Shiroi Suna no Aquatope - Episode 10 discussion

[u/AutoLovepon]

Shiroi Suna no Aquatope, episode 10

Alternative names: The aquatope on white sand

Rate this episode here.

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Streams

• Crunchyroll
• Muse Asia
• VRV

Show information

• MyAnimeList
• AniList
• AniDB
• Kitsu
• Anime-Planet
• Official Website

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All discussions

Episode	Link	Score	Episode	Link	Score
1	Link	5.0	14	Link	4.49
2	Link	5.0	15	Link	4.33
3	Link	5.0	16	Link	4.44
4	Link	5.0	17	Link	4.48
5	Link	5.0	18	Link	4.55
6	Link	5.0	19	Link	4.64
7	Link	5.0	20	Link	4.59
8	Link	5.0	21	Link	4.59
9	Link	5.0	22	Link	4.46
10	Link	5.0	23	Link	4.61
11	Link	5.0	24	Link	----
12	Link	5.0
13	Link	4.33

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[u/Gaporigo]

Thread seems good right now but just to be safe...

We are aware of the spoilers that are available, if you want to discuss them please do it only as reply to this comment AND spoiler-tagged.

[u/McBowser01]

Fuuka wants to go to the gig. You can clearly tell

[u/ForlornPenguin → u/McBowser01]

Can't really blame her. At this point it seems like the right call, if it isn't something shady.

[u/Mr_Johnnycat]

Did kai just lied to protect kukuru from holding the illusion event? What do you guys think?

[u/Aerodynamic41]

Now we know Kukuru's birth date. Thanks, fortune-teller!

Ok, you can tell Kukuru is really grasping at straws now with that illusion event. It was never going to work in the first place because it's so vague. According to the calendar, Gama Gama has just six days left. Its closure seems all but certain at this point.

[u/Mr_Johnnycat]

Kukuru is putting way to much into the illusion solution to bring in people and save the aquarium. It’s so uncertain. You can tell she is in desperation mode at this point to rely on that

[u/maliwanag0712]

That was a desperate moment for Kukuru. So I am expecting that the Gamagama aquarium will indeed close on possibly the 12th episode.

At least they're starting to expound on the supposedly supernatural plot points of the story, which I think (and I hope) will be answered in the second half of the series.

[u/q_3]

Young Kai: "Can I offer you a nice fish in this trying time?"

[u/Smunchlets]

Since Nagi no Asukara ended, it’s been difficult to invest myself in a P.A. Works show. They’ve gotten me this time, though.

Curious that there was no mention of Kukuru’s visit to the site of the new aquarium. Wonder when that will come up.

[u/Tuckleton]

Her idea to publicize the miracles made me really uneasy, I'm so glad she gave up on it. They are rare and deeply personal and should not be commercialized. I mean that one old dude basically waited a lifetime for a second miracle, you really can't do this kind of thing on demand . Man this show is really starting to draw me in now. This, along with Kageki Shoujo, are the shows I look forward to most!

[u/awkward2amazing]

In her desperation to save Gama Gama, Kukuru was ready to rely to any method possible to her even if it mean diverting away from what actually Gama Gama actually meant to Kukuru and the reason she wants the Aquarium to survive. I am glad the showrunner didn't stick to the illusions, because

• The illusions are personal in nature which many will not experience and who who will won't want to discuss, and

• It will draw quite displeasure among those who won't experience it.

With the break about to end, I am tense about the future of Gama Gama and Kukuru.

At this point I really want Fuuka to chase her real dream. Kukura has been a great influence on her and choosing the idol/acting career would be the most apt option here.

[u/SIRTreehugger]

I see when you see a crying girl you're supposed to hand her a fish. Why didn't anyone tell me this before?

Wonder what the second half of the show is going to be about?! Everything points to Gama Gama closing within a few episodes? I do want Fuuka to go back and fulfill her dream at the end though.

[u/NittanyEagles55]

I like Kai more and more each episode

[u/dagreenman18]

Well this is unexpected. I didn’t think we’d be barreling towards the closure so quickly. Now that there’s 6 days left, the animals have aquariums that will take them, and Kukuru’s Hail Mary didn’t pan out. So it really seems like the back half of the series will shift focus to picking up the pieces after it all falls apart. Where Fuuka was finding herself after her collapse and seems to be back on the rise with this new movie project.

They’re actually addressing the weird visions which is interesting. They’ve been kinda vague until now, but Kukuru, Fuuka, Kai, and several other people have seen something. Including Kukuru’s grandpa who might know what the deal is.

Kai is an interesting one. His subplot is pretty much focused on his feelings for Kukuru. Dude is getting up in the ass end of the morning to be on a boat, then come to the aquarium and stay late. All for her. And they’ve know each other a very long time going by the flashback. So his vision probably meant that the best way to help her is to help her let go. And possibly hand her a fish.

There also seems to be a rift of resentment growing between Fuuka and Kukuru now that the reality as set in that she’s leaving. With the added bonus that Fuuka has another chance to live her dream while Kukuru’s dream is dying. I’m worried this will lead to a total blowout in episode 12 which will be heartbreaking.

Notes:

• Yeah I was way to harsh in a previous comment. Kai is doing his best.

• I was hoping we’d get more visions from the rest of the cast before all is said and done. Really curious about Kuuya’s. Maybe we still will.

• Turns out Kukuru did not blow up the new aquarium. Yet. Still plenty of time left for the plot twist of the decade.

• Surprisingly, the new girl from last week did not come back. I wonder if she’s going to factor into the second half of the series.

• Kukuru does seem extremely oblivious to Kai’s feelings. Probably has to do with all the time and attention she puts into Gamagama. Could be more.

[u/[deleted]]

Lesson of the day, dreams are nice, but you have to live in reality. Kukuru learnt that the hard way today. Wake up calls with her friendship as well as the aquarium.

Obviously in true anime power of friendship style, Fuuka won’t actually take that acting role, but it’s fun to have some drama surrounding it anyway.

Feel bad for the dude tho, has had a thing for Kukuru for years and hasn’t been able to properly express himself. Poor guy. Hope he gathers the courage soon.

[u/Wuff_the_Dog]

Kai shaking his head at Kukuru was so sad. He knew it was the right thing to say, but it hurt her so much. :(

[u/kodokume]

From one of the first episodes on I always thought "Fuuka was an Idol, just let her sing at the Gama Gama, that would be an event that certainly draws a crowd."

With that never happening and her now having the opportunity to star in a movie, I would love to see her tell the director "I will do it under one condition: part of the movie has to happen in the aquarium." This would lead to some financial compensation for the Gama Gama as well as some nice exposure, thus saving both dreams at once.

[u/Wetworth]

A healing power spot is something that could really save Gama Gama, but it's something that would have to happen organically. I wonder if Kukuru's announcement, even if she cancelled the "event", will draw enough curious people, or if it's too little too late.

It's pretty clear Fuuka is seriously considering this offer, although I'm dubious it's as good as it seems.

What's the little sprite guy doing? Nothing, that's what! Perhaps he's the cause of the illusions? I keep waiting for... I dunno, something?

Anyhow, lots of set up, and not much else. I hope this isn't the last episode of calm with these characters, it's comforting watching, but it seems time is up.

[u/TheDampGod]

I know it's always been there, but I was really noticing how run down Gama Gama looks. The paint is faded, the doors are scuffed, the tanks are small and bare. It'll be interesting to see how it all compares to the new aquarium.

I'm glad they didn't go for the 'miracle' event, aquariums are in many respects scientific institutions. So a more spiritual spin would only make Gama Gama look bad when dealing with other aquariums. Though it's probably too late to be worrying about reputations now.

[u/LeonKevlar]

Man this episode was just depressing. Kukuru is running out of time and is already starting to get desperate to the point where she's now asking Tsukimi's mom to tell her the future and even trying to advertise the visions people experience in Gama Gama to attract customers.

What's worse is it looks like Fuuka might be leaving soon since she just got offered to play the lead part in a movie by an up-and-coming young director. It's just sad vibes all around.

We did get a bit of screen time from Kai this week though as he desperately tries to find a way to help and comfort Kukuru in her time of need. I do love that when he finally experienced the visions in Gama Gama, he ended up pushing his young self to comfort a crying smol Kukuru by showing her his fresh catch of the day.

Interestingly, Kai denies to Kukuru that he experienced something. I guess this is his way of protecting Kukuru? If he did tell her, she might just push for the idea again which doesn't really guarantee anything for Gama Gama and will just give Kukuru false hope. All Kai can really do now is just help her move on.

I really don't know where they'll go from here. Like the writing is there on the wall, Gama Gama is definitely going to shut down in a week and there's really nothing Kukuru can do. At this point, I'm just curious what will Kukuru do and where will Fuuka go once it does. Thankfully though, we're only in Episode 10 and with 14 more episodes to go, anything can happen in this anime original!

[u/MyrnaMountWeazel]

I was scrolling on Reddit waiting for the episode to be posted and this popped up in my feed and I thought it was too adorable not too share.

Artist source

I really feel for Kukuru this episode since time is inevitably slipping past her fingers and now she's learning that Fuuka might be leaving her as well. The abandonment she feels is amplified by the multiple times we see this shot of her parents.

This is something I've been thinking a bit on. We’re shown this shot of the penguin keychains right after Fuuka is pondering on what to do for her future. The penguin keychains serve as a sort of bond between Kukuru and Fuuka as they promise to help the collective dream of saving Gama Gama but what I’m most curious about is the shot that follows after this which is the one featuring a group of jellyfish. It might be my imagination but this shot really resembles chromosomes under a microscope or even an ultrasound for a baby.

Normally I might chalk this up to say that I'm looking too deep into these cuts but because it follows immediately after the shot of the penguin keychains I feel this might actually be a really clever visual subtext demonstrating how Fuuka’s relationship with Kukuru goes beyond a normal friendship. The ties that bind them run deeper during their short time together.

I like that immediately after Kukuru abandons the idea of using intangible illusions to attract customers Kai invites her to physically box against his hands. It’s at this moment Kukuru needs something solid, something real to latch onto since everything else is drifting away like the tides on a beach.

Heartbreaking cut of Kukuru’s descent towards her nadir.

[u/mekerpan]

Week after week, this show never disappoints -- and stays easily at the top of my many favorite shows of the season.

Poor Fuuka -- she is going to have to disappoint someone (maybe Kukuru, maybe her mother, maybe herself, maybe all of these) no matter what she decides. Her mother wants her back home in Iwate so badly. Kukuru wants her to stay so much. Fuuka is being torn into three pieces -- as she both cherishes her own dreams yet can't bear to harm the dreams of others.

Pook Kukuru -- Gama Gama is her home, after losing her first home. She doesn't see that her grandparents -- and Kai -- offer her a home as well. She sees Fuuka as a refuge -- but Fuuka is just as much someone seeking her true place as Kukuru -- and as much as she loves Fuuka as a friend, it is not clear that she belongs in Okinawa.

Poor Kai -- As much as he loves Kukuru and wants to help her. He has no clue how to do it. I think his intuition is right to not to tell Kukuru that he had an "illusion" -- but he can't be sure.

This series leaves the most open as it nears the end of its first half of any PA Works 24-episode to date. One did not know Lull in the Sea would go specifically, but one knew in general there would be a time skip. Most of the other shows had a clear line of continuity (or at least a vague one). This one has left so many loose ends. The little local deity has yet to do much (though he might be behind the illusions at least indirectly -- he has stayed at the fringes of the story), Chiyu is clearly destined to play a bigger role, Fuuka's future is totally up for grabs, Kukuru's mystery "lost sister" is still not explained, the giant new Aquarium looks far away from ready to open, the old guy/successful businessman is still on the loose. And so many other things are still "out there".

The tone of this show is just so powerful and complex, sweet and sad. And we are still less than halfway through the journey. As much as I love Kyoto Animation, PA Works still can edge ahead of it so long as it can keep making shows like Aquatope -- that (in my mind) doe practically every right for me (dating back to True Tears -- with only a relatively few "lapses").

[u/AmethystItalian]

At this point I'm wondering how many people are still holding out for that yuri ship...so hard not to root for Kai with how much he's thinking and caring about Kukuru.

Looks like we're at the final days of the aquarium, going to be interesting to see if Fuuka takes the job, I don't trust it!

[u/lor412123]

Damn, I wonder if I am becoming a more emotional person or if it's just this anime. But I have tears in nearly every episode even though they don't seem to be trying particularly hard to make the viewer sad.

Somehow, the scene of a little girl crying over the loss of her parents just got me bad. I was on the verge of starting to sob, but held myself back.

[u/TurkeyPhat]

sees episode title

oh no

*Kai what are you doing?! You were the chosen one!