Drama Digest
Fuuka Miwazawa gives up her idol career and finds herself boarding a flight to Okinawa instead of going back to Morioka. Reeling from the weight of a heavy heart, Fuuka realizes that she has nowhere to go until she chances upon the Gama Gama Aquarium – an old aquarium on the verge of shutting down.
After facing a prolonged absence of visitors and excessive repair costs stacking up, the director of the Gama Gama Aquarium decided to close it down permanently. Kukuru Misakino, the director’s granddaughter, opposes this decision vehemently. She takes up the challenge of putting the aquarium back on the map by the end of the summer to prevent the shutdown. What will happen when Fuuka’s and Kukuru’s lives intersect, and will they be able to save the aquarium before it shuts down for good?
The Feel-Good Part
The Aquatope on White Sand is an anime that combines emotion, supernatural elements, and an adventure of sorts into a series of poignantly crafted episodes. This anime is a realistic portrayal of emotions, not overly romanticizing the entire idea of ‘finding oneself’, while keeping the tenderness needed to handle themes like this intact. It accurately showcases the load of the loss of something that you love feels like, how it can make you want to run away from everything that surrounds that loss, and how coping can involve finding something that makes you feel whole again.
The anime is stunningly animated, and you want to be a part of this aquatic world. Something truly impressive is how the creators researched marine biology and the working of aquariums, and the extent of this research is evident in the show. The characters are constructed with the utmost care because both Fuuka and Kukuru are fascinating, their stories are well-developed, and one does not feel distraught because there is no lack of context.
This anime also features a fantastic soundtrack, with two of the opening songs performed by Arcana Project, the popular girl group. The soundtrack aligns with the plot of the show and is sonically exuberant.
The Disappointing Factor
The series loses coherence in the second half, and its struggle to reach the planned conclusion becomes obvious. The narrative loses track, and characters go astray, and it is a let-down from the first half, which is almost perfect.
Another factor that makes this series slightly questionable is the dynamic between the lead characters. Fuuka and Kukuru have no male romantic interests, and their bond is supposed to be platonic. However, the lines become blurry when their actions and behavior towards each other indicate queer subtext. The actions and the explanation is given for it do not line up and lead to a confusing arc between the two.
In-Depth Analysis
The Aquatope on White Sand is a beautiful anime that we can clean divide into two parts. The first half is excellent, with organic character development and a nuanced plot. The second half, however, falters a lot and struggles a lot to conclude. The story in the second half feels a little unnatural and the line of action meanders significantly. However, overlooking the inconsistency gives us a thoughtful piece of work that makes us feel better about ourselves, no matter how unlike our circumstances are different from the lead characters’.
The secondary characters have arcs that do not seem incomplete and the subplots are intriguing but they do not cause much hindrance to the progression of the storyline. Armed with good animation, solid voice acting, and an exceptional soundtrack, this anime manages to win your heart with practiced ease.
Star Power
Rikako Aida and Miku Ito, the actors voicing Fuuka and Kukuru, have delightful chemistry between them, and it adds the perfect amount of charm to the anime.
Overall Opinion
This anime is a beautiful watch that engrosses you completely, leaving you with a smile on your face and warmth in your heart.
