A lull in the sea is the first anime that included love-polygons that I actually enjoyed! The love-polygon formula that I have encountered in the past usually dealt with harem and ecchi and the likes which I’m not so inclined to watch anyway. I think you should enjoy it if you are really into the romance genre. It’s got the genuinity of a romantic plot without the usual shenanigans that come with love-polygon anime. You can watch this in a slow paced mode as well, just like I did. There are two cours, and the 2nd cour is probably just as good as the first, if not better. I suppose the show gets better as you progress through it.

Amazing character development as well. The tale essentially revolves around the lives of multiple characters, even multiple main characters who come late into the story. I find Nagi no Asukara fascinating because the story is not overdone, it’s got just the right mix of romance, slice of life and conversation and at the same time, it can really hit you with emotion. I would call it an underrated show. Right now it’s just shy of top 500 on MAL, but I’d reckon it should be top 250 at least. If you were surprised at its current rank, this is usually the case with certain anime. The most honest and deserved rank for anime usually comes from people who watch those kinds of anime, not from people who drop it after the first couple of episodes. Anyway, enough rant. The balance of character personalities also makes the experience enjoyable.

Animation and sound are absolutely stunning! Sat through the OPs sometimes even the EDs whenever I felt I needed the story to sink in :D Felt like the producers expected a lot from Nagi no Asukara when they decided to make it, despite its not-so-overwhelming rating. Like, where the emo crowd at, yo? It really seemed like it would be a hit story and animation wise. In hindsight I’d say for some reason it has not yet come under the radar of the right audience. The audience that would actually appreciate this work of art.

This is the kind of anime that hits you with the bitter truth about love. Romance is actually the centerpiece of it. The story and fantasy stuff seems kinda filler material in comparison, and the message it tries to deliver is fleeting at best. But honestly, at the end of the day, you’d care about none of that! All you’ll think of are the amazing characters, and how they’ve changed (or not) and hope they live happy throughout their fictional lives. Which is what leaves me bewildered at the subpar rating of A lull in the sea.

On a closing note, I would say it’s not your conventional anime. There are a lot of vibrant characters who might change the way you percieve life. Though I cannot say it is for everybody, if you don’t mind a tinge of such-is-life attitude and have no trouble in accepting an anime for what it is, I’d say you are in for a treat! An absolute treat! The end may not leave you all elated and all, but that’s what I meant by how honest the anime is to different social aspects of life.