Story - 9: The story is inovative and brilliant. The connection made between humans and nature is something we tend to forget this days, but the autor made it so passionate that is impossible to not relate. I mean, I want an Ena now! The conflict presented on the anime is also something to relate: people of the sea are getting sort of extinct, working to protect their home, and people of the land underrating tradition, nature and gods. In our reality, almost all humanity has become "people of the land". Nagi shows how a few kids with really strong feelings can change the faith of a whole race: they made what every grown up couldn't or was too stuborn to do, they fixed the relationship between nature and human, the land and the sea, just for love.
Art - 10: simply one of the most beautiful anime I've ever seen. Shioshishio is amazingly well drawn, the characters as well. Everything in the anime moves like the see, gracefully. I fell in love with Nagi's art, it was actually why I decided to watch it in the first place.
Sound - 8: I didn't like a loooot of the opening, I just liked it, but the ending was really strong. But what was the most beautiful, was the sounds of the sea, the shells crumbling with the drift; the sound track was pretty good. I don't pay much attention to sounds, I confess, so I wouldn't trust me so much in this one :D
Characters - 9: CONTAINS A BIT OF SPOILERS. Even though I hate Manaka e find her extremely annoying, all the characters construction was good, they were all very consistent and their developments and changes as well. They were all hard working, intense (except for Manaka) and heartwarming. Hikari overcame his childish ways to deal with things, he grew up a lot and it was fun to see him trying really hard to admit his feelings. I find Manaka annoying, bland, a 5 year old with a body of a 14 year old, although she got a little better in the end. But that's just me. Chisaki was so empathic it made me angry, but I think she learned a lot after having to live with Tsugumu, without the others, I mean, being excluded and growing up all alone. It must've been really hard on her, specially giving up on her love for Hikari, which was the only thing that held her with the others and the sea. Miuna was just the most freaking awesome girl in that anime. She was really strong and mature, even as a child. Her relationship with Akari was inspiring, and the way she delt with Hikari after he woke up all freaked out, working so hard to make him feel better was just amazing to see. Kaname and Tsugumu are awesome as well. Kaname was the only one who as able to deal with the fact that the one he loved, loved someone else, I mean, he gave up and started seeing Sayu, giving her a chance. THING THAT NO ONE ELSE DID. Tsugumu was so charming, racional and determined, I can't even. Please. Sayu was the one who didn't call my attenttion that much, she was ok, nothing special. But I really liked her determination towards Kaname, even though she was really scared. The secondary characters are all good, Akira was awesome. And Akari was really brave, passionate and sweet.
Enjoyment - 8: I was loving everything so much until the end. I didn't like the end for obvious reasons. Also, it ended and I was like "ok, but what about that and that and that THERE'S STUFF MISSING". But all the anime made me happy, I cheered a lot, cried and laughed. I shipped like I never did before. It's a love story with a lot of strenght, which is unusuall. I specially enjoyed the way they put the love in the center without leaving the background story fade away, they merged both into one in an excellent way.
Overall - 9: It was a pretty great experience. There's not much to say without giving a lot of spoilers so, if you didn't watch, watch it, it's totally worth it, specially if you are a soft heart like me.
PS: English is not my first language, sorry for any mistakes. And it's my first review, I'm a noob, please don't hate me .-. And critics are really aprecciated, I want to write better reviews :D
