Nagi no Asukara
Episode 24 – Detritus
What a confession! And no, not the awkward blunder that Tsumugu started at the end of the last episode (you can’t just grab someone like that!), but the sleeper hit couple Kaname and Sayu. For the first time I think Nagi no Asukara has established itself as great romance anime, rather than leaving everything with loose ends and tears. And there’s still two episodes to go!
Back to Tsumugu and his confession to Chisaki. What in the world? It starts off OK but then it hurtles into creepy territory. So she rejects him and gets the hell out of there as one naturally would. His reaction after isn’t normal either as one would normally be upset or depressed. Nope, he is left feeling just thoughtful.
Chisaki is upset and wondering how after five years so much has changed. She is still trying to stay loyal to her friends from Shioshishio while Tsumugu has somehow fallen in love with her. This girl retains her status of being the biggest sook of the show.
Cue Kaname. Here’s a guy who no one remembers half the time and has to deal with everyone’s problems while hiding his own. This is the real hero of the show and I’ll get to his shining moment later on. He offers Chisaki an ear for her problems and puts away his own feelings. Kaname reassures her by saying everyone is now back, however there is still Manaka who still can’t remember love. Until that’s fixed, we can expect Chisaki’s problems won’t go away.
Interestingly, Akira writes “I love Manaka” on a piece of paper which sets off Manaka’s confusion about love. The roar of the ocean in her mind interferes with her ability to understand it. Meanwhile, during a quiet moment between Hikari and Miuna, Miuna promises to herself that she won’t reveal her feelings to him, for his and Manaka’s sake. The next morning Manaka asks Hikari the sledgehammer question of “what is love?” and even probing him on whether he likes anyone. Clearly, he can’t answer that.
The friends, in particular Tsumugu, come up with an idea of holding another Boatdrift Ceremony but sacrificing Manaka’s sea slug stone instead of her this time. The stone is said to contain her feelings which might appease the Sea God into returning her ability to love. It’s a crazy idea, but one that might just work. Thus begins what looks like a repeat of the past. The friends try and garner support for another Boatdrift Ceremony, whatever it might bring.
In a powerful scene with Tsumugu and Chisaki, Chisaki is about to suggest that she should be the sacrifice this time. Tsumugu stops her in a sharp voice. The two become silent alone in the room while Kanamae is eavesdropping. But Sayu is also eavesdropping Kaname so we have this three way interaction happening without them knowing.
And so we come to what’s my favourite scene in the whole series up until now. Sayu confronts a lone Kaname at a train crossing, lecturing him on his half-hearted efforts to woo Chisaki. He explains that it’d do no good and she might treat him like a kid. In his eyes, Chisaki is long gone. There is simply no way she could love him that way as she hardly even thinks of him anymore. As a train approaches, Sayu confesses to Tsumugu in the most beautiful way possible (and far more mature than her age would suggest).
To this, Kaname breaks down in tears. All this time he was hardly given a passing mention but someone has admired and waited for him all along. Guess the whole time stopping thing went in someone’s favour, right? Man I’m so happy for these two.
In a repeat and a role reversal of five years ago, Hikari promises to tell Manaka who he loves after the Boatdrift Ceremony. He hopes that she would remember her feelings by then. Sure, we haven’t heard that before. Now let’s hope the whole planet doesn’t explode this time.
