Nagi no Asu kara

"Love is like the ocean. Not only happiness and endearment, but feelings of sorrow and pain mingle together, bringing into life new emotions. "

"Fate and destiny don't exist. It all begins from your actions."

Nagi no Asu kara ( A Lull in the Sea ) is a beautiful story that tells the tale about the love between humans beneath the sea and people on the surface. Mainly focusing on a group of childhood friends who were forced to attend a school on the surface. They faced many challenges in life as their surroundings began to alter.

1 year ago I dropped this anime after ... watching a single episode because the characters were overbearingly retarded. But now, after watching the show, I ponder much why I did such a thing back then. Because... This show was amazing and it made me realize how stupid I was to judge something early.

If there's ever a show where I don't feel irritated from seeing so many love triangles. This IS the show. A Lull in the Sea makes the drama seem reasonable and acceptable. And that's why the show is so good. The show knows what to do and that's what makes it such an utterly perfection.

Though in a strict perspective this show seem like it's trying to be so melodramatic. The show teaches us about love and how complex it could turn out to be. Well... I'm not the type of person who'd shy away from a good tip when it comes to romance anime. So despite the ocean of drama this anime had, I still see it as a win-win nevertheless.

The soundtracks are beautiful. Giving out a relaxing sensation that makes me feel at ease. All the openings and endings are also great since it portrays love really well. In addition, the voice acting were also top notch ( though I fucking hated it 1 year ago ).

Beautiful art as expected from P.A. works. Good quality. Soothing art style. Great animation. Strong character developments that links to the story. All characters are likable, and overall, everything's just splendid!

Watching A Lull in the Sea was like going through a unique adventure in a fantasy setting. Experiencing many things from start to end. Conflict, Satisfaction, Irritation, Content, Sorrow, Regret, and many more.

This anime is a masterpiece and should be seen by everybody within the anime community. Specifically the ones who enjoy love stories and drama. You'd love this for sure.

“Everyone is precious to someone else.” - Manaka

Judging strictly from its promotional poster and synopsis, I thought Nagi no Asukara was just another sappy, childish drama. I was greatly mistaken, and I owe P.A. Works, the studio producer of Nagi-Asu, an apology for having such presumptions. This fantasy, slice of life, and romance anime is absolutely breathtaking in every aspect. The story is unpredictable and goes beyond your typical anime of its genre. Despite the supernatural aspects, its underwater theme creates logical situations that the characters face, including forbidden love and discrimination.

Nagi-Asu takes places between two settings: an underwater village called Shioshishio and the ... surface village called Oshiooshi. Upon the closing of their middle school in Shioshishio, four childhood friends (Hikuri, Manaka, Chisaki, and Kaname) have no choice but to enroll in Mihama Middle School on the surface. Later comes fateful meetings with characters, including Tsumugu, who become an important part of their lives. The new characters also become valuable to the story, because they each face difficulties and have their own goals. The joint of two human races brings forth forbidden love, discrimination, grudges, newfound feelings, heartbreak, etc. Unlike drama anime with your usual love triangles, Nagi-Asu has a love heptagon that gives several opportunities to root for certain individuals but plenty of disappointments for viewers who may dislike the ending result. The love heptagon is not as complicated as it sounds. As the story continues, the events and interactions between characters makes it easier to detect why Character A is precious to Character B.

The greatest accomplishment of Nagi-Asu is its pacing with 26 episodes put to good use. Sea folklore has a huge impact on the story. Proper execution allowed for orderly suspense and thorough explanation of the folklore. It also made way for character development over a five-year time span. Time and characters’ interactions with each other allowed them to grow positively and influence their life choices. Some characters develop into someone you can’t help but praise. The finale was clear and gives the viewer a sense of how the characters’ lives will continue.

The characters are given fair screen time, allowing the viewer to understand each character. Monologues reveal their inner feelings about certain situations or individuals, particularly the ones they care for. Each character worked towards achieving a particular goal. The only character I couldn’t stand was the lead male protagonist Hikuri, who was too similar to Eren from Shingeki no Kyojin with his constant complaints and quick temper over little things. The show reveals important events of MCs' pasts, but it vaguely discusses the origin of their friendship. The most Nagi-Asu does is show some scenes of their times at their underwater middle school. Their interaction with each other proves the closeness of their relationship, but more information about their past would’ve been great.

P.A. Works never fail in making top-notch and realistic animation for fantasy. The settings, especially Shioshishio, and character designs are beautiful! All of the scenes were active from the sun’s reflection on the sea to the school of fish underwater. Group settings showed activity from all characters. The distinction between the sea people and land people is outstanding. The eye colors of the characters are sparkly with the brown eyes of the land people and the aqua-colored eyes of the sea people, particularly the MCs. It does not matter, but I highly recommend watching this in HD to get a better experience.

The OST is amazing, and the vocals fits perfectly with its underwater theme, especially in its first ED “Aqua Terrarium” by Nagi Yanagi. The lyrics describe the feelings of love throughout the story. There were stressful moments in the series that played happy background music, and it can prevent one from feeling any sympathy for the characters. The seiyuu played the characters’ voices very well. For example, Hanazawa Kana did an excellent job playing Manaka, the sensitive girl who cried most of the time. The sound effects, including crashes of the waves, were very good, too.

Nagi-Asu instantly became one of my favorite anime, and I can’t believe I waited months before watching it. Besides Hikari’s annoying tsundere attitude, I was disappointed with how certain parts resembled something you’d expect from a Disney movie. Nevertheless, I enjoyed how each character fought for the ones they loved or openly expressed their feelings. The settings and conflicts that follow are really intriguing, adding to the enjoyment. The unexpected events and passion between the characters led me to marathon it, and I was very pleased with the ending.

Overall, Nagi-Asu is an amazing work of the fantasy and romance-drama genre. P.A. Works makes it live with its colorful and active animation. The characters develop feelings and express themselves fully. The story, especially the conflicts, presents itself well with proper execution, creating suspense. If you have crazy presumptions about Nagi-Asu like me, try at least the first five episodes to truly get a hint of what to expect. You may not like it, especially with the love heptagon, but it is likely to become one of the most beautiful shows you've seen.

Where do i even begin for Nagi no Asukara, this anime got to me and will always have a spot in my heart. The word beautifully doesn't even describe how amazing this anime is, and how well it was done. Every character in this anime touched my heart in some way, that this anime will never leave my top five list.

Story 10- The scenery alone is so beautiful that it will have you hooked on the first episode. This anime was just that beautiful! Unlike most anime where the plot is super predictable this one aint, every episode surprised me an took me on a ... roller coaster that was absolutely amazing. The story surrounds four friends Hikari, Manaka, Kaname, and Chisaki while they not only explore there town Shioshishio which is in the sea, but also the town on land. Where they have to start going to school, since the school in there hometown isn't being used anymore. Their was a a lot of diplomatic dispute between the people on land and those who lived in the sea. Deep down though you can tell they don't really hate each other. The story basically involves the four friends adapted to their new school life on land, because as soon as they get to the school the bullying begins which mostly surrounds Manaka. Throughout the story you will notice everyone's friendship develop not only with each other but with the new friends they make on land. This is defiantly one of those romance anime that was done right, it brought back memories of when i watched Toradora it was just that touching.

Art 10- I don't even know where to begin on the topic of art. This anime was just breath taking from the beginning. Shioshishio was so beautiful, the buildings in the village looked so well down for being something made in the sea. The environment never ceased to amaze me seeing all the beautiful fish swim in just a vast sea. What i loved the most about this anime wasn't even the sea itself, but the Tomoebi (the three suns) when i saw it i was so amazed I could not take my eyes off of it. The sea salt snow falling into the sea and watching the sea light up in the last episode was also beautiful, out of all the anime Ive seen the Art in this anime is defiantly the best.

Sound 10- The opening's and ending's of the anime caught my attention every time i just could not bare to skip them not even once. What i loved most thought was listening to everything interact between the characters, the fish, and the sea itself which was just so soothing to listen to. The sound and music in this anime are hands down a 10.

Character 10- I can tell you right now the growth of these characters will catch your attention at every moment. At first it seemed like they were all very predictable, but throughout the anime i was constantly surprised. What surprised me the most was the growth of Hikari and Tsumugu's friendship, at first it seemed like they were gonna be enemies the throughout the entire anime, boy was i way off. I loved every moment of watching everyone relationship with each other grow and change. The romance threw me for a loop, seeing who had feelings for who i loved that about the anime. The character development is 10, i wouldn't even second think that.

Enjoyment 10- Every moment of this anime was breathtaking to watch, and the sea was so beautiful to look at. The sound, characters, and art weren't what drew me towards these anime, but they sure did keep me hooked in. I enjoyed every heartfelt moment of this anime, many tears were shed because of this amazing anime.

Overall 10- This is a must watch for any one who loves romance. This anime will keep you hooked at every moment, but don't take my word for it. Check out the anime for yourself I promise you wont be disappointed!!!

A Lull In the Sea is probably the dumbest show with the highest production values I've ever seen. Here is my in-depth review of the segment of the first episode that I watched before going back to Power Rangers Time Force, an unironically less dumb show also on Netflix. (I also suffered through episode 6 to meet MAL's arbitrary review minimums)

A Lull in the Neurons is about people who live underwater, and in the first seconds of the first episode, they establish that these people who live underwater use fire and eat soup. It's the fucking dumbest thing and the worst world building I've ever ... laid my eyes on. They also swim, but spend most of their time walking around. There is no indication that they're underwater except for some bubble overlays and beautifully animated fish flying around. There is no detail on their clothing or the buildings that show that these people are underwater. Spongebob has more attention to detail than this Shinkai-tier piece of animation. The cognitive dissonance is intense enough to open a black hole.

Speaking of Shinkai, that's basically the best way to describe this series. It fits neatly into the Shinkai genre of "a bunch of bland-looking, uninteresting preteens do shit you don't care about at 4K 120fps." And just like Shinkai movies, this is an incredible, awe-inspiring waste of talent and resources to appeal to people lonely or low IQ enough to actually be invested in middle school romance.

There's nothing to see here but wasted potential. If you want to watch something with the same premise executed well, I do suggest Spongebob, RUBY GILLMAN: TEENAGE KRAKEN, or the gorgeous first movie in Studio Ponoc's "Modest Heroes" short film compilation, about tiny people who live in a river.

Nagi no Asukara, one of the most innovative shows presented in the anime industry, is a story of youth and their emotional turmoils as they grow older. This story contains all the elements you could possible require of a ground breaking and masterful story. There’s romance, betrayal, guilt, jealousy, regret, grief. If you are interested in watching an anime that will leave you on the edge of your seat, then this is for you. The anime's strong point is focusing on relationships of all kinds. Not only is the story breathtaking, but the OST and the animation is truly out of this world. You ... have not watched a masterpiece until you’ve watched Nagi no Asukara.


Story 11/10

The narrative is impeccable. The pacing was excellently executed. I was seriously on the edge of my seat and had to watch back to back episodes. It takes a superb story to get you hooked. The first few episodes introduce the main cast of characters and instantly set the mood. You’re introduced into this beautiful world where humanoid mermaids and humans live together. Although the anime never really establishes a clear history and how they came to be, it really doesn’t matter as the point of the story isn’t the world building. The point of this inspiring story is clear as the episodes go on. You are exposed to real life struggles and problems that the modern youth are experiencing in this day and age. The story is so incredibly captivating because of how relatable it is to the audience. What I love about this show is how it portrays real problems such as acceptance of a new family member, isolation from society, moving on from a loved one’s death—in a stunning manner. The emotions are all there and with the animation and soundtrack supporting this story wraps this masterpiece with a giant bow. My absolute favorite part of this anime is how the show didn’t manage to drag on forever without a real plot. That’s why I can’t help but love the story. It had all the elements of a tragedy, and surpassed my expectations. Don’t let anybody fool you; this anime is the crème of the crème. The ending of the anime was very satisfying, not leaving any room for confusion or loose ends. There are some things that some people might complain about but they just can’t appreciate a true coming of age story.


Characters 10/10

As a fan of Shakespeare, the parallels between Hamlet and Hikari (the male lead) are a sight to behold. If I may be so bold to say, I believe Hikari surpasses Hamlet with his humanity. We see very human characteristics when we watch Hikari from episode to episode. He grows stronger as a character as the show goes on. Why do I compare him to Hamlet? It’s his indecisiveness. For the majority of the show, we see Hikari’s internal monologue: His jealousy, his guilt, and his motivations. It was a little frustrating at first as he never took any action but kept complaining that things weren’t working out. There were times where I wanted to punch him in the face and actually do something. But this was short lived as he stepped up and became a real man. Well, eventually. Of course, the point of this story was to highlight the emotional struggles of a growing young man, so he wasn’t supposed to resolve anything quickly—if at all. The female lead of the series is one of the most fleshed out characters I have ever had the pleasure of watching on the screen. Manaka is a beautiful young girl who is the ideal leading lady. She is the picture of perfection and will draw in anybody watching. She is the young and helpless Ophelia who just wants to be with the man she loves. She’s not a very interesting character, nor has clear motivations, but she’s very pretty to look at. She’s exactly what you want from an anime heroine: Pretty, shy, submissive and every boy’s dream. The side characters are fleshed out to the extreme, where they all reveal that they all like each other. The most dramatic situations between them unfolds. Hikari likes Manaka. Manaka likes Tsumugu. Tsumugu likes (?). Kaname likes Chisaki. Chisaki likes Hikari. A complete full circle could not have been perfectly formulated. Not only is this a winning formula, but add in the fact that none of the characters have the confidence to confess to the person they like. This is a plethora of drama that you’ll be expecting from this masterpiece show. Why didn’t anybody think of something like this before? These characters were so realistic and memorable that I will forever have them in my heart.


Animation, Soundtrack 11/10

I decided to combine these categories because of how superb they are. Even if you didn’t like the story, which is blasphemy, you will find yourself having an eyegasm with the animation and respectively an eargasm with the soundtrack. The first thing you notice while watching this anime is the quality of the animation. The animation is so clear and high quality, you’ll be swept into the world of Nagi no Asukara and believe you live and walk with these characters. You’ll probably even be convinced you can breathe underwater like them (Caution: do not try this at home). The episodes are all consistent and smooth, the fantastical mood for it successful. The backgrounds were very memorable and breathtaking as it would leave you curious to see more of the world. Sometimes I wished the show would focus or give us more beautiful shots of their world than these close ups of their distraught faces, but it’s a very minor complaint. The soundtrack, which I’m listening to while writing this, is truly one of the best in anime. The music fits the mood perfectly constantly. It complimented the story, the characters, and the animation perfectly. It’s cheerful when it needs to be and it fills you with emotion in dramatic parts. The first ending song for Nagi no Asukara is one of my favorite endings of all time. I love the OST so much that I will probably continue to listen to it by itself. It’s nice and calming when you’re sitting back trying to relax.


Enjoyment 12/10

To be honest, I hated this anime at first. It took some passionate debating, re-evaluating my life choices, meditation and a deep look into myself to truly appreciate this story. This will be my favorite anime of all time. I’ve just never watched something that impacted my life in such a unique way. The combination of winning drama, animation, soundtrack and overall enjoyment is just out of this world. I would recommend this anime over any Shakespeare play as it depicts human nature and struggles in such a realistic way. The use of a unique setting gives these stories such a nice twist, like you’re looking at life in a new light, giving you a raw look at human (or humanoid merman) indecisions and struggles. The objective of this work was clear, a depiction of real life in an unrealistic setting. Many shows have tried to achieve this but failed miserably. I believe this show wins on all accounts. This unforgettable masterpiece will resonate in my heart forever. I strongly believe it will appeal to everybody, even people who don’t usually watch anime. I hope this show becomes even more popular and receives recognition as the work of art that it is. I said in my intro paragraph that this anime was innovative and I stand by that whole heartedly. This is the breath of fresh air which will rejuvenate and save anime. The only issue people really have with this anime is the MC-kun’s “stupidity”, but the same argument could be said about Hamlet’s indecisiveness. Except with Hamlet, his inaction was short-lived. Unlike these long (blissful) 25 episodes.

Nagi no Asu kara for the first 12 or something episodes is like oppenheimer watching the A bomb at the trinity site. Its Fun, Cool, Intresting. But than comes Little boy and Fat man. Holy shit does this anime fucking jump 10 sharks. Im not going to get into spoilers but I felt tramatized after watching it. It was so horrendousily bad at the end. Its just devolves into degeneracy it pulls a SAO where part 1 was really good and than the other half of the anime was so gross and weird. Except Nagi no Asu kara brings in fucking time skips, Kids and ... incest. The worst part is its not even fun like watching a dumpster fire its like watching someone bleed out slowly.

There is NOTHING I can tell you that can prepare you for what this series brings to the table, emotionally, symbolically, morally, everything. I did a slight preview of this show before, but that gives it no justice it deserves., so this time I’m going all out on what all this series did right, and the very little it did wrong.
I’m not doing my typical genre review, because this is not my typical type of review, but just know that everything correlates fantastically (also no sub-section scores).

Story:
I hate reviewing story. If I am or am not the audience that this is directed at, cannot ... let me speak for everyone. However, there were some parts of this series that were too much to let go. Although it just ended as a simulcast, future watchers who have not started it yet MUST know that this series is broken into two “seasons,” so to say. These “seasons” are VERY different when it comes to the mood, tone, scenery, and character’s going from verisimilitude to a very ominous and serious story-telling. I believe it was eloquently done, however some may complain that there is a large dissonance between these two seasons, which is completely understandable. A small complaint from a small part of the audience, but nit-picking happens on near perfect shows.
Other than that, execution was handled beautifully. Not once did I feel the story was too slow or fast-paced, nor when I finished it did I need more (in contrary to wanting more, which I DEFINITELY do). The story does have a tendency to hit you with the metaphorical baseball bat often, almost exclusively in the second season, which brings me to my biggest point…

Clannad, right? Now, in no means am I saying this series is done as flawlessly as Clannad: After Story, but they have some similarities that instantly hit me: aloof and light-hearted first seasons, intense and emotional second seasons, strong (very) emphasis on symbolism, especially of water and color, and a very strong lead protagonist. I’m sure many of you have watched Clannad, and have experienced the Clannad Void: where you constantly search for the next series that can emotionally entice you like Clannad. It might be a shot in the dark, but I strongly feel like this series is one of (now) 2-3 series that can and maybe will fill this void for you; one being AnoHana, and the other being maybe Sakurasou no Pet na Kanojo and maybe even Kanon (2006). It does everything Clannad does right on terms on emotion and story, but there is something that gets me a little angry that I’ll talk about soon.
Overall, this series is beautiful in the way it is conveyed in almost every way I know, and can help fill the Clannad Void. It also contains one of the biggest love polygons I’ve ever witnessed.

Characters:
In my other review, I talked a lot about naïve assumption. How that at the beginning the characters were a bit shady due to lack of time invested, and will blossom into something amazingly fruitful later. I do not have the opportunity to say this often, so I will say it proudly: I was absolutely right. I believe that if the series has strong characters who have time invested into them to create emotional bonds, it will be an amazing series. Sure, plot is nice, but if there was no plot and there were amazing and enjoyable characters, then I could care less. Good thing here, Nagi goes the full nine yards. You get your tragicomedy story, throw on some wonderfully developed characters, bake at about 350 degrees and you have yourself a really good looking cake. Not to mention, this cake was made with high production value, so the art on it looks amazing. Anyway, only one thing bothered me, and that was the character of Tsumugu, almost exclusively in the first season of the series. Although I got used to his cold-heartedness, I realized that Tsumugu was used more as a ragdoll by the producers than anything else; he was a brick wall, seemingly created to create an ominous feel and be onerous himself. Although I know now why he may have acted the way he did, viewers at the beginning may start to hate him, which I don’t feel like the producers aimed for. Nevertheless, look out for that, and be open-minded about Tsumugu and you’ll appreciate him more.
Overall, the characters were written exquisitely and were imbued with passion and emotion that created believable and natural characters that anyone could love, with Tsumugu being a little late to the party.

Animation/Sound:
I have almost nothing to say here. The art is the best I’ve ever seen, and you should definitely experience the wonders and the scenery that are brought to life by the art. The sound, after getting a strong listen to all of the OST, I can confirm that it is orchestrated within context and marvelously done overall, especially OP 2, Ebb and Flow, which captivates the second season perfectly. The voice actors fit their characters, and did a fantastic job at conveying the characters emotions through themselves.

In the end, Nagi grinds down to what we believe is right and what love can accomplish within our own hearts. There are LOADS of symbolism that I could explain, but it’s be easier if I just wrote a book on it, just keep an eye out on the symbolism if you can, it greatly empowers the series. The series has taught me that love is understanding; love is loss; love is the driving power behind our actions; love is what we sacrifice for others; love is why we live, and we strive to find that one love that makes all the difference, one we will find sometime, somewhere; and that truly speaks volumes to me.
And in the end, I believe that everyone should watch Nagi no Asukara, not only to watch something to enjoy, but to really think about who you love, and hold it dearly.
“The Color of the Sea. The Color of the Earth. The Color of the Wind. The Color of Your Heart. Your Color.”

Okay, okay, yes this is one of the few anime that I believe is a 10 but there were also some cons so let me start:

The story I thought was pretty simple at first. It takes place underwater and I thought it would just be pretty calm and something to watch when I was bored but somehow, it got me hooked. Let me just say that it also changed about halfway through. I kept wanting to watch more and it seemed very original from where it took place to what was happening. The second half kind of shook me and took awhile for me to ... get used to but the story was still pretty good as it kept going without getting too out of hand.

The art is probably the BEST part in the anime. The way they just animate everything is beautiful. Their eyes, the towns, the ocean...it just mystifies me. It captures the setting and mood of the story and it fits for a shoujo anime.

The sound is amazing too. The opening and endings match with the drama and the music during the anime actually makes me want to listen to them outside of the anime. You actualy notice it and it adds to the sad feel to it when the time is right.

Now...the characters. During the first half, I really liked them. I thought I had a clear thought of who was going to end up with who but then I kept changing my mind. I guess what really shook me was the second half and how the characters developed into what they did. I'm not going to spoil any more but yeah, the characters kind of confused me.
I really liked all of the characters though. The only problems with each one was:
1. Hikari was a bit too much in the first half. He always got angry so fast and it made him pretty dislikable.
2. Kaname was more of the side character even though he was part of the main five. I think the writers could've gone into more depth with him like the other characters. He was also sort of tossed aside by the end.
3. Manaka was too much of a cry baby and I really thought she could've been better than that even though it was part of he personality and all, it got pretty annoying.
4. Chisaki was one of my favorites but the fact that she sort of clung to _____ for such a long time made me mad. She also didn't help Manaka a lot of the time even when they were best friends.
5. Tsumugu didn't seem very in depth either, like Kaname. He did sort of develop in the second half but not in the way where you learn about him like the others. His personality seemed sort of mysterious.
6. Miuna and Sayu...I had a lot of mixed feelings about them and I don't know why I became so irritated with Miuna in the second half and Sayu in the first. They did develop and add a pretty good prt to the story but sometimes it just seemed to make things more awkward as well. It ends up alright but they didn't get much time with the main four in the first half even though they became pretty important in the second.

Phew, onto enjoyment. I really enjoyed it the way everything sort of came together and the first half was so sad I couldn't get over it..just like other sad animes you could think of. I kept wanting to watch because of all the good things about this anime.

Overall I do give this anime a 10 because of all the good reasons I listed. I recommend this to anyone who likes romance, fantasy or drama because that's basically what the anime is about. It is definitely unforgettable to me.

Wow, I really can't praise this anime enough. Everything about this story is so creative and just epic. Nagi No Asukara, you will start off annoyed and confused, but still fully immersed in the characters and the whole story. Everything feels really intense, and your baffled by the characters at first and how they interact with one another, but then it just all comes together eventually that the whole story just becomes so beautiful and so worth it in the end. This anime will crush you with feels and you won't be able to hold back the tears, because it's all just so relevant and ... so REAL. This isn't just a typical love story, there are so many twists and turns that make it beautiful and unpredictable.

Story: 10

The story overall held so many important messages, and isn't just focused on two characters who love each other. You get to see so many different interaction and changes that happen to the world around them, and not just only them but multiple others. The story and plot of this anime is very prominent and is what makes this such a outstanding anime.

Art: 10

oh lord, the anime art in this is just incredible. Their characters look so lively and so bright, I feel like their eyes are piercing my soul. Everything from what they wear, to the big beautiful sea, and the shimmery water, everything felt so peaceful and vivid that I never got bored and my eyes were glued to the screen.

Sound: 10

The soundtrack, as prominent as it was, it wasn't a main focus of this anime. Yes it was there, but it was just background music, your more focused on what is happening in the story honestly. The music definitely had a calming, classical kind of vibe to it though and went perfectly with the scenes.

Characters: 10

The main character Hikari Sakishima goes through some incredibly deep changes that really make me love this this anime. Not only that, but so many characters are constantly changing and go through some major life changing event, the character development is mainly what makes this such an amazing anime.

Enjoyment: 9

Don't get me wrong, the enjoyment for this anime was spot on, but there were times where they made is difficult for me to fully understand why they do the things they do until the very end. Everything makes sense at the end, but sometimes their was just so much tension between the characters that it became a little confusing at times and not to mention a tad overwhelming.

Overall: 10

I would recommend this anime to practically anyone. Enough said. Just watch it, and you won't be disappointed stepping into this unique underworld with multiple realities and so many feels.

Plot 10/10
Summary: Nagi No Asukara (NagiAsu) takes place in a time and place where humans live like we do now in addition to people who live under water. Long ago all humans lived under water due to an extra layer of skin called Ena which allows them to breathe underwater. Some people remained there under the sea and some left and live on land. The story centers around a group of middle school students from the ocean who come up to the surface to go to school since their school has been abandoned. On the surface, the people can tend to be quite racist ... of those living in the sea.

It may sound a bit silly at first but the plot to this anime is simply wonderful. It’s hard to even explain why without spoiling the anime. The story is told in such a way that you bond to almost every single character emotionally and when things happen to them you connect to it and really feel it. There’s many twists in the things that happen that take you on a wonderful rollercoaster of a journey with these characters. The other great thing about this anime is that it breaks the barriers for its genre. We have your typical school-aged kids with their usual drama that goes along with them. Yet the story has a much deeper plot than that and they take it in an unconventional way. After watching so many shoujo animes, this one was a breath of fresh air. It really pulls on your heartstrings.

Characters: 10/10

Like I said before, this anime makes you feel something for almost every single character. Unlike some animes, I really cared about the fate of each one and wanted them to accomplish something by the end. The relationships between characters were much stronger than others I’ve seen as well. The pacing of this show was great and I felt that it really allowed you to get to know everyone in the right amount of time; not too rushed and not too drawn out either. The characters themselves were extremely likeable to me. There was one in particular that I really wasn’t crazy about in the first half of the show, but later they develop beautifully and really grow on me, becoming a favorite.

Music: 10/10

The music in Nagi Asu was pretty darn perfect. The music did a perfect job of making you feel the tone they were trying to get across. It brought suspense, sadness and happiness at the appropriate times.

Animation: 10/10
If for some crazy reason you don’t find yourself enjoying this anime, the animation is one thing that you can’t deny was stunning. The detail and use of color, especially in the underwater scenes was just beautiful. The attention to detail is what made this special. You can tell the animators really took the time and effort they needed to make this show look good. No random outsourcing for the animating on this one.

Overall: 10/10

This show I thought was phenomenal. There really wasn’t much of anything that I didn’t like. The ONE thing that didn’t quite please me was the ending. It was a solid ending and it felt like the show came to a proper end. I just wished that there was a bit more of a definite explanation of how the characters end up. But it wasn’t enough to make me dislike it at all. It’s really a great show that not so many people know about as of when I’m writing this. It’s one you should definitely give a try especially if you like the shoujo, romance, or supernatural genres.

Don't be deceived by its cutesy, colorful outlook. You might think Nagi no Asukara is probably one of those run-of-the-mill school romances that always end up as a cliched failure, but that's most definitely not the case here. This anime's storyline is based on two seemingly different races of humans who have been feuding for as long as anyone can remember. They are the people of the sea and surface.

Art:
Let's start off with the foremost first impression, the art. Your eyes do not deceive you when they report the mesmerizing construction of the characters and settings. The artists of this show have done an outstanding ... job pronouncing the colors of each little detail to produce a masterpiece of a scene. Meanwhile, the animators work on controlling the lighting so it seems as you are walking through a shimmering dream of precision and almost realistic reality. However, the perfection of the art isn't intense to the point where it robs the spotlight away from the actual story. Picture it as a sparkling, smooth wave of gentle sea water rolling alongside a rocky boat. It would make the boat ride more enjoyable to brush your fingertips on the soft water top, wouldn't it? The art does just that, it emboldens pleasure in watching the show.

Story:
I described the story as a rocky boat, but why is that, you might ask? Well, the first half of the story enhances the rivalry and feuding that has long been brewing between the sea and surface people. Four friends from the sea village Shioshishio have to attend of a surface school in a town called Oshiooshi. At first, the two different groups of children don't get along with each other, as the whole racism concept still remains. However, after a period of time, they begin to realize that they are more alike than different and decide to cooperate in an annual tradition called the Ofunehiki. Yet, don't be deceive by its new, lighthearted appearance, because a sudden turn of events plunges the story into a slightly different setting. This ends the first half and opens the doors for the second half of the story. The plot line in the second half is a heavy fog of mixed feelings and confusion for the characters as they attempt to unravel the answers to their ever-growing questions. With all that in mind, I could say the first half of the story was a rocky boat ride, but the whole plot is like a drop tower. It slowly builds up and teases you with mild drops of shock until you're confused on whether the real drop will occur, so once it does, you are in for it. Keep in mind that the ride isn't over after one plunge, it will continue its round until the very end.

Characters:
A story is nothing without good characters plots. In this case, the characters in Nagi no Asukara are, to the very least, much like us. They are all normal beings with the flaws of human nature. They share a society where racism, stereotypes, and discrimination dominate their lifestyles alike our own. One of the great things about this anime is that you can relate yourself to any character. That connection between you and a character makes the show much more enjoyable as you watch the scenes roll by and go, "I totally feel you, bro." Likewise, the connections between the characters themselves is much like our relations too. In their case, it's a flat-out love polygon. Think love triangles or harems are tough enough? Just wait till you see Nagi's. Normally, I'd hate how infuriating love polygons can be, but Nagi no Asukara intertwines their love plots with raw human emotions. Again the relativity of this show breaks through your armor of criticism and reaches into your soul to find something that will squeeze the feels out of you. You may hold your judgement against a particular character (as a matter of fact, I still do), but there is no absolute way you can hate any of them. Put aside the fact that half the cast can breathe in the ocean, they are otherwise all just as humane as you and me. Some may share some of your personality traits, and how could you possibly hate yourself? (C'mon, you gotta at least have some self-respect or arrogance in you) Nevertheless, this show really makes that strong connection with the viewer and I think that's a wonderful thing to have.

Sound:
I could never forget the impact this show's sound had on me. Nagi no Asukara's OST has made its way into my top 10 anime OSTs of all time. I can't even begin to describe how marvelous it was, but obviously I will have to attempt to describe it. Here goes. The first opening had that sweet, lighthearted feeling of a beautiful friendship. It was like it was stringing together all those days spent with your closest friends that consisted of sunny laughter and frivolous fun. The endings and second opening don't have this level of happiness anymore, but they still make their marks with creating that atmosphere of reminisce. It's like looking back at your life and going through a film of memories, laughing and smiling at the remarkable ones, or somberly regretting the unappealing ones. You can't make out a specific emotion when you hear those works of music, but rather a steady stream of feelings that make you enjoy your life as it is.

Enjoyment:
Do I even need to say anymore? Yes, I did enjoy Nagi no Asukara and I'm grateful that I came across this anime when I was looking for another satisfying roadtrip through the feels. If you find anything hindering, I'm sure you will come to overlook it and if not to its fullest extent, enjoy this exquisite piece of work.

Overall:
In conclusion, Nagi no Asukara is a show where you can calmly watch the perks and flaws of human nature unravel before your very eyes. The characters are startlingly relatable and enjoyable to root for as they try to follow their heart's desires. The art is pleasing to the eye and enhances the beauty of nature itself and our civilization. The sound is like watching a personal film of your life that only you know all about, but through your ears. It's the perfect option for pulling over from the fast lane and onto the sidewalk for a nice stroll through another take on what our life really looks like.

At first I didn't have any interest in watching this anime. Probably because I disliked the idea of 'underwater' world. Damn I was so stupid. This anime is amazing and absolutely remarkable. This anime is my #1 favorite, no kidding. It beats AnoHana and Clannad (it's my opinion tho).

Story: 9/10
Nagi No Asukara has a very complicated drama, I must say. But is it confusing? Don't worry, it's not. Yes, it is complicated but the show won't make it that confusing to you
Although something is bugging me. Towards the end I feel like there is a little bit of 'Ex Machina' moment. But that ... doesn't prevent me to enjoy this anime.

Art: 10/10
I'm out of words for the art of Nagi No Asukara. The art is so exquisite, I'm still dying to live in Nagi No Asukara world. Sometimes I paused in the middle just to stare at my screen computer in awe.

Sound: 10/10
All of the OPs and the EDs are all pleasures to my ears. But the second OP has a special space in my heart. Funny story, in the beginning of this review I said at first I wasn't interested in watching this anime. What changed my mind is this song. I heard it on a website and I got blown away. The intro of the second OP is so beautiful. The soundtrack in Nagi No Asukara is good to and they put every single soundtrack in the right moment.

Character 9/10
The characters are very stereotypical, that was my thought. Once again, I was wrong. The characters have their own stories, and we get to see each of them in different aspects. Each character has their own problems and in the end it all comes down together beautifully.

Enjoyment: 10/10
This anime is for you who love drama and romance, with a little bit of fantasy. I love those 3 genres therefore I enjoy this anime so much.

Overall: 10/10
Should you watch it? Yes. Big yes. I also love the message this show left me with. 'Everyone loves someone. Sometimes the person doesn't love you back. Or maybe you do, but you just don't know. But in the end, you will end up with the person that fits you well, even that means things change and you have to let go.'

One word; beautiful. The serie has been on my list for quite a while. I found it sometime at recommends from some Slice of life genre. However, when reading the details it didn't totally appeal to me. An underwater world? How in the world would they make an anime with underwater effects. Thinking it wouldn't be so great to watch I found out one of the songs I like(Ebb & Flow) was used in this animes opening. So yeh, it got me interested enough to start watching it.
The first episode, the first opening, already was surprisingly good to me. The sound and animations enhanced me. ... They really did a good job on creating the underwater world. The details and quality were amazing, not to forget gorgeousl colors were used. It gives you some feeling you find yourself in some magical place, which it has to represent.
Not only the animating, but also the sound is really good. It was mostly the music of this serie I found, which got me watching it. The opening and ending perfectly fitted into this animes theme. I also loved to hear the sea, birds or the rustling leaves during the convos. It gave some realistic thing. As for the voices, they fit the characters and their personality perfect imo.
Then the story itself, it started as some fantasy Slice of life with the people of the sea visiting the surface. I couldn't totally understand why you would create such circumstances. But getting deeper in the story it's all about the bonds between the underwater world and the surface. In the beginning it had a perfect pace, not too fast so the story couldn't become dull. Not too slow, it will never bore you. Although mid-season it get's some fillers, they don't seem as a filler since it fits good in the storyline.
Along with the drama and romance you will experience a beautiful story in a magical setting. And that is what makes it outstanding from other animes. For a drama-fantasy-romance, with this special setting, amazing atmosphere and the elaborate effects, it seems like a perfect anime to me. If you like the slife of life / romance genre, this is a Must watch anime.

Alright, let's just get this over with...

The story (7) takes place in two towns; the one in the sea, and the one on the surface. Four of the main cast are from the sea but since their school closed, they go to school on the surface and endure the trials of discrimination because people are a**holes, but that isn't anything new. The fifth member of their melodrama band is a kid from the surface with a personality that is less than a square. But I'll get to that later. The idea of a town underwater was a good one, but it wasn't as expanded on ... as it could have been. It was just kind of there, like mostly everything in this anime, as a plot device to somehow prolong the drama to make a full 26 episode show. No, longer does not always mean better, but since the second half wasn't bad, just unnecessary, I'll deal with it.

But let's just talk about that ending! (I'm not spoiling anything, don't worry)
The reason the anime's rating as a whole was so low is probably because of how it ended. Nothing was really tied up (except the hatred between the two sides and the sea people's hibernation) and it felt rushed. I'm not sure how an ending of an anime with so many slow and boring scenes could be rushed, but it was. None of the characters get with the person they were crushing on and it fell pretty flat.

What I did like was the fact that they added in the discrimination and the drama between the two towns. You could feel the tension when both were on screen. The way the characters took the discrimination made sense as well. Also, the pacing was okay, although it was so god awfully slow at times that some of the episodes never felt like they were going to end.

The art (10) was the best part about this anime. The animation was gorgeous. It was bright and colorful and the water was done beautifully. P.A. Works proved themselves yet again.

The sound (8) was very good too, although the two opening and endings are worthy of hitting the skip button. The songs were mostly light piano pieces that really helped set the mood. Yes, some songs were played a lot more than others but I liked the songs, so no complaints there.

The characters (5)
Now, here's where the most complaints will come from. The drama was so over the top and the crying never stopped that I just wanted to take out my earbuds, set down my phone and do something else with my life. The romance, or lack thereof, never got tied up and, honestly, most of the characters were annoying. There was little to no character development and in a show like this, you kind of need it. Let's go down the character roster, shall we?

Tsumugu - This is that personality-less square I mentioned early. The only one born on the surface that wants so desperately to live with the sea folk. He's not really there for anything more than a plot device for our dear Manaka to like and stir up drama. I liked him better in the second arc, although his character doesn't change. He annoyed me the most because he rarely said anything and when he did it was emotionless. Some of the lines came across as funny that way but for the most part he was a static, flat character. At least he was the only one that didn't succumb to crying.

Chisaki - She spent most of the time debating on who she liked and cried a good majority of it. Again, little to no character development, although she gets props for (kind of) choosing a man in the end.

Kaname - Honesly, I was surprised he got any screen time. At first, I figured he was just going to be that one character that fits the role of the 'fifth friend.' He even said that he was the odd man out, and it was mostly true. Although he was interesting because he was level headed and also had some character development in the end, he was mostly just there for a plot device to confuse Chisaki.

Manaka - She was the cute little girl that had something happen to her that was supposed to give her character development but did nothing but cause more tears from the main character.

Hikari - The mainest of main characters, who hardly changes at all. It was sad, watching him never really change. Yes, he began to accept the surface people but other then that, he stayed the same. The way he acted and the way he felt never strayed from how he began. He never stopped loving the same person though, so props to that.

Sayu and Miuna - The latter is Hikari's sister. Nothing changes with her either. She comes to terms in the end, but thats it. Sayu is Miuna's best friend and she actually got development. *applauds* She goes from kind of a jerk to totally in love with a certain character, and I can see that relationship actually fairing out.

No other characters are really worth mentioning. They were the biggest disappointment because in a show like this, they are the most important.

Overall enjoyment is an 8 because although the drama was over the top and irritating, and sometimes I was so mind-numbingly bored that I just wanted to quit, I did like it enough it get through it.

Final Verdict: boring + melodramatic underwater hellhole = SeaWorld (no offense to those who actually enjoy watching animals doing tricks in cages)

I've been deciding if I should write a review for Nagi no Asukara. I asked myself, what if I get carried away? What if I give it too much credit? What if I don't credit it enough?
In the end, I realized that I had to, somehow, try to convey how amazing this anime is.

Story: 8/10.
I'm going to start and say that Nagi no Asukara isn't for everyone. The story is set up in a different world, where some people from the sea (not mermaids, just regular, ol' humans) left their home to live on land. The two different kinds of people became more distant after ... that separation. The story itself revolves around 4 14-year old friends who lived in the sea. They went to school on land, however, because their school in the sea had to close down. The plot then takes off as they try to acclimate themselves onto living on land. The plot may seem like it's heavily fantasy laiden - and it is - however, romance is the most prominent element in this story. If you're not into romance, Nagi no Asukara may be a turn off for you because there isn't just a love triangle, but a love decagon going on. I myself am not an avid romance-genre watcher, but I still found myself completely in love with this anime. Nagi no Asukara focuses the most on the goodness of people when it comes to their friends and those they love. Instead of showing the negative side of human nature that comes with love - envy, greed, selfishness - this anime allows the positive nature of human nature to shine instead. We see the beautiful love and sacrifices that the 4 sea children have for each other. Though the plot may be simple, there is so much more the lies just beneath the surface of the plot, which is what makes this anime so beautiful.

Art: 10/10.
The very thing thing that I noticed when I first started Nagi no Asukara was art that took my breath away. The first scene immediately catches your attention, with beautiful drawn food laid out befre your eyes. Not a single detail is missed. Usually in animes, the background of the scene is neglected and half heartedly drawn. Nagi no Asukara puts that to shame. The backgrounds are all painstakingly drawn, colored, and painted to perfection - from the largest scale waves to the the the smallest detail. Each coral polyp and mountainous treae is there. I spent as much time paynig attention to the background as I would with what's happening in front of me. The background, however, is not the only aspect of Nagi no Asukara's art that should be commended. Not only are the backgrounds drawn to precise beauty, the animation is nothing short of impressive. Focusing on just things drawn underwater alone, the animation (the movement of fish and other aquatic life) is fluid and dynamic. The colors are vibrant and contrasting, enough to compliment the palette that is introduced on the screen. This animation is truly top notch.

Sound: 9/10
Aside from the forgettable opening and closing themes, the sound of Nagi no Asukara is what really moved me to tears. Instead of having a powerful and overbearing OST, with epic pieces and dramatic crescendos, the soundtrack for this anime is subtle and graceful. The notes caress you like a wave; every note is in place. The soundtrack doesn't just contain lyric-less pieces, it includes all types of music. The music matches the tone it tries to create in the scene - no, it SETS the tone itself. From deep voice chanting to delicate operatic pieces, the music is a wide arrangement that makes Nagi no Asukara so refreshing to watch. To me, the music touched me deeply. The pieces are distinct and beautifully composed. The music for Nagi no Asukara should not be taken lightly because it tells so much of the story itself.

Character: 10/10
I have to admit, that when I first started Nagi no Asukara, I didn't like half of the main characters introduced. However, my prejudice quickly fell away as the plot thickened and developed into something I could never imagine. Each characters broke the stereotypes I had against teenagers in love; in fact, they completely and successfully contradicted where I would think their actions and feelings would lead to. As I said in the story portion of my review, the characters' pureness and goodness shine radiantly. The most refreshing thing about this anime is the innocence and selflessness of each of the characters that you will come across. During 26 episode, you will experience joy, laughter, tears, and heartbreak right alongside with them. These characters are so incredible that whatever moves them will move you. Even though, as the series progresses, new characters are introduced, they are not the type of characters to be forgotten easily; rather, all of them will be part of your memory for a long time. They will be a part of you not because of how they're drawn or the words they say, but by their unsaid feelings and their sacrificial actions. Instead of some cliche romance story that you might be familiar with, Nagi no Asukara breaks away from that cliche and creates something to be contended with.

Enjoyment: 10/10
I loved, loved this anime. I absolutely loved it. The story is a beautiful work of originality that creates something so paramount that it makes it unforgettable. It's just a memorable anime because of its unprecendented characters. The art comes no where near the animation you will see with the most popular animes. The delicate sounds brings another layer of feelings and emotions that you didn't think are possible, yet they're there and you welcome it.

Overall: 10/10
I mean, I think I've said it all, really. If you have another doubts about Nagi no Asukara, then let me help you out: Go and watch it. You won't be disappointed at all. :D

Do you know that moment when, I don't know, sometimes happens and you have to, bitterly, put a series you like on-hold, and then after a while you go back to it, with the good feelings that you left it with, and then you slowly realize that it's not as awesome as you remembered it, but still lying to yourself that the "magic" is still there, only to get those hopes crushed even more and realize the utter bulshit you have been watching all this time? This is exactly what happened here for me.

Story - 3
The setting is, to say the least, and I ... think everybody can agree, the best thing of this anime, however all the potential and originality that it could have had fell flat on its own face with a plot that it's completely nonsensical and not justified. The first half of the show, the one which i had fond memories from, was actually quite fun to follow along; of course, ignoring the overall defying of phisics that Shioshishio village has (yes, you cannot eat soup underwater! also, the sense of gravity should be cut in half compared to the surface. Also let's do not forget salty water makes floating a whole lot easier than sweet water!), but after the first 10 episodes or so, I started to wonder what exactly was the point of this show. Love polygon between teenagers? Slice of life with a supernatural setting? Angsty teenagers and their misunderstood love? Around episode 19 I felt like it turned into a teen version of The Bold and the Beautiful and I really couldn't care less anymore and from episode 21 and forward I facepalmed so many times my forehead turned red. I don't know whether I was simply blind when I liked this or I was in a phase of my life where I actually believed that love was the answer to everything (what literally just happened in this show). It would have been so much more interesting if instead of any other slice of life, this show would have tried to concentrate more on the original setting, on Uroko-sama and the Sea God, which definitely intrigued me through the whole 26 episodes, instead it even took that concept and smacked a half-assed "just because" on it, keeping it ambigous and trying to mask its own nonsense with it. That just shows how desperate for a conclusion the author was at that point. Anyway, in other words, I was expecting something more similar to the Little Mermaid and instead I got some bratty teenagers bragging about love and pretty much nothing else.

Art - 7
Art-wise it's pretty cute. I didn't like the overall characters' design as much as I loved the animation of the sea world in general. And then there is Uroko-sama. Let's all bow to Uroko-sama.

Sound - 5
The OST was to say the least mediocre. The only song that I really liked was the opening song. As for the rest, forgettable.

Characters - 3
Hahahahaha...hahaha..ha... Right. Do you remember when I mentioned that if the show would have focused more on the sea world and the Sea God /Uroko-sama, it would have been more bearable? I take that back. It ONLY needed to focus on Uroko-sama to be more consistent than this! The rest of the cast almost doesn't even matter as much in my eyes with all their very petty problems included. When a show tries to make the characters' development be the whole focus of the story, then I expect it to have a certain degree of coherence and be fairly justified. In this case, it was not justified and not coherent at all. Why would a grade schooler love somebody for 5 years and work hard for a person that they only just met a few times? We're talking about a GRADE SCHOOLER. At that age I was still playing with my dolls and wondering who shall I marry my Barbie with, not gawking over the next-door "oniichan". It could as well have been a crush, but a crush of a kid FOR a kid, crush triggered just for a bit of kindness, lasting so much just rubs me the wrong way. Brats! The whole cast can't be described any better than using the word "brats". Even those that got to 19 years old. STILL self-victimizing brats!

Enjoyment - 3
At the end of the 26 episodes, I just had a "wtf did I even watch" expression plastered all over my face, so my enjoyment was quite poor for the most time.

Overall - 4

ლ(ಠ_ಠლ) just.what.

SPOILER-FREE REVIEW
Nagi No Asukara is an anime where your emotions will run all over the place. The description does not make Nagi no Asukara (Nagi for short) seem very appealing. However, do not let the summary fool you! The summary only gives you what the poster looks like. Nagi has a deep dramatic plot that will force you to continuing all 26 episodes in one go.

Story: 9
In my opinion, I would say this would be a 10, however I want to stay unbias for this review. The story loses 1 point because the beginning shows a lot of what the summary provides and it is ... a tad bit slow. The story in the beginning goes through the generic idea of a romcom school anime. However, it will drift away from that and emphasizes on the themes of the anime. An important theme is the tension between two races. The humans of the land and the humans of the sea. The two races do the best they can to keep themselves seperate to each other. What is amazing is that the story will develop beautifully along with the characters. Another good reason the story is good is that it is hard to figure out what is going to happen in the future. There are many stories where we can make guess of how a story will progress and ends. This story is structured to where figuring out what is going to happen is a difficult task. After the first half of the anime, PREPARE TO BE AT THE EDGE OF YOUR SEATS, because you will go on a crazy roller coaster. I don't need to tell you that the story picks up speed on the second half.

Art: 10
Look at it. Nuff said. seriously though. The art is one of the most beautiful piece of work I've seen in any anime. this is probably the absolute best aspect of the entire anime. watch the anime and love the art.

Sounds:9
This is just a bias opinion because I do love the opening and ending themes to this. the sounds are great but they don't appeal to me greatly. still, it is very good.

Character: 10
the second best aspect of the anime would be there characters. You will grow and love the characters of the story. The main protagonist, Hikari, may seem to lack the sort of personality that people would love. He is hot headed, stubborn, and he is an example of a character who looks towards his own race and no the other. however, like him and the other characters, they have shown amazing development. It is so rare to see such beautiful character development from each of the characters. this is why I give Character 10 and the development of these characters deserve it to be the second best aspect of the anime.

Enjoyment: 10
I absolutely enjoyed this anime. It might be slow to some people at the beginning, but I think it goes through a fair pace. However, the second half of the anime goes through a really huge change of pace where I get on the edge of my seat at each episode! I've watched it while it was airing and waiting for a new episode was killing me. This anime is absolutely amazing.

Overall: 10
This anime gets an overall 10 because it is good for pretty much everything. the story was written well, the art is spectacular, the sound is good, the characters are amazing, and I completely enjoyed the series.

To close out my thoughts, I recommend this anime to anyone. it was executed really well and it portrays a good message. As people would always say, "don't judge a book by its cover" because this anime will go in different directions and you will see the huge difference and development from beginning to end.

My expectations have been completely and utterly shattered. I was expecting a generic harem show with a slightly unusual setting (under the sea) that would serve as cheap entertainment until I came across a masterpiece that offered real enjoyment. This tale of relationships was one such show. If you are considering to take up the series, be prepared to be thrust straight into a drama-heavy, emotionally-intense and beautiful venture.

Story:
Take the red threads of fate of a handful of people, tangle them, tie dead knots and entangle them further. Only be satisfied once you get an excruciatingly messy ball of threads lumped together that is seemingly ... impossible to undo. There you have it: Nagi no asukara. The story depicts the lives of a group of friends who struggle with their relationships and resulting emotions. Love, jealousy, guilt and fear. They attempt to deal with these painful and conflicting emotions and the show captures their inner thoughts while they do so, making them all the more lifelike. While they do battle with their feelings, we get to see obstacles after obstacles thrown at them to further complicate matters, be it discrimination and conflict between the people of the sea and of the land, or an infuriating deity that appears to enjoy taking that which is most precious to our characters. I will reveal no spoilers about the plot, just be prepared for an emotionally-heavy ride throughout the ups and downs.

Characters:
The strongest selling point of the show; the characters are what makes Nagi no asukara come alive. They just seem so real, having thoughts and feelings that anyone would have if placed in that position, particularly the selfish and negative thoughts. Lets take the mc, Hikari Sakishima, for an example. I will be honest, I had considered dropping the show within the first few episodes when I saw the mc. He was rash, inconsiderate, he wasn’t exactly the sharpest and certainly wasn’t the most charming. His character irritated me. But, he grows. Throughout the show, Hikari actually develops and matures as a person. And watching that growth was oddly satisfying. He eventually matures to a person that is able to place the feelings of others before himself and control his emotions. How he interacts with the other characters was especially interesting to watch. I have a suggestion, knowing that this is a love drama, perhaps those intending to watch Nagi no asukara should decide on a pairing they like in the beginning and then watch to the end to see if that pairing comes to fruition. The character's relationships are exceedingly complicated and things might not just turn out they way that they appear to. The suspense and surprise is exciting, you should try it.

Animation:
I don’t have much to say about the visuals. Just know that the animation of this show is one of the best I have seen. The characters look splendid, especially the eyes that are unique to anime. The scenery was truly beautiful and fairytale-like. The art of the sea and the underwater village is particularly pleasing to look at.

Sound:
I am not much of a music person, I usually skip the OP and ED of shows to watch the content :p but the ending theme of the first half was soothing to listen to.

Enjoyment:
The show was definitely an enjoyable experience. I found myself enthralled by the dynamics of character relationships and development that I finished it within a short span of three days. The characters appeared so lifelike, the plot so compelling that I always had to know what happened next. And the intriguing previews didn’t hurt either. However, that is not to say the show did not have its flaws. I suppose a potential issue that viewers might have would be the airy fairy depiction of love. It would seem a bit ridiculous that a childhood crush could last for several years. Or that love was always merely described as only an emotion akin to a passing crush. Another flaw could perhaps be the repetitiveness near the end. I had binge watched the series so it had gotten slightly repetitive when the characters deal with the same emotions over and over again. But those who watch the episodes in moderation should be fine. Other than these, I don’t recall anything else that might ruin the enjoyment for viewers.

Overall:
Nagi no asukara has made in to my list of favorites and will be one of those shows that I will definitely remember after a while, unlike those that fade into the sea of generic anime. Those searching for something intriguing, something that evokes feelings of the viewer and a satisfying conclusion, you have found a potentially enjoyable experience. I know I have.

I didn't really have any expectations to go with the series and I actually really enjoyed it from the get go, a story about a community living underwater being normal and go on land to attend a school and the rivalry turned into a good watch.. Although the ending isn't what I was expecting and even got confused at some parts I'd still watch it again..

Story 10/10: I thoroughly enjoyed the story from beginning to the end with 4 main characters joining a new school where they're basically outcasts to a certain range.. They make friends and even enemies and it all turns out for ... the best. There are a few problems I'd like to clear up and the main one is.. The 'love' in this series was terrible... They made to many people lovey dovey, I swear it was always "This character is going to love this character BUT this character is going to love this other character" and I kind of got sick and tired of it until the end where it kind of got straightened out abit. (Still really pissed there was no kiss scene or anything romantic at all... >.>) The story was well laid out and gave me a new kind of anime to watch that I've never seen before and I really enjoyed it

Art 10/10: I don't think I've ever seen an anime so sparkly and shiny all the time.. I'm not that big on the art style of anime consider I only watch one 'type' of anime and it's these kinds but the art for this looked really good!

Sound 8/10: I'm not that big on sound so I don't really have anything to comment.

Character 9/10: Even though most of the characters would fall for someone who didn't like them in that way and it really annoyed me.. I like how the characters progressed from these children and became more responsible that petty rivalry between sea people and surfacers. I didn't really enjoy the love square they had going with Hikari, Manaka, Chisaki and Tsumugu. If Tsumugu and Manaka would of ended up together I would of been disappointed in the whole thing.. Even though I kinda do ship Hikari and Chisaki, I still would rather Hikari and Manaka together!

Enjoyment 10/10: Really enjoyed the watch and would recommended it to anyone looking for a slow paced love square which will infuriate you at some times aswell...

Overall: Do not go into this looking for alot of romantic parts like other animes like Maid Sama and other types like those. I kinda think this anime was targeted for a younger audience range now (Oh well!)...

Nagi no Asukara is a series that pushes your imagination with fantasy and supernatural plotlines, but keeps you rooted in reality through its impressive cast and character development. Furthermore, this series is extremely unpredictable because the characters undergo tremendous development that completely changes the way they think and love.

The story takes place in an underwater city and centers around a group of 4 kids. After the underwater school closes down, the kids are forced to go to school on the surface, where they meet new people that change their lives forever.

Story 7/10
I love fantasy storylines, as long as they're not too farfetched. Surprisingly, the whole ... concept of sea dwellers living in the ocean doesn't feel strange because the characters move, think, and feel like any other characters on land. The story has several subplots that revolve around the Sea God's will against humanity. The story can be extremely slow at certain parts, but ramps up speed at an alarming rate. Since there are essentially 5 main characters and 2 added main characters later on, it can be frustrating when the character(s) you want to see get less screen time in various episodes.

Art and Sound 10/10
The art and oceanic feel push the boundaries of anime animation. The attention to detail and focus on creating a nostalgic feeling of change are so powerful in this series. The parallel between the surface and the sea is brought to life through this impressive display of art and sound production.

Character 10/10
The character development is the heart of this series. There are 5 main characters and 2 characters become major characters later on. There's so much going on with each character and their thoughts and emotions are developed immensely as the story progresses. From love pentagons to accepting change, you're taken through the struggles of each character, and its amazing to see how realistic the characters become in this supernatural series.

Enjoyment 7/10
This series has its ups and downs. Throughout the story, there is a somber and nostalgic feel that sometimes makes the series seem slow and difficult to watch. At other times, the series speeds up and the episodes fly by. It felt as though some of the plotlines dragged on for a long time, and the series really takes its time when it wants to.

Overall 8/10
This is a great series to watch if you like unpredictable love pentagons and don't mind a slowly progressive storyline. The visuals and artwork make this at least worth trying out a few episodes.