The Aquatope on White Sand is one of the few pleasant surprises this season, yet also one that noticeably doesn’t defy the standard Slice of Life formula or really stand out asides from its impeccable production.
Broken Dreams and Desperation
The anime follows two young girls in similar yet unrelated situations in life. The first being Fuuka Miyazawa, a mild-mannered but kind young girl who’s recently lost her role in her former idol group. Downcast and ashamed of losing her dream, she ends up running away to a local aquarium to work and live with its owners instead of going back home to face her family. That local aquarium happens to be the family business of our second heroine and 18-year-old high school girl Kuruku Misakino. In contrast to Fuuka, Kuruku is cheery, hardworking, and determined to save her family’s dwindling business as it’s something she cares greatly for.
Upon meeting each other, you can clearly tell the difference between the two leads. Fuuka has already given up on her dream, which has left her visibly unmotivated, whereas Kuruku is passionate but desperate, struggling to maintain her family’s failing aquarium. When they meet, they inevitably clash when Fuuka’s demeanor becomes a burden on Kuruku. Luckily, as each episode progresses, they slowly begin to understand one another and decide to work together in order to make Kuruku’s dream come true.
A Shared Slice of Life
Episodes two and three show why Kukuru is so adamant and passionate about saving the aquarium and what the stakes are for her. As a child who grew up visiting her family’s aquarium with her now deceased parents, it makes sense as to why she’s desperately trying to keep the one place she shared with them.
The anime’s overall premise is an interesting one as it portrays the sad realities involved in dealing with broken dreams and the struggle in making one a reality. However, this isn’t to say it’s much different from your usual Slice of Life anime, as the elements that make up the formula are present here as well. Like many other Slice of Life anime, we have protagonists dealing with their own issues and trauma that will inevitably be resolved after living through the events of the anime, as well as a set of side characters that primarily exist to support the main leads.
However, what contributes to the anime’s uniqueness, if only a little bit, is its slow-pace. Aquatope really takes its time to establish its characters while simultaneously flexing its production quality, which isn’t unlike other P.A. Works series such as Nagi no Asukara. Much like the beautiful ocean-centered series, Aquatope has a relaxing aura you can’t help but succumb to, and its gorgeous visuals and aesthetic contributes significantly to this.
Beautifully Presented
Adding to its stellar production quality are its picturesque backgrounds and calming soundtrack. P.A. Works continue to prove themselves as one of the higher caliber animation studios with their dedication to their work, such that Aquatope is one of the more visually pleasing anime I’ve had the pleasure of recently viewing alongside The Stranger by the Shore. Although, I also believe it’s fair to point out that many of the animators working on the anime aren’t part of the studio’s staff as they mostly comprise of staff from other studios and contractors.
Overall, while The Aquatope on White Sand doesn’t provide any spectacular innovation in the Slice of Life genre narratively, as it’s just another Slice of Life anime so far, there’s no denying it is still one of the best anime produced this season, and I for one will continue to indulge in its amazingly atmospheric aesthetic.
The Aquatope on White Sand is available to stream now on Crunchyroll
Have you seen The Aquatope on White Sand? What’s your favorite Slice of Life anime? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below.
