Kukuru Misakino is a 18-year-old girl who works at an aquarium and she encounters a former idol who
lost her place in Tokyo and escaped to Okinawa named Fuuka Miyazawa. Kukuru and Fuuka spend their days
at the aquarium, their hearts filled with their own passions. But their precious place is about to be
shut down forever. The girls face their dreams and reality, loneliness and friendships, bonds and
conflicts... This summer is about to turn a glimmering, new page.
(Source: Crunchyroll)
Aquariums present their visitors with a glimpse into the deep sea, including all the marvelous and colorful aquatic lifeforms found in our world and they also provide many avenues for educating the public on the richness of marine life and the importance of our biosphere. Aquatope, an original PA works anime focused on aquariums was the first significant aquarium related series in the anime medium and it brought the aquarium experience to life with its excellent visuals and interesting educational facts. While the story, like many anime originals, eventually loses track of its original goal, the anime still delivered quite an enjoyable experience and did a lot of things right. This review will cover the various aspects that make up the Aquatope anime and will generally cover both the good and bad points that the audience can expect. THIS REVIEW WILL CONTAIN SPOILERS Story: 6 The review is going to start with Aquatope’s arguably weakest point, the story. It’s a sad thing to see when a series that essentially has everything going for it, suddenly forgets its roots. Aquatope started fundamentally as a story about a failed idol, Fuuka, who was trying to find a distraction from her despair on being graduated from the show business and ending up at an aquarium by chance when she decided to fly to Okinawa instead of going home. The aquarium, Gama Gama, was in dire straits as it was crumbling apart and had declining revenue, there was also a threat of a new aquarium being built that would take away its remaining customers. Fuuka has a fated encounter with a girl named Kukuru and she gets a job at the failing aquarium, much of the early plot is about Fuuka halfheartedly performing her new aquarium attendant job and not really caring much beyond trying to escape from reality. Over time however, Fuuka totally falls in love with her job and the viewer gets to really understand how captivating aquariums are and how rewarding it can be to work at one. The tension comes into play when Fuuka realizes that Kukuru is going all out trying to save the aquarium, but no matter what they do it appears that there are no ways to actually salvage the business. There are also a number of supernatural elements as well including a sea god they offer food to, an ED that delivers a supernatural atmosphere and multiple scenes of people having visions at the aquarium that help them come to terms with their lives. The main problem with the story is that the show solves the plot about halfway through the episode count and then the anime doesn’t seem to know what to do anymore. The supernatural aspects of the plot are largely ignored and Kukuru becomes the main focus, and the show turns into a SOL about Kukuru complaining about her new job at Tingara, a new aquarium, as Gama Gama became a failed business. Now while the slice of life story was decent, the amount of build up through the first half of the series and the tension that was present felt like it was all thrown away for a very slow paced after story. It is like the directors got more episodes than they first anticipated and unlike most anime originals where the episode count limit results in rushing the story, Aquatope instead is forced to slow down the pace of the story with a lot of pointless material that is not in line with the tone set at the start. Overall, even though the SOL aspects were enjoyable enough, the complete change in pace and removal of the drama present first season compared to the second season greatly weakened the story, the series should have chosen a single main focus but instead we essentially got 2 different shows in one anime. Art: 9 The single best thing in Aquatope is the art, the absolutely incredibly detailed backgrounds and lifelike animations for the marine animals serve as a top quality advertisement for Okinawa and aquariums in general. Everything in the backgrounds are lifelike and look detailed to ridiculous levels, from the beaches littered with shells to the orange sunsets and the star filled night skies, you could easily make dozens if not over a 100 high definition quality backgrounds out of them. The main attraction of the series, the aquatic life, is also depicted in a beautiful way, so many different species covered and all of them animated in fluid ways, swimming in groups and their physical movements captured in a completely natural way. The effort put into the art in this series is something to marvel at and even better is that this is one of the few anime original series where the production values did not fall apart near the final episodes. The show looks consistently amazing from start to finish, characters look attractive and distinct, they are well animated and move properly whenever they speak or show emotions, the food looks great like someone traced freshly made cooking at a nice seafood restaurant and even the cars don’t use noticeable CGI to cut corners. Overall, the art is definitely the strongest part of the show, and its more than enough to make a weaker story worth watching. Sound: 7 The voice acting, first opening and both endings were all very good, the sound effects for the aquarium were immersive and there was great background music playing during the scenes where characters had visions at gama gama. However, the second opening wasn’t nearly as good as the first one, there wasn’t any particularly good background music outside of the visions and major dramatic events, and for the most part the show overused its few good soundtracks. In short, it’s an example of good enough sound design, there are definitely some very strong points, but enough issues that I couldn’t really say its solidly above average. As long as the viewer doesn’t set their expectations aren’t very high, they should be overall satisfied with the music, especially the first opening and the high quality voice acting. Characters: 8 For the main cast, Kukuru and Fuuka both had dreams they were chasing and both of them struggle a lot with dealing with the fact that their dream’s may not entirely come true. Both characters were heavily developed with a strong focus on their goals and then focused on help finding new things that they wanted to do afterwards, the girls have very strong chemistry and they had lots of touching moments during the show. The comedy was also done fairly well, lots of entertaining bits of humor thrown in the right places so the show never got that heavy even when things were looking down and the girls always had fun moments together or by themselves that helped remind the audience that not everything goes wrong even if things are hard. If there is one aspect of the characterization between the 2 leading characters that I did not like, it was the soft girls love undertone that persisted throughout the show even though it was indicated that Kukuru already had a good male match, and no romance subplot was actually pursued. This sort of soft girls love can be annoying since its clearly thrown in to bait people into watching something for the cute girls acting sort of like they are in love, even though its clear that storyline wise they won’t ever be more than friends. While yes, people can have very close friendships, but the amount of touching and feeling along with lines that seemed like they were romantic in nature got a bit over the top, especially the number of times the girls stare into each other’s eyes and say they will support each other and such. The side cast is actually pretty rich and interesting on their own, the rest of the staff at gama gama each have their own unique traits and they are explored and explained thoroughly. The guy who is clearly working only to really get close to Kukuru ends up quite enjoying working at an aquarium, the guy who hates girls has his backstory explained and it is made clear that its more due to trauma over say something like entitlement, the adults are all written in a way that feels quite realistic as well. For example, the director of gama gama reminds me of how many experienced experts act in real life, they are very down to earth and never really show off their knowledge and you wouldn’t expect them to know as much as they do, but the moment when they are needed, they are able to explain things that clearly took many years of experience to understand in a clear and understandable way. I also really appreciate that both the family of Kukuru and Fuuka are both supportive, especially Fuuka’s mother. I had totally expected her to show up to the aquarium and slap her daughter and tell Fuuka off for not coming home, but she was reasonable and actually tried to understand why her daughter was struggling to handle the end of her idol career and why she was in Okinawa trying to move on from her past life. These sort of realistic portrayals of people are much more interesting than typical anime characters done 100s of times before, we have reasonable and understanding parents, we have a friend circle who have lives outside of interacting with the main characters, the side cast is thoroughly explored, and the adults are competent even if sometimes they are not very likable such as the marketing director at Tingara. Overall, the cast is very solid, and this show easily gets and 8 for its characters. Enjoyment: 8 For Aquatope, your enjoyment depends heavily on whether or not you really got into the cast and enjoy slice of life series, the production is great but if you’re not into the characters then this show is going to be rather boring with its plot. However, if you happen to have gotten into the whole cast and wanted to see them grow up and live their lives like I did, then this show is quite enjoyable even with the weaker story after the first half. Overall: 8 Despite the story largely forgetting its origins and the plot not really living up to the initial supernatural atmosphere or dramatic tension set during the gama gama aquarium focused first half, I quite enjoyed the slice of life moments and watching the cast grow into their adult lives during the second half. The Visuals throughout the show incredibly good, and the cast still had strong chemistry, the slice of life stories of each of the cast members struggling to make their careers work or making new friends or dealing with problems in their lives were still interesting as well. Music in the show wasn’t super strong outside of the first OP and the ending songs, but it was good enough and the aquariums were amazing to look at due to how much effort was put into them alongside the backgrounds. Overall, this show still provided a great viewing experience, and if you go in not expecting the second half of the show to be focused on actual plot or there to be any significant dramatic story, then you should have a decent time.
__SPOILER-FREE!__ My earliest memory of life comes from before I was a year old. I didn’t know it at the time, but my family took me and my older brother on a trip to the New England Aquarium in Boston. All I recall from that experience was a dark space with a giant blue light just slightly to the right-of-center. When I returned to that aquarium on my school’s special field trip for eighth graders, something hit my brain like a violent crash. I had to call my family later that night just to clarify that I wasn’t imagining things. But lo and behold, it was the same place and image from my memory. Depending on how you want to look at this story, an aquarium could be thought of as my “beginning.” _The Aquatope on White Sand_ uses an aquarium for similar purposes, a place for beginnings. Especially given the show’s subtitle, “The Two Girls Met in the Ruins of [a] Damaged Dream,” the show appears to seek out what it means to supposedly make a new start amidst sadness or heartbreak of some sort. Goodness knows that we’ve all had our dreams be destroyed or given up in some way, so using a location which constantly sees new life involving baby fish and other creatures appears to be a perfect marriage between setting and content. ________ Miyazawa Fuuka leaves her job as an idol behind, deciding to run away from the cheer up party that he mother wants to give her. Finding her way to Okinawa, sleeping on the beach, and fighting dehydration, she eventually comes across the Gama Gama Aquarium, headed by the young Misakino Kukuru. After spending some time examining a tank, Fuuka has a surreal experience in which the aquarium waters seem to envelop and calm her down. After a brief tour by Kukuru, Fuuka asks to be allowed to work at Gama Gama. Kukuru accepts after consulting her grandparents, as the aquarium is being threatened with closure. The major theme in The Aquatope on White Sand involves characters preoccupied with following their own dreams or path in life, some of which are more mundane than others. At the start of the series, Kukuru’s dream to keep Gama Gama open is more concrete and solidified. As such, she serves as the show’s main stabilizing anchor at first. Her determination is evident not only in her care and attention to the animals and fish, but also in her trying to come up with various ways to drum up attention or traffic for the aquarium. Contrary to that, Fuuka doesn’t even necessarily know what her dream is at the start. Her character is conceived as one who’s running away, unwilling to face the reality of what awaits her now that she has thrown her old ambition to the wayside. Fuuka’s initial dream was broken, and her getting a job at Gama Gama is less about a fresh start than it is about finding stability. The show juxtaposes Kukuru and Fuuka with concrete vs. abstract dreams, someone in a more-defined position vs. someone who is adrift, and so forth. It’s because Kukuru and Fuuka differ in this fundamental way that their chemistry together works well. Despite being the one with more “worldly experience” beyond her own little town, Fuuka, in essence, lives under Kukuru’s care. This is not only in regard to being given a roof over her head, but also in terms of the stability Fuuka sought. Working as an aquarium attendant, while perhaps not a job that she ever thought she would take up in her life, gives Fuuka at least some sort of steadiness to hold onto. But it is not solely through her work that she gets this sense of grounding; through her interactions with Kukuru, Fuuka gradually begins to see that new dreams, or ways of seeing and experiencing the world, can be forged from simply being among new people and new situations. Kukuru also learns to rely upon Fuuka in her own moments of struggle. Despite her position as the acting director of Gama Gama in her grandfather’s place, Kukuru is still just a high schooler. She’d much rather spend her time thinking about fish and the aquarium as opposed to putting in that effort for her schoolwork. It is because she is young that her obstinance makes her a powerful force, although it does occasionally lead into some rather short-sighted decisions. Fuuka and Kukuru are immature in their own ways, but through their time together, they provide the other with a shoulder to lean on, someone to laugh with, and someone to talk to when they don’t know what to do or where to go. _The Aquatope on White Sand_ knows that Kukuru and Fuuka’s relationship is at the heart of the series, so its twenty-four-episode run spends much of its time showing both characters at their own highs and lows. The two girls are supported by the show’s large ensemble cast. Although some characters such as Kuuya long outlive their comedic or plot usefulness down the road, the sense of camaraderie and community among the characters always existed. They do come across as a fun group of friends, bound together by the same dreams, even if they do slightly differ in the finer details. An entire episode in the second half involves all the characters coming together for a day of fun at an apartment, showing that while they may all work at or be near an aquarium, they do have friendships beyond simply being co-workers. Especially as the show marches onward and their overall friendship circle increases, it was nice to see this group involve a good mix of both the old characters and the new characters and angles. Speaking of new angles, _The Aquatope on White Sand_ opts for newer kinds of stories later on. The show divides cleanly between two halves, with one of the major stories ending and the last half involving a “what happened afterwards” take on the story. The change in direction was welcome, as the new episodes focus more on smaller iyashikei slice-of-life ventures involving low stakes, and it works decently well. In a sense, the show seems to be making a case for letting the small moments carry the show’s center. What does lapping your feet at a pool with penguins do? Nothing on the surface, aside from cuteness at first glance. Yet these moments feel right at home given the show’s overall tone. Though small moments that may not mean much in terms of a grand narrative, they can help convey simple acts of warmth and love. With Kukuru, Fuuka, and the Gama Gama family, saving the aquarium might be their main goal, but if the show’s main goal is for warmth, these smaller moments succeeded. Unfortunately, this change in approach to focus on iyashikei comes at the price of leaving the second half without much of a rudder. There did eventually reach a point where I had to ask myself what the show was building towards in the end. This was, in part, because though the episodes themselves are cute or delightful, one negative aspect is that certain plot threads were introduced either through actual events or heavy insinuation in the show’s first half. In focusing so much on the characters living their lives, the chance to see some of these threads develop never take off. At worst, the threads get completely dropped, leaving me unsatisfied at planted ideas that don’t bloom. The first half, generally speaking, has better luck incorporating its direction while still sprinkling in its own iyashikei stories. Thankfully, the directionless problem gets rectified down the line as the show’s final arc moves into focus, giving both the drama and the character dynamics new territories and obstacles to explore. And one element that helps that exploration is the show’s overall look. Even if the animation is not at the usual standard of flexing that one expects from PA Works, the overall use of shading, tinting, and lighting is pleasant on the eyes. It would have been easy for a series like this to make the color blue a bear to look at in the aquarium, but it always found small ways to balance it out with other colors and environments. I couldn’t help but love the moonlight glistening on the waterfront, and the soundtrack is appropriately soothing. We may not be able to experience the entirety of Okinawa, but the few locations it utilizes come across as fully realized as though one could actually walk through them. _____________ _The Aquatope on White Sand_ is a calm series with good visuals that struggles finding direction in the second half. The lovable group of characters and iyashikei stories manage to make most episodes fun, even if they don’t progress anything plot-wise. Plus, its inability to close out certain lingering threads was more aggravating than I’d like to admit, However, with its two strong female lead characters, it has a solid emotional center that always manages to be delightful to witness, even on the occasions where it cannot stick the landing. The show was simply warm, and in this particular case, warm was good enough for me.
This is not a anime that will really stand out when you look at the whole year in perspective. It is a calm, beautiful and relaxing anime that deals with the struggle of building upon a broken dream, the reality of growing up and how harsh life can be. It captures that sense really beautifully that yes, a lot of our dreams will just be dreams. That all dreams must end when the dreamer wakes up. And we see that throughout the series as we see how Kukuru must face reality when what she holds most precious to her gets destroyed. Those who are older will understand that we have so many broken dreams, some things just remain dreams. But throughout it all, it is a beautiful journey regardless of all the dirt road or hard gravel we must walk on. Sometimes you face thorn and so many hardship to just reach your dreams. And even so, some of those dreams will crumble before our eyes. This doesn't mean that we cannot build upon them and start anew. What makes this anime so special is the bond between Kukuru and Fuuka who builds upon each other broken dream to find a new dream together. Sometimes we can only see so far but with someone else there we can see past what we couldn't before or notice things we would've otherwise missed. Visually this anime is pleasing, it is as expected of PA Works original. There's not much to say beside visual is absolutely gorgeous with their scenery being always gorgeous as always. The way they drew the animal really shine as they really cared about their visual and detail and how much they care to portray each individual creatures. Characters - each character shine in their own way. With a good supporting cast overall who really build onto the friendship. I mean could have this show survive without most of them or still be good? Yeah I can say so, since the real focus is really Kukuru and Fuuka and the others are just a nice treat to have there. Not saying they didn't add anything. Plot - it's really simple and close to real life as you can get. Seeing how a lot of us can relate to a lot of our dreams being crushed and broken. Needing others to help us get back on our feet. As Fuuka build her dream upon Kukuru dream and even though that fell apart, they continue to push each other to build upon a new dream in the new aquarium. Overall I really had a great time watching this. I don't think it'll be one of the anime people will be talking about for a long time but it does have it's moment in the spotlight as being one of the few bright spot of Summer. Since it's just me personally but I thought Summer was kind of lacking in good anime. So this was a beautiful treat to have. Kukuru and Fuuka friendship was a beautiful relationship that I really admire. Sure you can ship them or call it yuri or whatever but in the end it's not, it's really just a beautiful friendship of one another helping each other achieve their dreams and building upon each other dreams. Their dreams became one. Life can be rough, life can be full of twist and turns, we never know when we might lose everything and everyone close to us but we have to keep moving forward and find that someone who will help us along the way. We aren't meant to go alone into the world. And sometimes you may not know what to do or what your dream is, but you can always build it upon someone else and help them achieve their dreams. And is that a bad thing? Not at all, because you would share in their dreams and that will be your dream as well. So don't expect anything great out of this but a beautiful lesson and a message of it's up to us to take care of our world, our ocean and those creatures that lives in it. Because one day we might not see them again and though we don't see what they do but some of them do play a big role in the eco system.
The penguins are more entertaining than the cast. In the first cour, there is lots of mystery with the Gama Gama Aquarium though it never gets properly explained. It gives people visions based on their own personal issues. This leads to the mystery of Kukuru's lost twin sister among other nice reveals. This became the most interesting part of the series for many viewers. Sadly, they completely abandoned this for a long while, but kept shoving it in your face with the openings and endings as the viewers wonder, why? For a slow paced series, they sure inexcusably failed to properly develop characters who had potential to be much better. Every filler like episode was a waste of time that could have helped with this. Still, this is a series that can make you feel happy with all the irrelevance that goes on in it much of the time. But after the fact, it brings nothing meaningful or amazing. It's a treat of a series when I am looking for something that is more like a main feast. Speaking of lack of character development, one is Kai, who became the love interest of Kukuru. Sadly, this childhood friend was abandoned by the writers and reduced to an irrelevant punching bag. Regardless, this wasn't even advertised as a romance, but that didn't stop all the theories about him and lesbianism. The other is Kuuya, who was actually funny, but got shafted to the side alongside Kai eventually. On a related note to him, the orientation of the characters is another part of the series that is made unclear on purpose to lure viewers in who theorized about what I mentioned earlier. Then there is the mysterious kid which is something that P.A. Works often does in their projects: They put in a mysterious character that is mostly pointless and is there just to add "mystery." But maybe that spirit was always there since it was implied it's what caused the visions, though it's still tragic this spirit had 0 development. The animation can be very nice, but the music is forgettable. It's sad to say that one of the few things that stood out was the background art. The story is deeply rooted with what life working in an aquarium is like. The viewers will learn a lot about what it is and means to be an attendant. It isn't boringly educational; it is interesting at least. Subtly, however, Kukuru's life and struggle is often portrayed through the marine life. In relation to penguins, there is the quote "Someone who courageously takes on risks, like the first penguin that jumps into the water regardless of circumstances. It can be terrifying to be the first person to challenge something new, but once you do, the others will follow. A First Penguin has strength within them to have a positive impact on the people around them." Afterwards, Kukuru reassures the viewers after this quote that is about her is revealed by adding, "Someday, I want to have the courage to challenge myself to something new. I made those with that in mind". Though this is all good and well about her, it would be terribly executed in most of the second cour until the series picks itself back up around episode 20. Fuuka is a failed idol who ran away from facing disgrace at home. She runs into Kukuru, and the two become best friends. Fuuka joins Kukuru in the Gama Gama, and eventually catches on as an attendant. Their story of friendship and support is all the series really had going after it abandoned the aquarium fantasy aspect, since nothing else seemed too interesting for the most part. The second cour would flip this as Kukuru would become the one in need of help. It's a friendship about uplifting each other after failures, comforting and supporting, overcoming, and ultimately learning to let go. In the second cour, I understand what it is trying to do, but the series drags on far too long with being aimless, and Kukuru doing painfully boring office work. The viewers also felt the pain of how boring and uneventful this part of the series was. Kukuru would go into marketing, which obviously wasn't something she'd be good at for a while since the lack of that skill is why she couldn't raise money for new equipment for the Gama Gama. This was a futile attempt in the end to save it anyways. As ridiculous as it sounds, she just needed training that for whatever reason she didn't get. As a result, her boss, that hilariously calls her plankton, treats her harshly and expects a lot from her. Her boss is a man that though appears mean, is sincere and passionate about running aquariums, and the rest of the staff don't have too much of an issue with him. Regardless, his development was terribly done and he felt awkward and hollow. T-1000 has more emotion than him. Kukuru struggles and ultimately gives up as he never lowers his standards of her and always expects the best no matter how much he sees her struggling or coming up with bad ideas. She abandons her job and he still doesn't fire her. After some soul searching and support from Fuuka, Kukuru overcomes her flaws and comes back stronger. I myself wanted to give up after episode 19, and took me weeks to catch up to episodes 20-22. Amusingly enough, I grew up as a child often being taken to the same aquarium many times over those years. Going in, I always appreciated the aquatic life, how mysterious and beautiful it was, and the excitement of the exhibit where you could get a feel of the sea stars, orchids, etc. Because of this anime, I went back recently after so many years, and this series made me appreciate it a whole lot more. I stared at the huge tanks, remembered this series, and went through the memories of being there as a child. Fortunately, it was these recent episodes that made the series much more enjoyable by this point. Now that the unnecessarily long "work is hard and painful" arc is over with the terrible "just slave away, you'll be rewarded some day" message, it moves back into Fuuka and Kukuru learning to let go as they have finally found some balance in their lives, partly thanks to their friendship. Fuuka had already accepted this, but Kukuru still struggled to at first. Previously, this had lead to Kukuru running away to a nearby aquarium where the sea turtles were about to hatch. I'm sure she saw herself in those turtles where only 1 in 5,000 make it, as they struggled towards their own goals of reaching the sea. The ending was underwhelming and mostly didn't feel like one, but at least it was bit enjoyable. Besides how emotionally satisfying that meet up was, nothing else really felt meaningful, relevant, or that it really mattered, as most of this series felt that way.
# Shiroi Suna no Aquatope ____ img1080(https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/original/5ryyuEncPn7hBW4YvTT9EZ4KWSG.jpg) For me, Aquatrope was a very satisfying anime. I must say that I preferred the second half to the first, and I will try to explain why. In the beginning, we met Fuuka who after leaving her career as an Idol went to Okinawa, where her life changed after meeting Kukuru and the Gama Gama Aquarium that is about to close. So the first half is the effort to keep the Gamma Gamma open. It was an important part of what turned Fuuka into a new direction and his passion for marine life. img1080(https://www.animeunited.com.br/oomtumtu/2021/07/114929727c4d4b3e98_mobile.jpg) That said, one thing I really liked was that the story wasn't about a miracle that would save Gama Gama, and it was interesting to see how it affected everyone connected to the place. The Kukuru who had the emotional connection to the place and how she was trying to get over the loss of a special place. ____ The reason I liked the second half the most is precisely because it focused more on the characters, Coming of Age worked really well in this second half. The fact that they went to Tingara, being a new environment different from what they were used to, having to adapt to the new workplace. Talking about Kukuru and Fuuka, Fuuka who decided to dedicate himself to taking care of the animals and her willingness and effort to learn more. And Kukuru, who cannot become a caregiver, having to adapt to work in the marketing part. The second half seemed to have no direction until around episode 17 worried me a little, after all I had no idea what direction the story would take, but it turned out not to be a problem as I expected. img720(https://lostinanime.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/Shiroi-Suna-no-Aquatope-01-04.jpg) ____ One thing that I found interesting is that the mystical factor, the story is not around that. So much so that despite its importance in the plot, it's not a story about it, it can be seen as myths of local culture. That they may or may not exist depends on your belief or not. I've seen some people disappointed that it hasn't been developed further, but I see it's been used enough. After all, if the story really went to the more supernatural side, everything would be very different. ____ In conclusion, for me, the anime was very worthwhile, as I said before, the second half for me was much more interesting, but the work as a whole was quite satisfactory. I understand why some friends of mine dropped the anime, but for me it's still a good experience, but as the anime got me a lot more on my emotional side, it's harder to recommend it. But give it a chance, see if the work is good or if it's my emotional side valuing the work more than necessary. img720(https://rabujoi.files.wordpress.com/2021/10/aws176.jpg?w=840)
img2220(https://i.imgur.com/Lsed0fR.jpg) ~~~__A Place In The Ocean:__~~~ Aquatope’s premise is one that is unique and familiar. The show takes cues from its Working Girls predecessors: Hanasaku Iroha, Shirobako, and Sakura Quest which are about working at an inn, an anime studio, and revitalizing the country side. Aquatope joins the trio with an aquarium. But it’s not just their listless days among fish. It’s an aquarium which is failing, one where the fish swim amongst dread and a looming destruction of its community. And, it’s about the people who work there, who have to come to terms with their dreams, and the future. img2200(https://i.imgur.com/T4CfuNg.jpg) ~~~__The Ocean Is Lonely, So Let’s Swim Together__~~~ Aquatope’s cast while bloated, stays true to the very end with the two main characters that it features, Kukuru and Fuuka. The supporting cast mostly has their development dispersed intermittently but stays thoroughly, support. Whether they are work buddies, children who frequent the aquarium, or even the fish and aquarium itself, there’s always someone familiar. However, as the ocean is filled, it’s hard for them to survive upstream. Most of them don’t get more than a single episode. The hopeful chef works towards her dreams, yet we don’t see her development in the foreground. The troubled worker who was taken in has his past revealed but we don’t really see how the aquarium affects him directly. The part time worker, who is only really there for the sake of it, is shown to struggle with her future, but we only see that in her episode, and not explored further. Due to this, the show doesn’t skimp out on its main focus. Kukuru and Fuuka change so much throughout the show, that by the end, they’re basically different people. Fuuka starts off directionless, having just lost her previous dream, and sees herself in Kukuru, who gives her a new purpose. Kukuru follows, she starts with undying passion only to lose it, and be directionless, but just like Fuuka she too reignites her passion. Their character arcs are beautifully in parallel. Each one has moments of desperation, drowned in pessimism, and optimism, resurfacing together. Seeing their growth is more than just a gentle sea breeze. They feel complete and human, struggling as we do when we’re lost on our paths, and like them we can rely on others when we need to and we can even be that helping hand to others in dismay. webm(https://i.imgur.com/f6Wy3MD.mp4) ~~~__There’s More In The Ocean Than We Could Ever Imagine __ ~~~ Speaking of themes, the show takes on the club classics: the difficulties of knowing what to do for the future, and the strength of family and community. The treatment of both is very strong. We get a complete arc of struggle, compromise, and success, along with the potency of having a family and community as a support network and motivation. These themes are further enhanced by one of the most surprising elements of Aquatope, magic. The magic comes in the form of illusions which transport the characters to a memory or a vision of what’s to come. However, there’s no formal explanation for them, since it’s not really a sci-fi or fantasy. This is a double edged sword, as this element is done enough in the 1st cour to be important, but not in the 2nd cour, leaving unanswered questions. Dissonance is formed as it feels like a vital part is ripped away without any resistance, which may be a parallel to Kukuru’s character arc, but it still feels bad. Despite being thrown to the waves and lost at sea, while it’s present, the magical elements not only provide beauty in visuals but reinforce the themes. Having the characters relive their past in a way that’s not a simple flashback, magnifies the importance of memories, showing how vital the past is and how we are shaped by them, by literally merging past into present. These memories are often also associated with family and community, whether it’s remembering one’s sibling, or the helping hand once given to a cherished friend. But it’s not just that, the aquarium now takes on a new characteristic with these illusions, being a central hub in which these memories can be evoked. This creates complexity because now, it’s not just about how important these ideas of family and past are, it’s about how much we would fight to protect them. If the aquarium is shut down, Kukuru loses not only her memories, but she also loses a place that can evoke those memories and relive them. Even though that magical element isn’t fully explored, and is left relatively missing throughout the 2nd cour, when it is present, it’s incredibly potent alongside the themes. img2220(https://i.imgur.com/DAiiceS.png) ~~~__It’s Hard To Breathe Underwater__~~~ One of the biggest parts of this 2 cour show is how both cours operate. The 1st cour has a very clear progression, where each episode, whilst not having a large central conflict, always reminds the audience that the aquarium is one step closer to closure. Natural tension ensues, even if the show maintains a positive atmosphere. However, once the emotional climax closes the first half, the 2nd half takes on a different direction. While it may feel less connected, the 2nd half answers the interesting question of what happens after the big climatic plot point is over. I initially treated the 2nd cour as an epilogue. It’s nice fan service, with extra character development. But nearing its end I started seeing it in conjunction with the 1st cour a lot more with the parallels of Kukuru and Fuuka, and really came to like the ebb and flow of its disjointed waves. For me, I didn’t necessarily need the brilliant interwoven movement of the 1st cour, and enjoyed the softened pace, but it does feel very different. It’s undeniable that the 2nd cour has a different presentation, atmosphere, and movement, but I still greatly enjoy moments from both and I appreciate the whole despite the many cracks. Even if the magical aspect is left untouched, and the cast isn’t always accommodated, it had its own flavor. Sure it’s not the same flavor, but it was still pleasant for me. webm(https://i.imgur.com/BZqadvn.mp4) ~~~__Where We Live Is Where We’ll Always Be__~~~ By the end of the show, a hidden message is revealed to the audience. I have no qualms revealing it, because I don’t think it’s a message that needs to be hidden, and it’s also kind of present in the 1st episode anyway. By the end of the show is a message of ocean preservation. The environmental scheme of an aquarium isn’t something they ignore, and it’s not something we should ignore either. But it’s more than just me trying to shill for the importance of the environment. Aquatope is largely about community and finding where we belong. It’s only fitting for it to also include the earth we live on. Just like the show proposes, I can only hope that someone out there who watches Aquatope will feel inspired by the ocean, by the lost but hopeful people swimming within it, and they can carry on long after its conclusion. ~~~~~~
The Aquatope On White Sand was in my opinion, a very good anime and I did sincerely enjoy watching it. It follows the two main characters Miyazawa Kukuru and Misakino Fuuka. Kukuru lives in Okinawa with her parents and manages Gama Gama Aquarium. Fuuka has just given up her dream of becoming an idol in Tokyo and to escape her mothers “cheer-up” party ses goes to Okinawa. Sleep deprived and dehydrated, she finds Gama Gama. After going through the aquarium like any regular visitor, she experiences one of Gama Gamas miracles. She soon stumbles upon Kukuru, where the two become quick friends and Fuuka decides she wants to work there for the summer. Kukuru allows Fuuka to stay with her where she helps Kukuru save her dream and the aquarium with it. It chases both of their dreams until they both seem to come together as one.
_This review is spoiler free._ In a year full of massive disappointment, hidden gems, and wonderful surprises, Aquatope manages to push through it all with its sheer... normality. It's a breath of fresh air after having watched so many shows with countless gimmicks, unworkable concepts, and disappointing characters. Aquatope is nothing groundbreaking, but it's exactly what it needs to be, and makes no attempt to be anything more. ~~~ img70%(https://i.imgur.com/Z5TKaiB.png) ~~~ First off, the cast is incredibly strong - each and every character strikes a perfect balance between uniqueness and relatability. It manages a fairly large group, between its two leads, several supporting cast members, and regularly reoccurring side characters. Despite this, none of the characters feel like they trounce another; each has their own purpose, their own personality, and bring their own skills and background to each scene. In terms of consistency, I'd go as far to say that Aquatope has the single strongest cast I've ever seen in a series, there's pretty much no bad characters here. Even the characters who aren't immediately trying to be likeable or nice manage to find their way into my heart, because they're written so believably that you can begin to see their point of view. This is most obvious with a character like Chiyu, who is a single working mother and its easy to dismiss her rudeness once you find that out. But the same remains true for characters we never get backstories for, like Kaoru and the Assistant Director - both are excellent additions to the series that bolster the cast in ways it was previously lacking. ~~~ img50%(https://i.imgur.com/Wz90MQD.png) ~~~ Obviously Kukuru (and to a slightly lesser extent Fuuka) steals the show - she reminds me a lot of Akko, my favorite character of all time, as both are reckless, devoted, and slightly selfish. Where the two differ is in their actual competence - Kukuru is a legitimately capable character which makes seeing her fail all the more emotional. And she fails a lot. Throughout the show we watch her sink deeper and deeper, and its through true friendship and hard work that she manages to swim back to the surface. That's the thing: Aquatope's message is fairly basic and cliché, but I think the fact that it takes such a realistic and grounded approach to it makes it feel unique and fresh. There are obviously moments of dream-like wonder unfolding on screen, but those moments are few and because they're so fleeting they're extra magical. At no point, however, does it feel like things are just _easy_ for the main characters. This isn't a fantasy story where everything goes right all the time. Both Kukuru and Fuuka are extremely hard working individuals, but even then both have to face fairly tough hardships and struggles. But it's never overly dark. It's never gritty, it's never depressing, it's never brutal, it's never raw. So many realistic stories get flaunted as such despite being overly grim and gross - how many times have you seen someone say something was realistically just because it had gore and sex? That's not at all how life really is, that's not what realism has to be, and Aquatope is a perfect example of that. I must admit, I was a bit worried when I found out the show was going to be two cour. Add in a time-skip and marketing that omits one of the main characters from the key art and PVs, and I was sure that the series would stumble and falter like so many others this year. However, that is not even remotely the case - Aquatope's second half in my opinion is the stronger of the two, finally challenging Kukuru and Fuuka instead of holding their hands to the inevitable tragedy. ~~~ img70%(https://i.imgur.com/5tfauS4.gif) ~~~ There are moments of happiness throughout the second cour, some cute and wholesome episodes full of carefree fun - but there's this lingering feeling that all of its going to crumble. It perfectly captures that feeling that I think many young people go through, or at the very least a feeling that I've been experiencing for the past couple years. Everything seems to be going well, I have lots of friends, I'm not broke or homeless, and for the most part I'm fairly happy. But there's that uncertainty of the future, there's this constant fear that everything could break away from one mistake, and I'm endlessly worried that my pretty little fish bowl will shatter, and I'll flounder and flail as I wash away. But even then, I can't let myself drown. It's in those moments, where the shore looks so far away and you're fully ready to let yourself drift off to sea, that you truly discover who you are. Aquatope knows this, and over the course of its entire run builds up to it to show exactly how it happens, how everything can go wrong, and how everything can return. It isn't sugar coating it - life can suck, but if you stick with those you love, you can push through. **TL;DR**: Aquatope is certainly not the best show to come out this year, but it's my favorite. I was expecting a fairly standard "Cute Girls Doing Cute Things" show with some classic yuri bait, but it had _none_ of that. Instead it was just a really solid depiction of young adult life. I'm sure I'll return to it at some point, and hopefully by then I'll have pushed through the waves to be my best self. ~~~ img70%(https://imgur.com/yXkYMZA.gif) ~~~ Also, there's only like 11 scenes with any jellyfish, so 0/100, worst show of 2021 and possibly ever.
This is a spoiler-free review of _The Aquatope on the White Sand_. I have separated this review into its two main components, the first and second course (sets of 12 episodes) due to them being distinct. __First Cour:__ While I first thought this show was going to be a fairly generic depiction of a character discovering a new hobby or thing, which has been done over and over, it instead showed the protagonist learning to move away from her comfort zone into something completely different. While this at first can be applied to more anime than I can count, _The Aquatope on White Sand_ approaches it slightly differently, clearly presenting Fuuka (the protagonist) as using her new place at Gama Gama to assist her emotionally after the failure of her dream as an Idol. The show demonstrates how we can become attached to things we previously had no interest in, and the power of our chance encounters. However, it also clearly shows the character's choices as the most important as they decide to continue to struggle and work. While I won't go into spoiler territory here, I was very pleased with the ending to the first cour, it was both fitting for the characters and plot. It also sends the message that even if our actions don't have the intended result we can adapt and still find happiness, and that our relationships are more important than our possessions and even place or role in society. I would, and did, rate the first twelve episodes of the show a 9/10. __Second Cour:__ However, the second cour, while good, was not on the same level as the first. Without discussing spoilers, which I consider anything I was surprised by or glad to find out on my own, it is difficult to comment in detail on this section. I will, however, comment on the importance of character. The main themes from the first cour remain, with characters meeting with others to overcome their struggles, yet to a lesser extent. Rather than as seen in the first cour, the characters were often shown as working themselves, unable to gain assistance from others. Rather than depicting them overcoming this, the show rather then forces them to simply work harder or to find a way to enjoy what they are doing. While this is an interesting message in of itself, it is a stark contrast to the first cour, and is not presented as well, which makes it come off as hollow. The ending to this cour, while ending all plot threads and not particularly leaving us on a cliff-hanger, came up short, particularly when compared to that of the first. This is particularly striking as while the anime could easily have been broadcast as two separate seasons, it was as one, meaning the audience expects this ending to end the entire series or 24 episodes. It instead wraps up all major plot threads and then gives us a glimpse of the next season. I rate this cour at a 6/10. __Conclusion__ _The Aquatope on the White Sand_ or _Shiroi Suna no Aquatopoe_ contains a fantastic first twelve episodes that are a must-watch for any slice of life or drama fan. However, the second cour is less than stunning, primarily due to a loss of the importance of the characters and their relationships in all elements of the show. Therefore, I would recommend perhaps only watching the first cour unless you just have time to burn - there are better shows you could be enjoying rather than continuing past the first cour of this. I have rated this show at 7/10, which is less than the average of my two scores for the two cours. This is due to how disappointing the second cour was. It also makes watching the entire show less worthwhile, and I would recommend watching shows rated higher than 7/10 before this.
The show is overall fantastic with superb visuals and characters. A few standouts for me personally were Fuuka and Chiyu, but that's just me. While I do think the second half is a little spotty in terms of focus and pacing, it certainly sticks the landing by the end! There is a lot of character development that feels earned and well deserved, but I do warn that some of it can be a slower burn for some characters more than others. Still, if you manage to make it all the way through, the ending will make that burn feel like an overarching accomplishment. There's many lessons for these characters to learn about life, but I think I disagree with the community's idea that it's just a coming-of-age story: it's more than that. Many of the lessons to be taken from this show, while dealing with passion and the general decision of where to take one's life next, can be applied to a viewer of ANY age. To me, that makes it more special. There is an elephant in the room for many when discussing this show, and that is whether or not it is a Yuri show: It is NOT meant to be viewed as such, so going in with that expectation will most certainly set some up for disappointment. There's "evidence" to support the _possibility_ of Yuri romance, but to be honest, it's nothing more than wishful thinking in the context of the show. Still, it is left ambiguous enough for shippers to have their fun, but be aware that the the show strays from that idea in most of the dialogue. At the end of the day, whether or not there's romance is entirely up to interpretation and is not necessarily canon. I do have a little nitpick with one outcome for a supporting character of the second half, so if you're interested, __spoiler's ahead!__ (Keep in mind that it's utterly insignificant, I'm just overly focused on it lmao) ~!Eiji should have been the other person they chose for the USTD project, not Kaoru. As much as I like her character, the staff's reasoning for her selection was essentially just basic passion, which within itself was completely outshined by Fuuka's. Ejii complements Fuuka's side of work since he represents the more analytical and intellectual part of things, and he has extensive postgraduate research to back it... It's an unimportant outcome, so I suppose it doesn't matter, but it bothers me a lot lol. Fuuka and Eiji both shine where the other fails, so it seems like a missed opportunity on Tingarla's part not to select him for USTD.!~ Anyway, besides that miniscule detail that has no bearing on the show anyway, I still love the show! It was a fun ride, and I'll miss it going forward. There was a lot of enjoyment in waiting for the next episode, especially since each episode had relatively alright pacing. My Thursdays will feel a little more empty now haha
One of the most frustrating anime I've ever watched. Maybe because I, a grown woman, wasn't the target audience. I imagine if I were still a teenager I might've related to the characters. I'm not and as such, I couldn't relate to Fuuka's stupidity of running away from home on a whim. Like, you're the one who willingly gave up her idol centre spot to appease another girl's selfish desire. What did she think would happen? The Idol industry is brutal. You can't be stepping aside just because someone begs you to. That's completely absurd. Ultimately, you need to have the mentality and the willingness to step over your competitors' bodies to succeed in the idol industry. Evidently, Fuuka lacked this required mentality, and this is what kicks off the premise of Aquatope on White Sand; a loser, soft-hearted idol who got fired for giving up her spot to a rival. Yes, that girl who took Fuuka's spot wanted her sick grandma to see her performance, but I don't care. Fuuka should never have her dream set below anyone else's. Fuuka then ends up at the main aquarium of the first half of the series called "Gama Gama" by pure chance and, magically, sees a strange, unexplained illusion that makes her wanna stay and work there despite having no prior interest in the aquarium. Even the main character, Kukuru, was bewildered by Fuuka's abrupt declaration. It's very lazy writing. The aquarium's illusion was never, ever explained either. It was simply put in there to facilitate the plot because Fuuka would've had no reason to work there otherwise. Following this sees a poorly written relationship form between our central characters, Fuuka and Kukuru. The girls become attached to the hip absurdly fast. Barely 5 episodes into the series and they were already acting like they've known each other for years. It made any further developments feel shallow and forced. I don't understand how the abrupt close friendship formed between them either. In episode two, Kukuru literally dashed Fuuka in the deep end, having her attempt to feed the penguins with no prior training and very little guidance, then she had the audacity to chew her out when she failed. Uh, like, bitch. She wasn't trained. What did you think would happen, stupid? Ugh. The characters were just on full stupid mode. Fuuka insists she wants to "support Kukuru's dream" but why? She barely knew Kukuru. She had no reason to be there other than the fact she wanted to try and forget the idol industry. Fuuka's mom showed up in an episode to take Fuuka home and Kukuru does everything in her power to buy time, from nonsensically telling Fuuka to run away while her mom was distracted, to getting her mom drunk, etc. It's all juvenile and cringey. Kukuru has no reason to stop Fuuka's mom from taking her home. She hasn't known her long enough to form a justified connection. Fuuka, likewise, didn't have a reason to stick around other than "wanting to figure things out". Basically, the story "had" to go on and Fuuka leaving then might've ended it. Otherwise, Fuuka had zero motivation to stay beyond episode 6 or so when her mother came to pick her up. Kukuru didn't have much of a reason to want her to stay either. There simply wasn't enough time to establish an emotional connection between the two despite what the series wanted us to believe. There was this weird Yuri-like moment in one of the early episodes where Fuuka suggests if they touch each other, they could gain a better understanding of one another. It was incredibly cringeworthy. They even opted to start referring to each other by their forenames right after the creepy Yuri moment. Despite the atrociously written friendship and the abandoned fantasy aspect, the series was on course to redeem itself by the end of the 1st half. It's just too bad it ended up continuing for a further 12 episodes because I might've awarded it a 5, at least. The first half ended on a lovely note. Kukuru's stubborn immaturity had a reality check when a storm hit the old, rundown aquarium which she desperately wanted to save and Fuuka even got another idol opportunity when her junior, whose she surrended her spot to begin with, got in touch with her to tell some producers wanted her to star in a film. I wasn't pleased to see Kukuru's 1st reaction upon learning Fuuka might be leaving. She looked distraught. Why? Just because your so-called "bestie" who you only knew for a month is getting another once in a lifetime chance to achieve her dream? It's so ridiculously selfish and honestly made me despise her character. A real friend would NEVER be sad to see their friend leave to greater heights. Least, it wouldn't be their first and most prominent emotion. They would be elated for them that they could potentially be what they've always wanted to be. They would encourage them right off the bat to take that plunge, not discourage them by being sad of their potential departure. Yet, it was only after Gama-Gama had fallen that Kukuru encouraged her so-called best friend to accept the producer's offer. It just leaves a sour taste in my mouth. It was made worse when Fuuka raced back the way she came before boarding her plane in the last scene of the 1st act to comfort her, missing her first flight. It was all very cliche and predictable. Still, I could've given this a low 5 if the series had ended there. It didn't. Fuuka came back, giving up another opportunity at fame to be with a girl she only knew for a FUCKING month. It wasn't like they were lovers or anything despite the cringey Yuri-bait moments sprinkled through the series. Imagine, you're an aspiring professional athlete who dreams of being a footballer, throwing away years and years of dedication when a second chance to achieve your dream lands in your lap, all to stay close to someone you've only known for a month? It's quite frankly ridiculous. It makes me wonder, did Fuuka really want to be an Idol? If not, then why spend so many years training and dieting for that express purpose? Sure, she lost her dream once, but she had a second chance to achieve said aspiration when her junior got in touch with her regarding the producer's offer. Is Kukuru, a month-long friend she knew very little about before forming the absurd attachment to her, really more important than a lifelong dream? I would think not for any real character, something Fuuka couldn't be further from the sort. Story - 0/10. It's as slice of life as it gets. What little plot we got in the Gama-Gama's illusions was abandoned. Characters - 0/10 Undeveloped and vastly unlikeable Music - 7.5/10. The ost provides a calming atmosphere Animation - Beautiful Overall - 2/10 I wouldn't recommend.
Supón que te encargan dirigir una comedia escolar. Desde luego, __no es una tarea fácil__. Necesitarás coordinar a un equipo enorme de dibujantes, animadores, técnicos de sonido... Además, tendrás que saber a qué prestar atención: si los personajes se van a tirar media serie en aulas y pasillos, __hay que [diseñar unos buenos planos](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scenic_design) de todo el instituto__ para que los fondistas puedan hacer su trabajo. Existe toda clase de material del que sacar referencias: desde colegios de la vida real hasta otros animes del mismo género. Aún así, hay mucho trabajo por delante. ~~~img1500(https://i.imgur.com/buPZHn8.jpg)~~~ Ahora, imagina que te toca dirigir una serie __ambientada en un acuario__. Hemos dicho que tenemos que diseñar un _set_ creíble, así que toca coger al equipo y __llevárselo de excursión__. Pero, claro, la cosa no termina en sacar unas cuantas fotos y diseñar las estancias (que ya es bastante trabajo). En un acuario hay peces, aves... __¿Cómo se mueven estos animales?__ Si queremos animar a un ser humano, ya sabemos más o menos cómo hacerlo. A unas malas, si es un movimiento complejo, le pides a un colega que te grabe. Pero, si te toca animar a una tortuga marina arrastrándose, la cosa se complica. Es decir, ¿cómo lo hace...? ¿De qué manera rota las aletas? ¿Utiliza todas, o solo las delanteras...? Hay que conseguir vídeos y fotos de cada animal que queramos incluir, hacer modelos 3D para decenas de peces y, en general, aprender muchísimo sobre el mar y la cría de especies en cautividad. __Es mucho más trabajo del que asumimos como espectadores__. Creo que esta ambición fue la que me animó a ver _Shiroi Suna no Aquatope_, y la que hizo que me quedase. Me gusta cuando las series tienen una __preocupación por lo táctil__. Disfruto sentir que conozco el espacio en el que los personajes pasan tiempo y que el mundo es más que un mero escenario. En la nueva obra de [P.A.Works](https://anilist.co/studio/132/PA-Works), las protagonistas están constantemente __interactuando con su entorno de maneras interesantes__. Las conversaciones no se desarrollan entre cuatro paredes sin significado, sino que ocurren mientras trabajan en el acuario. Ya sea limpiar tanques, cortar alimento para los peces o inmovilizar a un pingüino para una revisión médica, se nota que el equipo detrás del anime ha investigado cómo se hace en la vida real. Y, coño, le da __muchísima vida__ a una serie que, de otra manera, habría considerado un _slice of life_ del montón. Lo cual, definitivamente habría sido un error. ~~~img1500(https://i.imgur.com/uBRYFZi.jpg)~~~ No solo digo esto por todo lo que ya he expuesto sobre el _research_. Más allá de mi obsesión con la narrativa visual, creo sinceramente que __hay bastante que extraer de esta serie__ (especialmente a medida que avanza y entramos en su segundo arco). Siento que, detrás de cada arco de personaje, hay una intención genuina de llegar a alguna parte, de reflexionar sobre nuestra vida y sobre la del resto de personas. __Perder un sueño no significa perder tu futuro__. Está bien dudar de si has elegido el camino correcto. Muchas veces todos lo son mientras intentes convertirlos en ello. No tener una pasión en la vida no está mal. __Es normal sentirse como la mierda de vez en cuando aunque hagas un trabajo que te apasiona__. Incluso se meten con temas más polémicos como el hecho de que __las madres solteras lo tienen jodido para salir impunes de un sistema que demanda flexibilidad y entrega absoluta__. Y, por supuesto, el tema del ecologismo, de la importancia de la educación (y de que esta llegue de la manera más amable posible para el receptor) y el cuestionamiento de cuán moral es un acuario. Es cierto: __no todas estas ideas cuentan con un desarrollo extraordinario__. Muchas son conflictos de un episodio o se van dejando caer en conversaciones sin que la serie las ponga en el centro para hacer un "gran punto"... Pero están ahí, las tienen en cuenta, y considero que hay valor en ello. ~~~img1500(https://i.imgur.com/CKQ40c3.jpg)~~~ ~~~_Recordad que cada uno de estos peces se mueve a una velocidad diferente, y que no está elegida al tuntún._~~~ Me ha costado ser ferviente con mi recomendación de _Aquatope_ mientras la veía porque está lejos de ser una serie perfecta. El primer arco (aunque bastante bueno) cae con frecuencia en convenciones del drama que no acaban de ser mi rollo, y pese a su impepinable ambición, no todos los episodios tienen el mismo nivel de acabado. Pero, teniendo en cuenta que la serie no trabaja en la liga de obras como [_Shirobako_](https://anilist.co/anime/20812/SHIROBAKO/), __miro atrás y veo una obra sorprendentemente contundente, bien rematada__, que toca muchos palos en sus 24 episodios de duración y que me ha ayudado a reflexionar sobre un par de cosas. Y, sobre todo, con el __suficiente mimo__ puesto como para que cada pingüino tenga un patrón de lunares distinto en la barriga. Alguien en P.A. quería sacar adelante esta serie, y joder, __así da gusto ver anime__. ~~~img1500(https://i.imgur.com/95NAmTj.jpg)~~~
~~~img(https://i.imgur.com/YYI5E9I.png) _As a preface, I score my series out of 10. As such, this anime receives a 100 (10/10) score from me in this review._ img(https://imgur.com/IrX80et.gif)~~~ This series seems to be a point of contention for many people. Some greatly preferring the second half of the series, and others preferring the first half. Though I feel that without these two cours of the story being told side by side, Aquatope would lack the same impact/value. ~~~img(https://i.imgur.com/7XMYXgy.png)~~~ The tagline for this series is an apt descript for what you can come to expect from the contents of this anime. The first half depicting a magical and passionate world full of life, mysteries, and dreams. In many ways this portion of the series follows a traditional slice of life format; barring, of course, its phenomenal animation, art, designs, and vibrant characters that already set it apart from the rest. As a contrast to this, the second half of the anime loses much of this life; or at least for its beginning portion. Though while many appears to have interpreted this to be to the detriment of the anime, I found that it perfectly illustrated the heart wrenching struggle of the characters to once again find the magic and beauty in life despite the shattering of their dreams. In many ways, each half of this anime targets the recovery of one of the main heroine duo to find a new purpose for living. The first half focusing on Fuka Miyazawa, an ex-idol from Tokyo who made an effort to run away from the problems and stresses of her life to find something new. The second then focuses on the girl who introduced Fuka to that new life; Kukuru Misakino. A girl so passionate and headstrong that seeing the shattering or her dream and her depressive state following it feels heart wrenching as the viewer. ~~~img(https://imgur.com/s8BQmhq.gif)~~~ With a cast of loveable and dynamic characters, I feel as if a series like Aquatope is only as good to the viewer as their ability to really appreciate and empathize with the characters within it. For me, I was able to recognize the struggles of the characters and really grow attached to them. Even the side characters in the anime are full of life and feel distinct, many of whom carry their own burdens and struggles that we must see through as the episodes continue on. It is common to feel as if a series, regardless of the medium, is slow or poor as a result of the characters you have come to love being forced through extended periods of pain or turmoil. Though when you start to feel this same pain and wish deeply for the characters to break free from the shackles that are trapping them, oftentimes feeling as pained by the events are they are, I find that this demonstrates a fantastic ability of the writers for a series to capture the hearts of their audience. The second half of the series was fairly sudden to begin, though I believe this was intentional. With each half of the anime primarily focusing on the dreams (or lack thereof) of one of the girls, the second began just as suddenly for Fuka as the second did for Kukuru. Fuka ran away on a whim on a juvenile attempt to escape the pressures of her life. It's no secret that the idol industry both in and out of Japan is one of the most brutal for the minds of its workforce. Though above all else, Fuka had no direction. At the middle turning point of the anime, Kukuru was forced into this same situation; a direct parallel to that of Kukuru, though not by choice. After her move, Fuka began to grow attached to Kukuru for having been the first she really met in this new phase of her life. Though more than that, Kukuru and her bubbly personality was more than happy to try to show Fuka the mystery and fascinating nature of the ocean and its inhabitants. By sharing this passion with Fuka, Kukuru was able to begin the ex-idol on her journey to finding a new dream. However, it is not until the very last episode of the anime that both of these girls solidify themselves on the new dreams that they've come to discover. ~~~img(https://i.imgur.com/rEOS215.gif)~~~ Maybe one of the greatest strengths of this anime is its ability to showcase the emotion and passion behind the main theme of the series; aquatics and aquariums. For me, this has been a growing passion of mine as well. Though with no ability to really capitalize on it due to how landlocked and rural the area I live in is, I can't help but feel frustrated. Seeing these characters live out dreams that aren't that dissimilar to my own is heartwarming, and seeing their struggles with it fill me with uncertainty and dread about whether I am following the right path myself. I'm finishing up schooling for marketing at the time of this review. Living in the US, that means having invested the equivalent of tens of thousands of dollars in loans into my education. This definitely leads to many, including myself, feeling trapped in their paths in life. In my case as well, I feel like due to my location I'm unable to capitalize on this uncertain dream of working with marine life. Coupled with the fear of leaving behind all I've known in life by moving to take that big leap and risk, I sympathize on a personal level with this anime which left me conflicting and thinking about my own dreams. While I haven't found an answer to my own turmoil yet, the personal connection that this anime was able to make with me on multiple levels is something I won't forget. Being an original anime is both a blessing and a curse; one on hand a series is able to fulfill an entire story from beginning to end without issues, though on the other there is nothing more to explore of a story once you finish it. With the story of Fuka and Kukuru coming to a close, or maybe more accurately just beginning anew, this series leaves me feeling melancholic and empty. Not because the journey was disappointing, but because it has ended and I am left to think of how best to continue my own journey in life. ~~~img(https://i.imgur.com/T4U5QIl.gif)~~~ Aquatope, I feel, handles the depiction of the anxiety and depression which comes from the shattering of the characters' dreams, most apparently those of Kukuru, very realistically. Though with my splurging over the anime mostly done, I did want to address some apparent misconceptions that I seem to see pop up fairly often. A common point of discontent seems to be a perceived lack of direction for the second half of the anime. Though I feel that this is less a matter of the lack of direction for the anime itself, and instead is a matter of how lost the characters (in this portion that would mostly refer to Kukuru) feel. Trying new things, struggling to find the path for themselves, experimenting with their life. I found no issue with the linear depiction of the story we were told, and felt like the way that the second half of the series was displayed only served to add to the experience and immersion for me. There is no lack of direction in this anime, just a lack of viewers being explicitly told how to interpret the scenes laid out before them. I find it to be a great shame when many masterfully written series are thrashed from those that treat it as something much more shallow and thereby do not think to explore deeper. That is no disrespect to any who feel this way, and is more-so an issue of the expectations that most anime have set for people in my eyes. Otherwise, many seem to complain about the lack of explanation behind a certain spirit/yokai we see around the course of the anime. This was mentioned briefly within Aquatope, and I can't totally fault people for not picking up on it. Though I can, however, fault them for not doing the due diligence of investigating the issue before claiming it as a fault of the series. This is a Kijimuna, a spirit from Okinawan mythos which is known to play tricks on humans or at times carrying them over seas. This is the implied source of the supernatural experiences that some visitors would undergo at Gama Gama and later at Tingarla. These experiences, as well, are implied to not have bene tied to Gama Gama as a location but instead to the people and their emotions. Gama Gama brought out dreams, excitement, fascination, and life in its attendants. While our main cast lacked those same emotions at Tingarla, we see a glimpse of them reclaiming this sense of wonder in their lives in the final episode. ~~~img(https://imgur.com/Zph9q9e.gif)~~~ For as much praise as I will give it, I will admit that I don't think this anime is for everyone. Though I hope that those that have continued to read through to the end of this review who have not already seen the anime will consider jumping in and experiencing this journey for themselves. Going into things with tailored expectations and an open mind, I hope you're able to embrace the refreshing experience that is The Aquatope on White Sand. ~~~webm(https://v.animethemes.moe/ShiroiSunaNoAquatope-OP1.webm)~~~ Through the shattered dreams of Kukuru and Fuka comes the beginning of a new journey not just for the characters themselves, but for myself as a viewer as I am also inspired to take a closer look at the path I am on in life.