname or Manaka) saved him. Don't remember the episode.

[Buffalobiian]

Gaining Ena isn't entirely out of question. Offering a woman to the sea god was supposed to save the seafolk from complete extinction, right? What if the entire weather phenomenon is supposed to do exactly that? The seafolk sleep and wait while the humans on top experience the cold and the environment reactivate the Ena that they thought they lost?

I'm pleased to know that Kaname was much more level-headed when he popped out of the water (or at least those were the first words he said). At the same time, that level of calmness and intelligence suggests jealous trouble when combined with his unrequited love.

But hey, this show is all about jealous trouble and unrequited love, right?

[David75]

Miuana is a Land/Seafolk hybrid. Although she didn't have ENA at birth, it reactivated.
My guess is it was activated by those glittering effects that are showing the seaGod's power.

Now, we could always think that the parade with the statue and folklore and the story behind it were in fact describing what happened to Miuna: offering new females to the sea people. It's just that with time, nobody remembered exactly all of that works and the festivities became just that and it did not work anymore.
Miuna is a special case, being an Hybrid. If her female friend also activates an ENA, it could become a lot more fun.

[Kraco]

Aren't they all hybrids, in a sense? According to the old legends, everybody were sea people at first, but then some migrated onto dry land and lost their ability to live underwater. Ena is the only physical difference between them, and it doesn't seem anything genetic. Considering that, anybody should be a viable choice for reenafication, should the sea god choose so. Bill's theory might be correct, in addition to the attitude of the person in question, perhaps, since it seems likely not everybody swimming in the waters right now gains ena.

Kaname was always level-headed, though in a bit different manner compared to Tsumugu, so he behaved exactly like I expected.

[Buffalobiian]

Kaname was always level-headed, though in a bit different manner compared to Tsumugu, so he behaved exactly like I expected.

I didn't say it in my post, but I did mean in comparison to Hikari.

And you're right that the Ena isn't a genetic difference. Supposedly you retain Ena if you were born in the sea, since the amniotic fluid surrounds you and remains on your skin or something instead of bursting and washing away on land.

When that was first mentioned, I wondered why people didn't have sea-births anyway just to maintain their 'citizenship'. Then I remembered that the villages cast you out anyway when you left, so there's not too much point. For the child, having a physical inability to go underwater may be less painful than knowing they're being shunned.

[David75]

I did understand (probably wrong) that casting out women that chose to mate with a surface guy was in the newborn interrest... as hybrid babies are born without ENA and would die should the mother give birth underwater.

[Kraco]

I didn't say it in my post, but I did mean in comparison to Hikari.

Of course I understood that. A mushroom eating viking berserker would be more level-headed than Hikari. But since you mentioned level-headedness, I thought to compare him to the other character who likes to keep his head cool and think stuff through.