UlasanAnime.com – Watching Nagi no Asukara episode 14 after a three-week broadcast hiatus felt like an intense emotional release. If my feelings were a digestive system, it was akin to throwing up, but with the agonizing sensation of everything being stuck in my throat, unable to escape. All I could manage was to express myself through crying on Twitter. If only I could translate these confusing emotions into a more tangible response like grief or elation, it would have been easier. Instead, I felt overloaded by the narrative, leaving me without a way to scream and soothe my nerves.
The ironic and amusing aspect is that the episode itself doesn’t feature an overwhelming amount of drama. Without delving into spoilers, imagine the romantic relationships in the show as an intricate papercraft, perhaps a fancy Christmas card or master-grade origami. In this analogy, Nagi no Asukara has taken that 2D creation, folded it, and produced something entirely 3D. This omo-esque comparison is my attempt to shield you from spoilers, but the way the story bifurcates and then folds back upon itself has truly blown my mind.
A part of this experience is also quite amusing because it seems to draw upon key story elements from the Onegai franchise, or at least that’s the strong impression it gives. It’s amusing because it carries that initial vibe, and now it’s employing a similar narrative concept, making it almost unbelievable that we’re heading down this path in such a profound “what if” manner.
This situation also resonates with a certain otaku sensibility. A casual viewer of Nagi-Asu wouldn’t possess the same preconceptions or unconsciously jump to conclusions about romance triangles involving Hikari, leading to an internal scream of “OMG HERE GOES AGAIN AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH.”
For the rest of you enjoying this show, I sincerely hope you are having as magnificent a ride as I am.
PS. DAMN YOU MARI OKADA.
PPS. They certainly made an effort to keep the second cour a secret, or at least tried to.
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