5th Layer

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## Sea of Corpses

* Anime
* Manga

## Information

### Anime Debut

Movie 3

**The Sea of Corpses** (なきがらの海 (うみ) , *Nakigara no Umi*) is the fifth layer of The Abyss. It is a vast frozen wasteland encircling a massive sea. It is also the last layer that it is physically possible for Delvers to return to the surface without losing their humanity or dying.

## Description

The 5th Layer is the world that only White Whistle or Black Whistle Delvers (sources contradict; see ) delve into, and according to Shiggy, one can count the number of people who successfully returned alive with the fingers of one's hands. Vertically, it is the shortest layer of The Abyss at only 1,000 meters in depth, but it is also the widest horizontally, estimated to be tens of times the size of Orth. The most prominent physical feature of this layer is a large sea inhabited by primeval creatures and littered with bones, hence the name “Sea of Corpses”. Below the regular water, a layer of thick, slimy water suspends the sea in place. At the sea's central point is a large waterfall, providing access for Mail Balloons to ascend from below. Large structures formed of crystalized water, known to delvers as “frost”, are interspersed throughout the sea. The structures themselves are referred to either as “water supports” or “water bastions”, the latter being permanent formations, which are held up by the Force Field.

As the boundary between the 5th Layer and the 6th Layer begins just below the water, much of the aquatic portion of the Sea of Corpses actually exists within the 6th Layer, with the 5th Layer playing host to the sea's surface, Ido Front, and the surrounding lands. Since it is the last section of The Abyss where it is physically possible to survive a return trip, it is quite common for White Whistle Delvers to settle down here for some time.

At a depth of 13,000 meters, the deepest point above the water, a forward operating base named Ido Front was established by the White Whistle Bondrewd. Ido Front was originally the ruins of a former ritual site. Ido Front gets its electricity from the rotation of the unstoppable whirlpool it is built upon. A device akin to an elevator exists in its center, the Altar of the Absolute Boundary, that is used to transport people through the sea and into the 6th Layer. However, it can only be activated by a White Whistle, or more specifically, by a Life Reverberating Stone. Since Life Reverberating Stones are specially designed to be exclusively used by their original owners, the elevator is only available to those who have a White Whistle of their own.

In this layer, the Curse takes the form of extreme sensory deprivation, first draining one of their basic senses. Riko herself does not notice that she had fallen down a flight of stairs. The Curse then quickly escalates into losing one's very sense of self (medically, it is referred to as proprioception). This kind of deprivation also makes unintentional self-harm extremely likely, as seen when Riko clenched her jaw so hard that she broke her own teeth, not realizing the harm done until she put her finger in her mouth and saw blood.

Water supports of the 5th LayerSea in the 5th LayerIdo Front in the 5th LayerSketch by Tsukushi of the waterfall and a mail balloon
## Inhabitants

### Species

* Hamashirama
* Meinastilim
* Narehate
* Stingerhead
* Unknown Creatures

### Individuals

* Bondrewd
* Failed Umbra Hands
* Girl-type (Sightings)
* Gueira
* Ilim
* Meinya
* Prushka
* Umbra Hands

## Artifacts

* Altar of the Absolute Boundary
* Canopy Unto Dawn
* Far Caress
* Gangway
* Your Worth
* Shaker
* Sparagmos
* Third Works
* Zoaholic

## Points of Interest

* Ido Front
	+ Altar of the Absolute Boundary

## Footnotes

1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 In chapter 7, pages 15–16, Shiggy, while talking about the different layers, says, "Anyway, we're finally on to the fourth layer! Only **Black Whistles** and above can go here. [emphasis in original]" and "The fifth layer! This is the domain of White Whistles alone[.]"
This is contradicted in the second volume's chart which says the depth limit of Moon Whistles is the fourth layer and that the limit of Black Whistles is the fifth.
The original Japanese releases were investigated and there is no translation error.
However, in chapter 23, page 7, Bondrewd states in a conversation with another Delver, "Why bring this up now? It's also for this very purpose that I proposed **Black Whistles** enter the fifth Layer[.]"
This suggests a change in the depth limit has occurred at one point and as such, it is possible that Shiggy isn't aware of it.

In the game, Made in Abyss: Binary Star Falling into Darkness, Hablog notes Black Whistles are only officially allowed to delve to the 5th Layer if they are accompanying a White Whistle which gives context to why the second volume's chart states the depth limit of Black Whistles is the fifth while Shiggy stated it to be the domain of White Whistles alone.

## References

1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Made in Abyss Manga: Made in Abyss Chapter 007, Page 16
2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Made in Abyss Manga: Made in Abyss Chapter 004, Page 3
3. ↑ Made in Abyss Manga: Made in Abyss Chapter 028, Page 4
4. ↑ Made in Abyss Manga: Made in Abyss Chapter 028, Page 5
5. ↑ Interview in Comicspace May 2019
6. ↑ Made in Abyss Manga: Made in Abyss Chapter 028, Page 2
7. ↑ Made in Abyss Manga: Made in Abyss Chapter 036, Page 17
8. ↑ Q&A Movie 3 Twitter Report
9. ↑ Made in Abyss Manga: Made in Abyss Chapter 032, Page 15
10. ↑ Made in Abyss Manga: Made in Abyss Chapter 017, Pages 8-9
11. ↑ Made in Abyss Manga: Made in Abyss Chapter 030, Page 17
12. ↑ Made in Abyss Manga: Made in Abyss Chapter 028, Page 13
13. ↑ Made in Abyss Manga: Made in Abyss Chapter 032, Page 4
14. ↑ Made in Abyss Manga: Made in Abyss Chapter 023, Page 4
15. ↑ 15.0 15.1 Made in Abyss Manga: Made in Abyss Chapter 028, Page 14
16. ↑ Made in Abyss Manga: Made in Abyss Chapter 034, Page 13
17. ↑ Made in Abyss Manga: Made in Abyss Chapter 033, Page 22
18. ↑ Made in Abyss Manga: Made in Abyss Chapter 038, Page 17
19. ↑ 19.0 19.1 Made in Abyss Manga: Made in Abyss Chapter 029, Page 6
20. ↑ Made in Abyss Manga: Made in Abyss Chapter 030, Pages 7-12
21. ↑ Made in Abyss Manga: Made in Abyss Chapter 030, Page 11
22. ↑ Made in Abyss Manga: Made in Abyss Chapter 039, Page 6
23. ↑ Made in Abyss Manga: Made in Abyss Chapter 065, Page 33