Nagi no Asukara
Episode 12 – I want to be kind
What a mess. Nagi no Asukara has to be the biggest love polygon I’ve seen in a while. It seems most of what everyone had to say was said in this episode. Hikari’s father, the head of the village, finally makes landfall and meets Miuna who amusingly calls him her grandpa. Since Akari is getting married to her dad, her relationship to what was once this stranger will change also.
Meanwhile, Manaka, Chisaki and Tsumugu head to town to buy a kimono for the wedding ceremony. They pick out a nice which shimmers and sparkles when placed against ena skin, perfect for Akari. Tsugumu meets his mother too, and interestingly their relationship isn’t too good. In fact, he hardly wants to talk to her and excuses himself by saying his friends are there. Manaka and Chisaki are a little confused, but understanding.
In a heart-warming moment, Akari meets her father where she discusses recent events. She takes this opportunity to thank him for everything he has done since their mother passed away. I really feel for the guy as he’s in the middle of all this and yet he acts to calm and humble. Being the village elder, he has a daughter who wants to leave and marry on the surface. Not exactly an enviable position.
Chisaki gets some alone time with Tsumugu on the way back while Manaka is sleeping, and she apologises for her comments a couple of episodes ago. Now I don’t know about the rest of you but I feel Tsumugu was the one out of line back there, despite not being wrong. The way he said it was fairly tactless, but that’s Tsumugu being perceptive as always.
Preparations for the Boatdrift Ceremony are almost done as Hikari raises a giant flag, impressing Manaka in the process who funnily asks herself when Hikari became a man. Back at the Sea Village, children are beginning to fall asleep and are carried to Lord Uroko who will begin the hibernation process. The friends are a little shocked, thinking they resemble corpses. One of the adults pinches Hikari’s skin to see if his ena has been thickening and it isn’t, because he’s been sneaking in meals without permission.
The biggest event of the episode is when Kaname pulls yet another trick card after stating that things can’t go on like this. After almost catching Chisaki confess to Hikari, he directly asks Hikari what he thinks of Manaka. In front of Chisaki and Manaka. Putting everyone on the spot, this move is the equivalent of flipping the monopoly board.
Hikari says he loves Manaka. Manaka runs out of the room. Chisaki angrily tells Kaname that what he did was too much, and runs after Hikari. This scene is especially powerful as we see a side of Kaname we haven’t seen before. Putting his head lamentably on the desk, he says that he’s trying hard as well.
Chisaki and Hikari have a brief chat outside, where she confesses her love to him and says she’s happy just to get it off her chest. Manaka meanwhile arrives home only to run away again when she is freaked out by how close her mother is to hibernating. Not knowing where to go she desperately swims to the surface, thinking fleetingly of Hikari, only to be caught by Tsumugu’s net once again.
It seems like the two’s second encounter is fate, just when she thinks of Hikari it seems like Tsumugu is in the spotlight once again. What will she do and who will she choose?
Check out more Nagi no Asukara impressions HERE.
