Nadia: The Secret of Blue Water simulwatch

Neil.T

Idolm@ster
Hello, and welcome to the AUKN simulwatch of Nadia: The Secret of Blue Water!

11095186-1764279844061513.jpg
[Manga/Animatsu's front cover for the UK DVD release of Nadia: The Secret of Blue Water]

What's it all about?
Nadia: The Secret of Blue Water is a 1990 TV anime series written and directed by Hideaki Anno and animated by Gainax. It's loosely based on Jules Verne's 1870 sci-fi adventure novel Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea. The series contains many key elements that would resurface in Anno's later Neon Genesis Evangelion, often hailed as one of the most important works in the anime medium, and also his best-known.

As an important note to this simulwatch, Anno was sidelined due to ill health for around three months during the original Japanese TV broadcast, leading to co-director Shinji Higuchi standing in for Anno while he recovered. This resulted in a batch of 12 extra episodes being spliced in to the series' run. These extra outings are episodes 23 to 34 and are known to fans as the infamous "Island" episodes; they are widely regarded as filler and will be initially skipped (bar one optional exception) in order to concentrate on the main episodes. After finishing the main body of the series, there will be the chance to go back and watch the extra offerings. Further details are described below.

The only important rule for this thread is that any references to anything from an episode that hasn't yet been covered by the simulwatch should be concealed in your posts using the SPOILER tools. Refer to the tables below to see how far through the series we are on any given date. 🙂

Where can I watch the show?
The complete series is out on UK Blu-ray and DVD from Manga/Animatsu, and is also available for streaming on HIDIVE here:
(Thanks go to @Professor Irony for providing the link.)

There is a 30-day free trial for the site that's available for activation until 5 August; enter the code AX19 during the checkout process.
(Thanks go to @D1tchd1gger for providing the code.)

Simulwatch schedule:
The simulwatch will start on Thursday 1 August and take in one episode a day, initially skipping the aforementioned "Island" episodes (bar one optional exception; see table below). There will be a three-day break from the main series from 23–25 August to allow a bit of leeway ahead of the five-part finale.

Episode #:
Date:

1​
1 Aug​
2​
2 Aug​
3​
3 Aug​
4​
4 Aug​
5​
5 Aug​
6​
6 Aug​
7​
7 Aug​
8​
8 Aug​
9​
9 Aug​
10​
10 Aug​

11​
11 Aug​
12​
12 Aug​
13​
13 Aug​
14​
14 Aug​
15​
15 Aug​
16​
16 Aug​
17​
17 Aug​
18​
18 Aug​
19​
19 Aug​
20​
20 Aug​

21​
21 Aug​
22​
22 Aug​
—​
23 Aug​
(31*)​
24 Aug​
—​
25 Aug​
35​
26 Aug​
36​
27 Aug​
37​
28 Aug​
38​
29 Aug​
39​
30 Aug​
* = "Island" episode, but contains detail relating to the main plot (optional)

Bonus round, "Island" episodes:
Following the end of the main series, there will then be a chance to go back and watch the Island episodes:

Episode #:
Date:

23​
n/a​
24​
n/a​
25​
n/a​
26​
n/a​
27​
n/a​
28​
n/a​

29​
n/a​
30​
n/a​
31​
n/a​
32​
n/a​
33​
n/a​
34​
n/a​

Join the discussion!
To jump straight to the start of the discussion of the series, starting with episode 1, go HERE.
 
Last edited:
I was going to point out that this already happened not so long back, but it turns out it was 4 years ago!


Time flies...
 
Good to go whenever really. Maybe this time I'll actually get around to doing the fanart I was threatening to do last time :/

Also gonna throw out that the show is currently available on HIDIVE, although sadly they don't have the omake features

If a movie existed, and I have it on good authority that it definitely doesn't, HIDIVE wouldn't have that either.
 
Awesome. Specifically I'm away 24th Aug until 7th Sept but I'll try and fit myself around whatever schedule works best for everyone.
 
I wouldn't mind another simulwatch, but I don't have HiDive or the home release, I'll probably sit this one out

cue like 7 waves of people telling me to get the home release
 
Awesome. Specifically I'm away 24th Aug until 7th Sept but I'll try and fit myself around whatever schedule works best for everyone.
Totally irrelevant, but I'm on holiday roughly the same time! What are the odds...
Just to say, totally in no rush to start this simulwatch. We should wait until the best time for everybody who wants to join in. 🙂
We'll all come up with something that's mutually agreeable.
 
If memory serves me, there's like maybe two of the Island episodes that are worth bothering about, but the whole chunk is very easily skippable - I don't think the main plot even makes reference to them. Anyone wanting to do an ep a day on a free trial wouldn't be missing out.
 
If memory serves me, there's like maybe two of the Island episodes that are worth bothering about, but the whole chunk is very easily skippable - I don't think the main plot even makes reference to them.
According to the review of the series in the June 2015 issue of NEO magazine, episode 31 "actually fills in some plot [details]". They also say "it's the least bad Island episode".

I've edited the table in the opening post to mention its (partial) relevance. 👍
 
Table in the opening post updated to show a tentative suggestion. In order to accommodate both the 30-day HIDIVE trial (activation expires 5 August) and @WMD's departure on 24 August, however, the simulwatch would need to have started yesterday.

This viewing plan would offer a three-day break for people who are skipping the Island episodes, but necessitates that Island viewers watch all 12 over the course of just three days. That doesn't sound ideal.

FYI, there is no later window than yesterday for activating the 30-day HIDIVE trial before expiry that doesn't land the concluding episodes within @WMD's absence.
 
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