Umi ga Kikoeru

In the city of Kouchi, high school student Taku Morisaki is going about his work when his friend Yutaka Matsuno calls and asks him to get to their school as soon as possible. Taku arrives, and Matsuno introduces him to Rikako Muto, a beautiful girl from Tokyo who recently transferred to their school. Although Rikako is academically and athletically gifted, her generally unpleasant attitude leaves her with virtually no friends outside of Matsuno and another girl from her class.

After a chance encounter during their class trip, Taku suddenly finds himself more involved in Rikako's personal life, much to Matsuno's dismay. Struggling to balance his friendship with Matsuno and his own budding infatuation for Rikako, Taku must come to terms with his feelings and understand how a girl with a troubled past is having such a massive effect on his life.

[Written by MAL Rewrite]

Morisaki, Taku Main

Tobita, Nobuo Japanese

Muto, Rikako Main

Sakamoto, Youko Japanese

Matsuno, Yutaka Main

Seki, Toshihiko Japanese

Shimizu, Akiko Supporting

Amano, Yuri Japanese

Morisaki Taku's Mother Supporting

Satou, Ai Japanese

Mrs. Okami Supporting

Suzuki, Reiko Japanese

Apprentice Supporting

Seki, Tomokazu Japanese

Okada Supporting

Kanemaru, Junichi Japanese

Kawamura Supporting

Tokumaru, Kan Japanese

Kohama, Yumi Supporting

Araki, Kae Japanese

Takahashi, Nozomu Producer

Mochizuki, Tomomi Director, Storyboard, Theme Song Lyrics

Urakami, Yasuo Sound Director

Murata, Kazuya Episode Director

Reviews

Oct 28, 2024

Umekigo4

Recommended

Great movie, I think i will find myself returning to it in a couple of months or so. I like the characters, some may say they aren't the best cast but I think otherwise. I was expecting a different side to the ending in all honesty, I felt satisfied with its conclusion unlike other films I have previously watched, then again I don't watch many films due to the fact that I drop most, this one just caught my attention somehow. It is definitely going in my favorite list and would recommend. I was not recommend to watch this movie i ... simply found it out as I was digging and it so happened to catch my eye, believe it was worth the watch, I may consider purchasing the novel even if it costs me a kidney 🥲

Reviewer’s Rating: 10

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Sep 10, 2025

elumizu

Mixed Feelings

Some memories arrive not as clear pictures, but as fragments blurred by distance, softened by time, and sharpened only by the feelings they leave behind. Ocean Waves captures this sensation with an understated coming-of-age story that trades spectacle for subtlety, unfolding through the lens of Taku as he recalls his youth and the complicated triangle formed between himself, his friend Yutaka, and the enigmatic Rikako. The plot is simple, even meandering, with little in the way of dramatic escalation, which makes the pacing uneven and at times frustrating, yet this restraint mirrors the halting rhythms of adolescence where nothing feels neat or resolved. Taku’s quiet, ... almost passive nature sometimes weakens his presence as a protagonist, but his perspective grounds the narrative, while Rikako emerges as the most layered figure. She's abrasive, impulsive, and vulnerable beneath her defenses, though her arc leaves some threads underdeveloped. Side characters mostly orbit the trio without much depth, serving as reflections of youth’s fleeting bonds rather than full portraits. The worldbuilding is intentionally narrow, rooted in classrooms, beaches, and train rides, creating a nostalgic yet claustrophobic atmosphere that emphasizes how small choices feel enormous in adolescence. The internal logic is consistent, though some emotional turns seem abrupt which leaving dynamics that could have been explored more fully. Thematically, the film dwells on memory, misunderstanding, and the way youth’s frustrations transform into tenderness when viewed from a distance, though its moral core can feel elusive. It's lacking the clarity or catharsis found in other Ghibli works. Visually, the animation is restrained but elegant, with softer palettes and simple designs that echo the story’s quiet realism, while the music drifts between melancholic and serene, enhancing the reflective tone without overwhelming it. The voice acting adds authenticity, capturing the awkward hesitations and unspoken tensions of teenage years, though the subdued delivery sometimes risks dullness. In the end, Ocean Waves is not a sweeping masterpiece but a small, fragile vignette, a film that lingers less for what it resolves than for the bittersweet recognition it stirs, that youth often makes sense only in hindsight, when the waves have finally calmed and left their trace on the shore.

Reviewer’s Rating: 7

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Sep 9, 2025

SirBunting

Not Recommended

I need to start off by saying the art style is phenomenal. It's even hauntingly beautiful at times. I'm a real fan of the whiteout effect that portrays a seaside environment. The music is also suitable, and so is the voice acting. My qualms with the movie are all centered around the "romance" and why the main character Taku supposedly falls in love.

Without getting into the weeds too much, you can expect this boy to get treated LIKE DIRT the entire time. People are always stringing him along, and the one who does this the most by far is the leading lady herself... yet why ... and how this evolves into a romance isn't communicated to the viewer in the slightest. I wrote in my letterboxd review, "Why does he have any obligation to do that? Rikako already said she hates Kochi boys, so it's up to her to stand up for herself." Perhaps that doesn't make total sense without more context, but do believe me. Taku's decision to go to college in Tokyo, too, just comes out of the blue when he's being strung along. Despite this, somehow, perhaps it's a realistic depiction of when a relationship forms from nothing? It has a beautiful presentation, and I'm not kidding about that. Particularly the still images! I just can't shake the feeling that Rikako is a bitch with no redemption arc. The role of falling in love with her and putting up with her bold, self-centered nature falls on you. Despite my low score I have a weirdly positive view of the movie due to its, like, mystique and gorgeously dreamlike art direction. Yet I can't say I "like" it. It has such a bad heroine!

Reviewer’s Rating: 3

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