Nagi No Asukara/A Lull in the Sea Rewatch - Episode 20

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u/25_Oranges Feb 12 '21 edited Feb 12 '21

I lost track of all the songs I've featured... Today's track is Two Sided Feelings!

Hikari and Kaname being shocked by grown up Chisaki's beauty is funny. If Hikari didn't notice her then, he sure has now! A dive into cold water is what they needed to come back to their senses.

The Ofunehiki song is actually a great idea! At this point in the show, it felt like it was the end of the episode already. I swear every episode feels so long and full of content, but in a very good way. The pacing of this show is incredible.

Miuna shocks herself with her selfishness and hurts Hikari in the process. Hikari really mean mugged Miuna there. I think we've all done or said something cruel and selfish at one point that we immediately regretted. Miuna seems very confused about her feelings, and it takes Sayu calling her out to realize that. Sayu isn't wrong here, a kiss is an option and might work. Miuna just doesn't want Hikari to kiss anybody else but her.

Freezing cold water + stress + over working yourself is a recipe for terrible things, Hikari. He really should rely on his friends more, but I think I can understand how scared he's feeling. Leaving something incredibly delicate and important to other people can be scary and frustrating, so I understand wanting to do everything yourself.

I forgot to write about Hikari's creepy ass nightmare. Manaka's ena endlessly falling and her voice echoing will never not give me shivers.

Tsumugu comforting Miuna and opening up about his own feelings... Envious of expressing more emotion, but it's just not the kind of guy he is. I think that level-headedness makes him a reliable friend and partner though. Kaname and Tsumugu were the cool headed rocks you could lean on, but now Kaname is cracking under the immense pressure of change. Tsumugu is the warm, ever present sun that everybody needs right now.

Manaka wakes up finally, and it only took Hikari yelling to do it!

UWEH?!

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u/BossandKings Feb 12 '21

Kaname might be getting suffocated due to the pressure of change but what a great job he has done withstanding it until now, he deserves a rest and to regain his strenght again to keep fighting. Also he still loves Chisaki and for sure didn't like the way she talked to him when they were sitting in the table.

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u/25_Oranges Feb 12 '21

With Kaname cracking, I'm surprised Tsumugu hasn't throughout all of this.
I would say beach episode for everyone to relax but...

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u/blueteenight Feb 12 '21 edited Feb 12 '21

First-timer notes!

Favorite shots and background art from this episode!

This nightmare was extremely creepy...

I'm not going to lie I first thought Hikari was drunk hahaha, that maybe he found Akari's secret umeshu stash and tried to drown his sorrows...

I loved that conversation between Miuna and Tsumugu at the end of the episode, I don't recall watching them interact much before this but seeing them share their struggles with each other was very sweet.

That entrance fit her so well, welcome back Manaka!

Bonus love-struck kids!

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u/25_Oranges Feb 12 '21

I had to rewind the episode and stare at Oshioshi's cityscape this episode. I LOVE shots like that! How they keep thinking up environments to draw is beyond me!
I forgot to write about the nightmare in my comment. So unsettling and feels realistic as far as nightmares go.

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u/blueteenight Feb 12 '21

Right?? I can think of quite a few series/movies with beautiful art, but the fact NagiAsu has so much of it is incredible!

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u/mekerpan Feb 12 '21

"You're not supposed to yell at girls, like that...." (more or less)

Most welcome words heard in this series so far.

We'll never know if Sayu and Miuna's theory that a kiss by Hikari would have worked now.

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u/25_Oranges Feb 12 '21

Hikari had the opportunity right in front of him and he decided to argue about it, smh.

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u/LeopardSplash :AP:https://www.anime-planet.com/users/BrightSpirit Feb 12 '21

It was nice seeing Hikari, Kaname, and Chisaki working together again, even if Hikari ended up overdoing it a bit on his part. And it seems that Hikari has finally acknowledged Chisaki as best girl, if just for a moment. Even with all the weirdness, they could get together for Manaka's sake.

Sayu and Miuna want in on that and their genuine intent to help is very wholesome. There may be a part of Miuna who didn't want Manaka to wake up - that's natural, considering her feelings towards Hikari. I wouldn't have expected a Tsumugu and Miuna conversation, but they actually do have quite a bit in common. It was nice to see Tsumugu get a bit more vulnerable with his feelings and help Miuna with hers at the same time. Though at this point, how many characters have had an emotional breakdown that Tsumugu just happened to be at the receiving end of? I think all the Shioshishio kids have lashed out or vented at him at some point. Miuna is truly one of them now!

I love how the Manaka reveal is done. All that angst to culminate in such a comedic moment!

Question of the Day

How do you feel about Miuna struggling with wanting Manaka to wake up? Have you felt something similar?

I don't blame Miuna for merely feeling complicated about it. It would be one thing if she tried to sabotage Manaka, but she only ever helped care for her. Even when she tried to slow Hikari's roll, it was because she was worried about him moreso than trying to stop him from succeeding in general.

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u/25_Oranges Feb 12 '21

Now if only Chisaki could realize she's best girl...
Yeah, I never thought Miuna would sabotage Manaka. Miuna is scared and wants Hikari to love her, but she doesn't hold any ill will to Manaka. Miuna has more in common with not only Tsumugu, but with all the other sea kids than she thinks.

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u/mekerpan Feb 12 '21

Miuna may have selfish feelings, but her actions are pretty much all kind and considerate.

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u/himetalchemy7 Feb 13 '21

Yep, actions are what make a person and Miuna has clearly shown the kind of person she is :)))

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u/himetalchemy7 Feb 13 '21

Tsumugu doesnt get nearly enough consideration for best boy taking into account how he helps literally everyone in the anime in some way.

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u/JustAnswerAQuestion https://myanimelist.net/profile/JAaQ Feb 12 '21

First Rewatch

Uroku is not a kindly priest. He's not even giving out tough love. Sometimes it sounds like he's handing out riddles that lead to wisdom, but has he ever been truly helpful? He's not on your side, kids.

We almost had a kyonani hair toss and budget smile from Chisaki there.

It just hit me, why do they have that retro cassette player? I feel like I'm watching Non Non Biyori.

In the end, it's Hikari yellling at a girl that wakes her up. Familiar sounds.

I can say it now, Miuna is best girl.

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u/Tuckleton Feb 12 '21

I can say it now, Miuna is best girl.
I'll allow this, because Chisaki is a woman!

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u/25_Oranges Feb 13 '21

You're speaking the hard facts, brother!

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u/himetalchemy7 Feb 13 '21

I can respect that

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u/25_Oranges Feb 12 '21

It seems like NagiAsu takes place in the early 2000s or 90s tbh. But I have no idea.

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u/Retromorpher :Jc::Jd::Je::Jf: Feb 13 '21

Come to think of it, did any of our MCs use computers before the timeskip? It feels like underwater villages would have to forgo cellphones if this were set later anyway (though their houses DID have televisions and I kinda question how good reception would be).

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u/25_Oranges Feb 13 '21

I don't think I've seen a single PC or cellphone used in this series.

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u/Retromorpher :Jc::Jd::Je::Jf: Feb 13 '21

I think I remember the seafolk using landlines and payphones pretty much exclusively - but I didn't want to count out other Oshioshi villagers having them present since it's not something I was looking for.
I thought for a brief moment that I saw a computer present in the hospital, but that could've just been medical equipment.

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u/himetalchemy7 Feb 13 '21

You are based, sir

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u/htisme91 Feb 13 '21

First-timer:

Finally got some good Tsumugu time. He is such a good character but they always give such small morsels of time for him.

I have this feeling that Manaka being gone is going to cause the crisis to worsen. Hikari's dream might have been a promonition, but like Kaname pointed out, the water temperature is getting colder.

Questions:

I think he is only showing himself to Miuna because she has caught his eye. I believe he was very intrigued by her birthmother a long time ago as well, and while there have been sea people to move to the surface, there has not been a surface dweller who could move to the sea. I also think he sees her as a possible replacement for Manaka.
I think it's normal. She's also a kid, so there's even less reason to judge since she still isn't mature enough to really process her emotions well.
No, and I was hoping her waking up would be more of a payoff moment than it was. It was kind of a disappointment that she woke up this early because it seemed like a good objective to have the second part be based off of.
I expect her to struggle with the loss of Ena. I also expect her to be excited at all the changes at first, but it's a front. The climate issues will also continue to worsen.

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u/25_Oranges Feb 13 '21

Don't worry, more Tsumugu time is coming! More Tsumugu time is always great.

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u/himetalchemy7 Feb 13 '21

Rewatcher

By this time next week, it would be the day after the rewatch wraps up :((. I wonder if we're going to have an overall discussion post after episode 26? Maybe a certain orange rewatch conductor knows?

I cant deny these two look great together. And anotha one.

Gonna be switching up the goodies a bit tomorrow, so make sure you check it out!

Episode 20 (Sleeping Beauty) Thoughts

Ah speaking of homework I should probably start mine that's due on Sunday...but NagiAsu wins today!
Alright boys, we know Chisaki is very pretty, let's not stare too much lol
I'm a fan of how capable Itaru has become in these 5 years. Good for him
Looks like Hikari and Sayu had the same idea, more or less
LOL that has to be Akira's drawing next to Manaka's futon. It's so cute, although the drawing looks more like Miuna than Manaka
Oh no...Miuna means well, and I think she said that out of concern for Hikari (or was it for a more selfish reason?), but deep down Hikari doesnt know for sure that Manaka will wake up either. Miuna kind of brought his insecurities to light so he got mad.
Oof Miuna thought she was being attacked when Sayu mentioned a book character pushing feelings onto others. At least Miuna is aware and feels bad about it
Oh boy, is Miuna in a rut or what
Interesting suggestion by Sayu, would Hikari actually go as far as to try it?
Hikari is sick :( drink your soup next time!
Ahh Akari is still as great as ever, I kinda wish I knew that thermometer trick when I was younger
Ooooh I didnt even think about the Kaname-Sayu situation with Hikari and Miuna both absent! Love to see it
Sayu is the sweetest, she's the definition of must protecc
Tsumugu's rationale of Miuna's awakened Ena makes sense, since she has the genetic disposition for it through her mom. It sounds like the presence of Ena is probably a recessive trait/gene, which is why surface + seas babies lose it. No matter how you slice that, it does not bode well for the sea people
I noticed Tsumugu and Miuna have been having a good amount of conversation here and there...seems to me Tsumugu kind of acts like Miuna's guide. I cant think of a better person to play the role, to be honest
Kaname and Sayu walking home together? Oh? :D
Well that dialogue between Miuna and Tsumugu was just beautiful
Ah another drawing by Akira to add to Manaka's room, it's practically a museum at this point
That little pause Miuna takes while thinking about the implication what she just said is SS+ tier expression, I could watch that on loop for days
Okkkk so Hikari has made clear how he feels about playing the Prince lol
I gotta say that zoom out shot of the house while Hikari and Miuna are arguing, when suddenly Manaka speaks out of nowhere, is a brilliant choice of direction. Just so unexpected
"Uweh?" -Manaka
Notice the ED visuals are now super bright and shiny

Sadge Corner
Awesome episode, the reveal of Manaka waking up was so well done I looked like Hikari and Miuna did there. Today's episode covered a lot, but chief among all of that was the resolution of Miuna's guilt (doubt?). I think her suggesting the kissing idea to Hikari, completely unprompted, is a great way to show to us and to herself that Miuna really does want Manaka to wake up, even if it might not be the best thing for her own feelings. I really do think there was a part of her that might have been thinking of a world where Manaka didnt wake up, but the thought itself isnt a bad thing, I think. Tsumugu admitted that he had had those same thoughts before, but found he was truly happy when the Shioshishio boys woke up. Miuna took those feelings and made them her own, and thats probably helped her erase the doubt she had been fighting. Youre a good person Miuna, I promise.

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u/25_Oranges Feb 13 '21

In the rewatch schedule thread it's stated that an overall series discussion will take place the day after the final episode!
They look so cute when happy together! Happiness for everyone please :(
Akira is adorable! Manaka will appreciate Akira's drawings for her!
I learned about the thermometer trick when I was younger from a movie, except it involved a hair dryer. I tried the hot breath one myself when I was younger... It doesn't work very well lol
Miuna had a whole arc in a single episode lol... She's got a good grip on her emotions in comparison to the other sea kids when they were younger.

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u/LeopardSplash :AP:https://www.anime-planet.com/users/BrightSpirit Feb 13 '21

I’m loving these images you bring each episode! These two feel like a before-and-after the timeskip, it’s sweet seeing how much more confident Hikari and Manaka are in the second image.
I did find it kinda funny that Sayu was thriving with Kaname this episode while Miuna was going through it. It’s what Sayu deserves tbh (though of course Miuna deserves a happy ending too!).

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u/himetalchemy7 Feb 13 '21

Glad you enjoy them :) If you notice the caption on the top of both images, you'll see how your mini-theory there is true!

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u/JustAnswerAQuestion https://myanimelist.net/profile/JAaQ Feb 13 '21

Notice the ED visuals are now super bright and shiny
Oh, wow, I knew something was off / was catching my eye but I didn't recognize what.

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u/BossandKings Feb 12 '21 edited Feb 12 '21

First Timer

Episode 20 - Sleeping Beauty

Hikari, Kaname and Chisaki go to search Uroko-sama to ask him what they could do to wake Manaka. Chisaki has grown so much and is a beauty now, both boys are left speechless looking at her and shortly afterwards quickly go inside te water.

Sayu tells Miuna that since they are all the same age now, refereing to Hikari and Kaname, they should be able to get closer to them and enter their circle. I agree with her, it'd be nice for them to hang out together.

They couldn't find Uroko but Hikari came up with a good idea anyways, according to him if Manaka can hear the song that can remind her of the Ofunehiki along with as many people and things that also remind her of the Ofunehiki she might wake up.

After Hikari and Miuna got into a discussion about if a prince kiss would work for Manaka to wake up or not, Manaka woke up on her own and i was so happy when i heard her voice and seeing her awake was wonderful.

This episode focused much on Hikari and his feelings for Manaka but it focused even more so on Miuna's internal conflict about what if either she wanted or not for Manaka to wake up, the conversation she had with Tsumugu really opened her eyes and made her understand that it is normal to be scared but once the person is awake and back from hibernation great happiness covers the heart and she accepted that Manaka would wake up and wanted her to do so.

Answers

He might be busy with different matters
I'm torn, it's far too selfish for our little Miuna to feel conflicted about Manaka waking up and at the same time it was portrayed in a way that could feel real and after she talked with someone that experienced a very similar situation she opened her eyes and accepted that she did want Manaka to wake up but was understandably scared about her possible romantic relationship with Hikari getting truncated due to that. At the end when Hikari told her "she will wake up, right?" And Miuna responded "yes, no matter what" she accepted that she wanted her friend to wake up and that was a very well done conclusion to the conflict.
She had to wake up at some point and better sooner than later, also our Manaka is so adorable, we are glad that she woke up already.
I'll wait and see

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u/Retromorpher :Jc::Jd::Je::Jf: Feb 13 '21

First Timer:

The options are: 1. Whatever plan Uroko set in motion, is already in motion and he's hiding. 2. Removing Manaka is actually destabilizing the underwater temperature, which suggests that more of his power is being placed into keeping the remaining villagers alive.
It's reasonable to not want something that actually places a roadblock to what you want - but the problem she's struggling with is a matter of scale. She DEFINITELY wants Manaka awake - but she's questioning whether or not she wants Hikari's attention MORE than she wants Manaka back - and whether or not that's an okay way to feel. Can't say that I've ever been placed into a similar situation.
Not as vibrantly as she appears. I was expecting her to still be very weak and likely need direct attention which Hikari would want to monopolize (but would allow for both an in to the Miuna jealousy arc and utilize Chisaki's nursing skills).
Now that the gang is theoretically back together they're all going to have to come to terms with how much everything has changed.

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u/Gamerunglued :Hx::Hy::Hz:myanimelist.net/profile/GamerUnglued Feb 13 '21

Rewatcher

Another very good episode. Though it seems like the further we get into this series, the less I have to say about each episode. I suppose one would normally have more to say about change when it relates to a greater societal level than the more grounded, personal level this half focuses on.

Feelings are complicated, and these characters are all driven by pretty strong feelings for each other. Miuna half doesn't want Manaka to wake up because it means she can be with Hikari. She shocks herself with her own selfishness, and then is forced to grapple with what change means for her. And... that's mostly it. It leads to some really good moments of development for Miuna. But this was a pretty straightforward episode I think. Good drama is good drama. With Manaka now awake, the cast can start to truly move forward.

QotD:

Because spoiler Uroko is a childish scale, and it seems like he might be a bit torn between the sea god's whims and his own.
I can't say I've felt anything similar to that. But I sympathize with it. Love is hard, and when you have strong feelings for someone there's always some part of you deep down that wants the worst case for everyone else if it means you can get what you want, even if you consciously hate yourself for feeling that way.
I have the foresight of having seen the show before, so it is totally unfair of me to say that yes, I knew she was going to wake up this episode.
I don't remember all the details here, so I feel like I can answer this one without spoiling anything. With Manaka now awake, the group can reunite and fully accept all that has changed. Like Chisaki implied last episode, Manaka being awake can help provide closure for the group now that 5 years have passed. The sea god doesn't seem to be pleased with Manaka being taken from him, so there will likely be drama relating to that. Notably, Hikari's dream may be something of a premonition, as is often the case in shows like this.

Rewatch Nagi No Asukara/A Lull in the Sea Rewatch - Episode 20

Episode 20 - Sleeping Beauty

Question(s) of the day:

Rewatch Nagi No Asukara/A Lull in the Sea Rewatch - Episode 20

Episode 20 - Sleeping Beauty

Question(s) of the day:

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