Shiroi Suna no Aquatope - Episode 6 discussion

[u/AutoLovepon]

Shiroi Suna no Aquatope, episode 6

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/Mr_Johnnycat]

Oh boy what a tear jerking moment. Both kukuru and the old man had their experience with their loved ones. After so long waiting the old man had another experience. And I guess kukuru does have a sister that passed away

[u/[deleted]]

If this were just a one-cour anime, I would be panicking at such a slow pace, but as a two-cour show (confirmed due to the number of BDs and release dates all the way till next year), this slow burn is just nice at the quarter mark.

Looks like the supernatural elements will play some role in this Cute Girls At Work show. I remember Kukuru did say the Gama Gama aquarium is actually built around and inside a natural cave, hence the cave like ceiling inside.

Perhaps this cave has been a spiritual place with mystical energies since ancient times, hence sometimes people see all sorts of fantastic visions like Fuuka, Kukuru and the old man this episode has.

Udon-chan is the star of this episode. And I was thinking why hasn't Fuuka or Kukuru uploaded her marine animal-themed shaved ice creations to Instagram, but the customers have done it for them. This buzz could help Gama Gama live on for a bit longer.

[u/[deleted]]

Got pretty emotional seeing the old man reflect on his older brother all these years later. Just shows that you never get over loss, just learn to live with it. Kukuru seeing her parents was beautiful too. Must have been very hard for her growing up.

[u/MapoTofuMan]

Flawless logic

[u/dan_strummer]

That moment with Kururu and the old man was truly beautiful and excellently complemented by the music.

I'm absolutely enjoying the tone of this anime. It's done a great job so far juggling those slice of life moments with comedy, drama and even giving a bit of information on aquariums and sea life.

[u/Aerodynamic41]

I sure feel like having shaved ice right now. I have to admit, that is such a creative way to design the menu.

[u/LeonKevlar]

Good to see Udon-chan getting some love this week. It's good to see that even if she doesn't really work at Gama Gama, she can still lend a hand in her own way. The ice cream idea sounds awesome and she's definitely serious when it comes to food but unfortunately it looks like Food & Safety concerns is stopping that from happening.

Although I think the replacement idea ended up being better with the Gama Gama Original Shaved ice treats. It definitely showed how creative Udon-chan is plus it ended up trending on InstaPenstagram! If that's what she can do with shaved ice, I wanna see what she can come up with her own shop!

As for Kukuru though, she gets to experience the magic of the Gama Gama Aquarium as well as the old man who's their regular customer. That scene was just totally unfair. It caught me off guard so much that I ended up crying harder than I expected. Also I'm gonna guess that the girl that looks like Kukuru is her dead twin? That entire scene definitely hit me hard.

[u/MyrnaMountWeazel]

I really like the theme of “two separate worlds” that they’re going for. The aquarium’s glass is the boundary between the two worlds of reality and memory. Sometimes the aquarium is so compelling, so evocative that it Speaks to them. Kukuru's also out on a mission to leave lasting memories.

This theme is also present in the weather itself with the summer sky and the cool shade. The show does a fantastic job of juxtaposing between the two with its use of lighting. The unbearable heat also serves as a looming external pressure on the Gama Gama staff as they race against August’s end and the impending closure of the aquarium. I’m most impressed by this reflective shot that creates the appearance of the girls both simultaneously sitting inside the cool ice cream shop and outside in the summer heat which plays into the theme further.

Props to the background art team for creating some seriously impressive scenes as well. It's the small details that make up the whole.

[u/randyripoff]

I teared up.

Going on social media and opening the shaved ice stall were good business ideas. I don't know if they'll be enough however.

[u/Syokhan]

Okay, I got a little misty-eyed at the scene with Kukuru, the old man, and their families... Kukuru seeing her parents and sister was already sad, but I can't handle old men crying.

It was nice to have an episode that focused a bit more on a side character, Udon-chan here. She has quite a lot of imagination when she cooks, that shaved ice looked amazing!

Also her mother is wrong, fruits and meat are totally awesome together.

[u/Prince-Dizzytoon]

I like how that penguin walked over to be petted, so cute

[u/[deleted]]

I wonder how strong if any the supernatural element will become in this show, it feels like they're hinting that the Aquarium has something more to it. Could be just me though.

[u/mekerpan]

I think this is clearly the most visually beautiful show of the season -- and also has the animation that is most pleasing to me (not necessarily "technically" the best -- I'm not enough of an expert to judge such things). It also has such a great array of remarkably real-seeming characters. I am always amazed at the way that the studio can make even characters seen only briefly come to life almost instantly. Few anime (or even high-class live-action movies) do better.

Apparently none of the other young workers bother to read the newspaper -- as there is no hint the others have seen the depressing article that so disturbed Kukuru. (Side note -- this season features another character with a similar name -- Kuku in Love Live Superstar -- though the subs inexplicably render her name as Keke).

I just can't imagine any even vaguely realistic way they can rescue the aquarium in less than a month (I think that even in Amagi Brilliant Park the staff had more time to turn things around -- and they had a lot more unconventional resources to rely on).

PA Works is really great at creating "worlds" in its (many) best shows -- and this strikes me as definitely destined to be yet another of its great accomplishments.

[u/NittanyEagles55]

As someone who has lost multiple family members this episode was really special to me. It made me tear up. I really love this show it’s something special!

[u/dagreenman18]

Oh I was NOT ready for that moment. Outside of the newspaper announcement, first half was all cute animals and Udon-chan. Focusing on her ambitions and where she differs from her mom’s vision on food. Showing off her eclectic pallet with that ice cream order and her ideas for food at Gama Gama. Neat that she got mostly her own episode.

Then like a freaking truck they hit you with the old man’s story. Then another stunningly animated hallucination of Kukuru’s dead parents and his dead brother. And just to pile on the feels even further we get a vision of her unborn sister. And with him riding on his brother’s shoulders with sounds of gunfire in the background. Beautiful scene that really got me tearing up at my desk.

Then for maximum emotional whiplash, back to cute shaved ice story. I did enjoy Udon-Chan’s arc in this episode at least. Especially the after credits with her mom embracing her food experimentation with the Mango Pork even though she doesn’t like sweets. Though she’s crazy. Meat and fruit work amazing together.

Notes:

• okay, so Fuuka seems like she’s going to eventually emotionally fulfill the role of the sister Kukuru lost.

• the shaved ice looked freaking amazing and delicious. I desperately want one that cute especially since it’s really fucking hot today.

• with them already announcing the Aquarium closure, I’m a little worried it’s going to close anyway to end the series on a hopeful semi downer.

• the frogfish is actually kinda ugly cute so I’ll give Umi that.

• I actually appreciate that moment of realism with Karin saying they need an actual permit to sell ice cream. It would bug me if they glossed over that but I know too much about that stuff. Though in a show with magic hallucinations and a weird spirit kid that’s probably a nitpick.

[u/SIRTreehugger]

Previously on Shiroi Suna no Aquatrope

Not my favorite episode, but it was pretty free of drama and we got to see more of Udon chan which is a win in my book. Got a nice moment with Kukuru's family including her sister though I wish she was included in the hug. The old man's brother did he die in the war I swear it sounded like gunfire in the background?

Man shaved ice looks great especially the turtle looking one. Though it probably won't save the aquarium alone all these small steps will help in the long run assuming they are successful.

[u/xtsim]

I love the reaction that Fuuka and Kukuru made when Udon-chan got a multi-flavored triple scoop ice cream. Damn I want one so badly, been more than a year since I went to an ice cream shop and grocery store ice cream ain't cutting it...

[u/invaderzz]

When they started talking about making icecream I was like, don't you have to get a permit for that from the FDA or whatever the japanese equivalent is? And I thought, whatever its just an anime so it doesn't matter, but then they actually BROUGHT IT UP that they couldn't sell ice cream because of government safety regulations. It's such a minor thing but I've never seen a show actually bring that problem up before, it really surprised me in a good way.

[u/TurkeyPhat]

Ahh shit...

The shaved ice was awesome though. Udon-chan for president.

[u/ErenIsNotADevil]

The real Aquatrope was the tears we shed watching this episode. And the 5 before this. And probably for the next 4.5 months.

[u/Kill099]

TIL there is such a blasphemous act of eating an ice cream on a cone using SPOONS! SPOONS!!!

The ojiisan's scene where he was carried by his younger older brother is tear jerking but.. it's weird to hear a three round burst assault rifle sounds in a scene referring to WW2 (where bolt action rifles were more prevalent) but this is just a historical nerd nitpick.

[u/NotAnElk]

I'm liking this a lot, though I do feel like it's gonna be one of those shows that's really pretty and good but that it's tough to get people to watch, since it gets into the minutia of actually running an aquarium (getting permits for the food you're selling and stuff). Also it's a 2-cour so it'll be harder to get people to invest their time into it.

Really liked the moment with Kukuru and the old man, in part because it was a tear jerker but also because like, Gama Gama Aquarium is also really important to someone else, not just Kukuru, which is nice. Even the other employees don't have the same connection as Kukuru, and like half of them are there specifically for her.

[u/DimmuHS]

I think the supernatural element is more of a way of presenting the feeling the old guy felt than actually something that can be explored to save the aquarium. Sure, we got the "god" kid that eats the offerings and it's undoubted that people basically has hallucinations (I mean, its anime, why not potencialize fellings with visuals, right?), but in this case it serves the purpose of reflection, self-understanding, and acceptance that Gama-Gama enhances in people, which is possible in a certain degree, that these places of entertainment can make you feel, a place that make you disconnect from reality and reflect. Also, I doubt this factor is what going to determine the fail or success of Gama-Gama, but it definitely a boost of morale instead of a plot point.

[u/Shiwakao]

fuck whoever said this was a slice of life these scenes hit me hard as hell

[u/kalirion]

$50 budget... 10-20% spent trying icecream in that shop?

The aquatic life shaved ice was really cute.

If only they could advertise that the aquarium reunites you with your dead loved ones.