History Anime / NadiaTheSecretOfBlueWater

(Also little known: director Creator/HideakiAnno, dissatisfied with the end results of the show, recut the show into a six-hour compilation released only in Japan called "The Nautilus Story.")

[[folder: Tropes L to P]]

** Nadia is unable to talk about her problems in an appropriate manner other than resorting to hateful rages and vicious insults. She's also unable to admit that she genuinely ''does'' love Jean. Again, due to being a NotGoodWithPeople type of person. (Jean is much more open and demonstrative.)

* NotGoodWithPeople: Nadia. Having spent fourteen years of her life in a circus with a cruel, unloving ringmaster, she dislikes grownups with a vengeance. As such, she does not know how to interact with people. Nemo is also like this when it comes to children, although he does gradually warm up to them.

* OverprotectiveDad: [[spoiler:The first thing that Nemo does once he realizes that his daughter Nadia is alive is to segregate her from Jean. Nadia thinks that it's Jean's fault, so she lashes at him (but later apologizes). It takes Jean saving the Nautilus with Hanson and Sanson to make Nemo realize what the boy is willing to do for Nadia and how much they care for each other, so he leaves them be]].

Since Gainax had no way to earn money with the series, they were incentivized to make as much spin-offs and derivative products as needed to break even. None were ever released outside Japan. Among these games were:

* ''[[https://www.mobygames.com/game/fushigi-no-umi-no-nadia- Fushigi no Umi no Nadia]]'', released on 1991 on MegaDrive, is a RPG roughly following the canon story, although it diverges at the end. Interestingly, it was released ''before'' the end of the series and appears to be based on older concepts for the series. [[https://twitter.com/Morolian/status/1549101572491284482 There's]] a {{Twitter}} thread where a specialist precisely describes the intrigue of the game, pointing out the main features and how it diverges ([[spoiler:the island Marie is found on isn't under Neo Atlantean occupation but she has been welcomed, after her parents accidentally died, by the local tribe, Jean's father was an archaeologist who had been murdered by Gargoyle, Neo wasn't under MindControl but still made a HeroicSacrifice, Gargoyle was the one who destroyed Tartessos and Electra was a mole to him and, in the end, sacrifice her life to save Nemo, and finally, after Nemo dies, Nadia and Jean go to Egypt to plant the TreeOfLife; in addition, she had to sacrifice her ability to speak to animals]]). An English-language fan patch has been made.

* ''[[https://www.mobygames.com/game/fushigi-no-umi-no-nadia- Fushigi no Umi no Nadia]]'', released on 1991 on MegaDrive, is a RPG roughly following the canon story, although it diverges at the end. Interesingly, it was released ''before'' the end of the serie and appears to be based on older concepts for the serie. [[https://twitter.com/Morolian/status/1549101572491284482 There's]] a {{Twitter}} thread where a specialist precisely describes the intrigue of the game, pointing out the main features and how it diverges ([[spoiler:the island Marie is found on isn't under Neo Atlantean occupation but she has been welcomed, after her parents accidentally died, by the local tribe, Jean's father was an archaeologist who had been murdered by Gargoyle, Neo wasn't under MindControl but still made a HeroicSacrifice, Gargoyle was the one who destroyed Tartessos and Electra was a mole to him and, in the end, safricife her life to save Nemo, and finally, after Nemo dies, Nadia and Jean go to Egypt to plant the TreeOfLife; in addition, she had to sacrifice her ability to speak to animals]]). An English-language fan patch has been made.
* ''[[https://www.mobygames.com/game/fushigi-no-umi-no-nadia Fushigi no Umi no Nadia]]'' (1991, {{NES}}), which is a [=PvP=] battle game on 50 maps.

* AbusivePrecursors: [[spoiler: The ancient Atlanteans. They genetically tinkered with Earth's native life forms, engineered humanity to serve as a servant class, and fought one another for control of the planet (killing countless people in addition to untold damage).]]

* BadBoss: Other than the usual YouHaveFailedMe, Gargoyle will shoot his own {{mook}} to convince Nadia that he would shoot Marie.
** On one occasion, however, he casually tells a mook who slipped up not to worry about punishment.

* BareYourMidriff: Nadia in most of her outfits. She even points out that she feels constrained in baggier clothes, ripping a Nautilus crew uniform to a crop-top and shorts.

* BecauseDestinySaysSo

* BerserkButton:

** Ayerton Grenavan is a reference to Tom Ayrton from ''In Search of the Castaways'' and ''The Mysterious Island'', also taking his surname from Lord Glenarvan from the latter work. He's also a marine biologist, referencing Pierre Aronnax from ''20,000 Leagues Under The Sea'', although in this case being a loose parody of him, as he boasts to be an expert but is viewed as an unhinged charlatan.

** Atlantis' ancient technology was created by aliens from [[Franchise/UltraSeries Nebula M78]], and the Blue Water flashes red in times of crisis like ''Series/{{Ultraman}}'''s Warning Light. In an earlier storyboard, the ''Red Noah'' was developed by aliens from "[[Film/GodzillaVsMechagodzilla The Third Planet of the Black Hole]]".

** Some to the films of Hayao Miyazaki and Ghibli can be observed as well, especially [[Anime/KikisDeliveryService the budding romance between an aloof girl and a boy inventor trying to perfect an aircraft]] and the same girl's [[Anime/CastleInTheSky possession of a mysterious pendant that ties her to a mystical civilization]]. Jean's house bears a more than passing resemblance to Pazu's too.

** The picture just above Emperor Neo's throne is a modified version of ''Art/SaturnDevouringHisSon'' by Creator/FranciscoDeGoya, with the titular Saturn having Neo Atlantis' sigil eye stamped on his face.

** The Atlanteans using crystals as technology is a reference to the Edgar Cayce, a fortune teller/theosophist who wrote about atlantis and describes similar technology.

* NumberTwo: Electra.
* OcularGushers
* OffModel: The highly infamous Island arc that came out of nowhere towards the end of the series was full of this[[note]]compounded by neither of [[Creator/StudioGainax the]] [[Creator/GroupTAC three main]] [[Creator/SeiYoung studios]] being involved with this arc[[/note]]. That everyone has since [[CanonDiscontinuity declared it non-canon]].
** Several other scenes also fall into this, though usually for [[AnimationBump the opposite reason]].

** The picture just above Emperor Neo's throne is a modified version of ''Saturn Devouring His Son'' by Creator/FranciscoDeGoya, with the titular Saturn having Neo Atlantis' sigil eye stamped on his face.

* EverythingsBetterWithPenguins:
** When Nemo takes Jean and Nadia on a tour of his base in Antarctica, they encounter a rookery of penguins who obediently step aside when Nemo commands them to.
** Later, after Nadia's fateful encounter with Irion the whale, a penguin appears to guide the children to Nemo. Naturally, Nadia responds to the penguin's chirpy greeting. Amusingly, it seems to understand Jean, too!

* NarratorAllAlong: Later revealed as a slightly older [[folder:Marie]].

** Electra, as in ''[[OedipusComplex Electra complex]]'', which basically sums up her relationship with Nemo. She's also close to Electra of mythology. Her main motivation is revenge against the people who killed her parents. [[spoiler:At one point, she even threatens to take it out on her adoptive father.]]

* ArmorPiercingSlap: Given on numerous occasions to Nadia, especially after her undue WhatTheHellHero moments. Also to [[spoiler:Electra]] after she [[spoiler:attempts to kill herself after betraying Nemo]].

* DrivenToSuicide: Nadia reaches this point after learning the truth about herself and the Blue Water, on top of coming to the conclusion that she's a horrible person; which leads her to believe the world would be better off without her. The attempt is foiled, [[ArmorPiercingSlap but not without repercussions.]]

** Sums up everyone's reaction after Nadia's suicide attempt; especially Grandis and Sanson. The former [[ArmorPiercingSlap wallops her for it]], the latter [[TheReasonYouSuckSpeech chews her out for being selfish and scaring them all]]. ("Quit playing this tragic little game of yours!") Jean calls them off, and forgives Nadia.

** Electra, as in ''ElectraComplex'' which basically sums up her relationship with Nemo. She's also close to Electra of mythology. Her main motivation is revenge against the people who killed her parents. [[spoiler:At one point, she even threatens to take it out on her adoptive father.]]

*** Meanwhile, Hanson's name may be a pun on "Handsome", which he, uh, isn't. It could also be a play on the phrase “Hands on” as a reference to his engineering skills.

Since Gainax had no way to earn money with the serie, they were incentived to make as much spin-offs and derivated products as needed to break even. None were ever released outside Japan. Among these games were

* ''Fushigi no Umi no Nadia: Inherit the Blue Water'', released in 2005 on PlayStation2, is a VisualNovel divided in 10 chapters in which the player controls Jean. two new characters are introduced: Sofia Rockfeld, heir of a wealthy American family and who owns a Blue Water too, and her maid Lazu [[spoiler:who's really a spy for Gargoyle]]. It is also a DatingSim: depending of his choices, Jean can end up with Nadia but also with Grandis, Marie, Electra or Sofia.

* ''Fushigi no Umi no Nadia: Inherit the Blue Water'', released in 2005 on PlayStation2, is a VisualNovel divided in 10 chapters in which the player controls Jean. two new characters are introduced: Sofia Rockfeld, heir of a wealthy American family and who owns a Blue Water too, and her maid Lazu [[spoiler:who's really a spy for Gargoyle]]. It is also a DatingSim: depending of his choices, Jean can end with Nadia but also with Grandis, Marie, Electra or Sofia.

* ''Fushigi no Umi no Nadia: Inherit the Blue Water'', released in 2005 on PlayStation2, is a VisualNovel divided in 10 chapters in which the player incarnate Jean. two new characters are introduced: Sofia Rockfeld, heir of a wealthy American family and who own a Blue Water too, and her maid Lazu [[spoiler:who's really a spy for Gargoyle]]. It is also a DatingSim: depending of his choices, Jean can end with Nadia but also with Grandis, Marie, Electra or Sofia.

** Eleusis is a close homonym to [[Literature/TrojanCycle Ulysses]], a king estranged from his land, an errant sailor and an intelligent and affluent man who faces fantastic adversaries and adventures at sea.

** Electra is that blonde in the pic up there. She's [[{{Gainaxing}} quite bouncy]] in the show.

* ShesGotLegs: Nadia's figure, along with her choice of attire, is designed specifically to show off her legs.

* BetweenMyLegs: When Nadia stands up in the bath.

* BigBad: Gargoyle

This series, jointly produced by Creator/StudioGainax, Creator/GroupTAC and [[UsefulNotes/SouthKorea South Korean]] studio Creator/SeiYoung from a concept of Creator/HayaoMiyazaki, originally aired starting in 1990 on Creator/{{NHK}} – Japanese public broadcasting (their equivalent of Creator/{{BBC}}). Carl Macek's Creator/StreamlinePictures released a VHS of the first eight episodes. Years later, [[Creator/ADVFilms ADV]] translated, dubbed, and released the entire 39-episode TV series (as well as the maligned, mostly forgotten [[Anime/NadiaTheSecretOfBlueWaterTheMotionPicture movie sequel]]) on DVD. A series of humorous bonus featurettes were also released in [=LaserDisc=] as ''Anime/NadiasOmakeTheater'' during the original broadcast of the anime in Japan.

** Italians, Americans, Frenchmen and Spaniards are plentiful in the series, but Portuguese and Germans seem to have no presence, despite the cast visits two territories that were their colonies at the time (the Cape Verde islands and Belgian Congo, respectively).