Review of A Lull in the Sea

I saw this anime on my Netflix recommendation list. I put it off for a while because I wasn't really sure about it, and I am sorry I ever hit the play button. ++++ THERE MAY BE SPOILERS. READ AT YOUR OWN RISK ++++ The story had so much potential, and it was entirely squandered on a badly written children's 'love' story. Its made even worse when you discover that the series just takes place in ~*~*~fantasy land Japan~*~*~ where everything is the same except there are people who live in the sea. There is no attempt to really flesh out the underwater civilization or itshistory, which generally just seems to be Japan but underwater. There is a mythology that is touched upon, and has been going on for what appears to be thousands of years, but instead we have to deal with more irritating children who act far too old for their age half the time, and too young the rest of it.

Why do electronics work underwater (Like TV's and Radios)? How can rice be 'cooked' if its already been soaking in sea-water? How does their homework.... work?! Pens + Paper in water... wat?!

Theres also the thin reasoning for these sea-born kids to be going to a surface-born's school. They appear to be the only kids in from this village until later when its revealed their not.

Add in your typical "dirty old men" trope and you get the most mediocre anime to come around in a while.

Then there is the pool-side boob grabs of middle school girls...

I'm honestly amazed we didn't get a shitty hot-springs episode somewhere along the way.

There are some good parts to this anime; like the art and music. Those are pretty well done, and I was surprised by that.

The main character "Hiki' is the absolute worst. He's an abusive @sshole to his apparently love interest Manaka. He constantly belittles her and emotionally abuses her. This is probably one of the worst parts of the show. They play off the idea of "he hurts you because he likes you." and that is disgusting, wrong and extremely problematic to be perpetuating.

Runner up for worst-person-in-the-series would be Kaname. He's not much better of a person and feeds of the toxicity of Hiki. Add in Tusmugu and you have a trio of unlikable boys who are so emotionally inept its a miracle they haven't died from their own stupidity.

Do yourself a favor an avoid this anime.