The Aquatope on White Sand

- Season 1

(2021)

Fuuka Miyazawa retires from her job as an idol, leaving her dreams and aspirations behind, and escapes to Okinawa.

Fuuka pleads with Kukuru to work at the aquarium and she provisionally agrees after Fuuka says she'll do anything, but needs to ask her grandparents if its okay. They agree and she begins living with Kukuru and her grandparents.

Fuuka begins helping Kukuru's grandparents and continues working at the aquarium, with Kai beginning to work at the aquarium.

Fuuka helps out at the aquarium to prepare for an event, while Tsukimi and Karin begin asking questions about Fuuka's past.

Fuuka's mom wants to see her daughter. Kukuru provides a distraction so Fuuka can run away and escape.

Kukuru, realizing the aquarium is still in trouble, struggles to come up with ideas for how to draw in visitors.

Kukuru's grandfather tells her and the staff to take a break, noting that breaks for employees is important. They go on a day of relaxation on Komaka Island.

Kukuru learns they can have a traveling aquarium and is excited. Later she tells her fellow employees when they ask about the marine life they are bringing along that crabs are banned where they are going.

Chiyu Haebaru has come to the aquarium to train, with her presence annoying Kukuru. Kukuru is assigned to train Chiyu, who agrees to help her and learns on the job, while Kukuru refuses to learn from her, considering her the enemy.

Kai remembers back to when he first met Kukuru as a little kid, and thinks of what he can tell Kukuru to get her out of her funk.

Kukuru prays for everything to be alright as a storm approaches the island. Fuuka is awakened by the storm and finds that Kukuru isn't there after she hears from Ojii that he is closing Gama Gama in order to fulfill a promise to a friend. The employees are surprised to see that the door is barricaded and Kukuru is inside, wanting to save the aquarium from closing by any means necessary.

Kukuru and everyone else work at Gama Gama on its final day. Kukuru is introduced to the director of the Tingaara Aquarium, Hoshino, who says the aquarium would love to have her. She says she will give it some thought. They have a party following the closing of Gama Gama, inside the aquarium, with friends. Later, Kukuru and Fuuka sit at the beach together, with Kukuru urging Fuuka to pursue her dream again.

Kukuru starts working at the Tingaara Aquarium. She is surprised to learn that she's assigned to the marketing department where there are no animals.

Suwa tasks Kukuru with a behind the scenes tour despite her reservations. Fuuka begins working with Chiyu and Marina in the penguin area, and is tasked by a Chiyu with memorizing all the names and personalities of each penguin.

Suwa tells Kukuru to come up with ideas for a project presentation for the aquarium's west wing by the next day. Kukuru works late to come with ideas for the presentation and presents them to Suwa the next day. He chooses to showcase sea slugs and says she needs to exhibit more than five.

As Fuuka, Chiyu, and Marina are examining a penguin egg nearly complete with its cycle, they are visited by Doctor Takeshita, the former veterinarian of Gama Gama, earning warm responses from Fuuka and Marina, but a discomforted response from Chiyu, who seems to recognize her. The girls are tasked with overseeing the last days of the penguin egg's cycle, but Chiyu says she can't stay overnight, so she is exempt from said duties.

Kukuru, Fuuka, and Tsukimi end up getting the same weekend off, so they decide to set up a get-together with the Tingaara staff to know them better.

After Kukuru and Fuuka look after the growing baby penguin, Akari walks with Kukuru and takes notice of her admiration for sea life, getting the idea that she still wants to work as an attendant. Akari proposes a cosplay day in Tingaala, which Suwa agrees to, putting Kukuru and Karin in charge of setting it up.

The film crew from Discovery. Creatures Galore arrives, and with them is Ruka, who is thrilled to see Fuuka again.

Growing more annoyed with Suwa, Kukuru starts to wish she was a fish. Kuuya informs her and Kai that a dolphin is in the bay. Kukuru and Umi encounter Ojii with the dolphin at the bay. Later, Kukuru decides to bring Fuuka to see the dolphin with her, and names it Ban-chan.

As Fuuka tries to call Kukuru, the latter is at a ferry and replies. Karin tells Fuuka that Kukuru's presentation did not go well. Kukuru meets Umi's wife, Misaki, who gives her a lift to a beach with baby sea turtles set to journey into the water.

Kukuru tearfully tells Fuuka that Gama Gama is gone, and the latter reassures her that she did nothing wrong. Next morning at Kamehausu, Misaki discusses sea turtle endangerment causes, and Fuuka takes notice of this. On the ferry, Kukuru decides that she will focus on her marketing work more if it means helping the animals.

Akira announces the USTD Aquatope Project to everyone in Tingaara, offering a two year training course for two employees at Tingaara. Kaoru is confident while Fuuka feels reluctant, as she doesn't want to leave Kukuru.

After Kukuru has a dream about growing up with Gama Gama, she and Fuuka head to the tree and make an offering to the Kijimunaa. After unloading the fish into the White Sand dome, they make cards for the guests and a welcome sign similar to the one used at Gama Gama. The next day, the wedding in the White Sand dome is being held. Later, Kukuru meets up with her grandparents and asks Ojii for advice. He says that the future is up to her.