Nagi-Asu: A Lull in the Sea Volume 2

“Hikari’s eyes suddenly froze with overwhelming sadness…like a lull in the sea.” Miuna

Warning: spoilers

Five years have passed since the people of the Sea Village, Shioshishio, went into hibernation and in that time the temperature on land and sea has dropped as the salt flake snow continues to fall. Of the four teenaged friends from the sea, only Chisaki stayed on the land.

So there’s great excitement when Hikari appears; to him, it’s as if he’s just awoken after a night’s sleep. Yet in that time, his big sister Akari has had a little boy, Akira, and her step-daughter Miuna is now the same age as Hikari was when he went into hibernation. Miuna has always had a crush on Hikari and now, here he is, living in the same house and going back to school with her. It should be like a dream come true. But Hikari is deeply troubled about what’s happening in the Sea Village; why is he the only one to have woken up? And grown-up Chisaki finds herself conflicted too; she’s training to become a nurse and living with Tsumugu and his grandfather. Kaname reappears from the sea – but what has become of Manaka? All the unresolved feelings between the young people are stirred up when Manaka is found … yet, unlike Hikari and Kaname, she doesn’t wake up, even when brought to the surface. When at last she revives, she seems a little distant, as though she has left her memories in the sea along with her Ena, the unique layer of skin that enables the sea people to breathe, not drown, in water. Hikari and Miuna discover that what has happened to Manaka is linked to the tragic legend of the Sea God and Lady Ojoshi; is there any way that the ‘old’ Manaka can be restored – even if it means that Miuna will have to give up any hope of being the first in Hikari’s affections? The last Ofunehiki festival ended in chaos and near-tragedy; can they risk holding another one to try to communicate with the troubled presence of the Sea God – or will it end it disaster?           

In some ways, this is now Miuna’s tale; we see much of the action through her eyes and she is often the one who makes things happen. Her amazed discovery that she has Ena and can go – at last – to Shioshishio beneath the waves is genuinely moving. It’s also very much Chisaki’s tale; her predicament is genuinely touching as she’s had to make a new life for herself on land and has become far more emotionally mature than her three oldest friends, having lived five years’ worth of experiences while they slept. Lord Uroko, the mere scale of the Sea God, becomes an important presence again, appearing on land attracted, it seems, to Miuna. Is he remembering the feelings of the Sea God for his lost Lady Ojoshi? 

The episode titles link to the content in an intriguing way. Observant readers will have observed the unlikely word ‘detritus’ in the song lyrics and the title of Episode 24 – it seems a little incongruous but it’s there for a reason. And then there’s the final episode title : ‘Color of the Sea. Color of the Earth. Color of the Wind. Color of the Heart. Color of You. – Earth Color of a Calm – ’ 

So do these episodes deliver a fitting and satisfying end to this unusual series? Yes. And there’s not many anime series one can say that about! The writers obviously conceived this as a complete story arc and this makes a significant difference to the viewer’s experience. Whether, of course, you agree with the way things play out will depend on the way you identify with the characters and their relationships. It goes without saying that these episodes will be a lot more meaningful if you’ve watched the first part of the series… so best not to start here.

Both the original cast of actors and the US voice dub team deliver excellent and believable performances and the glittering soundscape created by the musicians atmospherically evokes the ice and saltflake snow spreading over the land and in the sea. 

A small point, but there’s a really convincing portrayal of a small child: Akira, Akari’s little boy. Akira has many moods: clingy; petulant; strong-willed, all that goes to make a determined pre-schooler. Anyone who has their own children – or siblings of this age – will recognize the accuracy and quietly applaud its truthfulness. Small kids can be adorably cute – but also darn hard work!

The new Opening Theme is aptly called “ebb and flow” by Ray; new Ending Theme is  “Mitsuba no Musubime (Knot Made of Three-Leaf Clovers)” by Nagi Yanagi (eps 14-25). The final episode uses the original Opening: “lull ~Earth color of a calm~” by Ray, as well as an Insert song: “mnemonic” by Nagi Yanagi (ep 26).

Extras comprise textless Opening and Ending themes and trailers.

In Summary

Poetic, yet not pretentious, Nagi-Asu: A Lull in the Sea fulfils the promise of its first half and doesn’t disappoint, building to a poignant and nail-biting climax as ancient truths are revealed about the legend that has affected the lives of the people of land and sea.