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「知らないぬくもり」 (Shiranai Nukumori)
“Unknown Warmth”
The scenery porn just gets more and more beautiful every time I come back to this series.
I’m not sure what the sea god has in store, but with every passing episode it seems like the sea kiddos are in up to their noses in danger, and not necessarily the kind that causes bodily harm. After the appearance of saltflake snow on the land, it seems as though a declaration of war has been issued, though it’s not entirely clear just what that entails. Shioshishio, at least, is wary of whatever is about to befall the land, and it’s either a unanimous decision or completely out of their hands as to what the future will bring. The adults don’t seem to care what happens to the land, though its possible their lack of empathy is simply a result of accepting something that they have no power to stop. The only thing they seem concerned with is that their children stay out
The whole affair reminds me a little of the way the adults in last year’s Shin Sekai Yori knew more than they were willing to divulge, though it’s not quite that much of a conspiracy. The men of the village have spoken about a prophecy, and it’s very likely this relates directly to the population problem, but I’m not entirely sure that’s the ultimate issue at hand anymore. Just what have Hikari and the others found themselves in?
There’s no doubt in my mind that the characterization when it comes to Hikari and a few others like Akari and Chisaki is doing really good things, even if it leaves those like Tsumugu a little on the, well, bleh side. As much as I love piling praise on how wonderfully Hikari has developed in the last nine episodes, it is a little sad to see Tsumugu being a rockful of fun, and not the interesting kind. He doesn’t have much to his name, other than words of wisdom he always pulls out of nowhere. In fact, he’s like Kaname’s landed antithesis, though much less interesting (Kaname has a stronger presence even if he’s never central to the drama). Ironically, it wouldn’t be so noticeable had Hikari not received such great coverage, but I suppose that’s crying a bit over spilling extra milk when I’ve already been fed some fresh, good stuff; it would just be nice to see more of him, and it would help make Manaka’s attraction more clear cut as well.
Right now, however, I don’t think being clear-cut is the goal. Hikari is definitely rethinking his choice to leave Manaka and Tsumugu be, whatever he believes is right. It isn’t easy to give up those you love when it seems the world is turning upside down, and with the situation so dire, and Manaka so scared, it makes sense that he’d want to cling to her. Unluckily for him, Manaka doesn’t feel the same, something he’d known but had never quite driven home. With his father asking him to return and the village preparing for some unknown purpose, however, love may not be the first thing on his mind even so.
Preview
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REJECTED! welcome to the friend zone hikari
I don’t think he’s rejected yet, but considering how Hikari and the others are left out of the information circle about the state of the village, I think Manaka is still exploring her feelings and he could a chance to truly confess to her (though I have no idea if Manaka had understood Hikari’s feelings per say, but pushing Hikari away will definitely have some negative effects).
For now, I wonder what the village will do when the people are going through a population decline and this “prophecy” is foretelling the strange temperature drop.
I felt so bad for Hikari when he got rejected like that even though he already knew of Manaka’s feelings. Ugh, it hurt to watch. I guess there is no easy way to decline someone’s feelings (especially a best friend’s!). It’s gonna hurt ;_;
That was a pretty brutal rejection.
But it’s okay, Hikari’s an awesome guy. He can do better than Manaka.
So many things happening in one episode…oh no…
first of all, Chisaki with Tsumugu and Kaname. I knew Tsumugu got this thing for Chisaki! You dont see anyone from their group pissing her off like that, unless he’s overly concern about her: Do you still need a sea slug? <– wow! funny how he remembers it! being one of the person who listens to her wagamama other than Kaname. And Kaname, i noticed he's somehow, acting all sweetheart only when he's in front of Chisaki, how he pleased Saya with the "ohime-sama" bow.
Manaka…oh you. Hikari is entirely hurt. You poked his cheek, held his hands, and comforted him. Went out from the house just to tell him some small stuff…Hikari cannot take it anymore. And now, you pushed him away and made him embarrassed with his action. Oh boy, nothing hurts him more than being rejected like that.
Well, since they are middle schoolers, i dont really expect the serious relationships between the main characters…anything can happen. Just look at Hyouka…even Houtaro held back his feelings on Eru =,=
I keep getting the feeling that Tsumugu and Chisaki are secretly related , and for some reason Tsumugu knows this and Chisaki doesn’t. Which doesn’t make a whole lot of sense , but it is a hunch that won’t leave me alone. It could go some way to explaining why he remembered the ‘sea slug’.
Never crossed my mind about that. If they are related, the grandpa surely would look at Chisaki from some point, like how he had short conversation with Manaka…well we dont know. Thats the best part of speculating.
Anyway, my opinion about Tsumugu and Chisaki will never change, thought i also like Kaname too. I love secondary characters’ relationship compared to the first one, like Tonari Kaibutsu. Preferred Natsume and Sasayan’s development than Mitty’s. XD
the upcoming “disaster” is definitely not something small as it used to be before.
it’s quite different from shinsekai yori, but there is something here about it.
in mythology, folklore, fantasy stories and some religions, the motif of a disaster by God’s wrath is kinda widespread. mostly it’s a great flood or some mega-disaster in order to punish the evil way of people, sometimes even to create the path toward rebirth of humanity or something like that (each story and his own reasons or versions..)
and it seems NnA is heading this way. what will be upon humanity of Landies? is it really gonna solve the problem of the sea people?
many clues are still floating in the air like “prophecy”, “his decedents”, all those legends and more.
which raises the question – is it really God’s wrath?or maybe the sea people are somehow OK with that and “push” the sea god toward it?I mean…if they were to bear less grudge about the Landies, it could have been different. they didn’t even warn the Landies! which is the minimal thing to do…
I was suspicious that the fantasy element gonna involve some time in the story, I am still not quite sure if it should be this strongly. whether it’s a good thing? I don’t know..I don’t where this is heading to.. I guess I’ll have to wait and see what NnA has here and it’s going to “bomb” the entire area and our lovely characters.
another issue that pops to my mind is about the timeskip that was discussed in RC podcast. we still don’t know if it’s just a false alarm, but maybe the disaster might be the event serve as the timskip, the border of before and after. it’s just a thought.
in a different matter, it was painful to see Hikari getting that reaction from Manaka, only because of some..hug?the way Hikari acted, hugging her, was a reasonable act due to the circumstances. yet Manaka reaction was..a big “NO”, quite exaggerated.
in this very ep, she encouraged him and interacted with him so lovely, yet we get such reaction. maybe it was panic..maybe something else..”Okada’s being manipulative??” once again pops through my mind here.
I wonder what effect it will have on Hikari. he was trying his best in the last few eps to support her, and now got a reaction like that, when he knows deep down he still loves her. poor boy..
and there was the interaction between Chisaki and Tsumugu. somehow affected on Tsumugu, our distanced character. I am sticking to the fact that those two are quite a good match.
we can put Kaname to the equation as well, getting another trio here. always taking care of Chisaki..another sea-boy who can’t fulfill his love.
I liked to see the reaction of that little girl (the friend of Miuna) when Kaname was searching for Chisaki, she was intrigued by him, yet he was searching for Chisaki.
the look on her face was so..real and honest and naive somehow. that’s what I love in NnA. the..purity of those reactions of the boys in girls. so lovely.
My heart skipped a beat at that rejection, past trauma resurfacing T-T
I don’t really consider what Manaka did as a rejection. When I was that age, I hated being touched. I think it was mostly shock and discomfort… The poor girl didn’t know what the hug was for!
I think that might be the case too,as well as Manaka being very confused right now with so much happening around her.
What’s certain is that her “rejection” must’ve been really painful for Hikari,but we can’t her nor him for that.At the moment,this will probably take a backseat since there’s a bigger issue at hand.But it’ll come back and the two of them will have to sort out their feelings eventually.It’s a part of growing up after all.
Poor Hikari, it was really cruel that Manaka had to say all those things about how she had to tell him of all people about what was going on without realizing his feelings, causing Hikari to misinterpret everything, and then she had to instinctively shove him aside. All the more so that it was totally unintentional on Manaka’s part.
First Miuna-chan, now another loli Sayu-chan has a crush on a Sea Person Kaname as well.
https://randomc.net/image/Nagi%20no%20Asukara/Nagi%20no%20Asukara%20-%2009%20-%20Large%2020.jpg
She looked quite upset when Kaname came to her and asked where Chisaki went, and was the first to react when hearing Kaname and Chisaki had went home.
https://randomc.net/image/Nagi%20no%20Asukara/Nagi%20no%20Asukara%20-%2009%20-%20Large%2001.jpg
For weeks the story makes absolutely no mention of these mysterious structures that span for miles, extending from the sea up to the surface, seemingly serving no obvious function besides standing there as a pile of ruins.
They’re literally just shouting “I’m the key to saving your world! USE ME!”
Those structures appear to be the concrete supports for a bridge that has yet to be completed.
And if this Bridge is Build, the world under it, raise Shadows that is there every time
https://randomc.net/image/Nagi%20no%20Asukara/Nagi%20no%20Asukara%20-%2009%20-%20Large%2009.jpg
What a blatant foreshadowing.
Seems like Hikari is about to lose Manaka. Can’t be helped, the poor girl is confused.
Also Sayu just went and started crushing on Kaname(?). Hers is much more obvious than Miuna’s so it was cute when she pouted.
human sacrifice to be reintroduced? shudder…
/a/ had been talking all about how one of the girls will be sacrificed since the story of sacrifice was introduced early in the story and that the ED seems to signify some tragedy fall on Manaka. Most people thinks Manaka is going to be sacrificed.
I say different. I say best girl will be sacrificed and who is best girl? Chisaki, that’s who. Fattest fish is best catch, fattest girl is best as well. See:
Tsumugu – Manaka
Hikari – Miuna
Sayu – Kaname
Chisaki – Sea God
@Doggie
This episode put the idea in my head that Tsumugu might be interested in Chisaki.What I believe even more though,is that he’s not interested in anyone at all,at least not yet anyway.That might be just because his character’s pretty bland though.
Personally,I don’t think there will be any sacrifice.Although I have a terrible opinion of them,I still don’t think the adults of Shioshishio would go that far.
Well, this Salt sucks on the Water on the Lifeforms. So it if stay they get Dry out and Die
Do you know what i found Funny or Ironic here?
If these Blue Lights they are holding, for the Dear Ones outside the Village to guide them the Path back home (Some kind of Lighthouse for lost souls), then it is really Ironic
These Hate the Children witnessed, when Hikari’s Big Sister was forced out of the Village. Now they play with “I still love you, child!” Emotion, to get them back, because they are Afraid what will come. So their own Fear of the Future, let them play the “Still Love you” Mask. I find this disgusting. When it was no Danger, they show their True Feelings. Now they fear Danger, they play along, just to Lure them home, to avoid these “Fear”
Well, the grave Error their done, was this Hate Rote of the Village, for Peoples that was forced out. They never will come back, and find peace. Because they know, that around them is still Mistrust and Hidden Hate
If it was for me, i just would move away from these “Disaster” Zone. What will hold me in a Place with no Love?
I wouldn’t be too quick to label Manaka’s actions as a clear sign of rejection. You have to remember that she was under a considerable amount of stress at the time due to what was happening in the village. This obviously proved to be too much for her to handle as evidenced by her lashing out at Hikari who’s supposed to be close to her. Of course, it definitely wasn’t very wise of him to hug her out of the blue like that, which only provoked her in her currently weakened mental state, but the fact that he’s touched her before without incident just goes to show how much she was being affected to the point that she actually ended up cracking a little there.
I’ve seen and recognize the signs all too well. When you reach your limit in any given stressful situation, you tend to act irrationally by saying and/or doing things that you normally wouldn’t. That’s why you should never take a person seriously if they’re under a lot of stress, unless you’re aware of them possessing a high level of tolerance. Even then, I’d still be cautious, because not even the strongest mentally are immune as long as the conditions are right. In the end, everybody has their limits.
That is pretty much how I interpreted-at least , my mind wasn’t thinking that Hikari had just gotten rejected.
Hope the developers get to your point and give Hikari a second chance.
Feeling so overprotective of Tsumugu and Sayu right now -can’t help feeling that there is an important twist regarding Tsumugu’s parents , but I guess we’ll just have to wait and see.
I get the feeling that it is at this point the group of 4 will divide , with Manaka and Hikari going to the surface , and Kaname and Chisaki staying in the sea. Sayu will be gutted
🙁
That was awesome. The whole thing was meh in the beginning but suddenly I felt sort of high. Wow! This episode is really good. I love the complexity of the Love Dodecahedron. But what’s makes me believer is how real it actually is.
TQ
and now i’m curious about tsumugu and chisaki’s relationship development
I don’t think the rejection is as cruel as it seemed. A point that many have failed to mention is that Manaka is fully aware of Chisaki feelings for Hikari. I think she did’t want to betray Chisaki’s feelings, therefore rejecting Hikari’s hug. I think she’s starting to realize that her relationship with Hikari is getting in the way of Chisaki being with Hikari. So it’s understandable why she reacted the way she did. I don’t think it’s as simple as a rejection as much as it is being considerate of her friends feelings.
Am I the only one who likes every character except Manaka? She has no backbone, relies on people and hurts them mindlessly without knowing. I love Kana Hanazawa’s voice, but her voicing in this series just makes me want to plug my ears (it’s way too high pitched). >_>
Other than that, I’m really liking Hikari’s character development and how he accepts Tsumugu. No matter how much Hikari loves Manaka, he seriously should move on because I feel like Chisaki’s a much better match to him. In fact, I think I just strongly dislike Manaka as a character in general.
Poor Hikari! Him getting a rejection like that must be hard and i’m still wondering who does Tsumugu have feelings for? I don’t know about the Chisaki thing but i really hope it’s Manaka. The way they first met was sooo cute!