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Umi ga Kikoeru is a movie produced by the acclaimed Studio Ghibli based upon the novel of the same name by Saeko Himuro. Instead of being directed by Hayao Miyazaki it was directed by Tomomi Mochizuki as it was developed by the younger staff to make it cheaply and quickly but in good quality. The story takes place in a small sea town called Kochi and features two best friends called Taku Morisaki and Yutaka Matsuno who get caught up in the arrival of the new female transfer student from Tokyo called Rikako Muto, from there friendship is challenged by love. I would say the story flowed really well, it seemed very natural and it wasn't trying to be overly dramatic, it did keep me interested and I found the characters made up for that - Taku Morsaki, the main character, was very likable and interesting as he seemed hardworking, helpful and with a good head of his shoulders when it comes to responsibility. The other two characters such as his best friend Yutaka Matsuno were interesting but I felt there could of been more to be shown from his character, I would say the most interesting of all would be other character Rikako Muto, she seems spoiled and immature but throughout the story you can begin to see the reasons why. I like how each character begins to grow and mature throughout the journey.
I would say the animation was very good, it is 90's animation but for that I'm very fond of and the animation is done very well, the colours are gentle and the characters and environments seem very natural. I would say the music was very good, it set the tone for the movie in that it is soft and gentle. The voice acting I found was very good, each matched the character and their personality very well.
I would recommend to watch if you like slice of life, drama, and romance. I think if you liked the other Studio Ghibli movies such as Only Yesterday and Whisper of the Heart then this is worth having a go. I did find it very enjoyable and relaxing to watch, it wasn't trying to force anything and it allowed you to draw up your own ideas and conclusion throughout the movie.
