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 southern Japanese island of Okitsushima, and ventures out to see Umi no Misaki, a striking cape jutting out into the ocean. But when he arrives, he finds that there is much more to this cape than a wondrous view. There is something peculiar about the cape, and about the island's inhabitants...

The Protagonist
Nagi Goto (Age: 17)

A high school sophomore from Tokyo, Nagi comes to Okitsushima to see the birth place of his mother, and soon becomes a resident of the island. His father is currently stuck in New York for work, so Nagi is forced to live on his own. While attending the secret Dragon God Festival held once a year, he is informed that he is the latest reincarnation of the Dragon God.

Nagi was young his mother passed away, and as a result had shown 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 Cape Maidens, and as a result of his actions, he starts to gain their trust, as well as their affections. He is a hard worker, as evidenced when he asks Shizuku to help him study, so he can catch up to the other students on the island, and is very good at cooking, as his cooking is regularly praised by the maidens.

The Cape Maidens
The role of a Cape Maiden is ultimately 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.

Shizuku Narumi (Age: 17)

Shizuku 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 and that he should stop talking to her.

She is soon to be revealed as the Maiden of the Sea, the "Giver of Blessings". She always displays a stoic expression, to the point of isolating herself from everyone on the island but the other maidens. She has gone as far as volunteering to live on her own so that the other maidens wouldn't have to. Upon getting to know Nagi, Shizuku begins to act a little more like the girl she was when they first met, believing that the Dragon God had sent him to her so that she could start to act more like a normal girl.

She enjoys cooking, although she isn't as accomplished a cook as Karin or Nagi. 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. She is also a very strong swimmer, as evidenced when she saves Nagi from drowning during their first meeting.

Soyogi Mitsurugi (Age: 17)

Nagi meets Soyogi on the first day of school. When Nagi approaches Shizuku 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.

When she learns that Nagi is the Dragon God, she goes as far as to trying to seduce Nagi in his sleep, despite the fact that she is originally disappointed that he is the Dragon God. But in time, she comes to realize that she is more disappointed in the fact that she has little to no idea how best to interact with him, as she has put very little time in day-to-day interactions. The knowledge that she isn't as perfect as she thought she was shakes her, until Nagi compliments her on her many strengths. She has come to realize how much she cares about him, loving the fact that he likes her for who she is.

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, but she contends that when it comes to housework, she is far better at it than either Shizuku or Karin. As well, she is talented in fishing, as well as playing the Sanshin, an instrument like the Shamisen. Like Shizuku, she lives on her own.

Karin Nagumo (Age: 16)

Nagi first "meets" Karin as he is looking out of the window of his new home and sees her changing her clothes. 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". Upon learning that Nagi is the current incarnation of the Dragon God, Karin stoped berating him and 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". Shortly thereafter, she realizes that she has fallen in love with Nagi, to the point that she eventually confronts her "sisters" and tells them that she is going to put all of her effort in gaining his favor.

She is the most outgoing of the three maidens, as she enjoys going out and greeting the public, but despite her cheerful personality, she often feels inferior to the other Maidens, often to the point of doubting herself. She has recently decided that while she is not a firm believer in the Dragon God, that she "will believe in Nagi". She is the only maiden who still lives at home with her family. She is rather adept at cooking, as she helps out her Obaa out with the cooking.

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 Umi no Misaki