# Nadia: The Secret of Blue Water (1990)

> A young inventor and a gifted girl join Captain Nemo's submarine crew to stop the villain Gargoyle and the sunken empire of Neo-Atlantis from seizing the world.

Canonical page: https://ember.film/tv/22767

## Facts

- Seasons: 1
- Episodes: 39
- Episode runtime: 25 min
- Status: Ended
- Genres: animation, science fiction, adventure
- Network: NHK G
- Cast: Noriko Hidaka, Yoshino Takamori, Toshiharu Sakurai, Yuko Mizutani, Kumiko Takizawa, Kenyu Horiuchi, Akio Otsuka, Motomu Kiyokawa
- TMDB rating: 7.7/10
- IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0096591/

## Ember's analysis

- Pacing: brisk
- Intensity: strong
- Complexity: accessible
- Violence: moderate
- Tone: adventurous, wondrous, melancholic, romantic, sincere

## What critics say

Audience reception is positive, with viewers praising the adventure and romance of this steampunk-flavored animated series while noting its dated qualities.

## Synopsis

Nadia: The Secret of Blue Water (1990-1991) is a Japanese animated steampunk adventure series created by Hideaki Anno and Shinji Higuchi for NHK, produced by the studio GAINAX and aired as a single 39-episode season. Nadia la Arwall, a gifted girl with a mysterious pendant, and Jean Ratlique, a young inventor, are drawn into the crew of Captain Nemo's submarine Nautilus. Together they race against the sinister villain Gargoyle, whose plans threaten to bring the sunken empire of Neo-Atlantis back to power and dominate the world. Voiced by Yoshino Takamori as Nadia and Noriko Hidaka as Jean, the cast carries a story built from sea voyages, daring escapes, and clashes with military rivals. Each stretch of the journey unfolds across islands, ocean depths, and wartime fleets, with inventive machines and bold set pieces. The atmosphere swings between swashbuckling wonder and melancholy, as a coming-of-age romance grows against a backdrop of tragedy and conspiracy. Fans of Atlantis: The Lost Empire, Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea, and Gunbuster will find resonance in its blend of Verne-inspired invention and sweeping sea-going adventure.

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