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"Waterboys" is a comedy, a very anime-esque one too, which doesn't mean a bad thing. In fact, I liked this movie for its funny moments and wacky plot elements.

The story is basically about five high school boys who decide to learn synchronized swimming, influenced by the new coach of their school's swimming team, Sakuma; An attractive young woman that is into synchro swimming. However, because of an unexpected incident, Sakuma has to go on vacation, leaving the team without supervision. With the Tadano High's summer festival coming very soon, every club from the school is preparing a special event on their own. Suzuki and friends eventually decide to organize a special sync swimming show, with the help of a dolphin trainer. Of course, this wouldn't be an interesting movie, if they didn't face some unexpected events along the way...

This is a real feel-good movie that almost everyone can enjoy. Some situations are totally hilarious, reminding me of japanese anime. The five main characters couldn't be more colourful and the acting was superb as well. Shinobu Yaguchi did an awesome job directing this movie, which is a mixture of a lot of nifty elements, from the great characters to the unbelievable humorous moments, this movie is just great.

I haven't watched Yaguchi's other works like Adrenaline Drive, for example, so I'm not sure how this one compares to them. But I'm sure if you like comedies and you're a bit open-minded, you'll like "Waterboys".

"Waterboys" is the featured film on the opening night in this year's Eiga Sai in Manila. I didn't anticipate I would be laughing my toxins out. It's a hilarious movie. I thought I'd never laugh so hard again after watching a Charlie Chaplin movie years back. This Japanese film is incredibly and enjoyably funny. It totally amazes me how the Japanese are able to evoke the whole range of emotions in their audience, i.e., laughter in comedy films, profound sadness in drama. (I still haven't gotten over the heartache from watching "Grave of the Fireflies".) "Waterboys" has a very simple plot. It would have been banal and jejune in the hands of an ordinary storyteller. The storytelling technique was effortless, but the use of slow motion matched with a perfect comedic timing produced a remarkably hilarious film. To be able to make people laugh from one's belly and in so many continuous fractions of a minute is a gift. "Waterboys" cast and crew are gifted. I've never cracked up so hard in my whole life. The adrenalin kick from watching it is yet to subside. One disadvantage: I don't know if any Hollywood comedy films can ever make me laugh again.

I really got engaged and nearly started applauding the achievments done in the end, syncronized swimming aint easy, and very womanized, so when the japanese boys does a take on this subject, it has to be embarasing and righteous fun. though its very classic manga japanese style, with uniformed pupils everywhere, it shows a lot of the cultural genderistic and traditional japanese way of life. love and sexuality are very constricted and the humbleness and bowbending respect between hi and low and boy and girl is archtypical

its for a norwegian the kind of witty and dry humour so you might have to adjust your sense of humour a bit, but it is a comedy you should see. made in 2003 the speedoes and arenas are small and extremely tight, but there are no beer bellies or hairy creatures in this movie, so it should suit you all.

the grumpy old man, nowadays to stiff and fibrmyalgic to even stretch my knees, did some of this stuff in my glory days of youth. and being able to make me laugh its a recommend.

I had enjoyed Japanese writer-director Shinobu Yaguchi's Swing Girls back in 2004, in a story of how a group of schoolgirls mobilized to form a big band jazz group, trained and finally perform in competition. It had a simple story made great by the excellent cast in endearing characters, as well as awesome jazz music to go along. In my attempt to revisit some of his earlier works, it had led me back to the Waterboys.

Waterboys almost follows the same formula, where a group of misfits get together, and against all odds and everyone's pessimism, manage to pull through and put up one heck of a performance. Along the way, they encounter seemingly implausible obstacles which stand to derail their plans and hopes, and sometimes watching them come through in comedic ways just puts a smile on you. It's one of those feel good movies without any real villains to snarl at, just being there to cheer them on as they try to give one of the best performances of their mundane lives.

A youthful looking Satoshi Tsumabuki (starred in this year's Nada Sou Sou) plays Suzuki, the only member of his school's swim team, who gets more members than he bargained for when a beautiful teacher, Mrs Sakuma (Kaori Manabe) becomes the swim coach of the all- boys school. But after a comedy of errors, we're left with 5 nerdy boys who must rough it out to be synchronized swimmers instead, bringing guffaws from their schoolmates and folks in their neighbourhood.

Not wanting to give up, they enlist the reluctant help of a dolphin trainer (Naoto Takenaka, who was also in Swing Girls) at Sea World, who trains them through unorthodox methods, which brings on the laughter and allows space for the boys to exude charm during their weird routines. It's basically an underdog's story and their struggles to fulfill a promise, whether or not they look stupid or effeminate while doing it. And thrown into the mix is a budding romance between Suzuki, and Shizuko Kiuchi (Aya Hirayama), a female karate exponent from a neighbouring all-girls school.

And when they finally get their act going, you'll be left wanting more. That's how a bubblegum movie should be, in order to cover its breezy, simple plot. Thoroughly entertaining, and suitable for all ages.

The Code 3 DVD from Alliance Entertainment (as with most locally pressed DVDs) comes without any special features. Visuals are letterboxed, and the quality of transfer is decent. The audio comes in Dolby Digital Stereo, and subtitles are available in English or Chinese. Scene selection is available in 8 chapters.

Young lads overcome stereotypes to become proficient athletes at a sport with which they're unfamiliar, with lots of laughs along the way toward a marvelous water show finale.