Holy crap, that main character! This episode really was great! I really liked how this episode elaborated on the cultural differences between the fish people and regular humans, and all of the trouble that comes with trying to hook up with someone of the other side. The star crossed lovers here are done really well because of how this episode explored all of the implications it had, and how it involved the perspectives of a lot of different people here: elder, teenagers, adults, students. They showed many sides of the same coin.
But dear god, this kid acts like this angry bear in the way he constantly lashes out at everyone. I mean on paper he’s not a bad character and the point of his character makes sense, but his aggression is just waay overdone. He constantly screams, he constantly acts like he owns everyone, he constantly thrusts his nose into other people’s business. This guy really tries his hardest to be unlikable.
Character-development. The creators are definitely going for that, and I know from experience that Mari Okada can turn annoying characters around. But even then this guy is currently just stomping all over a perfectly fine show and his flaws are just caricatures. On top of that they just hurt the show by turning everyone off of it.
So yeah, unfortunately the creators here have done better. Mari Okada’s script for Ano Hana was much better, because it actually balanced the characters together. The same goes for the first three episodes of Hana-Saku Iroha (despite its really weird third episode), True Tears, The director, Toshiya Shinohara, is a guy guy who seems to need plot twists: that’s where he really knows how to deliver, as shown with Bantorra and Kuroshitsuji II. Nagi no Asukara unfortunately is at the moment too much of a standard series, and while you can see that the creators really try to throw in some good plot twists, the way in which the kids stand in this spotlight only ends up hurting this series.
Rating: 4,5/8 (Good)
This show is pretty good and I’m sorry but I’d have to side with the Elders, I mean, the sea people are going to die off pretty damn quickly if people keep leaving. Considering the context of the story I’d find that sad. I wonder about the old man though.
Anyways I have no idea where any of this is going but I’m enjoying it.
The MC is okay.
I agree that he’s unlikeable, although I have to disagree that it’s a flaw in the show. I still don’t like his character, but I can understand why he’s like that. And that’s because the show tunes into his thoughts. It gets across that he’s making an effort to change and understand himself, which mitigates a lot of his brattiness.
I didn’t want to follow this show because it was easy for me to have knee-jerk reactions on all these characters. But so far, the underlying conflicts and hints of maturity in the characters are luring me into being more empathetic rather than just looking at the screen (as I do with most anime now).
It weird, I didn’t expect me to like this show so much, easily one of the anime I look forward to the most every week (after samurai flamenco and tied with yozakura). The romance the incredibly interesting setting have me coming back every week eager to see more. As for the MC, he annoyed me up until this episode, where we learn a lot about him and see him try and change. It gives me a lot of hope for the future of this show.
He really needed an early background episode though. While none of the other characters feel as unbearable as the MC when they’re on screen, none of them are likable yet for me.
I liked the setting the first episode, but the knee-fish really lost me there.
Is it still on ? No ear shrimp or elbow starfish ?
ahhhhh, I just did a write up of my views of the current anime season, and said that nagi is the best romance based anime since ano hana, and it’s done by the same people. Cool!
MC is the bratty shouty type that I dislike, but at least he’s more self aware than some other bratty types, and he does acknowledge that the surface dude is a good guy.. so it’s more intelligent that the average.
Animation is so pretty and I love the set up of sea vs land people, and I really felt for the sister, I loved how they showed how upset she was in an understated way, and filtered through the MC’s understanding.
I’ve put this down as my number 3 of the season, but actually I might like it a bit more than that, I really think I’ve been missing a proper romance series!