Kimi to, Nami ni Noretara

I found this movie when looking around at Instagram and I thought I might have a go and watch it. The story at the start was so sweet with no LOVE TRIANGLE but there's a catch which really sank my heart because they were a really cute couple. After that incident I thought Hinato was a bit crazy and concluded she was dealing with grief then I realise that this movie reminds me of Ghost (1990) but it's different of course. overall it's a pretty sweet and saddening love story with finding their one self.

The art style is really pretty too it give those ... summer vibes.
i just wish Youko Hinageshi wasnt super cocky but it's nice to have a different type of person i guess.

*Spoilers, just in case*
This is quite possibly one of the cutest and funniest animated films I've seen from Masaaki Yuasa. Unfortunately, it didn't "punch" as well as others.

If you watch the theatrical trailer before seeing the film you will be in for a surprise. Yes, the trailer spoils the crux of the film, but the trailer touches nothing about our main characters and how amazingly developed they are. If the story wasn't as comical as it was, I think I would have cried a lot more, but I also think this to be a fault of the animation style.

Don't get me wrong, this film is ... absolutely gorgeous. The art style complemented the bubbliness of the characters extremely well, heavy emphasis on how well the ocean waves are rendered in the art style. The cute style allowed for stunning facial reactions and body movements by all characters that further pushes the comedy of the story but, as aforementioned, takes from the impact of the emotions.

Tying in a song that the two main characters perceived as 'their song' through their unfortunately short relationship is an amazing choice. It pushes the story that much further and gives an additional emphasis on the theme of 'coping' that surrounds the party after one of the characters' passing about 30 minutes in. Then to show that the main female character is relying too much on the song and its link to her late boyfriend further drives home this sense of desperation. It wasn't until the very last scene where the song comes back again that I felt the story really hit the emotions it intended to an hour earlier.

I highly recommend this film for those who are looking for themes of coping after the end of a relationship; to those who think tears should be spared until the end of a film; most importantly, to those who need a good laugh in their own relationships.

A little background: Kimi to, Nami ni Noretara (or Ride Your Wave, which I'll be referring to it as for the rest of this review) is the 2nd anime movie I've seen in theaters and the 1st one that hasn't been a side story for an airing anime. I tried to go into it with only the knowledge that Wikipedia and IMBD gave me, but I attended the movie with a friend of mine who went in totally blind. Based on both of our reactions throughout the film, I'd suggest going in not knowing the "twist" (because if you're good at spotting red flags you ... can tell what's going to happen at about the ~20-minute mark) that happens 30 minutes in or dragging along someone who doesn't know so you can watch their reaction.

Story: 6
The story isn't particularly revolutionary, but it's good enough to hook you and leave you wanting more. The 1st 30 minutes set up a sweet love story, and then the twist happens and promptly decides to use the beginning of the movie as a baseball bat to beat your heart into submission. The ending can probably be predicted easily, and I kind of wish they went with a less supernatural approach, but I also acknowledge that the climactic ending scene was awesome and couldn't have happened without the supernatural elements so I'm content.

Art: 9
The animation is absolutely gorgeous, and all of the colors are pleasing. Going into the film, I knew that even if the story was subpar that the art would be beautiful, and it did not disappoint. I'd honestly say it's worth seeing for the art and animation alone.

Sound: 8
You WILL get the opening song to this movie stuck in your head by the end of it. The OST for Ride Your Wave is good, and there weren't any bad pieces of music. The voice acting was also excellent, and I felt that the cover of the opening song that the two main characters did was so adorable.

Character: 7
I must admit, I never got super attached to any of the characters besides Hinako, but I didn't end up hating anyone. The characters are all competently written and the actions they take make sense. Hinako ended up being my favorite simply because I felt that I'd do the same things she did if I were thrust into a similar situation.

Enjoyment: 10
Explaining why I enjoyed this movie so much would have to into the personal and slightly sappy territory, but part of it is the theater experience. Movies are a lot better if you have tons of people with you laughing with or at the movie, regardless of the actual quality. There's just something about stale popcorn and ICEEs...

Overall: 8
I thought Ride Your Wave was a very good movie, and I'd recommend it if you're a fan of romance flicks that want to tear your heart out. However, if you're more of an action movie person and can't stand mushy gushy films, then Ride Your Wave probably isn't for you. I hope more people get the chance to enjoy this movie!

I really enjoyed Yuasa's Ride Your Wave. I had no emotions going into it really, I just wanted to watch a nice looking anime. I can't say this movie blew me away, but it stuck with me.

I guess I'm getting into "spoiler" territory, but if you've seen even the trailer for this movie, then you know what's up.

Ride Your Wave shows how people cope with the loss of a loved one, and while the presentation is often very silly and lighthearted, the emotions are very real. I found it tough to relate to Hinako's bubbly personality, but it was easy to connect with what she ... was feeling. The movie meanders a lot on its way to the climax, but it's essentially just a heartwarming love story about two lovers whose lives have been intertwined for a while.

If you can suspend your disbelief long enough, this film has a lot to offer in terms of realistic characters and exciting plot points. There isn't much for me to say, other than that I really enjoyed this film's portrayal of death.

Go see it if you enjoy Yuasa's other works and enjoy romance stories, as this is one unique film.

Rating: 8/10

The most common method anime has of telling romance stories is the narrative of people falling in love in high school. What happens next, whether it’s the actual relationship or the fact that there is a life after high school is very often overlooked. Fortunately for us, Yuasa saw this opportunity to create a genuinely engaging summer romance.

The story starts when some knackers start using fireworks like a group of idiots, which accidentally sets fire to our heroine, Hinako’s, house. The fireman that saves her, Minato, recognises her as that one cool surfer chick, she offers to teach him how to surf and the two ... fall in love, through a genuinely adorable musical sequence. I don’t want to spoil what happens, but the way that the song is used here really helps to sell the fact that this couple is genuinely in love, which is difficult to do when the characters themselves aren’t speaking to each other.

If the whole film was just this one romance, I would have loved it, and said that it was probably the best anime romance of the decade. Instead, a genuinely shocking plot twist completely changes the movie. I would strongly advise that you go into this movie blind, and just trust me when I say that around half an hour in, the emotional weight of the movie heightens to a new extreme. It can be a little bit clumsy at times with the melodrama but considering the reason for said melodrama, I’d say the film get’s a pass.

The only real criticism I have is that the knackers were really generic, and while I get that fleshing them out would have definitely dragged the pacing a bit, come on, there was nothing else he could do? Also, one of the biggest emotional revelations for Hinako wasn’t really foreshadowed as opposed to spoiled by the opening scene of the movie. It’s like they didn’t want it to come out of nowhere but couldn’t think of a better way of divulging the information than the method they chose, which while vague, is specific enough that I got why the event was important even if I didn’t know what exactly the event was.

These are more nitpicks than anything else though, and if you’re looking for what I would consider to be up there with Ping Pong in terms of Yuasa’s best work, then I urge you to watch this film.

9/10

This Review is actually the script to this video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kuiQyCshoog

Check that out and subscribe to the channel if you want to see more reviews like it.

I try to keep it vague but there are spoilers. You've been warned

Have you ever felt like you're lost in this world? Like you don't know what you want for your life? Like you aren't good at anything?

Have you ever list someone? A family member? A pet? A lover?

If you have Ride Your Wave may be the movie for you. It can be hard to keep your head above water. To not be dragged down by your screw ups or losses. But we have to keep trying. To find what we're good at or passionate about. To move on from our losses. This is the ... story of Hinako, a girl who has to overcome these things and ride her next wave into a better tomorrow. While she is on her own journey and it is the central point of the movie, the other cast members all have to move on with her.

Kawamura has to stop chasing his best friend's memory and be himself. Youko has to learn own her feelings and uncovers her dream is to honor the person she lost by brining their dream to life. Minato spent his whole life trying to and failing and trying again until he succeeded in his goals. He wants to honor the person who saved him by saving others.

The film uses powerful imagery centered around surfing and marine life such as sea turtles. The theme reflected predominantly through the recuring song of the movie, Brand New Story. I encourage you to pay attention to the lyrics of the song and to look up the translation. It's a beautiful song with a powerful message. The song itself is used as a magic spell of sorts to summon Minato to Hinako. It's a special song for them that played in key moments of their history.

The animation is also fantastic. The water and surfing imagery is gorgeous. While this is foremost a character story, surfing is an important device in showcasing the characters. And water is a central component to this, to fire fighting and of course for Hinako to summon Minato.

Hinako is struggling to keep her head above water, both figuratively and literally. While the water and waves are representative of life's struggles and drowning in depression, Hinako also literally leaps into the water, submerging herself multiple times to be with Minato. But she can never hold on to him or physically feel his presence. And she can only hold her breath for so long before she has to come up for air. Rather symbolic for her struggle with her grief.


It is not until she learns of her childhood connection to Minato that she is able to begin moving on and uncovers her true purpose in life. This discovery leads to her finally unlocking his phone, symbolizes her finally unlocking her path forward. The movie climaxes with her sacrificing her connection to Minato in order to save a life. In that moment she is finally able to be true to herself and move on from her loss. She rides that wave all the way back to the ground and forward into her new life.

But even when she can no longer see Minato he will be there for her. Represented by her receiving one final message from him as the movie ends.

This movie has a powerful message and it may be able to reach you if your lost. Open your heart to the possibilities and ride your next wave into a new chapter.

This movie was pretty good!
Alright, so I'm a Yuasa fan. However, that doesn't mean I like his stuff no matter what it is; it means I have high expectations of his work. I skipped a class to drive an hour to see this film. And, it was pretty good.
Things I liked; the main character relationship. There is a perfect montage in this movie that that alone almost made me cry. It was so impactful!
The music, SLAPPED! The main theme is sung so many times throughout the film, but I just couldn't get tired of it; great stuff.
The characters were good; they seemed legit, which is ... nice in anime.
The story wasn't amazing, but it didn't have to be. The message is far more important. If you like Mamoru Hosoda films, it is exactly something he would write.
Things I didn't like; the animation was NOT up to par with other Yuasa works, at all. Sometimes there'd be something very beautiful, but everything else seemed underwhelming when considering the other projects to come from this studio and director. It was fine, but definitely the weakest he's worked with.
Overall, I thought it was good. It's not as fun as "Lu", or huge as "Devilman", but it's a good watch. When it's on sale online, give it a watch.

Youko in the beginning of the film: "Being in love is for stupid people"
Youko at the end of the film: "Not being in love is for stupid people"

Ride Your Wave, a subtle true-to-life romance film with the the title relating to the initial connection of
the tragic yet life-chaning event between Minato and Hinako.

[SPOILERS]

Story: 8/10
After saving Surfer/florist Hinako Mukaimizu in an apartment fire by Firefighter Minato Hinageshi, both
... enjoy their company while initially surfing yet deepen their relationship. One day, at the beach Minato is surfing
and sees people who are in need on the shores; he goes out in order to save them but to no avail fails and loses
his life. Hinako deals with the mental trauma of losing the closest person to her yet can't help but see
realistic projections in the water when she sings their song "Brand New Story - GENERATIONS from EXILE TRIBE".
Minato's incident influences Hinako to pursue a life-saving career of being a life-guard in order to prevent
future tragedies. (that's the gist of it)

Now that I think of it, Ride your wave was more of your realistic tragic romance film despite having fantasy elements
especially after the death of Minato. However, it gave the film a more positive mood rather than Hinako remaining in a
state of depression for the duration of the film. I noticed that there were at least 3 montages which could have been fully
utilised to enhance the death of Minato if the film was adapted into a series of 12/13 episode with the fireworks incident
at the end finalizing the series - It would just make the overall emotion of the series more dramatic but I guess budgets exist.

Art & Sound: 7/10
This film didn't excel to the expectations of Mamoru Hosoda or Makoto Shinkai yet it did leave somewhat of a
satisfying viewing experience. the VA for both main characters singing was well orchestrated and had an emotional
attachment every time Hinako sang the song.

Character: 6/10
The entire beginning of the film up until both main characters met were basically character development segments
in order to establish the characters so the viewer would understand their standing with the main characters.
It definitely felt a bit forced, especially the fire incident where both Wasabi and Minato rushed to Hinako's
aid above the top of the apartment building but I noticed more rivalry that way which was interesting.
A small detail I noticed the most was when Youko, Minato's little sister told Hinako and Minato when they were dating
that being in love is for stupid people which made me feel some sort of jealousy but at the end of the second fireworks
incident, when Wasabi and Youko 'hook-up', Youko tells Hinako "Not being in love is for stupid people". (probably
to show her support for Hinako and Minato. ~ Also montages to develop character is a bit anti-climactic when someone
is killed off for a plot-twist so it wasn't as emotional.
~overall some good pieces of character development but would have liked a proper series of events and consideration
for the romantic connection between both main character's love.

My first impression and summary.
"I cried a little because it overlapped with the feeling of loss I had. There are few characters, but there are many elements. However, it is well organized as a story. However, I also understood that this is divided into evaluations. At the beginning, the sweetness continues."

- Overcome lost emotions
As you can see in the trailer, the characters will feel lost. After a long, long sweet time. I also experienced a sense of loss and it continues to this day. It will not disappear even if it weakens. I think the important person will stay close to me in the future, ... and I hope that.
While I was feeling lost, I felt like a loved one was lying next to me. Therefore, I can understand the feelings of the characters very much. In the case of a story that overcomes such a feeling of loss, hardness is often drawn. However, the pleasure that ignores anguish in a sense (which can be said to be crazy) is drawn, and I can understand it very much. I understand that she wants to seek temporary pleasure, even if the loss is true. The madness of not accepting that reality will divide the movie's evaluation. After that, the long and sweet time also divides the evaluation of the movie. It was a very shining time for them. But I think it was the time needed for this movie.

- Insert song problem in Japanese animated films
In my review, I have repeatedly addressed this issue in Japanese animated films. Why do Japanese animated films make heavy use of insert songs? However, there was a reason for this movie. Also, the insert song like a sweet and fun karaoke like a live-action movie is new. I felt uncomfortable, but as a highlight of the sweet scene, I think it was a match.
However, the insert song was sung by a member of the popular Japanese singer group LDH and appeared in the anime. There is also a review that it is an animation for LDH.
I am happy that the melody has been changed to a nostalgic melody that matches this movie. (When I saw the actual live-action PV, the impression was completely different.)
Anime and popular singer group. In a nutshell, it's a synergistic effect. To put it badly, do anime have to rely on tie-ups for box office revenue?

- Re-screening (re-screening upon request)
In Japan, there is a site called "drepass" that gathers calls for re-screening. This time, I happened to see the announcement of the re-screening on that site, and I was able to see it (Apr, 2022). They don't seem to be able to respond to all the voices, but I'm grateful to have come across a great movie.

- Final impression
First of all, I forgot to mention it, but it is a unique illustration. I felt it matched this movie. The fantasy envelops the feelings of loss. For me, who is experiencing feelings of loss, I think it was a movie that I would want to watch again in order to see myself objectively in the future.
Oh, and she moves home several times, but I want to live in such a large house. Also, I want to practice so that I can hold a spoon with either hand.

Just finished watching it thru HBO MAX - I liked it but yeah it had its flaws but I got teary eyed with SPOILERS - the dude died after that wholesome montage ( I know it was obvious because of the trailer Poster and the name) but it just got to me and bothered me the whole movie- he had his whole life ahead and died saving someone else and to top it off they show his body in a panic flashback the girl had. Im probably too emotional for watching soo much depressing anime tho . I sympathize with ... the girl but not with the sister ( she was way too bitchy) the movie just kept stabbing me with the reminder that losing people sucks and life goes on.

This was beautiful. Maybe I needed it or maybe it's because I don't normally watch a lot of romance/drama anime, and I'm not someone who cries a lot, but I ended up crying at the end of it. It had just been sitting there on my desktop for me to watch for years now and I thought, I'll just watch it to finally remove it, but it ended up being a beautiful experience.

The animation and the colors themselves already make you feel a lot, even without the story itself. Some reviewers said the story repeats itself and that they have mixed feelings about it. ... Perhaps it's true, but I didn't feel that way. I don't wish to spoil what happens so I'll say it vaguely but I think the emotions represented here justified the repetition of certain things. Maybe that's why I felt so strongly throughout this but that repetition, that message, along with the beautiful art really emphasized the character's fixation and their strong emotions, and pulled me in. If you're looking to feel something, had a not-so-good day and came home in the evening and wanted to just let go or something, I think this anime could be something you'll really enjoy. That's how it was for me anyway.

SPOLERS !!!

30 minutes of happiness then after that, just pure pain :( esp that part where she had a breakdown dude i was crying so hard. brand new story had been stuck in my mind for a day. that part where she and minato are having a date but minato is no longer alive, i rlly dont know if i should be happy or what (ALSO WTF WHY CANT MY REVIEW BE POST, I DONT KNOW WHAT TO ADD ANYMORE HELP CKCMSINNLXKZMXI) at first the artstyle had me confused bc its not my type but afterwars its rlly good and understandable, for me, just as ... far i remember this is the saddest movie ive watched, also the movie is all about how hinako can recover from her grief towards minato's dead. i also wan to see just a little bit of youka and wasabi' relationship but its not long, issok tho

If you are wondering whether to give this movie a try I would say you should. From Masaaki Yuasa the creator of Devilman Crybaby, Keep Your Hands off Eizouken and Ping Pong this a sweet, heartwarming anime with good characters. The art is pretty good too. The sound part is decent. But before going in know that the end of the first half might be a little cringe-worthy but do hang in there until the end - its worth it. There is a big element of fantasy and the main character may feel annoying at times but her development is portrayed well. Just do not ... get your expectations too high and you will have a good time.

Ride Your Wave
I went in with the thought that it was going to be a drama filled romance regarding people learning the hardships of what it means to love someone.
I was surprised to find out that it was a story revolving around recovering from loss, and dealing with the hardships of life as a whole. I Adore the unique art style, and how it resembles the tone with the color choices. This movie was able to make me feel happy and then sad within the time frame. It brings you up just to tear you back down, not with another tragic event, but with ... something that otherwise would've been lovely. Watching Hinako go through the film and learn how to cope and let go and take care of herself helps you understand the emotional person that she is. That paired with the ending is a big bitter sweet jab to the heart. Anime films are always hard for me to discuss because I understand that they are shorter than 20 episode shows, but i think within the run time the characters were developed nicely and I could feel for them.
At least Hinako and Minato anyways. Wasabi and Minato's sister (name is escaping me atm) I wish played a bigger part because I wanted to understand their feelings and actions too because they were played up to be important.. but it was good overall and I would definitely watch it again. The music is really good and the story is a nice change from what we usually get from romance derived media. Their relationship was only part of the story, while Hinako's recovery from it is the bigger idea. I love this movie :)

I don't know why i have such a bad luck (or maybe good luck) to always found sad stories to watch... but this movie even when is sad didn't make me cry.

I really enjoy watching a good movie about romance, about love, this movie really gave me a good love story so i am really happy to watch it.... It's not the best movie but is a movie to end the boredom that you can watch ...

The messages are kinda cute, and I LIKED so much the growth of our main character ... all the characters in the movies rested at the ... end

Just surfing through life.

A romance anime that I found on HBO Max.

The animation for this movie was gorgeous and cute. The look of the ocean and waves were so refreshing. It just made me feel relaxed and happy watching this animation.

This movie had a one of those montages of a couple that would make you feel sad that you’re single. The romance was cute and I enjoyed watching the relationship.

As for the story, something major happened midway that required the main character to move on. There’s a big element of fantasy, but not one that I haven’t seen before. The plot ... was pretty typical of a drama dealing with death and moving on, so there wasn’t too many surprises. Also, the emotion wasn’t as high as I wanted, probably because of the typical storyline and the light tone.

The characters were pretty okay and not unexpected. The main characters were focused mostly, and the two side characters wasn’t delved into as much.

Overall, beautiful and refreshing animation made for a pretty enjoyable romance drama. 7.5/10

I rate this 9/10.
This movie is one of those: on a hot summer day, you sit down with a cold drink and just enjoy the adventurous ride. (Its better if its a Friday evening lol!) This is just the kind of mood it created, for me personally at least.

The art was what got me hooked on at first. Saw lots of pictures captured from the movie here and there and immediately added it to my watchlist. And it really did meet my expectations. Came out just like how I wanted it to. Don't know how to explain the feelings that it left, but it really ... did feel like a fever dream! almost like you are once again a small, young child who unexpectedly caught something to watch after switching the channels many times! That exiting feeling as a kid, as if you found a new gem. Giving you butterflies and all. Don't know EXACTLY how and why, but it was so comforting to watch this, really warmed me up from the inside and at the same time I bawled my eyes out at the end. The ending was just like those times you meet new other kids while on a trip and you feel that you will never get to see them when its time to leave. Once again reminded me of childhood, don't exactly know why though!

As I said, the art-style was immaculate for me, wish there was more animes with this kind of art! Also the sounds, the music, perfectly fit the movie! The story was so nice and enjoyable, once you get into it with criticism-free, you really do get to enjoy things by then, in general. After all, animations, especially like this are supposed to be enjoyed. The main girl at first got me annoyed with the clumsiness, but that only happened about two times, it wasn't repetitive and by the end I realized that's just how she is and anyone would get nervous, if we were in her shoes. so i realised you cant really blame someone for doing something as human as showing your emotions and letting it out once in a while.

It was really enjoyable for me, nothing less expected from Masaaki Yuasa! Another movie to brighten our days!

I would like to simply say that as a fan of Masaaki Yuasa's directed works, this film comes off as a little bit... average.

The unique stylistic animation of Yuasa-sensei's work always sends the audience a feeling of intriquing while eccentric at the same time. However, I must say that Ride Your Wave does not give as much of a visual impact as his other films. That being said, if I were simply to rate this film without factoring in the people behind the work, the animation, although not as beautiful as Shinkai-sensei's work, still manages to capture my interest on an artistic level. However, ... the animation, in my opinion, was not as thought provoking as usual.

When it comes to the plot of the movie, I would say that the romantic tale from this film does not add much more to the table than previous romance drama film. The only selling point of this movie was the fact that the male lead, while deceased, somehow manage to live on as a spirit within water. However, instead of taking a much more philosophical route like Yuasa-sensei did with his other work, Devilman Crybaby, Ride Your Wave simply glosses over the mystery for the romance. Which is not a mistake, per se, however it does make the movie more average, since the selling point was the supernatural aspect of the film.

The only thing I can praise is that the movie manages to capture the emotions of the female lead quite well, showing her sadness in a way that made it quite realistic and human, evoking sympathy from the audience. However, once we get invested to the main characters, we somehow enter the climax where the female lead literally rode the wave on top of a tower, defying gravity, in order to safe a friend. Although the action sequence should be praised, I can't help but think tthat it doesn't mesh well with the rest of the plot, like they don't know whether to focus upon the romance aspect of the film pr the action.

Finally, the release of this film was closely preceded by another film made by a much less famous director called Children of the Sea. Although both films have a much different plotline, the similarities on the background of both films --the sea, made me subconsciously compare the two films. Although I gave the rating of this review objectively without letting this comparison influence me, I couldn't help but think of how Children of the Sea had better animation, plot and a well grounded theme compared to Ride Your Wave.

Therefore, I would recommend for people to watch this film without thinking of it as a Yuasa film nor should people watch this film with other similar themed films. Otherwise, there might be some disappointment coming for you.

Watching the trailer prepared me for what happens in the film, but it still made me sad as I watched... This is not a romance movie, but rather how someone processes grief so don't watch it expecting a loving romance.

From the creator of Devilman Crybaby, this film is a completely different vibe from Devilman Crybaby. The film is full of color and the tone reflects the colors used during each scene. I loved the fluidity of the animation with how the characters interact or how they move along the water. Every bit of the film felt like it was perfectly chosen for the right ... moment, from the colors they used to the music that we hear. The film aesthetics are impeccable and the story tugs at your heartstrings with every passing scene. The characters are fleshed out and we can see how much of an impact each one has on each other very quickly. Each character shows how different the process of grief is for everyone and takes that into account with how the story flows.

I would say for those who like Your Name, Spirited Away, this would be a good watch if you're looking for a movie to watch.

*** Spoilers from this point onward ***

Like I stated earlier, this is not a romance movie, but rather a film about the grieving process. We watch how Hinako processes the death of Minato, her boyfriend with fantastical elements added for the ride. Adding in those fantasy elements is a gray area for me. There were some moments where I liked those elements, but there were moments in the story where it felt a little odd. Even with that, the film made it work without me questioning it too much. Another little thing I have with the film is the odd pacing of their relationship in the beginning, but it wasn't bad, just could've been done better.

Other than those little things, I felt the movie is a good watch for someone looking for a break from romance films. Watching Hinako try to live her own life past Minato's death was fairly realistic in my opinion. Hinako manages to crave her own path, but the scars from losing someone are still there so she will hurt from time to time, but overall she has moved on. Also, I really like the decision of not making Hinako end up with Wasabi was a really nice move, as moving on from a dead partner to date their junior just sounds bad. Thankfully that didn't happen, but rather she rode her own wave that was started by the ripples that Minato placed for her.

Okay, wow
Just wow...

To put into simpler terms, I was not expecting 'ride your wave' to be THAT good of a movie. If I were to be brutally honest, I initially did not want nor wish to watch this movie as after taking a look at the trailer, I figured that this was not worth of the hype is was getting, that it looked rather plain and boring.

Seeing what the trailer had presented to me, I just assumed that this movie would just be of some generic love story where a couple goes to the beach, dude dies from being hit by a wave or something ... and the girlfriend, being too depressed after his death, gets hallucinations of him and that's about it. I figured that this movie's story would be far too simple and basic, especially coming from a person as creative and highly acclaimed as Masaaki Yuasa.

BUTTTTTTTTTTTTT

thank goodness, I was proven to be wrong. It was not long before I decided to give 'ride your wave' a go. I was just bored and thought that it will be of no harm to just give it a chance.

To summarize, the story plot is pretty generic actually, it's basically how I predicted and expected it to be as mentioned previously but it's just that ' umph' that made the movie so compelling and enjoyable.

Yes, the story is rather generic but Masaaki Yuasa has done a wonderful job in executing everything and turning it into an anime adaption. The way he presents his characters and how they face problems throughout the whole movie is a job well done.

Personally, I am not much of an emotional person. I tend to lean more on the practical side but lemme just say.... there was never a single moment where I would expect myself to get all emotional and teary for a movie with such a simple and predictable plot but I had proven myself wrong... yet again. I ended the movie trying to stop myself from tearing up.

I was not emotional after watching Anohana and Maiquia: when the promise flower blooms but somehow I was for 'ride your wave'. It really was a massive shock for me, I must say.

All in all, if you're like me and are hesitating to give this one a go, I'd highly recommend you to stop your pondering and just get to it ;)