「好きは、海と似ている。」 (Suki wa, Umi to Nite Iru.)
“Love is Like the Sea.”

Live sacrifice or not, some things can’t be avoided.

I don’t think any of us as viewers expected the Ofunehiki to go off without a hitch this time, based on the experience of the last. There were reasons to hope for success; the lack of a live sacrifice in Akari and the use of Manaka’s necklace at least seemed to allay the sea kiddos’ fears. However, we all knew there was a sacrifice in tow, and it all came down to who would be the victim this time.

Miuna’s prominence in this second half has made this pretty clear, and it seems weirdly fitting that she’d take Manaka’s place now. There’s too many connections between them, especially their Ena and their now confirmed shared love for Hikari. It’s not hard to see how Miuna would choose to become a sacrifice now either. Now that she’s assured that Manaka is in love with Hikari, and that Hikari is never going to look her way, it’s an extension of mixed selflessness and self-pity to remove herself from the equation and support the one she loves. She cares about Manaka too, and about her own family and friends, but that doesn’t mean her sacrifice is the correct way out. Like Chisaki has been warned, self-sacrifice doesn’t assure the happiness or well being of those around her, nor is it good for herself.

I’m not sure how I feel about Chisaki and Tsumugu at this point, however. As much as it’s nice to see at least one romantic link get the tie, Tsumugu has never come off quite so… strongly as now. It’s okay to be a little assertive about your life, but it’s another thing entirely to push someone into acknowledging their feelings for you (or even announcing it’s true, no matter if it is) before they’re ready. That’s a job for someone else, and kind of insufferable sometimes when Tsumugu does it. I don’t think I like this new Tsumugu, because even though it’s true Chisaki does love him, a no is a no, no matter what the reasons.

The other interesting point, though small and sadly unexplored, had to do with Uroko-sama. Perhaps it’s just me, but I always found the plot and world-building bits of the story to be really captivating, and that when it mixed well with the characters, Nagi hit its best moments. It’s a little bit of a shame that didn’t happen more overall, but at the very least, Uroko-sama’s discussion with Hikari about his former position as a shoulder scale of the Sea God was very interesting. It’s striking that despite the fact that Uroko was the scale cast off with the love for the Ojoshi-sama, he never got to actually hold or touch her. I would have liked to see more about this small tangent, but it’s too late now for wishful thinking.

We’re poised, then, at this penultimate episode, where we have at least two possible major outcomes. Should Manaka’s stone reach the sea god and take the place of the sacrifice, then Miuna might be spared. If It is rejected, Miuna becomes the sacrifice. How that will affect the relationships and path of the story, we will find out soon.

 

Preview

56 Comments

    1. You know? I don’t really like Tsumugu. He has always been flat to me. Speaking mostly monotone-like. I never felt any real emotion. And now that he is showing emotion he is telling someone how they feel. Whether he’s right or not, it’s just pushy and rubs me the wrong way. I’m glad she can fall in love and all that, but he’s not like-able in my book.

      igniteous
      1. Agreed. He’s one-dimensional, offers a few lines some episodes apart. The story could’ve moved on without him being there. In all sense, Kaname could have filled the role of Tsumugu since they are pretty similar.

        Sadifn
  1. 1. I don’t mind pushy Tsumugu. Chisaki just saying ” I don’t deserve to be happy” is a shitty reason for saying “no” therefore it’s only natural to slap some sense into her(figuratively speaking.)

    2.The moment Kanade jumped into the water after Chisaki did I was like: “Dude, the hell?” But when I realised he actually went to protect his girl, he earned more badass points in my book.
    Sayu, way to go! You actually bagged your man. ;3

    Helvetica Standard
    1. Exactly, Chisaki needed to be shaken because she was destroying herself. This is unrelated to whatever relationship she has with him (and he only hugged her). But she was hurting herself, to the point of suicide, because she wanted to be unhappy. That’s not someone you can leave alone and you can let her get her space, or she would have sacrificed herself.

      Durga
    2. Personally I actually find Tsumugu’s approach to love to be quite consistent. He’s the honest, blunt type. It makes sense for him to be direct about wanting Chisaki. He doesn’t throw a curve ball but a straight ball. For me, him not being direct is inconsistent of his personality. This is what I think.

      KF
  2. I want Miuna to be happy, and I think her finally letting go of her unrequited love for Hikari will be the only way for that to happen. As the preview suggested, she’s going to talk to him again; this time I’m hoping for some closure.

    Cerulean
  3. Tsumugu X Chisaki and Kaname X Sayu seem pretty much “ships on right course”. Tsumugu had to be pushy, because Chisaki was so much in denial of own feelings. Kaname turning back to keep Sayu secure was nice touch!
    Surprisingly, Hikari X Manaka seems to be confirmed, especially if Manaka will get her ability to love back.
    But at what price! If Miuna stays as sacrifice , even if it saves the surface world from ice age, it will be so WRONG after all she has done to help both Manaka and Hikari!

    ewok40k
  4. With one episode left I’m psyched to see how it ends, and who gets “happiness”. It’s been one helluva a ride, and it’ll be sad to see it end, but I’m sure it’ll end with a bang. Kudos to Kaname for being a bro and helping out Tsumugu, although it is sad that he recognizes Chisaki will never look his way, but now he has Sayu 😀

    Sunny
  5. I got the feeling Hikari didn’t like Manaka as much as everyone believes. If anything, it’s coming off as a childhood crush, and when push comes to shove it’s going to be Miuna, since she’s been there supporting him.

    Atalla Wanderer
      1. I’m not doubting it, I’m simply saying when love is not reciprocated and time goes on, a person is likely to move on – whether they admit it to themselves or not. Sure, Hikari still loves Manaka, but it may not be as strong a love now as it was in the beginning.

        Look at the end of that episode, where he’s repeatedly throwing himself into that Sea God’s boundary, even though it is inflicting physical pain on him. How can you see that, see him get hurt and do it again! – and doubt his love for her? If you want a fairy-tale ending, go with Manaka – but that is realism right there, dirty, ugly, painful realism.

        Atalla Wanderer
  6. Miuna-chan nooo. ;.;

    We all saw it coming, but it was still sad to watch.

    First she realized her heart is broken (in Chuunibyou Shichimiya style), then gets NTR’d by the perverted Sea God, who seems to have a thing for middle schoolgirls.

    The preview seems to suggest Miuna might follow in the footsteps of the Maiden of legend, when she wakes up after the Sea God is bored with her, everyone she knows and loves will be gone. Thus necessitating the need to remove her ability to love, to ease the pain of loss.

    But this is all mere speculation. Make me dream, Okada Mari. You’re welcome to sink Miuna’s ship, but please don’t give her such a cruel ending.

    echykr
  7. For the third episode in a row, Tsumugu is THE MAN.

    “No matter how I think about it, I still think that you love me, Chisaki.” <— How much more awesome can he get?
    https://randomc.net/image/Nagi%20no%20Asukara/Nagi%20no%20Asukara%20-%2025%20-%20Large%2011.jpg

    OTOH, Kaname has now found his heart's solace with Sayu. When the Sea God struck, instead of following everyone to get Manaka, first thing he did was ensure Sayu's safety.
    https://randomc.net/image/Nagi%20no%20Asukara/Nagi%20no%20Asukara%20-%2025%20-%20Large%2030.jpg

    echykr
  8. Miuuunaa T_T
    i actually really love her. She shouldn’t have to be the sacrifice.
    I think the last episode’s going to be another time skip too, seeing as Miuna does come back in the preview, but she has no clothes on..

    Kuroneko
  9. I liked this episode because shows how bad can be hide your true feelings in order to protect the balance in your relationship with others. If Manaka have said to Hikari “I love you” without hiding it, Chisaki wouldn´t suffer 5 years, and she would be able to respond to Tsumugu´s feelings before. Miuna had opportunity to confess her feelings to Hikari before the Ofunehiki, but she didn´t do it, then she is a living sacrifice part 2 to the Sea God.

    Sayu decided to show her feelings to Kaname, and now he´s only looking at her, saving her like a charming prince (not beeing the dramatic heroine, like Sayu once said). Miuna is falling down, Tsumugu (who knows all the romantic truths, but he never said anything, in contrast with Kaname, who did say Chisaki´s feelings to Tsumugu) revealed Miuna´s love and Hikari taked action, because he doesn´t want to lose anyone again.

    I think that the final episode is going to be very dramatic and great… I completely fall in love with this story.

  10. I think there’ll be a Shin Sekai Yori-style ending next episode, in the sense of getting another time skip (but in an epilogue sort of way). That is the sense I got from both the pictures and the dialogue in the preview.

    Aki-Chan
  11. Tsumugu and subtlety just…just don’t work.
    His character has been as blunt as humanly possible since the beginning so it’s no surprise this carries over to his love life as well. Lord.
    As mentioned…Miuna becoming the sacrifice was more obvious that Hikari’s love for Manaka. I just wonder how the last episode will go *sniff sniff*
    These feels are just too much for me and as much as I’d like to wish everyone gets a happy ending I believe a really gut wrenching sad one is the best road to take for the sake of no deus ex’s or anything like that.
    That episode was just…just raw.

    Kaba
  12. Chisaki wasn’t telling him no, she was telling herself no. When Tsumugu asked her, she smiled at him as answer (which is a yes). How can you say he shouldn’t be forceful? This is above any romantic hook up, Chisaki’s acting self-destructive and completely destroying her happiness out of misguided guilt. Leaving her to her own devices, would be encouraging her depression, her self-pity and her destructive behavior which is a crappy way to handle her.

    In fact, she would need to get therapy and medication as she was considering the equivalent of suicide because of how guilty she felt. Tsumugu did the right thing to snap her out as did Kaname. In the end, she was snapped out that state.

    Leaving her to her own would make her fester and continue stagnating and wallowing into her unhappiness for years which is what she did so far.

    Durga
  13. Slowly, everything is reaching its resolve…hopefully everything! As for Tsumugu and Chisaki, it’s about time Tsumugu grabbed the hammer and start hammering down Chisaki’s wall one by one. I wouldn’t say he’s too pushy because with Chisaki’s mentality, she needs those kind of push or else who knows when will ever be able to see her move on? I don’t want her to move on off screen!! There are times when you need to day “okay!! That’s it!!! No more games!”
    Miuna on the other hand was expected, now if she stays down there, many people will be distraughted and more guilt will be piled on once again but now with Manaka and Hikari. If there is a timeskip , I don’t think it would be that long…I don’t thonk it will be a sad ending though.

    Nina
  14. I know that Chisaki was mentally stuck, so much that neither Tsumugu’s nor Kaname’s words could reach her in the last episode and that she needed a push. However, I thought it was rather rude of Tsumugu to negate her feelings about her friends and to link them to himself instead. Tsumugu may be right with this statement, but phrasing it like this was very awkward because it cheapened her friendship with the others. It’s possible that the writers were trying to make him awkwardly “moe” – Chisaki’s giggle afterwards seems to indicate that.

    Anon
    1. No, he handled her right on target. ‘Kind’ words like Kaname’s wouldn’t reach her, she would have snapped at him back and he would have retreated and shut up which is what happened in episode 24, right? Chisaki needs someone firm to straighten up with his brutal honesty her sweet deceptive nature (to others and herself). He’s “sour medicine” she needs in her life.

      People aren’t complete sparkles and rainbows. The point is that Tsumugu’s always been straightforward and tactless, without social skills. That’s his basic personality but he works with Chisaki because he’s the person who matches her the best. Chisaki needs to get told very often because of her obvious flaws like Tsumugu needs to sometimes revalues his approach with her (this has been ongoing since episode 4). You can’t expect Tsumugu to be really tactful just like you can’t expect Chisaki to be brave and honest.

      They are people in love who have serious flaws. The scene was perfect because it show them without superfluous niceties and exposed them as this.

      Durga
  15. No one thought it would have been a good idea this time around to toss a few life vests into the boats before the ceremony just in case the sea god threw another hissy fit?

    qwert
  16. I think that they gave Tsumugu some last minute flaws like, like showing how he’s so logical that he really went for the whole “I know you love me thing; that what I know from watching you” and then when they talk about it, he was all “hmm, maybe I really was wrong in my perception, am I?” like he’s going over a logical proof and Chisaki is kinda like “you weirdo, heh.” But I think this kind of interaction happened too late in the show, or for Tsumugu to show this kind of behavior when before he was understanding as well as blunt when he interacts with Chisaki.

    The sea kids started out so fractured and being involved in their own grief and problems, that it’s nice to see some resolution for themselves, relationships-wise. I wish that they all had a moment to talk it out with one another so everyone is on the same page like they were before the time-skip. It just seems like everyone was so isolated in their issues that it feels like no one in the group gets to see how self-destructive Chisaki is save for those involved in her romantic interests, or how Kaname is really a mess inside. It’s tough to watch because everyone is involved in Hikari and Manaka as a source of motivation, but those two don’t get to see or address what their friends are going through.

    Miuna really needs to get out of her head monologues. Her conversations with herself just seem to add how much she’s basing on assumptions rather than an actual dialogue with Hikari and other people. It’s like, compared to how when Manaka finally gets to talk personally with Hikari, Hikari stops seeing her as someone with misfortune and started to interact with her like they used to. I was really expecting a whole emotional thing going on when it’s Miuna and Hikari on the beach, but it ends up leaving Hikari super bewildered by her and Miuna just being so frustrated and carrying on the usual flight-fight response in this show.

    Uroku rolling up in a car was a pretty good image.

    The Truth is in the Axe
  17. I think Tsumugu has all rights to force Chisaki to admit her love for him. He knows Manaka loves Hikari, yet Chisaki is still denying her own happiness by thinking Manaka likes Tsumugu instead. He’s basically showing that his patience has run out and that she needs to accept the fact that she has changed.

    Firelord
    1. Possibility of that happening is zero at this point, since it’s only Manaka and Miuna who loves Hikari, it would be possible back then when Chisaki also loves Hikari but it’s clear she’s moving on to Tsugumu. Also this series is not really a harem and I doubt anyone here would like it to be one. Harems should only be in harem animes, not when it shows multiple complex love relationships like this. At most it’s a love triangle now, but looking at the preview doesnt bode well for that relationship as well. So I guess it’s going to be a:
      Hikari x Manaka
      Chisaki x Tsugumu
      Kaname x Sayu
      and unfortunately Sayu will be alone, as I refuse to think she would be paired up by that perverted sea god.

      Ryner
  18. just to burst your bubbles a bit, there is actually no kaname x sayu. if you look closely, kaname simply acknowledges sayu as a closer friend. and sayu was simply glad that she got to say her feelings, without expecting anything in return (this makes her an interesting contrast to miuna). what they do get is a better understanding of each other. so, no, they are not a romantic couple. more like platonic life partners from here on.

    the only romantic couple closed thus far is Tsumugu and chisaki. Chisaki’s line of “no. i can’t be the only one happy” is not her being stubborn, but her simply saying that she can’t celebrate yet, unless she is assured that her friends are okay.

    @Kairi

    The other interesting point, though small and sadly unexplored, had to do with Uroko-sama. Perhaps it’s just me, but I always found the plot and world-building bits of the story to be really captivating, and that when it mixed well with the characters, Nagi hit its best moments. It’s a little bit of a shame that didn’t happen more overall, but at the very least, Uroko-sama’s discussion with Hikari about his former position as a shoulder scale of the Sea God was very interesting.

    I think they intentionally left this for the audience’s imagination. they did put plenty of cues for the viewers to play around with. My personal interpretation of all of these has always been that the sea god is a formless world spirit. the Ojoshi-sama myth was simply a means of personifying it, much like how real-life religions personify deities (Christianity, Islam, etc.). as for Uroko-sama, i see him as an avatar created by the Sea God/World Spirit to be an observer. He referring to himself as merely a scale from the shoulder area also implies that there are many avatars just like him scattered to the possibly thousands of other villages around the world.

    now for miuna’s sacrifice, i don’t thing that miuna completely becoming the new Ojoshi will be a fitting end for the series. for one, it doesn’t break the cycle. in his conversation with Hikari, uroko tells him to show what was it that he was able to change, and the second ofunehiki is meant to show that (after all, viewers are already complaining that it is a rehash of the first 😉 ). so this ending with another life lost would seem to show that nothing really changed. besides, i don’t see the point of putting hikari and manaka into a guilt trip for the rest of their lives, both blaming themselves for losing someone they consider a dear little sister, as well as putting akari through all the misery of losing her daughter. and of course, this wouldn’t be a good close to miuna’s character, since it would just look like she is running from the sadness of it all.

    flamerounin
      1. yes. that’s my whole point. they may or may not end up together in the future. but at the moment, they really just stand as close friends with no romantic inklings for each other (or at least sayu does have, but she is already glad with their situation).

        flamerounin
  19. Oh man I just had this weird Steins;Gate theory if you think about it. Instead of the going back in time it’s basically trying to find another alternative only to have the same event happen but different result. Either result leads to sadness, you can’t change tradition…unless we see something next episode smash that idea. You never know D:

    Jason Isenberg
  20. Proud of you Kaname, show Hikari that he can’t be the only awesome guy! Tsumugu, no means no, you’re far away from being one, but what you’re doing is what rapists, date rapists to be more specific, do. You can’t NTR Kaname anymore, even though I know that was never your intentions. Kaname moved on to his loli waifu Sayu.

    Miuna, just wait, Hikari is going to go all Fairy Tail on the Sea God and bring you back with the power of Nakama!

    magoiichi
  21. Seems like everyone’s here are in the love/hate for TsumuguXChisaki couple. Chisaki seems to be punishing herself. She has been burden with guilt as long as Hikari and Manaka doesnt get together. Though the other sea kiddos lost their 5 years just like that, but they are trying hard to move forward except for Chisaki. She is stuck in between the gap of their past and present. She cannot move on. But despite of this, im glad that Tsumugu and Kaname are trying to push her out of that spot.

    I love how persistent Tsumugu is to Chisaki. That girl need someone who is emotionally strong to rely to. Tsumugu is the balance in her. And i personally dont think Tsumugu is being in the bad side. Chisaki clearly is in love with him, just that she cannot allow that. If she doesnt feel the same way, she should be firm with him and run to Hikari already. This is why i like him. Way to go dude!

    As for Hikari-Manaka-Miuna, it hits me to think that those who has feelings for Hikari ended up as sacrifice. Its like, its a curse to be in love with that guy lol. Their love is like a tempest: Hikari’s strong love for Manaka, Miuna’s loyalty to Hikari and Manaka’s sudden burning feeling for Hikari. They need to get out of this whirlpool!(but too late for that! XD)

    Anyway, happy to Kaname and Sayu. Finally a ship that settled in for good. 🙂

    And yes, i’m betting for a time skip. The way i sense it, perhaps Hikari and Manaka sacrificed themselves to maintain peace. And as for Miuna, she will be our narrator since its was her narrating during the second half. Hikari and Miuna are just so impossible no matter how you see it. I find it hard for Hikari to develop feelings for Miuna, because Hikari doesnt see her that way.

    onion warrior
  22. That Kaname x Sayu moment is all I need

    And as usual I can’t bring to like Tsumugu and Chisaki lol XD

    TsuSaki is a waste of time lol I just want to see more Kaname x Sayu…. the two of them needs more love :C

    ricz
  23. Oh man. That preview does not look good. It could be a fake out though and maybe not that much time will pass, but then again there are no bridge pillars and everything looks normal so the ice-age could have come and gone.

    sealouse
  24. Ah man that sea god is such a jackass and such a complete asshole. Get Ryougi Shiki here and kill off that pathetic “god”, it’s such a pathetic being. First of all, it knows love and that even after taking a girl as his wife who already loved someone from the surface, but whats worst is that it seemingly frees her but after tons of years later where her lover and her family are dead and even worst is that her feelings of love is also taken away. What the hell?! How much of a selfish bastard can that pos get!

    I mean look at Hikari, despite being a kid, when he acted like a jerk around Manaka cuz he was jealous that she loved Tsugumu, he got over it and because of his love for her that Hikari will even go as far as letting her go and be together with Tsugumu. Hikari is much mature and undestands love than that so called sea god.

    Also it’s sad but looking at the preview will prove that Hikari will fail to rescue Miuna and it seems like it’s already another 5 or more years since she wakes up again. Since it seems she wakes up naked in a shore where her surroundings are different again, the snow are all gone and even icebergs melted, making the surface normal, so so very sad that she has to follow a tragic heroine route where once again she loses so many years of her life, her surroundings changes, her friends, her family, her loved ones, and even her feelings.

    It’s clear as day that the main evil and bad guy in this show is the frikin sea god, who deserves to disappear entirely, like his own existence cut off, I mean he is responsible for all the calamities going on, so dammit I just wanted that stupid thing to at least change and respecting the feelings of these guys, but instead noooo that thing remains to be one selfish sob. Ah man forgive me for a long rant, I’m just pissed off that this happened again, especially with only one episode left….

    Ryner
  25. They need to break the cycle. The sea god must stop to act like a child and learn that love is not about possession.
    In this sense, both Hikari and Miuna are much more mature than the sea god.
    This anime is really touching people’s hearts’. Let’s hope for a good ending!

    FM
    1. The sea god must stop to act like a child and learn that love is not about possession.
      In this sense, both Hikari and Miuna are much more mature than the sea god.

      Does a disembodied entity made up of only emotions and no reason could even understand the concept of maturity?

      Remember that the Sea God’s consciousness is in that blue flame. He left his feels in the sea.

      TheMoondoggie
      1. and maybe the Sea God isn’t even looking for sacrifices at all. he (or it) is just the continuously changing spirit of the planet. it’s just the people who9 thought sacrifices will prevent it from changing.

        flamerounin
      2. Huh, that make sense… I had though Sea God is kind of bad too.. but thinking about it, he *did* let Ojoshi-sama went back to the surface even if he suffer because of it. As a whole, the Sea God isn’t that possessive … but there’s only the possesive parts in the sea right now.

        Salbazier
  26. May I go berserk now?

    FUCKING OKADA, YOU BITCH! DAMN YOU! WTF DID YOU DO TO MIUNA!? SHE’S SUPPOSED TO WIN HIKARI! MANAKA’S TOO RETARDED FOR HIM, DAMN IT!…

    GAHBJIODHJUGAUHSJKABHDFJAHKGDJKAKJ…

    *sigh*

    TheMoondoggie
  27. All those parallels between Hikari and the sea and the sea god. How the sea god and Hikari’s feelings are in tune. Is our brave little boy going to take all those disembodide feelings into himself. Will he be the next sea god and save Miuna or any other girl the pain of being a sacrifice.

    forger

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