Nagi no Asukara Episode 14 Discussion

Meldoy said:
So they're gonna go with the Hikari x Miuna, Sayu x Kaname and Chisaki x Tsumugu pairings now, I think.

Manaka's still in the OP though, maybe she'll come back?!

Meldoy said:
So they're gonna go with the Hikari x Miuna, Sayu x Kaname and Chisaki x Tsumugu pairings now, I think.

Manaka's still in the OP though, maybe she'll come back?!

jugann said:
but Is Chisaki still hung up over Hikari?

Shadowwolfcat said:
So far, this has been one of the best episodes in this anime. THERE IS SO MUCH TO LOVE ABOUT IT! X3

1. Perfect build of pace.

The episode started with a very slow speed, perfect for one which needs to recap sadness and tragedy over the years. The tension gradually built up to the point of the confession where Miuna reveals to the viewers her pure emotion concerning her feelings even without the use of words and then exploded with the event of the resurfacing of Hikari, which was a perfect piece of animation.


2. The actual development of the characters is shown to the viewer.

We don't just get an "Oh, well, ya see, they all got bigger and more mature". No, we see all of the characters moving on in greater detail.

Akari's part is the one, which probably touched me the most. Her heart was one of the two I consider the most broken (hers and Chisaki's). She lost her family and home, just like Chisaki, however, she was an adult and couldn't take advantage of the instant break-down a child is allowed. As a grown-up, she had to pull herself together on the spot. In the scene when she is shown to have regained consciousness, her soul is obviously going to be just as troubled and in just as much pain as Chisaki's, but rather than cry or stay silent, she takes responsibility and offers the girl a place to stay. Talk about being truly mature. But if they had left it just at that, it wouldn't have meant much for her development, HOWEVER, when she reacts to finding out she's pregnant, we see all that pain she kept inside just come out. Her insecurity, unease and sorrow come down on her. Most mothers would have an abortion and Akari obviously had that intention, yet Miuna came to the rescue at that one moment and reassured Akari to have the child and with that, to also live on. And really, think of all the problems she'd have with raising the child. Despite having a husband and a helping hand from her daughter, a mother is expected to always be happy, smiling, helpful and caring, which I do not doubt was hard to do when you lost your homeland, brother, father and friends from the sea.

I get why people still dislike Chisaki, but I think they should lay off for awhile. Alright, yes, it bothers me when we have a character who seems to get all of the characters from the opposite gender as if it was a harem. She was in love with Hikari, but Kaname loved her and she had good interactions with Tsumugu, not to mention other boys from her class liked and harassed her. Yes, she is that type of character. However, unlike some characters of that kind, she isn't mindless or stupid. She went through so much pain at that early age, 14. The time between 11 and 18/20 is pretty unstable for everyone, with puberty and all that emotional and hormonal surge going on. This being said, losing your family, your friends and your home, in other words EVERYTHING, at that age or at any age really, would be an utter disaster for any person. So, haters, you can hate, but don't be too cruel, because the girl seriously had it hard from the beginning.

I like her and Tsumugu's relationship =3 This is the kind of relationship we all know exists, but is rarely displayed in an anime, unless it's the main focus of the story and always quickly turns into true pure-heart love or something our of comedy. This is the "forcefully accepted relationship", but it's a specific case. I actually haven't seen an anime with this kind of relationship. Most times it's some emperor/king/lord/w/e getting a bride/wife/lover by force or duty and they quickly find out they love each other. When it comes to Tsumugu and Chisaki, the both of them never wanted to live together before the accident, they were just friends with no love interest whatsoever and they didn't have that much in common in the first place, however, the CIRCUMSTANCES lead to them living together under the same roof, where they mutually accepted everything. They were forced by the situation to come together and, rather than deny this, they simply accepted it and decided to live on. This reminds me of an arranged marriage, where the two people didn't know each other beforehand, they don't have pure love burning, but they accept to live and be together, which eventually lead them to finding some good traits about the other and find a reason why they should love them. I actually see Tsumugu as the responsible husband, who doesn't say much, is reserved, calm, steady and knowledgeable and will do all he can to maintain harmony in his home. His feelings for Chisaki I see develop in the before-mentioned manner. He didn't have any feelings for her at first, just being friendly. Then he felt guilt and sadness after the incident and when seeing how broken she was. Afterwards he discovers feeling happy when seeing her smile and get herself back on her feet. When the accident with his grandfather happens, he starts feeling responsible, like, he's the one who has to take care of the family now. Oh, and he also realizes what it means to have a family. Finally, he's warmed up to Chisaki, probably seeing her as a love-interest, but he discarded the option of confessing anything he felt or even touching the topic, because he knows she loves another. Again, responsible husband behavior. He knows she loves Hikari, but doesn't try persuading her to forget, because he understands her pain. Talking with her briefly and asking if she'd go to the Tomoehiki (?) shows his concern and care for her, but he doesn't try to bother her when she says she wouldn't go, because he knows it's best to give her time to get over it.
I really think that this couple should stay and work out. It would show the audience that even if you date/marry someone you barely know or have little interest in, it's possible for it to work out. Two lonely hearts are best together, because they can keep each other warm =3


Concerning Miuna, well, the episode said it all, since she was more or less the main focus of it. Helping your mother and impossible feelings. All parts of growing up. She's gotten mature, I admit. I'll be interested in seeing how she realizes how much she herself has changed. It's a big leap between those two ages, most memories are vague and it would be wonderful if they show her inner turmoil with remembering and dealing with the fact that she is a different person.


3. Soundtrack, OP, Ending Theme

AMAZING. The Opening and Ending themes were just perfect for the melancholia that is going to be overwhelming this coming season.

I really liked the paper airplane bit.
Leading bright blue- Hikari
Purple at the back- Tsumugu
Light Green(?) at the farthest back -Kaname
Pink- Chisaki
Yellow - Miuna
Orange (?) next to yellow - Sau
Pure white, but was in the shot before the main 6 - Manaka

I love those little details of symbolism <3

Meldoy said:
So they're gonna go with the Hikari x Miuna, Sayu x Kaname and Chisaki x Tsumugu pairings now, I think.

Shadowwolfcat said:
but he discarded the option of confessing anything he felt or even touching the topic, because he knows she loves another. Again, responsible husband behavior. He knows she loves Hikari