Nadia - Il mistero della pietra azzurra

Before anime characters started sporting gravity defying hair and using freaky psychic powers to subvert the laws of physics, we got a few gems like these. Nadia is one of the most popular series of the 80s and one of the best looking, especially over the first few episodes. The visuals are breathtaking and the action is edge-of-your-seat exciting. The action is driven by exciting stunts and the (then) cutting edge inventions from the age of steam make for wonderfully unpredictable getaway vehicles. The first episode alone has one of the best anime chase scenes of the period, as memorable as anything in Castle Cagliostro, and the excitement keeps up from there. The 'villainous' trio pursuing the main character are my only real complaint with the series; they are meant to be both threatening and comical, but they just come off as goofy and tend to get in the way. The pace also tends to slacken a bit after episode two, but the rest of the series is still worth watching for its likable characters and gorgeous visuals. The first couple of episodes are maybe the best in the series and start things off at a frenetic pace, making for memorable entertainment and good fun.

"Fushigi no umi no Nadia", or "Nadia of the Strange Sea" is loosely based on Jules Verne's 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, however, I say 'loosely'. Anno Hideaki, who would later be recognized for his direction on 'Neo Genesis - Evangelion', directed this series in cooperation with NHK(Primary Japanese TV station), intended to be broadcast on TV.

The story centers on an intelligent(a nerd:), inventive boy named Jean(pronounced jAn-g) and a mysterious girl named Nadia. A close encounter with a trio of mercenaries led by a very attractive red-headed lady, Jean finds himself attracted to Nadia and a whole lot of adventures.

Of course, if you wanted to break down the series into recognizable formulas you could say: 1)The boy is nerdy but will stop at nothing to make the girl happy and rescue her, should the girl find herself in perilous situations 2)The girl kicks ass(and literally does too:) 3)The story is immensely complex 4)The action scenes are some of the most memorable in recent history, especially the detailed movements of machines left me breathless and in awe 5)Did I say the story is immensely complex?

Anno Hideaki, in later interviews, commented that the direction of the plot and character interactions for Nadia wasn't really what he wanted and he actually considers Nadia to be something of a failure.

Nadia was aimed at the primetime viewers of animation, namely, roughly anyone under the age of 14, I'd say. So, there are some dark overtones within the story that fans of Evangelion would easily identify with, however, the overall plot got 'serviced' to facilitate the wishes of NHK, so, I'd recommend this animation heartily to any one(even adults), however, with the intent of insuring future generations of literate human beings, how about guiding the kids to read the original '20,000 leagues under the sea' afterwards?

If you felt compelled to root for the bad guys in Nadia and loved their attire, and had previous experiences of warm and fuzzy feelings whenever you saw a red, double bladed light saber, why not watch 'Evangelion', a true master piece from the same Anno Hideaki, or perhaps 'Memories', an omnibus of animations that are best watched than explained.

If, on the other hand, you wanted a child just like Jean or wanted to build a time machine that sent you into the same era, I suggest 'Future Boy Conan' from the master of Japanese animation, Hayao Miyazaki.

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.

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.

"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.