The Aquatope on White Sand
The Aquatope on White Sand (白い砂のアクアトープ, Shiroi Suna no Akuatōpu), subtitled The Two Girls Met in the Ruins of Damaged Dream, is an anime television series produced by P.A. Works. The series aired from July to December 2021.
| The Aquatope on White Sand | |
 | |
| 白い砂のアクアトープ (Shiroi Suna no Akuatōpu) | |
|---|---|
| Anime television series | |
| Directed by | Toshiya Shinohara |
| Written by | Yūko Kakihara |
| Music by | Yoshiaki Dewa |
| Studio | P.A. Works |
| Licensed by | Crunchyroll |
| Original network | Tokyo MX, BS Fuji, AT-X, MBS, RBC |
| Original run | July 9, 2021 – December 17, 2021 |
| Episodes | 24 |
Plot
Set in Nanjō, Okinawa,[1] The Aquatope on White Sand tells the story of two girls; Kukuru Misakino, who is chasing her dream by working at an aquarium, and Fūka Miyazawa, an idol from Tokyo who has given up her position and journeyed to Okinawa in search of something new.
Characters
Main
- Kukuru Misakino (海咲野くくる, Misakino Kukuru)
- Voiced by: Miku Itō[2]
- A high school student who works at Gama Gama Aquarium as its Director Deputy. She is determined to save the aquarium via means of creativity and hard work. Her love for sea creatures knows no bounds. She lives with her grandparents as her parents died when she was young. After the closure of Gama Gama Aquarium, she graduated high school and landed a job at Tingaara Aquarium, only to be placed in the PR and marketing department by its director. While working at Tingaara she is given the nickname "Plankton".
- Fūka Miyazawa (宮沢風花, Miyazawa Fūka)
- Voiced by: Rikako Aida[2]
- A former idol who has given up on her dream for another member and escaped to Okinawa. Her former fame troubled her, as was her decision of sacrificing her idol career, but Gama Gama quickly became her safe haven and her new-found passion. After the closure of Gama Gama Aquarium, she went back to her hometown in Iwate. Although she was offered a movie role to revive her entertainment career, she instead returns to Okinawa to work at Tingaara Aquarium as an attendant in the Aquatic Animals division.
- Tsukimi Teruya (照屋月美, Teruya Tsukimi)
- Voiced by: Azumi Waki[3]
- Kukuru's childhood friend. She's helping her mother with running her local diner "Kamee." She is nicknamed "Udon-chan" because her name is also a type of an udon, Tsukimi Udon. After graduation, she works part-time at a diner called Ohana, while her mother take over Kamee.
- Karin Kudaka (久高夏凛, Kudaka Karin)
- Voiced by: Lynn[3]
- An office lady who is working on helping the city increase its tourists. She is close to Kukuru, and quickly warmed up to Fūka after their first encounter. After the closure of Gamagama, she decided to quit her job and landed a job at Tingaara Aquarium, being in the same department as Kukuru.
- Kai Nakamura (仲村櫂, Nakamura Kai)
- Voiced by: Shimba Tsuchiya[4]
- Kukuru's childhood friend. He's helping his father with his fishman job. After graduation, he landed a job at Tingaara Aquarium. It is implied he has feelings for Kukuru.
- Kūya Yakamashi (屋嘉間志空也, Yakamashi Kūya)
- Voiced by: Yōhei Azakami[4]
- A worker at Gamagama Aquarium. Cold and aloof, though hard at work - and sometimes hardly working - and are often more energetic when alcohol is involved. After the closure of Gamagama, he gets transferred to Tingaara Aquarium.
Tingaara Aquarium Staff
- Chiyu Haebaru (南風原知夢, Haebaru Chiyu)
- Voiced by: Yui Ishikawa[5]
- A staff from Tingaara Aquarium, an aquarium that is scheduled to open in the city center. She was assigned to train at Gamagama Aquarium. Being a young adult struggling to land a job, she thinks that training at Gamagama Aquarium doesn't actually train anything, remaining ignorant of the special effects Gamagama has on its visitors. She eventually decides to move to another aquarium due to her dissatisfaction with Gamagama's training. It is revealed that she's desperate for job because she's raising her son as a single mother.
- Kaoru Shimabukuro (島袋薫, Shimabukuro Kaoru)
- Voiced by: Mikako Komatsu[6][7]
- A fish caretaker who is close to Chiyu.[8]
- Akari Maeda (真栄田朱里, Maeda Akari)
- Voiced by: Kiyono Yasuno[6][7]
- She is a university student who works part-time at the Tingaara aquarium office and has a friendly personality.[8]
- Marina Yonekura (米倉マリナ, Yonekura Marina)
- Voiced by: Nao Tōyama[6][7]
- A friendly girl and penguin breeder.[8] She's a Venezuela descendant who at first has difficulty with speaking in Japanese, so she chose to work at aqruarium because she doesn't need to talk in Japanese to the sea creatures.
- Eiji Higa (比嘉瑛士, Higa Eiji)
- Voiced by: Yūsuke Nagano[6][7]
- He got a job at the Tingaara aquarium as a fish breeder after finishing graduate school.[8]
- Akira Hoshino (星野晃, Hoshino Akira)
- Voiced by: Masaki Terasoma[6][7]
- The director of Tingara and acquaintance of Kukuru's grandfather, who has a cheerful personality after returning from Hawaii.[8]
- Tetsuji Suwa (諏訪哲司, Suwa Tetsuji)
- Voiced by: Satoshi Hino[6][7]
- The tough, no-nonsense assistant director who works in the sales department and does not show much emotion.[8]
- Bondo Garandо̄ (雅藍洞凡人, Garandо̄ Bondo)
- Voiced by: Shūhei Sakaguchi[6][7]
- The breeding manager who is calm and friendly in stark contrast to Suwa's more serious attitude.[8]
Others
- Ojii (おじい, Ojī)
- Voiced by: Hiroshi Yanaka[4]
- The director of Gama gama Aquarium and Kukuru's grandfather. When he took over Gama gama, he never knew what to do with the place. While intending to let go of the aquarium, he is also considering letting Kukuru taking her chances at reviving the place.
Production and release
The Aquatope on White Sand was announced on January 15, 2021. The series is directed by Toshiya Shinohara and written by Yūko Kakihara, and features character designs by U35 and Yuki Akiyama, and music by Yoshiaki Dewa. It aired from July 9 to December 17, 2021 on Tokyo MX and other channels.[2][4][lower-alpha 1] The first opening theme, "Tayutae, Nanairo" (たゆたえ、七色, lit. "Sway, Seven Colors"), is performed by Arcana Project,[10] while the first ending theme, "Tsukiumi no Yurikago" (月海の揺り籠, lit. "Moon Ocean's Cradle"), is performed by Mia Regina.[3] Arcana Project also performs the second opening theme "Tomedonai Shiosai ni Bokutachi wa Nani o Utau darō ka" (とめどない潮騒に僕たちは何を歌うだろうか, lit. "What We Sing in the Unstoppable Tide"), while Risa Aizawa from Dempagumi.inc performs the second ending theme "Shingetsu no Da Capo" (新月のダ・カーポ, lit. "New Moon's Da Capo").[5] Crunchyroll licensed the series outside of Asia.[11] Muse Communication licensed the series in South and Southeast Asia.[12] The series will run for 24 episodes.[13]
Episode list
| No. | Title [14][lower-alpha 2] | Directed by [lower-alpha 3] | Written by [lower-alpha 3] | Storyboarded by [lower-alpha 3] | Original air date [16][lower-alpha 1] | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | "The Tropical Fish Ran Away" Transcription: "Nettaigyo, Nigeta" (Japanese: 熱帯魚、逃げた) | Yasuo Fujii | Yūko Kakihara | Toshiya Shinohara | July 9, 2021 | |
| Fūka Miyazawa retires from her job as an idol, leaving her dreams and aspirations behind after bidding farewell to her junior, Ruka, and wishing her luck. She gets a call from her mother, who wants to throw her a cheer up party, but Fūka doesn't like this idea, and escapes to Okinawa. When she arrives, she visits a fortune teller, who tells her to head towards Sagittarius, which shows up around sunset. Once there, she sleeps the night at a beach and wakes up without her hat, and disoriented. Meanwhile, Kukuru Misakino goes to summer school, and later to the Gama Gama Aquarium. A severely dehydrated Fūka is helped out by Karin Kudaka, who gets her to Gama Gama. Once there, Fūka observes a coral blenny and has an out-of-body experience. After which, she meets Kukuru, who gives her a tour. Afterwards, Fūka pleads for Kukuru to give her a job at Gama Gama. | ||||||
| 2 | "Getting Wet Is Part Of the Job" Transcription: "Nureru no mo Shigoto no Uchi" (Japanese: 濡れるのも仕事のうち) | Tomoaki Ōta | Yūko Kakihara | Masahiro Andō | July 16, 2021 | |
| Fūka pleads with Kukuru to work at the aquarium and she provisionally agrees after Fūka says she'll do anything, but needs to ask her grandparents if its ok. They agree and she begins living with Kukuru and her grandparents. While Fūka talks on the phone, Kukuru goes to a local bar when she talks to Karin and Tsukimi Teruya, and they agree to help her bring more people to the aquarium so it can stay open. The next day, Fūka goes into work for the first time, meeting Kūya Yakamashi, a worker at the aquarium. Fūka messes up badly with the penguins, leading Kukuru to tell her what she did wrong. She tells her that as a worker, she is in charge of not only the animals, but also their lives, leaving Fūka in a state of self loathing. The next day, wanting to defend Kukuru's dream, Fūka is able to make up for her previous blunder by driving off two crooked salesmen, gaining the former's trust. Fūka is treated by Kukuru and her friends to dinner at Tsukimi's bar. Later on the beach, both Fūka and Kukuru open up to each other about their ambitions and uncertain futures. | ||||||
| 3 | "Life Begins In the Ocean" Transcription: "Inochi wa, Umi Kara" (Japanese: いのちは、海から) | Tetsuo Ichimura | Yūko Kakihara | Tetsuo Ichimura | July 23, 2021 | |
| Fūka begins helping Kukuru's grandparents and continues working at the aquarium, with Kai Nakamura beginning to work at the aquarium. Thanks to help from Kukuru, Fūka becomes better at working at the aquarium, as seen when the latter successfully feeds a penguin without panicking this time. Later, Kai tells Fūka the family story of Kukuru and how she became interested in aquariums. Karin grumbles about not getting any interest in aquarium. They also all help the staff veterinarian, Doctor Takeshita, on maternity leave, whose water breaks after she comes to check on one of the penguins, having an out-of-body experience like Fūka had earlier. She later gives birth while Fūka and Kukuru head back to the aquarium. | ||||||
| 4 | "Tropical Fish In Boots" Transcription: "Nagagutsu o Haita Nettaigyo" (Japanese: 長靴をはいた熱帯魚) | Yuriko Abe | Misuzu Chiba | Tensai Okamura | July 30, 2021 | |
| Fūka helps out at the aquarium to prepare for an event, coming up with ideas that will appeal to a younger audience, including origami animals and a pair of red boots she buys at the store. Later at the bar, Tsukimi and Karin begin asking Kukuru questions about Fūka's past. Fūka researches sea creatures to gain more knowledge for the touch pools. She also meets Umi-yan, whom she at first mistakes for a creeper and runs away from at first after stumbling upon him sneaking in some ice ceam. Later, she works alongside other employees and serves as an attendant for the touch pools, using her kid-friendly ideas and the knowledge of sea creatures she has learned in the past day, becoming very popular with the guests. She is caught off guard when some visitors point her out as a failed idol and try to take her picture. While she is saved by a fellow employee, she commiserates with Kukuru, who tries to apologize. This is rejected by Fūka and both connect with each other more deeply than before. In a post-credits scene, Fūka and Kukuru go to the aquarium, and Fūka sees an unexpected visitor which surprises her. | ||||||
| 5 | "Mother Arrives" Transcription: "Haha no Raihō" (Japanese: 母の来訪) | Osamu Honma | Yūko Kakihara | Tensai Okamura | August 6, 2021 | |
| Fūka's mom, Eri, at the door of the aquarium, wants to see her daughter. During a talk with Ojii, Eri says that she will take her daughter home. As Fūka notices the coral blenny not doing too well, Kukuru, having overheard Eri and Ojii's conversation, provides a distraction and disguise so Fūka can run away and escape. Meanwhile, an exhausted Fūka walks to a bus stop, reminiscing on the day she came to Okinawa. She eventually finds her way to the local diner, where Tsukimi cooks her a lunch. Tsukimi's mom, the same fortune teller who Fūka saw at the beginning of the series, arrives and is thrilled to see Fūka again. Satsuki begins to drive Fūka to another town where she can start anew. But, Fūka has a change of heart and wants to go back to the town of Nanjō, specifically to the aquarium, having remembered the coral blenny that wasn't feeling well. She gets back there, and Kukuru reveals that the blenny died. After the two decide to give it a good resting place, Fūka, with the support of Kukuru, tells Eri that she doesn't want to leave. Her mom agrees on the provision she return home in September for the new school term, which she agrees with. In a post-credits scene, Fūka and Kukuru go to the aquarium on Kukuru's motorbike. | ||||||
| 6 | "Sweets Rhapsody" Transcription: "Suītsu Rapusodi" (Japanese: スイーツラプソディ) | Yasuyuki Ōishi | Misuzu Chiba | Toshiya Shinohara | August 13, 2021 | |
| Kukuru, realizing the aquarium is still in trouble, struggles to come up with ideas for how to draw in visitors. When Fūka proposes that they sell cold sweets to visitors, Kukuru agrees with the idea. She enlists the help of Tsukimi, who is fine with the idea as it will add more dishes she can cook to her repertoire. The next day, Tsukimi comes to them with seven ideas for deserts to sell, but due to their limited budget, she narrows it down to one idea: having an ice cream stand near the front door. They go a shop to sample ice cream, and afterwards, Kukuru decides to take pictures of Gama Gama for advertising. Later that night, Karin informs them that getting a permit for selling ice cream is hard to get, leading Tsukimi to research making shaved ice instead after a suggestion from her mom. The next day, They set up the shaved ice stand outside Gama Gama. Kukuru talks with a man who has been coming to the aquarium every summer, and the latter says that he saw his deceased brother. Kukuru then has a vision of her parents, as well as a girl who strongly resembles herself, and declares to keep Gama Gama open with the help of her friends. In a post-credits scene, Kukuru and Fūka thank Tsukimi for creating the shaved ice, which was very successful. | ||||||
| 7 | "Ice Cream Toast" Transcription: "Aisu de Kanpai" (Japanese: アイスで乾杯) | Mitsutaka Noshitani | Yūko Kakihara | Masahiro Andō | August 20, 2021 | |
| Kukuru tells the staff that they far surpassed their goal for visitors in August so far, with Fūka noting the rise of followers on social media. Kukuru's grandfather tells her and the staff to take a break, noting that breaks for employees is important. At Tsukimi's bar, Fūka suggests they go on a day of relaxation on Komaka Island, which they do. While Kukuru is disappointed, as she wants to work, she agrees to have fun with everyone else, even looking at a nearby coral reef with a snorkel. Kai's sister later hangs out with Fūka, having taken an immediate liking to her, and Kukuru talks to Tsukimi, saying she has always wanted siblings, starting to think of Fūka like her older sister. Kukuru overhears her grandfather talking to Kūya about getting a new job and it makes her depressed, but Fūka cheers her up. Later, Rui and Kūya race each other on the beach, Kūya and Kai sit on the beach talking, while the others enjoy what's left of the food from the barbecue, with Karin telling how Kūya got to where he is now. In the final scene, Kai expresses his worry that Kukuru won't be able to process the closing of Gama Gama. | ||||||
| 8 | "crab crisis" | Yasuo Fujii | Misuzu Chiba | Tetsuo Ichimura | August 27, 2021 | |
| Kukuru learns they can have a traveling aquarium and is excited. Later she tells her fellow employees when they ask about the marine life they are bringing along that crabs are banned where they are going. Kukuru, Fūka, and their co-worker, Umi, present some marine life from the aquarium at a local general clinic, meeting Karin and Kinjou. Later, Fūka discovers that a crab got into the glass aquarium, which pinches her, possibly causing her to experience dramatic mood swings, and escapes. Kukuru is disappointed in Karin for mentioning the closing of the aquarium, with the opening of a new aquarium, but later connects with Umi who came up with the idea for the traveling aquarium, who visits a person, Airi, he saw at the aquarium and had many requests for him. Kai notices that a crab is missing but dismisses it with the fact he is tired. The kids come to the aquarium presentation and Kinjou is freaked out when the crab crawls on her, but Airi helps and feels that Umi fulfilled his promise to her. Despite the crab coming to the clinic, Kinjou declines to file a complaint because of how happy the aquarium made the children. In a post-credits scene, Haebaru Chiyu from a local aquarium, Tingarla, has come to train there, with Kukuru visibly annoyed. | ||||||
| 9 | "Cinderella, the Spy" Transcription: "Shikaku no Shinderera" (Japanese: 刺客のシンデレラ) | Akira Takamura | Yūko Kakihara | Masahiro Andō | September 3, 2021 | |
| Haebaru Chiyu, brought in by Ojii, has come to the aquarium to train, with her presence annoying Kukuru. Later, Umi, Kai, and Kūya discuss Chiyu's arrival with suspicion. Kukuru is assigned to train Chiyu, who agrees to help her and learns on the job, while Kukuru refuses to learn from her, considering her the "enemy," annoyed with Ojii. It is revealed that Chiyu was sent to Gama Gama to learn from the "legendary aquarium keeper," Ojii, and reports back to her bosses that Gama Gama is in disarray. As time goes on, she continues to annoy Kukuru more, with Fūka trying to avoid conflict between the two that might interfere with work. That night, Kukuru's grandmother encourages her to have a little compassion for Chiyu and Fūka encourages Kukuru to have a better attitude the following day. Kukuru reveals that she wishes she had an older sister, and Fūka asks that they hold hands while they sleep, which Kukuru initially rejects, but later accepts. The following day, Kukuru is annoyed when Chiyu wants to learn from Ojii rather than her, something which she agrees with. The tour Chiyu gets from Ojii is different than she expected, and she feels that the whole experience is a waste of time, though Fūka has a hard time believing this, noticing the children learning each species in the aquarium. When she tells Kukuru this, she defends Ojii's actions, and Chiyu ends up insulting Kukuru, calling her unskilled. Later, Kukuru goes off on a trip on her motorcycle, Fūka gets a call from her friend, Ruka. In a post-credits scene, Kukuru arrives at the construction site for the Tingarla aquarium. | ||||||
| 10 | "Abandoned Illusions" Transcription: "Okizari no Maboroshi" (Japanese: 置き去りの幻) | Noriyoshi Sasaki | Yuka Yamada | Jong Heo | September 10, 2021 | |
| Kai remembers back to when he first met Kukuru, as a little kid, and thinks of what he can tell Kukuru to get her out of her funk. Kai gets up very early in the morning to go on a fishing boat, and bikes to work at Gama Gama. Kukuru is determined to find one solution to save the aquarium, and tells Fūka they should go to a fortune teller for good luck, which she agrees with, but is worried about her. Fūka remembers her phone call the previous night with Ruka, who tries to convince her to take a part in a movie by a young director, and she tells her that she'll think about it, with the deadline to reply being the end of summer break. They go to the fortune teller and she gives Kukuru the same advice she gave Fūka when she arrived in Okinawa. Fūka admits to Kukuru that she also saw an illusion in the aquarium, and she is encouraged by her friends to share this on the aquarium's official Penstagram account, until Karin calls it "uncertain." Later, Fūka tells Kukuru about the movie role she is being offered and it upsets Kukuru. The following day, Karin and others working at the aquarium are unsure about the claim of "miracles" at Gama Gama, Kai's sister visits Gama Gama with a boy she likes, Rui, and she tells Fūka she wishes she could stay forever. Kukuru tries to figure out a way to make the illusions appear, Ojii learns about the Penstagram post, and Kukuru enlists the help of Kai. Kukuru expresses her feelings about Fūka possibly leaving, Kai notices that she is troubled, and Ojii tells her that the social media post was not necessary. Fūka reflects on her experiences with Kukuru. Kai sees an illusion, lies to Kukuru and says he didn't see it, and Kukuru agrees it won't draw in visitors. | ||||||
| 11 | "At the End of the Siege" Transcription: "Rōjō no Hate" (Japanese: 籠城の果て) | Yuriko Abe | Misuzu Chiba | Yoshiyuki Asai | September 17, 2021 | |
| Kukuru prays for everything to be alright as a storm approaches the island. Fūka is awakened by the storm and finds that Kukuru isn't there after she hears from Ojii that he is closing Gama Gama in order to fulfill a promise to a friend. The employees are surprised to see that the door is barricaded and Kukuru is inside, wanting to save the aquarium from closing by any means necessary. With no way to contact her and Kukuru inside, Ojii proposes they take the day off, especially with the typhoon approaching. Everyone accepts this idea, while Fūka remains for a bit, before heading home. As everyone prepares for the typhoon, she runs back to the aquarium. Kukuru, who is feeding the animals, is skeptical of Fūka when she insists on helping her, but lets her stay. They work together to make sure the marine life is cared for. Across the island, everyone prepares for the storm. Kukuru still wants Fūka to leave, but Fūka says she wants to help in any way she can. Later, there is a power outage, Kukuru thinks back to her fond memories of Gama Gama, and says they will be fine. They work together to save the aquarium's species as the storm batters the aquarium. Kukuru breaks down but Fūka is able to get her out of the funk. Then, Umi, Kai, and Ojii come to help out, until the storm passes. Seeing the state of the aquarium, Kukuru admits to Ojii that he was right and agrees to let Gama Gama close. She apologizes to Fūka and they reconcile, as they look at the aquarium one last time, with Kukuru sobbing and Fūka comforting her. | ||||||
| 12 | "Our Oceans are Endless" Transcription: "Watashitachi no Umi wa Owaranai" (Japanese: 私たちの海は終わらない) | Chihaya Tanaka Tomoaki Ōta | Yūko Kakihara | Tensai Okamura | September 24, 2021 | |
| Kukuru, Fūka, Umi, Kai, and Ojii, and others, work at Gama Gama on its final day. Kukuru is introduced to the director of the Tingarla Aquarium, Hoshino, and he says the aquarium would love to have her. She says she will give working there some thought. They have a party following the closing of Gama Gama, inside the aquarium, with friends. To everyone's shock, Karin declares she is thinking of quitting her job and working at Tingarla Aquarium, and Fūka notes that will be leaving the following day. Ojii thanks all of them for working hard at the aquarium and reads one of his favorite poems, "Endless Oceans" by Kudo Naoko-San. Kukuru and Fūka sit at the beach together, with Kukuru urging Fūka to pursue her dream again, and she agrees. The next day, Kai, Kūya and Umi work together to clean up Gama Gama, with Kukuru's help. Fūka packs her bags and Kukuru says her goodbyes to Gama Gama, having an out-of-body experience with another version of herself. She learns that she had a twin sister, but she was the only one born. Fūka says her goodbyes to Kukuru, but before she gets on the plane, she realizes that Kukuru is probably crying, so she turns around and meets Kukuru, calling her more important than anything else, and declaring she is her big sister. She books another flight and tells Kukuru her dream ended when she came there, with Kukuru agreeing to cheer her on when she gets a new dream. She also says she'll go to Tingarla, to Fūka's surprise. Fūka reads the "Endless Oceans" poem on her flight back to Tokyo, while Kukuru watches the plane flying away. | ||||||
| 13 | "Tingarla in the Far Away Ocean" Transcription: "Umi no Haruka na Tingāra" (Japanese: 海の遥かなティンガーラ) | Tomoaki Ōta | Yūko Kakihara | Masahiro Andō | October 1, 2021 | |
| Kukuru starts working at the Tingarla Aquarium, where Kūya, Kai, and Umi are also working. She is surprised to learn she is assigned to the marketing department where there are no animals. She thinks there is a mistake and complains to Karin. She meets Maedi Akari, a part-timer, and the hard-nosed Assistant Director Suwa, who will instruct her. She is annoyed when he puts down Gama Gama and gives her manuals to read. She tells the aquarium director, Akira Hoshino, that he made a mistake in assigning her. He tells her that she'll be fine and to try new things. She goes on a tour of the facility with Karin and is amazed by all the marine life there. Higa and Kai are assigned to care for the fish, Umi gets called out for putting ice pops in the animal freezer, and Chiyu challenges Kukuru. Later, Kukuru, Karin, and Kai go to the Ohana restaurant where Tsukimi is working. Kukuru tells Karin, Kai, and Tsukimi of disappointment at her work assignment while Kai tries to encourage her. The next day, Kukuru scrambles to organize a behind-the-scenes tour and tells Karin that she will try and focus on marketing, and Suwa keeps putting her down. Umi learns that Hoshino purposely assigned Kukuru to marketing. Higa observes that the interpersonal relationships at the aquarium are tense. Kukuru, tired from her first day, sits on the beach and debates her future. Fūka finds her there, and Kukuru welcomes her back as they embrace each other. | ||||||
| 14 | "Penguin Chaser" Transcription: "Pengin Cheisā" (Japanese: ペンギンチェイサー) | Tetsuo Ichimura | Yuka Yamada | Tetsuo Ichimura | October 8, 2021 | |
| Fūka and Kukuru talk on the beach, with Fūka also saying she is working at Tingarla Aquarium. Kukuru is also thrilled to learn that Fūka will be her neighbor from now on. While Fūka becomes an attendant in the aquatic animals division and saying she is doing it because she worked at Gama Gama the previous year. Maedi tells Kukuru about Fūka and is surprised that Kukuru says she knows her. Suwa tasks Kukuru with a behind the scenes tour despite her reservations. Fūka begins working with Chiyu and Marina Yonekura in the penguin area, and is tasked by Chiyu, who wants to give her the proper training she never received at Gama Gama, with memorizing all the names and personalities of each penguin. Kukuru tries to organize the behind the scenes tour, but the sections say they are too busy. That night is the welcome back party for Fūka, where she says that she talked with Ojii and was able to get a job at the aquarium. Fūka begins her second day of work, Kukuru does a dry run of the behind the scenes tour with Maedi. She tells Suwa she has coordinated with staff for the tour but is concerned she hasn't gotten the go ahead from the penguin team. Later, Kukuru helps Fūka with the penguin test that Chiyu came up with, which the latter passes the next day with a perfect score. The behind the scenes tour goes well with four guests, lead by Kukuru, and assisted by Maedi. Suwa is critical and annoyed there was only one group, asking her to do better at attracting more people in the future, with Kukuru annoyed by this response. Meanwhile, Fūka stays at night with the penguins. In a post-credits scene, Kukuru and Fūka make a meal together, with Fūka saying she came back because of Kukuru. | ||||||
| 15 | "The Great Sea Slug Debate" Transcription: "Umiushi Dai Ronsen" (Japanese: ウミウシ大論戦) | Akira Takamura | Misuzu Chiba | Akira Takamura | October 15, 2021 | |
| Kukuru is cheered on by her co-workers Akari and Karin while she writes a report. Suwa tells her to come up with ideas for a project presentation for the aquarium's west wing by the next day and while she is unsure she can do it, she begrudgingly agrees. Later, she eats lunch with Fūka who gives her the idea to do something new. Akari and Karin note that there was a plan for a summer exhibit but it was scrapped, resulting in planning for something else at the last minute. Hija tells his co-worker about fish and Kai does the same, talking about a puffer fish. Akari goes to deliver some mail, but Kūya has no idea where his boss is, as he continues cutting up fish. Kukuru works late to come with ideas for the presentation and presents them to Suwa the next day. He chooses to showcase sea slugs and says she needs to exhibit more than five and she objects, saying it will put too much strain on the staff. Kukuru accepts this, with her co-workers impressed that the proposal was accepted. She then goes around asking more about sea slugs to make sure everything is nailed down. Hija says he will be rooting for Kai's "courtship" with Kukuru and while Kai says that isn't what he meant, Hija walks away. The next morning, Kai, Fūka, and Kukuru collect sea slugs. Kukuru then asks for cooperation from one of the executives on the program and gets some pushback. She tells Suwa that one of the groups of slugs aren't eating and tells her to get back to marketing work after saying that she won't get any more time on the program. Fūka runs to get Kukuru for the behind the scenes tour she had forgotten about. Kukuru gets to the office and has a pile of work to deal with. Kai talks to Kukuru who is working late, Kukuru goes to check on the sea slugs, Shimbukuru challenges Kukuru's thinking about aquariums, and provides a different perspective. Kukuru explains why she chose the sea slugs and Shimbukuru agrees to help her. The next day is the sea slugs exhibit, Kukuru gets in an argument with Suwa over the last sea slugs, and Shimbukuru tells Kukuru she knows of a good shore. In a post-credit scene, Kai talks about sea slugs to visitors and Hija says Kai is engaged in "courtship behavior." | ||||||
| 16 | "Shout-Out to The Tattered" Transcription: "Kizu-darake no Kimi ni Ēru o" (Japanese: 傷だらけの君にエールを) | Mitsutaka Noshitani | Yūko Kakihara | Fumie Muroi | October 22, 2021 | |
| As Fūka, Marina, and Chiyu are examining a penguin egg nearly complete with its cycle, they are visited by Doctor Takeshita, the former veterarian of Gama Gama, earning warm responses from Fūka and Marina, but a discomforted response from Chiyu, who seems to recognize her. The girls are tasked with overseeing the last days of the penguin egg's cycle, but Chiyu says she can't stay overnight, so she is exempt from said duties. Takeshita later tells Fūka, Kukuru, and Karin about her young child, who spends time in the nursery while she goes to work. Kukuru then criticizes Chiyu for not being able to make it to the overnight shift, saying she is passing on too much responsibility to her juniors. As night falls, Chiyu rushes over to the nursery Takeshita frequents to pick up her own son, Shizuku. He falls ill that night and Chiyu is forced to cancel her next day's shift. After Fūka tells Kukuru she will be working alone as Marina took the day off, Kukuru convinces Suwa to allow her to cover Chiyu's missed shift on top of her regular work. Kukuru tends to the visitors about the penguins effortlessly, and Chief Garandou allows her to work the overnight shift, inadvertendly letting slip to her about Chiyu's motherhood. Chiyu comes in unexpectedly to work her cancelled shift, but when she learns that Kukuru has covered it, she confronts Kukuru and tells her to not "take her job," leaving the latter deeply conflicted. Later that night, Kukuru expresses how bad she feels for talking ill of Chiyu without knowing her situation. She calls Fūka and tells her she wants to experience and understand the same feelings as Chiyu, resolving to do so by watching over a child. The next day, Takeshita brings her child over to Kukuru's apartment. At the same time, Fūka goes to talk with Chiyu. Though hesitant to talk, Chiyu reveals how shortly after graduating, she married, had Shizuku, and found a job at another aquarium. Her priorities as a mother forced her to miss several shifts, resulting in her termination for missing too many shifts, in favor of her child, leading to her getting divorced and moving back to Okinawa, where she struggled hard to finally get a job at Tingarla while deciding to hide the fact that she has a child. She expresses her hatred for Kukuru taking her duties as an aquarium worker and the help she receives for granted while she had to claw her way to where she is now all on her own. Fūka responds that in turn for the help Kukuru gets, she too feels the need to reciprocate that help to the people around her; she then tells Chiyu that Kukuru is trying to experience parenting as they speak to understand her better. Takeshita returns to a distressed Kukuru failing to comfort the doctor's child. After calming him down, Takeshita tells Kukuru about the many trials and tribulations that come from parenting. Kukuru, understanding what Chiyu goes through daily, resolves to be kinder to everyone around her. The next day, Chiyu brings Shizuku to Tingarla, who is met with a warm reception by the staff. Fūka proposes Chiyu bring him on a tour around the facility. Though unsure, Chiyu relents and shows Shizuku around. Kukuru watches Shizuku and thinks back to her own experience at Gama Gama with her parents. She talks with Chiyu, who is still a little annoyed but more willing to tolerate Kukuru. Afterward, Chiyu goes with everyone else to watch the penguin hatching. | ||||||
| 17 | "Hangout Spot Kuragefuu" Transcription: "Kutsurogi Dokoro Kuragefū" (Japanese: くつろぎ処 海月風) | Fumihiko Suganuma | Misuzu Chiba | Tensai Okamura | October 29, 2021 | |
| Kukuru, Fūka, and Tsukimi end up getting the same weekend off, so they decide to set up a get-together with the Tingarla staff to know them better. The first to show up are Akari and Marina. Marina and Kukuru get along talking about their motivations in being aquarium attendants, while Akari and Fūka discuss beauty treatments before the latter offers the former and Marina a lesson. Later, Karin shows up dragging Kuuya along, who immediately turns to leave upon seeing so many girls, but is convinced to stay after Kukuru brings out Obaa's plum wine. Tsukimi cooks for the girls and asks for and receives feedback from Akari and Marina to try and sharpen her skills. Kuuya later leaves after drinking to use the park restroom, not wanting to use the bathroom in the apartment. The day continues, and eventually, Akari, Marina, and Karin take their leave to make room for the second wave of Tingarla staff. Kaoru, Chiyu, and Shizuku show up, and Kukuru takes Chiyu over to Fūka's apartment to give her an aroma massage. However, Chiyu points out Kukuru's poor massaging technique and ends up massaging Kukuru herself to demonstrate, though she admits that she still had fun. Kaoru's turn comes up, and her ticklishness causes her to let out a sound that catches the attention of a passing Eiji and Kai, who quickly find Kuuya passed out in the park and head over to Kukuru's apartment. They make takoyaki, and Eiji starts up a game of guessing the sea creature in them with Kuuya and Shizuku. They end the get-together by lighting fireworks by the seaside, where Umi-yan shows up to drop off a present from his wife to Kukuru and take Kuuya, along with a passed out Chief Garandou home. As everyone else takes their leave, Kukuru and Fūka end their night enjoying mango desserts left for them by Tsukimi and talking about the day. | ||||||
| 18 | "When The Light Shines" Transcription: "Akari no Tomoru Toki" (Japanese: あかりの灯るとき) | Hayato Sakai | Yuka Yamada | Masakazu Hashimoto | November 5, 2021 | |
| After Fūka and Kukuru look after the growing baby penguin, Maeda walks with Kukuru and takes notice of her admiration for sea life, getting the idea that she still wants to work as an attendant. Maeda proposses a cosplay day in Tingarla, which Suwa agrees to, putting Kukuru and Karin in charge of setting it up. However, Kukuru thinks that Maeda should be in charge of it since it was her idea, despite the fact that she works part-time. Later, Kukuru talks to Fūka about Maeda's reasons for working at an aquarium, with the latter saying that she also wasn't that interested at first until she started to enjoy it. She tells her that most people don't find work because it's what they love, the way Kukuru does. The next day, Maeda notices Shimbukuru talking about the sand tiger sharks. At a meeting, the staff discusses ideas for the cosplay event. Afterwards Karin and Maeda go to Ohana, where they talk about the latter's intentions. Hija, Kai, Umi, Kūya and Kaoru go over what each person will be cosplaying as, with Kaoru proposing that the fish team do Urashima Tarou cosplay. Meanwhile, Kukuru shows Chiyu, Fūka, and Marina the mermaid costumes they will wear. After Akari informs Kaoru and Karin that she delivered the fish team's costumes, she gets a call from Tsukimi, who thanks her for some advice she gave her. Later, Kukuru becomes shocked upon realizing that she forgot to send the email about the stickers, and then decides to make them instead. Akari wants to help out too, since plans with her friend got canceled. Tomorrow, the cosplay event goes well, with the fish team dressed as Urashima Tarou, the penguin team dressed as mermaids, and marketing dressed as pirates. Kukuru and Fūka notice Maeda begin to admire the sea life at Tingara. In a post-credit scene, Suwa puts Kukuru in charge of Tingarla's one-year anniversary coming up. | ||||||
| 19 | "Goodbye, High Heels" Transcription: "Sayonara Hai Hīru" (Japanese: さよならハイヒール) | Noriyoshi Sasaki | Hitomi Ogawa | Noriyoshi Sasaki | November 12, 2021 | |
| The film crew from Discovery! Creatures Galore arrives, and with them is Ruka, who is thrilled to see Fūka again. The crew proposses that Fūka joins Ruka in showing off Tingarla on TV, with Fūka feeling reluctant about the offer. Kukuru, having heard that Yona Productions is involved, goes to Fūka to make sure she's okay. Fūka tells her that she's planning on turning them down. Later, Fūka notices Ruka talking with the Yona chief, and Ruka says she has to work hard for Fūka, something she told her when she departed from her idol career. At Ohana, Fūka and Ruka have dinner with the others, and afterwards, Ruka finds out that Fūka likes it in Okinawa. Umi reveals that Ruka was under a lot of pressure from her fans. In Fūka's apartment, she takes out her red dancing shoes. The next day, Fūka joins Ruka and the film crew in showing off Tingarla on TV, which she previously thought to decline, while Kukuru is worried about her being on TV. Akira, Fūka and Ruka announce the name of the almost grown young penguin as Shiratama-chan. Afterwards Fūka gives her old dancing shoes to Ruka as a good luck charm. They head back to the shoot, and Fūka tries to encourage Shiratama-chan to take its first swim. When it becomes reluctant, Fūka sits next to it for a bit before giving it a gentle push, which works. Ruka and the penguin team admire the person Fūka has become. In a post-credit scene, Kukuru and Kai are happy for Fūka, who thinks that she loves working at the aquarium. | ||||||
| 20 | "Lost Plankton" Transcription: "Maigo no Purankuton" (Japanese: 迷子のプランクトン) | Tetsuo Ichimura | Yūko Kakihara | Tetsuo Ichimura | November 19, 2021 | |
| Growing more annoyed with Suwa, Kukuru starts to wish she was a fish. Kuuya informs her and Kai that a dolphin is in the bay. Kukuru and Umi encounter Ojii with the dolphin at the bay. Later, Kukuru decides to bring Fūka to see the dolphin with her, and names it Ban-chan. Kukuru checks up on the dolphin again behind Suwa's back, which he doesn't take kindly to. Afterwards, Fūka tells Kukuru that Umi is bringing Airi to Tingarla on Friday. At night, Kukuru has a dream of being underwater, and Suwa tells her about the new area in Tingarla, giving her the chance to show off her project planning skills. Kukuru later declines the offer to see the dolphin to work on her presentation. Suwa and Kukuru meet the wedding planner for the presentation. Afterwards, Kukuru finds out that she missed Airi's arrival. She feels conflicted as to why she was working so hard, and decides to visit Gama Gama one more time. However, upon arrival, she sees it demolished. The next day, the marketing team notices that Kukuru is absent, leaving them worried. | ||||||
| 21 | "Dreams of Blue Turtles" Transcription: "Burū Tātoru no Yume" (Japanese: ブルー・タートルの夢) | Tomonori Mine | Yasuhiro Nakanishi | Masahiro Andō | November 26, 2021 | |
| As Fūka tries to call Kukuru, the latter is at a ferry and replies. Karin tells Fūka that Kukuru's presentation did not go well. Kukuru sees Umi's wife, Misaki, who gives her a lift to a beach with baby sea turtles set to journey into the water. When Fūka tries to make up an excuse for Kukuru's absence, Suwa sees through her untruth, and breaks it to her that Kukuru's problems aren't her responsibilities, leaving Fūka feeling insulted. At Misaki's place, Kukuru looks at memories of Gama Gama on her phone. At Tingara, a penguin gets injured by another, and Bondo tells Fūka not to worry so much about it. Meanwhile, Kukuru visits Kamehausu, where some sea life is being kept. Later after receiving some similar advice to Suwa and Bondo's from Takeshita, Fūka is informed by Umi that Kukuru is with his wife, and she decides to go see her. At night on the beach, the sea turtle hatching is taking place. The crowd of people, including Kukuru, Fūka, and Misaki watch together. | ||||||
| 22 | "Ready to Return" Transcription: "Kakugo no Kikan" (Japanese: 覚悟の帰還) | Chihaya Tanaka | Misuzu Chiba | Tensai Okamura | December 3, 2021 | |
| Kukuru tearfully tells Fūka that Gama Gama is gone, and the latter reassures her that she did nothing wrong. Next morning at Kamehausu, Misaki discusses sea turtle endangerment causes, and Fūka takes notice of this. On the ferry, Kukuru decides that she will focus on her marketing work more if it means helping the animals. At Tingara, Kukuru apologizes to Suwa for her unnoticed absence, and he says that there is an opening as an attendant for her that he will put in a recommendation. Meanwhile as Fūka checks on a penguin, Umi comes in and is happy they got to see his wife. As Kukuru is struggling to come up with plans for the wedding, Fūka picks her up and they discuss the plans on Ban-chan's beach. The next day, Karin tells Kukuru that she will put her name in for the attendant position. Kukuru seeks out the penguin and fish teams for advice about the wedding. She prints out the plans and presents them to Suwa, proposing the idea to bring Miura, the wedding planner, over to check it out. Kaoru and Fūka later discuss environmental awareness together. When Miura arrives, Kukuru and Suwa show her around Tingarla. They take her to the new area, the White Sand Dome, where they plan to hold the wedding. Though skeptical at first, Miura accepts Kukuru's ideas and plans to make the wedding at Tingarla happen. After she leaves, Suwa praises Kukuru for her work, making the latter happy. At Ohana, everyone congratulates Kukuru for her proposal. However, when Tsukimi brings up that Kai's dad has collapsed, she goes to see if he is okay. Kai tells her that he's going on leave until his dad gets better. Later, Kukuru is at the beach with a thought. | ||||||
| 23 | "The Future of the Aquarium" Transcription: "Suizokukan no Mirai" (Japanese: 水族館の未来) | Yuriko Abe | Yuka Yamada | Yuriko Abe | December 10, 2021 | |
| 24 | "The Aquatope on White Sand" Transcription: "Shiroi Suna no Akuatōpu" (Japanese: 白い砂のアクアトープ) | Tomoaki Ōta Toshiya Shinohara | Yūko Kakihara | Yuriko Abe Toshiya Shinohara | December 17, 2021 | |
Reception
Reviews of the series have been positive. David Lynn of Collider, described the series as ringing true, in the case of Fuuka, to "the feeling of being lost and trying to find something" to attach yourself to, and praised Kukuru as acting as Fuuka's foil, saying she represents "the feeling of pursuing a vague future you want but can't completely define." He concluded that the show captures the "feeling of being between stages of life, lost but searching."[17] Mercedez Clewis, reviewing the show's first two episodes, wrote on Anime News Network that she enjoyed the episodes, believing that the show can deliver on its combination of various elements, and saying she has "high hopes for this series", and thought that the show has "the potential to be one of the most beautiful new series this season."[18] She also argued that she considered the series to be "yuri-coded". In reviews of episodes 3-5, Clewis praised the magical realism of the series, how it "captures living in a rural part of Japan," is optimistic, the well-done story, and reads the cast as having "bits of queerness."[19][20][21]
Christy Gibbs of CBR argued that the series "leans hard on themes such as environmentalism and sustainability," with the aquarium playing a big part in this narrative.[22] Gibbs also said that the series uses "friendly environmentalism, small-town nostalgia, and ...[a] close-knit community" to its advantage, with viewers seeing the aquarium as the center of the series and a "magical place that brings people together and grants supernatural visions."
Notes
- Tokyo MX listed the series premiere at 24:00 on July 8, 2021, which is at midnight on July 9.[9]
- All English titles are taken from Crunchyroll.[15]
- Information is taken from the ending credits of each episode.
References
- "P.A.WORKS新作アニメ「白い砂のアクアトープ」7月から、伊藤美来・逢田梨香子出演". Natalie.mu. Retrieved 8 April 2021.
- "P.A Works Reveals Aquatrope of White Sand Original Anime for July". Anime News Network. January 15, 2021. Retrieved January 15, 2021.
- Hodgkins, Crystalyn (April 6, 2021). "Aquatope of White Sand Anime Reveals Promo Video, More Cast, Theme Song Artists". Anime News Network. Retrieved April 6, 2021.
- Pineda, Rafael Antonio (May 14, 2021). "P.A. Works' Aquatope of White Sand Anime Unveils More Cast, July 8 Premiere". Anime News Network. Retrieved May 14, 2021.
- "P.A. Works' Aquatope of White Sand Anime Casts Yui Ishikawa, Reveals 2nd Opening/Ending Themes". Anime News Network. Retrieved 2021-08-26.
- Mateo, Alex (September 23, 2021). "P.A. Works' Aquatope of White Sand Anime Reveals More Cast, New Promo Video, Visual". Anime News Network. Retrieved September 23, 2021.
- Dennison, Kara (September 23, 2021). "The aquatope on white sand Welcomes 7 New Cast Members for Second Cour". Crunchyroll. Archived from the original on September 24, 2021. Retrieved September 24, 2021.
- "Additional character information released!". Aquatope Anime Website (in Japanese). 23 September 2021. Retrieved 25 September 2021.
- "On'ea & Sutorīmingu｜Terebi Anime "Shiroi Suna no Akuatōpu"" OnAir&Streaming｜TVアニメ『白い砂のアクアトープ』 [OnAir & Streaming｜TV Anime "Aquatope of White Sand"]. aquatope-anime.com (in Japanese). Archived from the original on May 14, 2021. Retrieved May 14, 2021.
- Harding, Daryl. "Cool Down With The aquatope on white sand Creditless Opening Theme". Crunchyroll. Retrieved 16 July 2021.
- Cardine, Kyle (June 22, 2021). "Crunchyroll Announces Summer 2021 Anime Lineup!". Crunchyroll. Retrieved June 22, 2021.
- "【JULY DISTRIBUTION ANNOUNCEMENT】 《The Aquatope on White Sand》 This is not a YouTube upload announcement! A refreshing summer Anime about aquariums is coming up! I want to swim among fishes too~ The visuals looks beautiful already!!". Facebook. June 10, 2021. Retrieved June 10, 2021.
- "Blu-ray｜TVアニメ『白い砂のアクアトープ』". aquatope-anime.com (in Japanese). Retrieved August 20, 2021.
- "Sutōrī｜Terebi Anime "Shiroi Suna no Akuatōpu"" Story｜TVアニメ『白い砂のアクアトープ』 [Story｜TV Anime "Aquatope of White Sand"]. aquatope-anime.com (in Japanese). Archived from the original on July 5, 2021. Retrieved July 5, 2021.
- "The aquatope on white sand - Watch on Crunchyroll". Crunchyroll. Archived from the original on July 8, 2021. Retrieved July 8, 2021.
- "Hōsō Jōhō｜Shiroi Suna no Akuatōpu｜Anime｜Tōkyō Emu Ekkusu" 放送情報｜白い砂のアクアトープ｜アニメ｜TOKYO MX [Broadcast Information｜Aquatope of White Sand｜Anime｜Tokyo MX]. Tokyo MX (in Japanese). Archived from the original on August 22, 2021. Retrieved August 22, 2021.
- Lynn, David (July 31, 2021). "The 4 Best New Anime Shows to Watch This Summer". Collider. Archived from the original on August 1, 2021.
- Clewis, Mercedez (July 20, 2021). "The aquatope on white sand--Episodes 1-2 [Review]". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on July 20, 2021. Retrieved August 11, 2021.
- Clewis, Mercedez (July 23, 2021). "The aquatope on white sand--Episode 3 [Review]". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on July 25, 2021. Retrieved August 11, 2021.
- Clewis, Mercedez (July 30, 2021). "The aquatope on white sand--Episode 4 [Review]". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on August 3, 2021. Retrieved August 11, 2021.
- Clewis, Mercedez (August 7, 2021). "The aquatope on white sand--Episode 5 [Review]". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on August 7, 2021. Retrieved August 11, 2021.
- Gibbs, Christy (September 21, 2021). "Why Aquatope's Gama Gama Aquarium Closing for Good Would Be a Positive Thing". CBR. Archived from the original on September 23, 2021. Retrieved September 23, 2021.
External links
- Official website (in Japanese)
- The Aquatope on White Sand (anime) at Anime News Network's encyclopedia
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