Aoi Umi to Shounen

The Boy and the Blue Sea follows the journey of a city boy who moves to a South Pacific island and gets homesick faster than you can say 'culture shock'. But fear not, he finds solace in an unlikely friendship with a black kid named Adel. Brace yourself for a history lesson as Adel learns about the island's past, gets angry at the Japanese invaders, and eventually regrets destroying the friendship.

Now, let's talk about the English dub. Yes, the characters magically become English-speaking island dwellers, making the English dub surprisingly logical; given that the characters were Japanese living in an English-speaking island and had to ... learn and speak in English. The voice acting is decent overall, except for Hiroshi's sister, whose voice reaches new heights of artificial high-pitched discomfort.

In all seriousness, the movie attempts to convey a message about empathy and understanding through its interracial friendship narrative. While it may stumble along the way, it still manages to deliver a wholesome and mature experience. If you're in the mood for an anime that explores similar themes, you might want to check out Appleland Story, which is despite its absurd plot and action, is another anti-war anime that shares the same spirit of wholesomeness and maturity

So grab your sunscreen and dive into this island adventure, where friendships are made, history is learned, and voices may or may not induce migraines.