Synopsis
Kukuru Misakino is a high school girl who loves sea creatures. Her head is full of thoughts about the Gama Gama Aquarium, where she is the acting director. In order to protect the aquarium, which is approaching its demise, she works hard even during the summer break. On the other hand, Fuuka Miyazawa, who quit her job as an idol, comes to Okinawa with no idea where she is going, but she is guided to the Gama Gama Aquarium by Karin Kudaka, a member of the tourist association, who happens to be passing by. When Fuuka experiences something strange in front of the aquarium, Kukuru asks her, “Did you see it just now?”
(Source: Muse Asia)
Comments
Dany Muhammad (The Indonesian Anime Times)
A lot of people compare The Aquatope on the White Sand with A Lull in the Sea. From the setting and style, it’s not hard to see the similarities. But thematically, I think this anime is closer to Sakura Quest. It’s a story about failure and giving up. Here, the main character Fuuka Miyazawa gives up on her dream to become an idol in Tokyo. Depressed, she comes back to her hometown Okinawa. That’s when she ends up at Gama Gama Aquarium with the other main character Kukuru Misakino.
There’s something charming about P.A.Works’ slice-of-life projects. I think it’s because of their ability to create a believable space for their characters to reside. Whether through great art design or character interaction, they are capable to create a strong sense of setting that feels closer to what we feel in our daily life. This is also the case in The Aquatope on the White Sand. Okinawa feels alive in the first episode. The story also indirectly mentions a mythological creature from Okinawa, Kijimuna, which ties the story to Okinawa’s culture even more.
That ability to build a sense of space makes the viewer cares about the theme even more. In The Aquatope on the White Sand, it is easy to root for Fuuka and Kukuru because they feel like a real person with real struggles. Fuuka wants to completely give up her dream, but she can’t. When she meets Kukuru, she can’t help but relate with her because she also works hard to reach her dream. Here, I can see Fuuka helps Kukuru because she doesn’t want Kukuru to give up and end up like her. If you have an affinity for P.A Works previous slice-of-life project, I think this anime is an easy recommendation.
The Aquatope on the White Sand is currently streaming on Muse Asia and Muse Indonesia
Facts and Figures
| Alternate Title | Shiroi Suna no Aquatope Aquatope di Atas Pasir Putih |
| Source material | Original Work |
| Casts | Azumi Waki as Tsukimi Teruya Hiroshi Yanaka as Kukuru’s Grandfather Lynn as Karin Kudaka Miku Itō as Kukuru Misakino Rikako Aida as Fūka Miyazawa Shimba Tsuchiya as Kai Nakamura Yōhei Azakami as Kūya Yakamashi |
| Director | Toshiya Shinohara (A Lull in the Sea, Black Buttler) |
| Scenario | Yuuko Kakihara (Cells at Work!, IRODUKU: The World in Colors) |
| Character Design | Yuki Akiyama (IRODUKU: The World in Colors) |
| Opening Song | “”Tayutae, Nanairo (たゆたえ、七色)” by ARCANA PROJECT |
| Ending Song | “Tsukiumi no Yurikago (月海の揺り籠)” by Mia REGINA |
| Studio | P.A Works |
| Official Site | https://aquatope-anime.com/ |
| @aquatope_anime | |
| Broadcast Date | 8 July 2021 (1500 GMT/2200 WIT), 9 July 2021 (0000 JST) |
Screenshots and Trailer
The Indonesian Anime Times
