Umi no Misaki

Umi no Misaki (海の御先) is a Japanese manga written and illustrated by Kou Fumizuki. It is currently serialized in Hakusensha's bi-monthly publication, Young Animal.

Story
Nagi Goto moves to the small, southern Japanese island of Okitsushima, where he discovers that there is a lot more to the island and its inhabitants than meets the eye....

The Protagonist
Nagi Goto (Age: 17)

The manga begins with Nagi coming to Umi No Misaki to visit the birth place of his mother, but he soon learns that he is to become a resident of the island. While attending the secret Dragon God Festival, he is informed that he is the latest reincarnation of the Dragon God.

Nagi was young his mother passed away, and as a result he began to show a tough outer exterior at school, but he soon discovered that he wasn't having any fun, and vowed to start acting more spontaneously, which has led to the personality he has. He is kind and considerate, but finds himself overwhelmed with the idea of being the Dragon God. He takes the time to learn more about his role, and about the girls of the island, and as a result of actions, the Cape Maidens begin to fall in love with him. He is a hard worker, as evidenced when he asks Narumi to help him study, so he can catch up to the other students on the island, and very good at cooking, as his cooking is regularly praised by the maidens.

The Cape Maidens
As a Cape Maiden, their role is to gain the favor of the incarnated Dragon God. They are viewed as gods among the islands residents, and are called upon for blessings and the such.

Narumi Shizuku (Age: 17)

Narumi is the first person Nagi met upon landing on the island. When she first met him, she didn't know that Nagi would eventually become a resident of the island, so she felt she was able to play the role of someone unlike herself. Upon realizing he was going to be living on the island, she made every effort to ignore him, to the point of telling him that she didn't know who he was. She is soon to be revealed as the Maiden of the Sea, the "Giver of Blessings". She displays a stoic expression, but upon getting to know Nagi, she begins to act a little more like the girl she was when they first met. She has confessed her feelings for Nagi, admitting she has loved him ever since she met him. She loves reading manga (she has a room filled with several volumes of manga), plush animals, and eating sweets.

Soyogi Mitsurugi (Age: 17)

Nagi meets Soyogi on the first day of school. When Nagi approaches Narumi and starts talking casually to her, he is told by Soyogi to keep away from her. When he touches Karin, Soyogi puts him in an armlock. She is the Maiden of the Wind, the "Giver of Protection". She takes her role very seriously, as she has been groomed for the role ever since she was a child, and goes as far as to trying to seduce Nagi in his sleep, despite the fact that she is disappointed that he is the Dragon God. She has the least amount of skill in the kitchen, as the only thing she was able to prepare properly was miso soup with no contents in it.

Karin Nagumo (Age: 16)

Nagi first "meets" Karin as he is looking out of the window of his new home and sees her changing. Loud and opinionated, she is convinced that Nagi is a peeper and a pervert, and tells him repeatedly to "get off this island". Despite knowing that he lives next door, Karin continues to show a lack of discretion, as she has continually been caught by Nagi in various forms of nudity. She is the Maiden of Fire, the "Giver of Prosperity". She originally was loud and belligerent to Nagi, but upon learning that Nagi is the current incarnation of the Dragon God, she adopted a more docile and timid personality, much to Nagi's chagrin. He quickly puts an end to it, saying that he preferred the loud Karin and that he would figure out a way for her and the others to be themselves. After accomplishing this feat, Karin receives a blessing from Nagi and tells him "whether as the Dragon God, or as yourself, I accept you". She is also rather adept at cooking, and has cooked for Nagi on several occasions.

Other Characters
Rinne Nagumo (Age:)

Karin's younger sister. Quiet and shy, Rinne doesn't say much, but she takes to Nagi upon their first meeting, referring to him as "Niinii" (roughly translated as "big brother"). She attends the same school as the others, but is in a different class.

Kisaragi (Age:???)

Kisaragi is the high school teacher at the local school. She majored in Ancient Folklore in college, hence the reason she is so interested in the culture of Okitsu. Upon first glance, she is easily confused for a student due to her short stature and (sometimes) immature personality. While she can be loud, obnoxious, violent (upon meeting Nagi for the first time, she assaults him for making her late), and crude (she has commented several times on Nagi's body, telling him he is "packing some serious heat"), she is also very knowledgable, and teaches several different classes. She also cares about her students, as she can tell when something good or bad has happened to them without even asking, as she believes that any good teacher should pay attention to their students.

Umi no Misaki Umi no Misaki 海の御先