Nagi no Asukara Episode 17 Discussion

Thess said:
lol at people who think Chisaki sees Tsumugu as "family". The delusion runs deep, I guess. Kaname is the one who knows her the best and he assumed they were a couple already, he reads their body language as of a couple or people with mutual romantic attraction. The episode summary in the official website even spells aloud he's upset over Tsumugu/Chisaki relationship.

Hikari -> Miuna totally is family. Look at his lack of interest in showing his nudity vs Chisaki's with Tsumugu.

Chisaki pretty much has her own life and Hikari, Kaname and Manaka are her fond past. They are outsiders and it shows it.

L-Ryoshi said:
I think the hate for Tsumugu coming from the guys is pretty similar to why Miuna is getting the same kind of hate from girls much.

The very first episode introduced us to a quatrant: Manaka, Hikari, Chisaki, Kaname.

Had nothing else ever happened to intrude on this relationship, it would have most likely ended up Hikari x Manaka and Kaname x Chisaki

First off, Tsumugu, regardless of his character, was the first to intrude in on this happy little party. First off by kind of stealing Manaka from Hikari in start of the first arc, then by stealing Chisaki from that happy little quadrant at the end of the first arc. Guys would probably hate them because, essentially speaking, guys can relate to Kaname and Hikari, whereas this weird Mr. Emo came in from nowhere to steal the hearts of their childhood friend/crush. Hence in this sort of a story, guys would tend to support the guy they can relate to, and Tsumugu would seem like the bad boy from nowhere (which I'm guessing most anime fans aren't).

In a sense, Miuna is also somewhat similar to Tsumugu in that sense. She wasn't a part of the original quartet, essentially she should have been an outsider to the story. The reason why there wasn't much flak back when she was a kid in the first arc and so much flack currently in this arc is simply because in the first arc she wasn't seen as a perceived threat to the original relationships, whereas now, since she's of age, she definitely can be considered a threat to the original relationships. In real world terms, she's the girl who came out of nowhere to steal your typical childhood guy crush, hence all the hate from the female fan community.

The reason why Kaname doesn't get the hate is also because of this reason. We all see Kaname as one of the original quartet. The childhood friend who has been forever persistent and mature with his feelings and an overall nice guy, thus more relate-able to a real person than emotionless Tsumugu.
Girls don't mind guys like these because they have a mature/mysterious/emo/bad boy aura, and many girls actually go for that type of guy over their friendly neighborhood childhood best guy friend type.
Similarily guys don't mind having a girl like Miuna around because, lets face it, guys all drream of being popular with girls, and the more girls that like/admire/crush on them the better for their egos.

One reason why Sayu doesn't get as much hate as Miuna, even though she's in a similar situation, is because of the character who she's in love with, the poor Kaname, whos long standing love for Chisaki has been forever unrequited. As we all feel sorry for Kaname, there are those out there, both guys and girls, hoping that he will find comfort, that the nice guy won't actually have to finish last or stay forever alone. Hence the support for Sayu to get her man stems pretty much out of feelings of pity and indignance for Kaname's situation.

Essentially the reason why we like and dislike certain characters is simply because the director and the author of this series is a master manipulator of psychology and feelings and the characters which he has created can be relateable to the masses of anime fans out there. In that sense, the Fantasy element of people under the sea and all that are just plot devices for the author to drive the story on, and the core of the entire show as always is all about the interpersonal relationships going on and how it makes us all burst with feels.

Thess said:

Chisaki didn't go to Shioshishio with Hikari and Kaname, did she? First step to turn back her past. Tsumugu told her it was up to her. She chose to stay inland and left her old friends journey alone when it could be dangerous and she's older than they are. She barely talks to Hikari, didn't she? Didn't even seek him since their accidental encounter. Kaname finds hard to get a hold of her new life. Because it's a life and an everyday she's got used without them.

That was plainly displayed in this episode. Tsumugu and Chisaki only have to acknowledge their mutual attraction which is far more stronger than whatever little girl crush Chisaki felt once for Hikari. That's why Kaname is upset.

jiraiya_sensei said:
But it was also displayed in this episode that Chisaki's still longing on Hikari, she just doesn't know how to act in front of him. Kaname too, is still on her mind.

jiraiya_sensei said:
Her not going to Shioshishio could also be because she's still unsure on how to deal with her past.

jiraiya_sensei said:
She didn't even have the courage to interact with Hikari let alone going down there and see what used to be her home as well as her parents in a frozen state. Plus you don't know if she won't go after them in the next episode. Right now Chisaki's merely confused but that doesn't mean she's discarding her past just like that. Neither would she ever severe her ties with Hikari or Kaname.

For all we know the reason she hasn't gone anywhere with Tsumugu in the past five years is exactly because she can't let go of her past, silently waiting for someone to wake up. That event during the festival must have left quite an emotional scar after all.

Thess said:

Not really. That scene was Kaname musing about Chisaki's never changed feelings which led up to his conclusion that she DID change, that's why the scene you have with Hikari, when Kaname thinks about it, it's short lived vs the longer one with Tsumugu. Pay attention to the actual transition of the scene: one observation replacing the last one. Official site spells it aloud for you: Kaname is worried about Tsumugu's relationship not about Hikari.

Thess said:
Old Chisaki would do it. Old Chisaki wanted nothing to do with the surface, she even denounced it in a episode. This Chisaki is avoiding getting back to the sea. She's chosen. Her life now lies elsewhere. Hikari and Kaname around are providing her the closure to understand her life has changed and she's enjoying herself.

Thess said:
Tsumugu is a busier man and he still made time to deliver the uniform to Hikari. She barely interacted with Hikari in this episode too. She seemed, IMO, achieving closure after her last talk to Hikari. At least she's no longer fearful of change and she faced Kaname immediately, rushing to see him and inviting him to stay with Tsumugu and she in their house.

Thess said:

Tsumugu has also his reasons for distance. But this show is about I quote Okada: a fairytale setting focusing on coming of age. Chisaki has to deal with this to grow up. Tsumugu needs to face his problems rather than walling himself. Because the point of the freaking show is that, you know: they must dealt with adulthood and mature.

Cambiare said:
i really hope they dont screw the series up with tsumugu x chisaki... please dont ruin the show! its a contradiction if it ends up that way, then the speciel meeting between Manaka and Tsumugu didnt mean anyhthing.. dont screw the series up!
a fine episode as always, waiting eager for next week

FenixDragon43 said:


Yes yes yes yes. Yes. And liking all the other characters alot more! Sayu especially.

Pidiare said:
I love this anime so much but I hate all the characters....
Hikari is far too obsessed with manaka (i mean really, get over it).
Tsumugu is boring, and for some reason pulls all the b*tches.
Chisaki keeps fawning over hikari and tsumugu when there's another guy who's way better right there.
Miuna is trying too hard for something she can't get.
Sayu is kind of weird imo (but she's not too bad)
Kaname is probably by far my favourite character. Although he is a bit obsessive about chisaki he is at least able to come to terms that she's an idiot who likes every1 except for him. The writer has also already put him through so much bs but he's still the same calm-minded beast he always was.
Btw this rant may have been exaggerated in some areas, i don't hate them they just piss me off.

Kinaro said:
Is anyone else hating Miuna more and more each episode?

Iasuru said:
I like Sayu x Kaname

Pidiare said:
I love this anime so much but I hate all the characters....
Hikari is far too obsessed with manaka (i mean really, get over it).

Takuan_Soho said:


I agree, so what if the love of his life might have died in front of his eyes and he has absolutely no way of finding out whether she is alive or dead, he has had a whole week or so to just "get over it", I mean that is more than enough time, I mean he should have been so over her within five minutes or so. I mean really.

xDream3 said:
Like many other people here, I am also hoping for more Chisaki/Tsumugu scenes, they do indeed look like a couple and its really cute!

As for Manaka, I hope she comes back but the way she was slammed onto the ocean-floor seemed very serious. For one reason or another, I feel like she is going to play a major role soon in the future of Shioshishio, perhaps in some sort of relationship with their Sea God.

On a side-note:
Did anyone else feel like that dramatic scene where Kaname runs to Sayuu was from a horror movie? Like the way it was slowly animated and the animating of that scene as well, it really felt like something from a horror movie where something dangerous is approaching her.

Thess said:


Chisaki didn't go to Shioshishio with Hikari and Kaname, did she? First step to turn back her past. Tsumugu told her it was up to her. She chose to stay inland and left her old friends journey alone when it could be dangerous and she's older than they are. She barely talks to Hikari, didn't she? Didn't even seek him since their accidental encounter. Kaname finds hard to get a hold of her new life. Because it's a life and an everyday she's got used without them.

That was plainly displayed in this episode. Tsumugu and Chisaki only have to acknowledge their mutual attraction which is far more stronger than whatever little girl crush Chisaki felt once for Hikari. That's why Kaname is upset.

bomberman34 said:
I really hope chisaki and hikari will end up together.
I think it will be hard to happen but i like them, like this couple.

bomberman34 said:
I really hope chisaki and hikari will end up together.
I think it will be hard to happen but i like them, like this couple.