chaya64 - 2014-06-18 02:20:23

landfish swimming in a tree said the old man as he reached for the hourglass on the floor.

kmueller - 2014-06-12 05:37:01

First Impressions

When I first saw this I thought it was going to be rather dull, but boy was I wrong. The first episode was a little slow, but appropriate for the development. I thought the characters were a little too at ease with no real goal, besides their problem with people from the surface. ______________________________________________________________________________

Plot 5/5

The story of Nagi no Asukara is basically this conflict between the people of the sea and the people of the surface. The two constantly argue over everything with huge distrust towards people of the other side. Our protagonist Hikari struggles as he finds himself in the middle of this argument. This conflict later bears pains that create problems for both sides and Hikari with his friends must find a way out of it.

The show really is set in a tone that is both serious and at ease at times, both caused by the emotional dramas between character relationships. This is by no means an original plot, but the story itself is enough to really give the show it's own life and personality.

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Action 4/5

The action of this show was fairly slow. The only real form of action in the show is through drama between characters. But about midway through the anime something happens that adds so much action that it really makes up for the lack of action in the beginning. I thought that the action in the end was again a bit slow with the wrapping up of the story, but nonetheless the action was enough for me to watch till the very end. ______________________________________________________________________________

Pacing 3/5

The pacing of the show was quite nice. Though there were parts I thought were slow, I enjoyed it. The slow pacing really was intended for a show like this, it gave enough screen time for characters and really made for some nice lead-ups. The slow pacing added this extra suspense to when there was a huge plot twist and really complimented the action/drama of the show. The only solid problem with the pacing was the time-skip in the middle of the series. I felt that it really did change the sort of drama and tone to the show, and presented itself with some new changes. The changes between the skip were quick, and the show didn't spend much time developing the changes after the skip, which is a bit confusing and hard to follow for the next few episodes. As it has to retell and recap what happened between the change.

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Characters 4/5

The characters were well developed. The main character Hikari had a deep personality and a strong thought that really went well with the anime. The main supporting characters were well thought out and were interesting to watch because each character has such a different view point on things that it really adds to the story. Manaka and Kaname were one of the most developed and had very different personalities. Kaname was always subtle and quiet. Manaka was always kind and had this cute appeal to her. Tsugumu was a bit of a smart-alec and didn't talk much throughout the series until the end. Chisaki was just a supporting character that united the group. ______________________________________________________________________________

Animations 5/5

The animations were excellent in this. I thought the scenic backgrounds and artworks were the highlights of the show. It had this special kind of abstract style to the artworks. They were just beautiful. The animations with the artworks were nice, they had smooth transitions and had some nice angle vantage points in which changed the perspective of the scenery.

Drawback

There was one sort of problem that the show managed to neglect at the end. With the show being composed of mainly relationship problems and drama from the hibernation and time-lapse. At the end everyone ended up with someone else, either indirectly or directly this was the case.

Hikari had Manaka

Chisaki had Tsumugu

Kaname had Sayu

Everyone's happy right?

Well, no. Somehow the show just managed to have these perfect relationships until you take a look at Miuna. At the end, she just had to bare with the fact that Hikari was gone, and so she moved on in a happy sort of ending. Sure there had to be someone who had to be cut out of this, but I feel that, that wasn't the way to end it.

I mean for a show to primarily focus on character development, relationships, and drama from those things. You would expect some near perfect relationships, instead of just having one character stop caring about things like this.

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Total: 21/25 ______________________________________________________________________________ Personal thoughts

This show was visually stunning and had a nice plot with solid characters. In short I thought this was a pleasant show that carried it's uniqueness through it's artworks and character relations. The only thing that I had a problem with was Chisaki ending up with Tsumugu, and Miuna not getting someone, but that's my opinion. Aside from that I thought it was enjoyable and is something that should be watched either for the drama and plot, or for the amazing scenery and backgrounds.

klangosh - 2014-04-21 02:06:34

jgleichner - 2014-04-04 21:35:41

isai36 - 2014-04-04 18:16:31

Nagi no Asukara is the best drama to come around in years, and comes very close to a perfect rating.

It expresses its themes and messages perfectly through an intriguing setting, well-rounded characters and a complex love dodecahedron that is used more to push character development than to annoy and frustrate the audience, as is usually the case. It has been an intense emotional rollercoaster ride for the past six months and it succeeds on almost every level.

Brought to us by PA Works and as anyone will tell you, the show is fucking beautiful. So much lush detail in both the character models and the backgrounds. The animation is fluid and impactful and feels almost cinematic. In fact, you could probably put this in a cinema and it would look better than some high-budget anime films. Off-model shot are nigh non-existent and the BD release will probably clean it up even more.

The score is masterful, from calm relaxing moments to sweeping emotional setpieces, everything fits perfectly. Both sets of OPs and EDs fit the moods of their respective cours and are great in their own right as well.

The characters start off rather basic but grow into more developed and interesting figures over time. Admittedly, this does have the side effect of making some the earlier drama feel a bit melodramatic and forced, but once you get to know these people you'll be hooked into an intense emotional experience you won't soon forget.

The only real complaints I have that keep it from reaching a perfect score, are thus:

1. The early episodes push the drama too heavily for characters you haven't gotten attached to yet.

2. The first half focused too much on one particular plotline when it could've been fleshing out the main cast earlier. So it feels like a bit of a missed opportunity.

3. It is open-ended and doesn't directly resolve everything, though the implications are crystal-clear. This doesn't bother me personally, but I know some will find it annoying.

This is story of a group of people that grow and change as they are forced to deal with painful experiences. It encompasses both the happy times and the stressful times in their lives and it was an absolute joy following them and this show for the past half a year. I cannot wait to do so again. I really was hoping this would be a perfect score, but what we got was stunningly fantastic.

I'll be adding this show to my personal pantheon of great anime.

Rewatch Value: Yes (Based on a Yes/Maybe/No scale)

grady.velda - 2014-03-28 14:52:10

The first thing to notice from this anime is it's beautiful animation. The second is the sound; gorgeous soundtracks. But the story itself is quite decent.. too much drama in some episodes, in my opinion. But still, I can't help myself but to follow it until the end because I'm still curious about the story. Some characters are really admirable, and some others are just really annoying. But the character development is good in this anime. Still, somehow, worth your time, if you don't mind the drama.

huels.juvenal - 2014-02-01 21:32:55

With strong lead actors, a unique plotline, and dazzling animation, Nagi no Asukara stunned me. Starting out as a cute, middle-school drama, the story has progressed to a full-fledged drama. Everything about this show is amazing. The animation is visually appealing, the characters are fleshed out, if not a little shallow, and the story draws you in the moment you start watching. A great show for anime fans young and old, Nagi no Asukara should not be passed up.

jordyn33 - 2013-12-27 22:32:04

When I first decided to start watching Nagi no Asukara, I'll be honest, I wasn't expecting much. The only reason why I even started watching it in the first place was because the animation looked pretty. That was it. But now, I can say I am absolutely in love with this series and deem it as one of my favorite anime series of all time.

Story - 8

Nagi-Asu begins pretty simple. Four middle school friends—Manaka, Hikari, Chisaki, and Kaname—are sea people, meaning they live under the sea. They are able to breathe because the Sea God gave the people Ena, a sort of layer of skin that allows them to breathe underwater. The sea people look exactly like the surface people; the only differences are that the sea people's eyes are an awesome blue color and their skin (aka their Ena) sparkles in the sun.

The school of these four children closes (for what reason, I have no clue), and they have to go to the school above the surface. Now the sea people and the surface people have this sort of prejudice against each other (e.g. the sea people call the surface people pigs, the surface people call the sea people...well, fish). A good majority of the story is dedicated to this prejudice. We see the men of the sea and the land bicker. We see (oh my!) the taboo relationship between a sea person and a surface person. We see sea children having to adjust to life on land and attend school there. All that good stuff is here, and it's interesting to see how it plays out. You never quite know where it's going.

Nagi-Asu is infamous for its WILD love triangles (I'd say it's more of a love polygon though). One character is in love with another, but that character is in love with someone else, who is in love with someone else, etc—oooh boy, it's quite a ride. I'll say that, thankfully, the romance is pretty much resolved by the end of the series, so don't worry about it too much.

Initially, not much happens in terms of story. A lot of it is fluff, but important fluff. We see the characters' various personalities and how they connect to the other characters. As we grow to like these characters, that, my friends, is when the drama truly begins. By the midpoint of the series, a drastic situation is occurring that brings both races together to stop it. Without spoiling too much, the last half of Nagi-Asu revolves around the consequences of the event. I could never really tell where this series was going, and that kept me thoroughly entertained.

Animation - 9

The animation in Nagi is absolutely breathtaking. I love the backgrounds, the shading, the reflections, and how the sun's rays look. Everything is so detailed, so life-like—it's gorgeous! Like look at this picture:

I have no clue what the budget for this series was, but LORD HELP ME, P.A. Works has climbed the ranks of my favorite animation studios. Nagi-Asu is, hands down, one of the best-looking anime I have seen ever.

Sound - 8

The OST to Nagi-Asu is simply beautiful. Very much like the animation, the music is gorgeous and elegant. The songs vary in style, tone, and instruments. It's a treat to listen to. The opening songs are wonderful, as well. The first OP is optimistic and happy, like there is nothing to worry about. Then the second OP takes those happy feelings and cuts them. It's very melancholic, but also very hopeful. I especially like how the visuals change after some episodes.

The ending themes are both great. The first one is very foreboding and, er, creepy. Lots of symbolism to be found there, especially in the lyrics. I'll say that the second ED is the least memorable of all the songs, but it has a nice rhythm to it.

Character - 8

The character development in Nagi-Asu is stellar. We see an immature, rash kid become a wise, determined man. We see an annoying crybaby become something more. Honestly, I was very impressed. They matured naturally, and when the big climax of the show comes around in later episodes, you can see the striking contrast from the first episode.

Now, because these two characters have so much growth, they outshine the rest of the cast—for a while, at least. Chiaki and Kaname are both the nice, mature figures of the group, so they weren't all too interesting. However, in the last half they have interesting character arcs, which gives them that much needed development. Lastly, we have Tsumugu, the only one from the surface in the main cast. He is very similar to Chisaki and Kaname, although he is even more cool headed and mature. He often looks monotone, but you can tell there's more to him than being just a "cool" character (which you see).

There are multiple side characters, each of whom plays an important role in the story. There weren't any unnecessary characters and no one was particularly annoying. Most of the characters are pleasant, so it's great when they pop up now and then.

Enjoyment - 9

In the beginning, the anime is pretty slow-paced. Not a lot of drama is happening, and only some tween love triangle is going around. However, once the big conflict is revealed, a flood of dilemmas come crashing through and real-life worries are addressed. And the wonderful thing is, the problems just keep on getting bigger and bigger. Luckily for us, it is resolved with a perfect ending.

This was such a joy to watch. As I watched it weekly, it was painful to wait for the next episode to come out and see what happens next. When the main conflict comes crashing in, I promise you'll want to return to the slow, happy moments initially introduced in the show. The drama keeps you thoroughly entertained and intrigued. This is a beautiful show, no doubt about it.

Overall - 9

If you want to watch an anime with fantastic animation, character development, and a growing plot, Nagi-Asu is definitely the anime for you. It's been years since I've seen this series, but it still sticks with me. I treasure this show so much. I simply adore it.

I wasn't expecting that much from this series, but what I ended up getting was a pleasant surprise. I hope you have the same experience with it as I did.

hershel.mitchell - 2013-10-12 05:27:00

My first Impression of Nagi no Asukara was that the animation is beautiful. I know I should not be writing this in the review section, but the review below bothered me, as its quickly written off an anime, which is not bad and has little attention to begin with. I want to leave it with some good points.

P.A works animation skills definitely shows, as the background and design is done with detail and a sense of vibrancy from the bright colors. The fluency and brightness really contributes to the atmosphere of wonder and fantasy, linking to the plot of these sea people. I would say the animation for this anime is the best so far, from this season. It has a very good sense of light and shade and how it effects the mood. Its clean, crisp and simply gorgeous.

The story itself seems plain and a little under average, but I do have hope for more content and complexity from the later episodes. The first episode brought about various hints which eludes to multiple and possible plot lines coming up in the story, which I personally am fond of. I do believe the story does have more then sea person falls for land person and Sebastian the crab coming up and singing "Sha-la-lalalala my oh my~ You want to kiss the girl~". Knowing P.A works, I will not overdo romance and reduce it to that of a melodrama soap opera. They usually create wonderful romance such as Angel beats Hinata and Yui without the need for over complexity either. They know how to keep things sweet and touching, as well as bitter sweet, which I do suspect this anime will turn out to be. The simple detail, such as the thin sheet of silk like salt on their skin demonstrates that there is more to this then the simple description given in the description box. Overall, the story so far hangs at a 6 at the moment, due to its cliche polygon love. But I doubt P.A works will create it into more of a cliche.

The sound is rather forgettable, and recedes with much ease, that it usually goes unnoticed. It fits well with a slice of life genre, and is overall pleasant. However, because of this blandness and plain pleasantry, it allows the tone of the soundtrack to developed very smoothly into both romantic and bitter, as well as receding back into normal tone. The fluency and consistency of the soundtrack, along with the sound effects is where the main points are collected, rather than the likability of the soundtrack itself.

I'm very reluctant to score characters so early in a series. I would rather wait, til the end to see if any characters show character development which the anime series is already hinting, in both its Main hero and heroine. Hikari, the seemingly male lead is a male tsundere, the problem with this is the obvious low tolerance and dislike, most anime fans have for male tsunderes. He is rather rash and easily irritable, quick to get into a rage fit, but I do suspect that after the recent troubles occurring with his sister, he'll learn to become more tolerant himself and ease up a bit.

The main heroine Manaka, on the other hand, is a crybaby. She cries, every.single.time.there's a conflict. However, seeing as the series is starting to push her into a position where she can no longing find "protection" in her 3 friends, I hope to see resilience and a stronger spirit developing in her.

As for the other characters, The 5th character is the mysterious boy that Manaka has a crush on seems more boring to me, then he is interesting, but I am interesting in Akari, Hikaris sister and her battle. The other characters so far, are mediocre, such as the 2 other 'main' characters. Overall, all characters need a lot more density and depth. However, a character which can make me feel something, rather its irritation, or interest with importance in their role, is enough for me to give characters a mediocre, rather then poor.

As far as enjoyment goes, I love good animation and nice layout. The tempo and pace was neither slow or rushed, and the story leaves the characters with a lot of room for improvement and growth, which I'd love to see. The anime has a good sense of atmosphere and relevant setting, as well as, again, amazing background design and detail.

The average was a 6.8, so far, but overall, I'll give it a 7.

When the anime is complete, I'll come and edit this as a review, or just post a review, a porper one.

walter.kiera - 2013-10-05 06:10:13

I know it's always a bit cheap to write a review for the very first episode but from what I can see it's basically an underwater version of a certain anime airing last year.

Special power exclusive to one class of people? Check

Aforementioned power has serious conditions of usage? Check

Discrimination between each class? Check

Red hair, blue-eyed girl who causes trouble? Check

Overtones of sexuality (including lesbianism if you paid attention)? Check

Shinsekai Yori clone? CHECK.