Umi ga kikoeru

I rarely write reviews for movies but I simply have to recommend this one and straighten a few things out. First off let me say that this is my top 3 favorite films from Ghibli Studio (the other two being Castle in the Sky, and My Neighbor Totoro). The reason I love it is because out of all the great Ghibli works, this one speaks to me the most. And the more I watch this film and the older I get, the more I appreciate it.

It's a shame that this little gem is often underrated, under-appreciated and neglected by Ghibli fans, because it's so not like anything Ghibli or Miyazaki has done so far (which, ironically, is one of the reasons why I love it so much). It doesn't follow the usual Miyazaki formula (i.e. brave and independent heroine, epic stories, unusual adventures...you get the picture). Instead, it just tells a simple (yet highly-effective) coming-of-age story about an ordinary high school teenager in a realistic and sincere way. You may not have the similar experience as the male protagonist, but you can certainly relate to him and understand what he's going through (at least I could).

Now it seems that the complaints from those who were less impressed by this film are mostly centered around the film's (seemingly) lack of a solid plot or exciting actions. To them I'd say you people just didn't get it. As some reviewers have said, this film is all about the subtleties. It's more of a character-driven film than a plot-driven one. In other words, it's more about how you feel about/relate to the characters (dialogs, emotions, relationships, etc) than what you see on screen (the plot, actions, stunning visuals, etc). The thing is you can't just watch the movie, you have to "feel" the movie and its characters as well. And it helps a great deal too if you also know a thing or two about the Japanese culture and life in small town there.

Truth to be told I never really enjoyed all those Miyazaki extravaganzas such as Princess Mononoke, Spirited Away or Howl's Moving Castle, which of course isn't to say that they are not great. Don't get me wrong, I can see why they are great masterpieces and why people would love them, but personally I just couldn't connect with any of those movies nor can I relate to the characters. I always felt I was merely watching the movie, instead of "experiencing" it. But with "The Ocean Waves/Umi Ga Kikoeru", I felt like I was the main character and his story was my story. For some reason this movie just speaks to me like no other Ghibli movies can. It might be an animated TV movie, but to me it felt more real than most of the live-action TV dramas out there, because everything shown in that movie seems so realistic and familiar and therefore gives you a similar warm and nostalgic feeling that you also get while watching movies like My Neighbor Totoro. I've heard it said that it's the small things in life that make living wonderful (or something like that), and I think this best describes how I feel about "Umi ga Kikoeru".

If you're into big epic/fantasy movies like Spirited Away or Howl's Moving Castle, chances are you probably won't like this one. At the end it really all comes down to whether you get this film or not. If you get it, you'll love it!

The knowledge that Ocean Waves is a TV movie put me off watching this 'lesser Ghibli' until I'd covered the rest of their catalogue. Whilst it may not have the wide appeal of Miyazaki masterpieces like Totoro, Porco Rosso and Spirited Away etc., it's a surprisingly successful film. The subtleties of the relationships and characters are so beautiful and rewarding that the film is elevated way beyond its TV roots.

In short, if you want a gentle meditation on teen relationships and love, this is as good as it gets. And if you like Ghibli but the subject material doesn't sound too interesting (it didn't to me), it's still worth a look as it might surprise.

I saw this anime after I had been introduced to some other, more prominent anime from Studio Ghibli. If you appreciate a fine subtle authentic slice-of-life story of high school romance, this is as good as it gets.

Its told from the point of view of a male student. A new female transfer student arrives from Tokyo and the plot moves forward in an interesting way. It never hurries, and feels very matter of fact. By the end of the film lessons are learned and the heart strings are pulled.

This movie doesn't try to do too much; it simply focuses on the main characters and tells their story honestly. You never feel manipulated as you do with many Hollywood films. The dramatic conflicts are real and interesting.

This is one movie I treasure.

Why was this released for TV? I don't feel like this is a "lesser" creation of Studio Ghibli. The characterisation and story never felt flat to me. Sure, it all relies on the characters being rather self-centered and naive, but it felt like genuine flaws rather than anything to do with the writing. I enjoyed this drama and the portrayal of the Rikako was realistic as I can attest to knowing someone like that!

What a forgotten Ghibli masterpiece! I'm glad that I accidentally stumbled upon it. Someone else beat me to it in the review section twelve years ago, but I gotta emphasize: this movie is as authentic as it gets. The characters behave very realistically, they feel much more humane than those in similar slice-of-life movies. Because of this, you can relate to all the characters, their actions, their motives, and the story will get you involved in no time. Just don't expect any out-of-the-place action or sensationalism - the movie maintains a very relaxed pace, with everything in order, every slight movement feeling natural.

This movie is a hour-and-a-quarter long contemplation, a travel into the past - just like the main character, you will catch yourself wondering about loves, friends and memories long gone. But you might just find redemption at the end of the road, and the end of the movie.

Its seldom I get the bittersweet butterfly of nostalgia growing in my stomach; last time the Miyazaki-classic "Only Yesterday" were able to achieve it. The two movies share a common feel and theme (great reunions, evaluating your roots, and a change of life), and while I think "Only Yesterday" somewhat works better, "Ocean Waves" is an otherwise unrivaled choice for gloomy Sunday afternoon homecinema.