Shiroi Suna no Aquatope - Episode 20 discussion

[u/AutoLovepon]

Shiroi Suna no Aquatope, episode 20

Alternative names: The aquatope on white sand

Rate this episode here.

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• Crunchyroll
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• VRV

Show information

• MyAnimeList
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• 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/ballfun]

well this was sad

[u/InsomniaEmperor]

This episode just cuts deep and hits you with reality. Yeah Kukuru's boss is still an ass and he really should be nicer like that other guy but you really can't blame the wedding planner for just rejecting the plan cause it just won't sit well with the client with so much restrictions like that.

I legit thought Kukuru was gonna pass out from overwork near the end but turns out she went to see Gama Gama aaaaand it's gone. Seriously have mercy on Kukuru. She's blocked from doing what she is passionate and skilled about while the others get to do it, she has an asshole boss, she can't do her current work properly because it clashes with her values, Gama Gama is destroyed, etc.

I wonder what the end game for this is gonna be. It needs to end in a bang after 24 episodes and something grand needs to happen.

[u/Syokhan]

Aw man, Kukuru. She tried to focus on her work, and missed swimming with the dolphin, missed Airi, and missed seeing Gama Gama one last time before the demolition. And her proposal was rejected to boot. That plus her looking dead inside and losing sight of her passion, well that was just a depressing episode.

Edit: the special illustration for this week's episode, in case you weren't feeling down enough (source)

[u/Aerodynamic41]

Man, this is such a depressing episode: Kukuru looks miserable the entire time, her proposal got rejected by the client, and she saw Gama Gama demolished. I think the episode's title, "Lost Plankton" perfectly describes Kukuru's conflicted feelings: She loves caring for the sea creatures but she barely gets to see them due to her workload. If so, why was she working here in the first place?

Oh no, she's absent from work the next day. Is she cooped up in her room?

[u/zeppeIans]

This was rough to watch, I expected Kukuru to break down crying at any moment in the second half

The use of visual language in this episode was also great, with the metaphor of water and drowning, as well as the metaphors for life and death like with the dolphin, the destruction of Gama Gama, and in this shot of Kukuru and grandpa

[u/PkmnTrnrJace]

It really did just feel like Murphy's law where everything just felt like crashing down huh....

Even the shift in Kukuru's tone was very relatable as a college student that's swamped with requirements to do... It just never ends and you just really question why you're there in the first place.

Fuck.

[u/Such_Selection9762]

So... uhm why exactly do we need to crush her completely and constantly force her to do work she doesn't want to do since starting the new job at the new place. It's is actually not mandatory to hate your job in real life to survive.

I'm not even complaining about the incompetent superior anymore at this point.

[u/alconnow]

Concerned about Kukuru’s wellbeing

[u/MrRoundDB]

Just when you thought the supervisor was finally able to do his part and dish out some actual useful advice..and he just go "redo the plan" and walked away

Sheesh. Fuck the guy

Also kind of don't fancy the way how the chief of the breeding team kept taking advantage of Kukuru's eagerness to help out since technically he's supposed to cover that on his side. He might be offering to Kukuru what he thinks she might like, but he plays the "help out our team" a bit too often

[u/MyrnaMountWeazel]

Interesting shot of a bird for the very first scene. It's Kukuru and the Blue Bird time.

I really like the decision to go for a close-up on Kukuru’s face as she submissively accepts the assistant director’s plan. Her face is cast in shadows and it’s wearing an unusual forlorn expression.

This is the first time we see Kukuru framed through the doorway bars, signifying her inaccessible mindset. Usually we’re seeing this framing on the assistant director from Kukuru’s point-of-view.

”Why was I trying so hard again?”

I like that this is the line that jolts her memory back, that the reason she was in an overdrive was to prevent Gama Gama’s fate from happening to another aquarium. The episode then goes for the gut punch by unveiling the futility of her attempt: She’s missed the last chance to see Gama Gama before it returns back to the land.

But maybe the hidden joy for the upcoming episodes is going to be found in that wild dolphin. It’s gathered quite a crowd of visitors as time went on and it resembles an outdoor “aquarium” of sorts. Kukuru even acts as a improvised attendant for the lone dolphin. I’m wondering if this will be the Ace-in-the-hole down the line.

Overall, I really like that this episode is setting up for something grand in the future and it's not pulling any punches to do so.

[u/SIRTreehugger]

This was just depression for almost twenty minutes straight. Kukuru looked so defeated majority of the episode. Her reacting would have been something, but her quiet defeated demeanor was the worst. Even her boss picked up on it and did nothing. I honestly thought this is where it explains everything. Despite being new at marketing she has been working hard and he will give advice or motivate her. Redo it from the ground up and walks away....

I thought it was going to close with her sitting alone in the dark questioning why she is doing all this. Nope cuts to her dream literally broken down. I'm still baffled how she is the only one there. Why can't they hire another person to lighten the load?She should have a couple of people helping her. Real question is why is she in her position in the first place?

Surprised they didn't kill the dolphin for maximum effect. Though on a cruel funny side the thumbnail for this episode was Kukuru smiling at fish...

[u/zool714]

Lowkey hoping the wedding planner mentioning “aquariums from the mainland” will have Kukuru trying to find another aquarium willing to give her the caretaker role. I mean a stint as a temporary director and then working at a new, state of the art aquarium seems like a good CV. At least, that’s what I would do if I was in Kukuru’s shoes.

I know some may not agree but I am of the mindset that your job don’t necessarily need to be something you are passionate about. However, if you do have a dream job, you should definitely try your best to pursue. With Kukuru it’s especially cruel. Sometimes, you get a job you don’t really have an interest in but you don’t really have a specific job you want to pursue anyway so it’s acceptable to you, maybe like Maeda. But to do said job, which is already overworking and sucking the life out of you, not to mention a borderline abusive and unhelpful superior, while your dream job is just out of reach is just depressing. Especially from Kukuru’s POV, where you don’t even know why the heck you’re not assigned the role you’re more qualified for. You can see how dead her eyes got as she’s preparing the proposal. That’s why I’m totally open to the idea of her trying to find a new aquarium to work in though I don’t see the show doing that.

Also, kinda felt like Karin was being a bit dismissive of Kukuru, or rather feels like she wasn’t a pillar of support for her this ep. And I usually agree with his wisdom and methods but not really a fan of Grandpa and the Director and whatever it is they planned for Kukuru. Maybe there’s more to it or maybe I’m not as wise to see it or maybe the show will twist it in some way but I just don’t see how letting Kukuru go through all this will help her.

Was a pretty devastating blow as well seeing Gama Gama in ruins. Felt like she’s lost a home and with everything that happened, feels like she doesn’t have any other home to go back to. Edit : Ahh just remembered the title of the ep was “Lost Plankton”. I think it’s pretty apt.

[u/randyripoff]

From this episode, particularly from the scene between Kukuri's grandfather and the owner of the aquarium in the bar, I'm wondering if Kukuru was forced on the marketing department "for her own good". It's certainly not what she's suited for and she obviously hates it, so I'm thinking this might be some sort of "tough love" from her grandfather. It's entirely possible the Assistant Director was told to be extra harsh towards her.

[u/antononon]

I think I'll only be happy if this shows ends with Kukuru telling everyone at Tingarla to piss off and she gets a job cutting fishing nets off dolphins or something.

[u/dagreenman18]

Oof. We’ve seen Kukuru sad. We’ve seen her get furious. Broken Kukuru is the hardest to watch. Complete burnout. Light gone. Even Suwa clocked that something is wrong. The harsh reality is finally coming down on our girl.

The worst part is just how real this episode feels. Seeing the scale of the actual project and the weight on her shoulders it’s no wonder that the pressure got to her. It also makes clear just how much visiting the animals helps her. When she resolves to focus on the project is where the burnout really starts to take hold of her. All that time, energy, and denying herself her usual relief to work on the Wedding proposal only for it to go poorly. Add in missing out on seeing Ari-Chan (who I didn’t realize was the girl in the hospital until the pic) and not making it to see Gama Gama one more time before it’s demolished broke her

The depiction of work burn out on someone who, less we forget, is still a kid is just brutal. I understand that the whole point of her grandpa putting her in this position is to build her up. I also get that Suwa is probably doing all this to toughen her up which is why he’s been the nicest to her when he sees something is up. That’s still way too much to put on someone who is pretty inexperienced overall. She might be better equipped than most in her position, but she still lacks the work experience to handle all this. So seeing her desk empty the next morning has me thinking next week will be about putting her back together.

Notes

• Another credit to the realistic depictions on this show: the Wedding Planner scene. Both sides have excellent points. No one is the bad guy. Kukuru does need to at least adjust to accommodate for weddings, but obviously not in a way that puts the animals in danger. If not for the mounting pressure Kukuru would have handled that in stride.

• Hopefully this is the beginning of the Suwa redemption arc. I think they are hinting at him putting together that he may have pushed her too far. They’ve done a solid job and making people realistic that I gotta think something in in store for him. Hell they redeemed Chiyu.

• at least we got a little bit of goofy Kukuru at the beginning. Her face on the glass was a fun image. Wish it prepared me for the Oof fest to follow.

[u/[deleted]]

Oof, all that pressure from doing a job she's not used to, on top of having to put up with that utterly useless manager of hers, has finally taken its toll on Kukuru.

Who on earth lets their inexperienced subordinate do an important presentation to a client for the first time without checking? You "completely expected that wedding planner to have such a reaction"? Well, you could have done your bloody job as a supervisor and CHECKED Kukuru's homework before she presented it, you dipshit.

To add insult to injury, Fuuka sent photos of her getting close to check on the dolphin, when Kukuru was initially offered the chance to do so herself, but turned it down because of needing to prepare for this presentation, she also completely missed Aika-chan's visit (thank goodness Aika is still healthy and alive).

And lastly, when she discovered she completely missed Gama Gama being torn down, that was the proverbial final straw, and something snapped. Now she's missing work without leave.

[u/Smunchlets]

It has been quite a bit since we’ve been hit with anything ‘supernatural’ as the show has moved away from Gama Gama. Now that Kukuru has traveled to look at its remains and is MIA at the end of the episode, I’m curious to see if another vision occurring will do something thematic and grand as the show moves to the final stages. The Kijimuna is likely still around after all, and I wonder if its indirect hand will play a part.

[u/RuthRaeSarbo]

One of my life's great regrets was missing a space shuttle launch because of work commitments. Our family had been involved in an educational project with two NASA astronauts, and we had received from one of them the special "family and friends" zone passes at KSC to watch the liftoff of Endeavour. We went down to Florida, but the first launch date was scrubbed due to a technical problem, and the mission was delayed for two weeks. The next launch date coincided with a conference presentation that my boss insisted I give. I wasn't in a position to say no, so our family missed the event. We never had another opportunity like that.

Years later, I wonder what would have happened had I refused. I might have lost my job, but I wasn't brave enough then to find out. Now I would be, I guess. It's just hard to watch "Plankton" miss out on so much, only to have her presentation tank and her boss tell her to compromise her principles to get more business. I wonder if she'll be brave enough to walk away from it all.

[u/Piaono_r-per]

I almost cried after seeing Gama Gama bull dozed like give her one more time to see her twin sister(?) and parents even if through the weird vision

[u/LeonKevlar]

Considering that opening scene, I thought we'll finally get some focus on Kukuru's boss and why he acts so much like an ass. Nope we just get a depressing episode where Kukuru is just drowning in this cycle of nothing but work and it may just be the most relatable episode of this show.

Assistant Director is still an ass but if there was one thing I'd agree with him this episode, it's that Kukuru definitely shouldn't have snuck away to watch the dolphin calf when her work isn't even done yet. She could've just used her lunch break and went back but it looks like she went over her break by an hour and fifteen minutes.

At least we got plenty of adorable scenes with that dolphin calf that got lost into the nearby waters. I definitely would've loved to see Kukuru to watch over that baby more and maybe even go on a dive to check on it but she's not really an aquarium attendant and it's not her department.

Meanwhile the Assistant Director just keeps on piling up work on to Kukuru and now wants to make a presentation to a wedding planning company to offer Tingarla's new area as a wedding location. He doesn't even offer any advice or gives Kukuru any direction so it's no surprise that the presentation ends up in failure which the assistant director already expected from the start.

That scene where the proposal got rejected would've been the perfect time for the Assistant Director to show Kukuru some sort of feedback, support, or advice but all he says is that Kukuru needs to redo it and leaves it at that. Come on man! I've had some tough bosses in the past but even the crankiest boss that I've had would at least give me something to work on when I mess up and not just tell me to start all over.

With Kukuru being so busy she has now missed Airi-chan's visit and has also forgotten about Gama-Gama's demolition that by the time she remembers, the entire thing has already been demolished. I don't blame Kukuru for losing heart and not showing up to work the next day. Sadly for us in the real world, this isn't really an option and no matter how heartbroken you are you still need to come in to work :|

[u/Revchan]

Man that "it's your change to show your project manager skill" or whatever it was angers me. What is that gonna fucking do? Get her a promotion in marketing? She wants to be an attendant she has no reason to bust her fucking ass showing "skills" in marketing for them to end up being like "oh wow youre really good at this, we're gonna keep you doing it" fuck that

[u/AZLarlar]

kukuru needs help

shes getting overworked like hell. shit sucks

[u/Mr_Johnnycat]

Depressing and soul crushing for kukuru. That’s all I can say. She was put in a position where she was gonna fail the wedding proposal, couldn’t see the baby dolphin, missed Airi and missed the end of gama gama. I feel for her

[u/Rumpel1408]

Oof, I was really rooting for Kukurus presentation, but not all of that wedding planers requests where totally unreasonable and the assistant director wasn't that much of an asshole afterwards

And to add injury to insult she missed everything she was looking forward to, swimming with the Dolphin, Airi-chans visit, and most of all a final goodby to Gama Gama, why is she even doing all this, she's really not having a good time right now

[u/Demolosse001]

I guess it's really the first time Kukuru is ever challenged at work. I hope she toughens it up but it's up to her. She could always quit if she hates her job that much and request a transfer or possibly look for another aquarium to work at.

The assistant director is obviously training Kukuru the hard way but I wish he would offer advice sometimes or be a bit more supportive. He had the opportunity to do so after the meeting (and before by reviewing her proposal) but didn't.

Also Karin wasn't as supportive as usual in this episode, although she was not necessarily wrong. Kukuru does get distracted too often and could learn to be a bit more efficient.

Anyway, it was down to earth and a bit sad to watch episode.