(Umi ga Kikoeru — Ocean Waves)
Ocean Waves was produced for Japanese television as a youth project for Studio Ghibli’s new staff, resulting in a gentle, realistic work that leaves the soft wave’s impression on the sands of memory. The film—directed by Tomomichi Mochizuki and based on a novel by Saeko Himuro—tells a story of a love triangle at Kochi Coastal High School, narrated through the memories of a storyteller returning to his childhood town after many years.
Plot Pulse
“Taku” recalls his teenage years when the transfer student “Ricaco” arrived from shiny Tokyo, catching the curiosity of him and his close friend “Yuta.” Friendship becomes complicated in a triangle of attraction and misunderstandings, interrupted by the mischief of school trips and the shy confessions at the school festival, until the sea itself prepares for a wave of late apology.
What Makes the Film Special
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Calm Realism: No dragons or magic, it focuses on emotional confusion and the wonder of moving from countryside to city life.
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Watercolor Style: Soft colors like summer postcards, reflecting Kochi’s humidity and Tokyo’s winter light.
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Camera Angles: Free shots from the train window or atop the school roof give a sense of personal memories.
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Concise Length: 72 minutes capture the bittersweet unforgettable moments of every teenager’s life.
📜 “That night on Kochi’s beach… I felt the wave carried something from my heart and then returned it a little bigger.”
(Include the official high-resolution poster when publishing, example: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/3/3d/Umi_ga_kikoeru.jpg)