GazerRise Fantastic!

Rio Hayward All of these films share one commonality, that being a kind of emotional center that humanizes a cast of monsters.

Neive Bellamy Excellent and certainly provocative... If nothing else, the film is a real conversation starter.

Marva It is an exhilarating, distressing, funny and profound film, with one of the more memorable film scores in years,

David Roggenkamp I will say that while watching the very first episode of "Nadia - Secret of Blue Water" that I was completely blown away. It takes a very common trope and completely does away with it in a single episode. I will not spoil any of it, but what Nadia does in just a few episodes, it takes many anime an entire season to accomplish. To put it mildly, the anime has fantastic pacing, does a lot in a single episode's time, and continues to do so for about eighteen episodes before bouncing around with fourteen episodes of filler. The filler episodes can be skipped, but do have some character development which occur - take your pick. After the filler the series resumes as normal and concludes things nicely - I was left with that 'this is awesome' feeling the minute the series wraps things up.Nadia itself stars a girl of the same name; she carries a mysterious pendant called "Blue Water" which plays center stage for the entire series. She becomes intertwined with the fate of a young boy that is also an inventor - he promises to take her to Africa, but not before saving her repeatedly from villains that want her pendant. Fast forward a bit and she and Jean are thrust into a much larger plot of destiny involving an organization dubbed "Neo Atlantis". They've been working on a special project for nearly a decade that can bring down a pillar of light from the sky. They intend to use this weapon to dominate the planet and bend humanity to their will. Only a certain captain by the name of Nemo, and his ship the Nautilus, stand in the way of this organization. It isn't exactly a pirate tale, but it comes awfully close; further it directly references "Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea".I will say that I wasn't all that impressed by "Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea" anymore than I was impressed by the character of Nemo (from the book), and the one reference the book gave to Atlantis. On the flip side, the anime does a complete three-sixty and otherwise has Atlantis as center stage for some episode plot points, and goes into Nemo's character and why he acts the way he does. Most of the main characters actually have some kind of background that is alluded to, and their personality and way of dealing with things matches it. Further, character personalities often get some development time - especially during the fourteen episode filler arc. Depending on how you view it, the filler is either a welcome addition, or serves as the weakest link within the series. I felt it was a bit redundant after about eight episodes and I largely skipped the "Africa" episodes which seemed to really change Nadia's character. By the time the series comes full circle, it is as if the filler episodes never happened.Of more interest in the series is the fact it was directed by "Hideki Anno", a certain director that would later work on "Neon Genesis Evangelion". If it isn't obvious, there are many throwbacks and influences from Nadia that make it into "Evangelion". I'm a bit surprised that it worked out this way, when it felt like "Evangelion" was an original series - yet Nadia seems to take that one! Also, there seems to be some parallels between "Disney's Atlantis" and "Nadia". Some say it was blatantly copied; you decide! Either way, this is a great series to watch and I highly recommend it.Originally posted to Orion Age (http://www.orionphysics.com/? p=11531).

MissSimonetta Nadia seems to have fallen off the radar when it comes to 90s anime, but it's truly one of the classics of the decade. Few shows feel as equally accessible to kids and adults alike, and the show's themes about technology, power, and love remain provoking.The characters are all so memorable. Jean and Nadia are the finest protagonists one could ask for in this sort of adventure, likable while still leaving a lot of room for character development. (Nadia can get supremely irritating at times, but she's such a unique heroine and her growth is so powerful that her more zealous moments can be tolerated.) The child Marie and Nadia's pet lion cub King are cute without being cloying, and the Grandis trio are comic gold who come to be more fleshed out as the story goes on. Nemo, Electra, and the rest of the Nautilus submarine crew are all fantastic, and the villains are sinister without feeling one-note.The animation in the first season is breathtaking for a television series, though it notably declines in quality by the second season. Speaking of the second season, it is awful, the one true drawback to this great show. The characters lose much of the development they gained at the end of season one and little of interest happens. Unless you are a completion-ist like me, it could be skipped altogether without losing much narrative cohesiveness.Secret of Blue Water needs rediscovery. It's much superior to some of the more popular 90s anime and as far as coming-of-age adventures go, this series dwells with the best of the genre.

kriitikko "Nadia: the Secret of Blue Water" (originally called "Fushigi no umi no Nadia", literally translating "Nadia of the Mysterious Seas") is 39 episodes long anime series, which was originally aired in the years 1990-1991. Series primary director was Hideaki Anno, who had previously worked as one of the animators in Hayao Miyazaki's film "Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind" (1984) and who would later direct one of the most successful anime series ever; "Neon Genesis Evangelion" (1995-1996). The story of the series has been inspired by the novels of Jules Verne, especially "20.000 Leagues Under the Sea" (1870). Also Miyazaki's film "Laputa- Castle in the Sky" (1986) has inspired some elements of the story.Set in the year of 1890, Nadia, an orphaned acrobat girl working in circus, is trying to find a way to get to Africa to look her possible family and origins. While coming to Paris to perform, she is chased by a very Team Rocket- like gang of thieves, who try to steal "Blue Water", a mysterious blue stone Nadia is wearing around her neck. She is helped by Jean, a young inventor boy, who out of good heart decides to help Nadia to get to Africa. While trying to avoid any more contacts with the thieves, Nadia and Jean find themselves in the middle of a secret war between Captain Nemo, a mysterious scientist who lives in his submarine "Nautilus" with his crew, and Gargoyle, a power-mad masked villain. Just what is the secret of "Blue Water" and what is the connection of Nadia to both Nemo and Gargoyle? When I watched the series I was already well passed the age when the animations with good guys vs. evil world dominating villains were interesting. Yet, "Nadia" is not as simple as it may first look like. The characters are not just two-dimensional but have some real life in them. Especially Nadia's character; who first appears as temperamental and distrusting, but learns to become caring and what she most values in her life, when she nearly looses all. Also, her relationship with Jean is very realistic for a change. Music is captivating and the story telling dynamic. The animation itself is not the best possible quality but it really doesn't bother. Voice actors (I'm talking the original Japanese ones, for I have not heard either of the two English dubs) are doing a great job. Noriko Hidaka (who has done such great anime roles as Akane in "Ranma 1/2", Kikyo in "Inuyasha" and Near in "Death Note") really convinced me that she was voicing a 14 year old boy; Jean. Yoshino Takamori did a great job with temperamental but caring Nadia and Motomu Kiyokawa (Walter in both "Hellsing" and "Hellsing OVA" series) was absolutely chilling as Gargoyle.Sadly, series does have one terrible down side to it: the filler episodes directed by Shinji Higuchi, that for some unclear reason were demanded in the middle of the series. During those episodes story hardly moved at all, characters loose their interest and almost every minute is spend with some of the worst anime humor ever. These filler episodes are episodes 23-29 and 32-34. Episodes 30-31 are worth seeing for the story actually moves there somewhat and the relationship of Nadia and Jean strengthens there.If you can forgive some simple animation, unbelievable plot twists and skip the previously mentioned filler episodes, then you have a great and entertaining anime series here, that will keep you interested from the beginning to the end. Warmly recommended.

boonewilliams i bought a package of various bootleg anime series (bad, i know) and spent a few months muddling my way through them all. some were really good (pretear, love hina) some grew on me (macross 7) and some flat-out stunk. (to heart, and ironically, the series for which i bought the bundle, angelic layer) i approached them all with a certain amount of skepticism and nadia was no different. the story takes place in the 1880's and spent its first few minutes placing the viewer within the frame of the times. however, a few minutes later the story introduces the villains/heroes known as the grandis gang and their apparent mastery of a level of technology unavailable now 100 years later. so if anachronisms and anthropomorphisms bug you, nadia won't appeal to you.as the plot develops, the characters take on depth and voice and you can't help but be charmed. the story becomes complicated and textured and not a little dark. then suddenly the first act closes and the second begins by abruptly changing from a tense drama into a wile e. coyote cartoon. then as soon as you settling into the admittedly funny and loopy island adventures, the series swiftly switches back into its formerly dramatic theme. so if wild swings in tone bug you, nadia won't appeal to you.can a series flip and twist back and forth between drama and slap-stick comedy and still work? watch nadia for yourself and you be the judge. i found myself forgiving its flaws because it created characters i cared about, who seemed to have the depth to consider who they themselves were and what motivated them. the series lovingly embraces its characters flaws rather then exploiting them. (as was the case in evangelion, also by hideki anno) i forgave the surreality of the plot because it had the profound insight and courage to craft REAL teenagers. (i know a real kid who in his loving teenage cluelessness could have written jean's painfully funny "nadia" song) i especially appreciated the fact that marry's 5-year-old character wasn't nearly as obnoxious as she could have been. nadia could have been done differently, eliminating either its most serious moments or its most ridiculous, but it might not have been the same.somewhere between the wide swings of our own pendulum is where real life happens.p.s. there is a movie. it stinks, and adds nothing to anyone or anything in the story. resist the temptation to find it or watch it.