Introduction
In the future, water has covered much of the Earth due to the effects of global warming. The orphaned Maia Mizuki, 15, just graduated from middle school and has already applied for employment in the elite paramilitary Ocean Agency, part of the futuristic world government. Only the best, most intelligent, and physically fit students are eligible for admission. Maia, the series' protagonist, is set to become one of the few.
But her ideal life quickly falls apart. To her disappointment, Maia unexpectedly fails her entrance exams. Making matters worse, she promptly gets evicted from her house, pick pocketed, taken hostage, then shot. She is "saved" by two women (Rena and Shizuka) that are part of an unorthodox help-for-hire organization called Nereids (inspired by the Greek mythological Nereids ). With nowhere to go, Maia joins up with Nereids, taking jobs from capturing wanted criminals to chasing stray cats, often with unexpected results. Gloria and Yu later join up with Nereids.
"Daphne" in the title refers to a subplot that starts midway into the series and eventually become important to Maia. "Brilliant Blue" refers to the fact that this is a world covered by water with almost no land. The world consists of vast oceans, a few islands, and floating cities.
(Source: Wikipedia)
Audience reviews
10 · Sample from the first available page, separate from the total number of ratings.
JiaLia
"Daphne in the Brilliant Blue" is a series that effortlessly blends humor, heart, and action in a way that feels both fresh and nostalgic. Yes, the outfits are undeniably skimpy, and at first glance, it may seem like just another shallow fan-service anime, but if you look beyond that, you'll discover a series brimming with charm, wit, and heartfelt emotion. The comedic timing is impeccable, with laugh-out-loud moments that lighten even the most intense scenes. Yet, it also knows when to slow down and deliver heartwarming moments that truly resonate. This balance is what reinvigorated my love for anime, reminding me of why I fell in love with the medium in the first place.
One of the aspects that keeps me coming back to "Daphne in the Brilliant Blue" is its rewatchability. Despite having s…
Read at the sourceCyanice
STRUCTURE / PRESENTATION: (4.8)
Daphne is an episodic anime with a big 4-episode conclusion at the end. This episodic format fits well with the series, for it's mainly just Nereids doing odd jobs and getting Maia out of trouble. The great story was probably good enough to turn this from an episodic to a serial anime, but in the end, I believe the choice was justified, giving the show the ability to basically have as many episodes as it wanted, while still remaining flexible enough to add in whatever kind of story they wanted. But that is just what I would expect from an episodic show of this nature. However I would've maybe liked to see some more mini story arcs that lasted for at least 2 or 3 episodes just to ease up the monotony a bit.
STORY / SETTING: (7.2)
Up until the 20th episode…
Read at the sourcemonochrome-kiss
From previous experience I have often found that the more obscure unknown anime are actually very good and are hidden gems. Sadly this really isn't one of them.
The art isn't that great but it's decent considering this anime is quite old. Although the ending credits are just stills from the manga with a very bland song.
The story itself is terrible. It starts with a girl called Maia Mizuki trying to get a job at the elite Ocean Agency. Supposedly she is one of the most promising agents there and aces the exam, but gets rejected anyway. At the end of the first episode, she then gets shot in the chest. But in the following second episode she is not only fine and fully recovered, but she appears to have no wound and hasn't even been to hospital. The rest of the story revolves around her w…
Read at the sourceChiyoImpact
Чёрная лагуна уровня /b/.
Five absolutely crazy half-naked girls running around, shooting stuff and kicking asses.
Parallel-universe world, which comes out in the middle of the series.
And boy, do I love corporate espionage/evil goverment ideas.
Also surprisingly decent plot, which is progressing for about 6 episodes out of 24 though, but it is still nice to have an actual story in crazy girls anime. And not any story - a good one. Onii-chan's history really got me there.
Read at the sourceGabornsmith
I know my rating for this show is high, especially compared to Eden of the East or Ergo Proxy and any of the other sci fi shows I've seen. For me it came down to the characters and how they interacted with each other. They made the show for me and enjoyment is always the most important part of any for of entertainment. The outfits are ridiculous, the story is almost non existent and there are many higher quality shows out there. If you give it a chance, however, this show may surprise you. Just don't expect it to change the way you feel about sci fi.
Read at the sourceHybridMedia
Speaking of the opening theme song sequence, I might as well talk about it right now to get it out of the way. It is a very standard J-Pop song with an aqua-style bubbly underwater tone and it is listenable for a while and I didn’t have the need to skip over the opening song and the ending theme has more of a softer tone that does go along with the show’s more serious episodes but kind of distract it from its’ comedic episodes and the show does often focus on the comedic elements in the first half but delve into the main storyline in the second half.
The plot starts off In the future, water has covered much of the Earth due to the effects of global warming, leaving the human race to live on neighboring floating cities.
The orphaned Maia Mizuki, 15, just graduated from middle school and…
Read at the sourceOtakuTrey
Im going to cut to the chase on this review.
THIS DOESNT EVEN HAVE AN ECCHI TAG ON IT! look and see know where does it say that. That is what i want to say to every, just because there in little to nothing doesnt mean ecchi. there and no boobs flying around, or bouncing as they are fighting. AND That is what people think when they see the art work on this site.
yes i would say this is a diamond in the rough. And I know why it is. Just from looking at the art that is attached to this you will see women barely clothed and say Oh its gonna be some stupid ecchi show with very little story well. In fact
The story is decent not the best, it starts to pick up towards the end however the beginning sets the entire ending up to be a good one. Just to say i did enjoy this great character developm…
Read at the sourcewarniefn
If there ever was a case of not judging a book by its cover, it would be this anmie. what looks on the outside as just a mere "fan service ' T@A with guns affair" in truth something much more substantial and meaningful.There is a depth to this anmie ,( you wouldn't normally associate with this type of anmie and) that makes for a satisfying watch both intellectually and emotionally as well.
Story- Quite well developed , with many twists and turns and coming to a proper conclusion.I also love how the side characters would pop up later in a place or time , that was consistent with the plot. The sign of really well organized and thoughtful writing.
Art- OK let me start of by saying , I like ecchi and fan service( a lot) as much as any guy , but I think they went slightly over board there , w…
Read at the sourceUnderC
This series is like finding out the hot cheerleader is also a pre-med student!
Well, maybe not exactly, but my point is: this is more than just eye-candy. I started watching Daphne as a mindless action/comedy. To my shock and pleasant surprise, what started off as light fair (big guns + big tits), ended up being a smart, well thought out story with a lot of heart, depth, and enough plot-twists to keep you engaged all the way till the end.
It does start out a bit slow and the "uniforms" are obviously over the top (which is why I couldn't give it an overall 9/10) but i found myself actually laughing out loud which made me wanna come back for more.
From the beginning, there's a slight tone of despair (or maybe "abandonment" is a better word) but is quickly bypassed with campy humor and t…
Read at the sourceDrizzt
Daphne in the Brilliant Blue is really a hidden treasure amongst anime. This series was a pure enjoyment, from beginning to end. So on to the review...
Story! Like the title suggests everything in this anime revolves around the sea. In (not so) distant future people are living in mega-hi-tech cities that resurfaced from the ocean floor when Earth recuperated from pollution and could once more sustain life on the surface. In one of this cities live our main protagonist Maia Mizuki who has a case of amnesia and as story unfolds begins a quest for discovering her past. She and her female friends trough series of adventures finally come to the conclusion of the main plot which also as of near everything in the series has to do with the sea. It's not by any means revolutionary plot but it grow…
Read at the source