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In Nagi no Asukara, what is exactly "the calm"?

The fisherman at the final episode rejoices because

"the calm" has ended.

What is "the calm" referring to?

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  • I think it was the whole hibernation period that started some time ago, about in the middle of the series? idk how you could have missed it if you were watching it from the beginning – Hakase Jun 12 '15 at 21:35
  • Can you specify a time in that episode for better reference? – кяαzєя Jun 13 '15 at 04:15

1 Answers1

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I'm quite new to StackExchange but am a Literature student and like to look at Anime and feel very strong symbolic meanings within them.

The Calm simply refers to the lack of strong tides in the sea. Read on if you're interested in a deeper, more wholesome interpretation of the series:

The following is an opinion piece.

Nagi no Asukara is also known as "A Lull in the Sea". (Google defines "lull" as a temporary interval of quiet or lack of activity.) To me, a Lull in the Sea is essentially what NagiAsu is literally and figuratively about.

In the final episode, Manaka explains the Sea God's legend behind the calming of the Sea.

A long time ago, the Sea God fell in love with a maiden who was a sacrifice in the festival, but felt guilty over separating her from his boyfriend on the surface. He decided to send her back up.

However, her surface boyfriend already committed suicide over the incident. Not wanting her to grief over that, the Sea God removed that maiden's ability to fall in love with anyone. At the same time, the sea fell into a lull. The Lull in the Sea represents the Sea God's maiden's feelings.

Whenever the festival is held, the sea god is reminded of his love towards that sacrifice. The fear of loss of his love triggers him to keep Manaka (and later on Miuna) from being stolen, by enclosing her in the lightning-protective shell (that shocks Hikari when he tries to breach it). The Sea God's baggages is the reason Manaka loses her memories. He does to her what he does to his first love, as this lets Manaka become more likened towards his first love that he longs for. Ironically, this reminds him of what he did to his first love, and of losing her, only to make him feel requiem and loss again. It's quite ironic when we observe it but there are people who actually do this, which creates lots of toxic behaviours in love out there.

This is why when the sea comes back to life, the waves are stronger than ever - it is the Sea God's consolation and realisation from Manaka and Miuna that causes the Sea God to release his pain and baggages towards love. As this happens, the Sea God stops casting his baggages on Manaka (that remind him of his feelings for his first love) and she regains her ability to love people.

As for what made him realise again... I think it was Hikari's shout. Come to think of it, I should rewatch it to know what it is.

"Love is like the Sea" - Episode 25 Title

The calm of the sea is the apathy, the malpractice and the escapism towards Love itself, out of the Sea God's defeatist belief that loving is a zero sum game, that will not yield anything good. That is why when the calm is resolved, we also see all our main & supporting characters behaving healthily towards love. The Japanese love to portray Gods in a way that they watch over and guide men and women, and that is why when the Sea God is in a lull, everyone is; and when the Sea God resolves the lull, everyone also behaves healthily towards love.

Once again, this (other than the initial literal meaning that answers the question) is a subjective interpretation and I hope you enjoyed it.

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