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The aquatope on white sand
Episode 14

by Mercedez Clewis,

How would you rate episode 14 of
The aquatope on white sand ?
Community score: 4.5

Episode 14, “Penguin Chaser” is, in many ways, a callback to Fuuka's initial days at Gama Gama. We start with where we left off, with Fuuka back in Okinawa, declaring her intent to work at Tingaara. However, it turns out that she won't be working in PR, but rather as an attendant in the Aquatic Animals division, which places her in exact opposition to Kukuru who's still stuck in PR. Where this will go isn't immediately clear, though given everything that happens in episode 14, I'm willing to bet it's somewhere good, or at least will be by the time the penultimate episode and finale roll around.

I said that this was a callback, and I do mean it: a lot of the front half of episode 14 is spent getting Fuuka settled into her role as an attendant in charge of the penguins, as well as just kind of generally reuniting Fuuka with the cast, both old and new. Thankfully, things aren't as disastrous as her first day with Gama Gama's penguins in episode 2, though Chiyu creates a different series of worries for Fuuka. Yet this isn't the Fuuka of the first half of the series: this is a young woman who's more confident, and definitely willing to push herself for the better.

Truth be told, I wasn't expecting Fuuka to be reunited with Kukuru this soon – I had envisioned spending an episode or two with her back in Tokyo before her return. Still, having her back this soon, but with her and Kukuru's workplace roles flipped, is interesting. Fuuka and Kukuru are now competent young women, but as this episode shows, they clearly need each other's support to grow in their careers. And thus far, The aquatope on white sand seems committed in developing these young women into fully-fledged professionals, even if it might take its time getting there. That's half the fun of watching this series: it's the build-up, and the slow, gradual development of its two leads and their relationship, so that when things get dynamic and emotional, they hit like a truck.

Now, it's time I admit something: I do think that, by and large, The aquatope on white sand will not be a yuri series; rather, it is a series that, similarly to Yuri!!! on Ice, isn't explicitly about queerness, but positions sapphic feeling and emotionality as powerful, natural, and at times, incredibly beautiful. That said, I think that reading queerness as a platonic element into the series is just as valuable, which is what I'm leaning into more because… let's be real, there's no heterosexual explanation for a lot of the physicality between Fuuka and Kukuru, and that's okay! A lot of platonic friendships between feminine folks are kinda sapphic, involving plenty of touching and intimacy, which is what Fuuka and Kukuru demonstrate as they both continue to settle into their roles. While it's to be expected, I'm glad Fuuka and Kukuru are still such great friends, as their friendship is really beautiful to witness.

All in all, episode 14 continues the really good feelings from episode 13, reassuring viewers that yes indeed, aquatope remains as strong a show as ever in its exploration of this new phase of Fuuka and Kukura's lives. While not the most plotty of episodes, it is a solid demonstration of both how much the girls have grown and how far they still have to go as we settle into Tingaara and the second half of the show. Ultimately, I'm thrilled to see where this series goes, and recommend that if you fell off the aquatope bandwagon sometime around, say… episode 5, 6, or 7, this is the time to get back on, though I also advise watching those episodes you missed because the show is good, and honestly, absolutely worth being on your watchlist this Fall season.

Rating:

The aquatope on white sand is currently streaming on Crunchyroll.

Mercedez is a JP-EN localization editor & proofreader/QA, pop culture critic, and a journalist who also writes for Anime Feminist, where she's a staff editor, and But Why Tho?. She's also a frequent guest on the AniFem Podcast, Chatty AF. When she's not writing, you can find her on her Twitter or on her Instagram where she's always up to something.


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