Ride Your Wave is the latest anime feature from Devilman Crybaby and Night Is Short, Walk on Girl director
Masaaki Yuasa. Clocking in at 96
minutes, it’s an affecting, beautiful film that tells the love story of a
firefighter and a college girl who loves to surf.
Now, before I give more details
about the movie, let me say this: I
believe that Ride Your Wave is more
emotionally resonating if you go into it knowing only what I’ve provided at
this point. So, to maximize your own
experience with it, I suggest that you stop reading this article and just go
see the movie now. But if you have already
seen it, know what it’s about, or don’t mind knowing a bit more about it (and
risk getting spoiled to a slight extent), please continue reading.
The aforementioned firefighter is
Minato Hinageshi, a 21-year-old who has a strong sense of duty and who seems to
excel in everything he does, especially when it comes to helping others. Meanwhile, the aforementioned college girl
who loves to surf is 19-year-old Hinako Mukaimizu. After the former rescued the latter when her
apartment caught on fire, the two start to go out, and eventually fall in love. Their whirlwind romance proves to be one of
true bliss, filled with idyllic days where they bond over surfing, coffee, rice
omelettes, and karaoke.
One day, Minato drowns while
rescuing a jet skier, leaving Hinako completely devastated. A few days later, the grieving Hinako
discovers to her surprise that if she sings their theme song, “Brand New Story”
(which is a very winsome song, by the way), Minato mysteriously appears in the nearby
water – whether that be a glass of water or a stream. However, he’s intangible, and she’s the only
one who can see or hear him. But even so,
she’s glad that they can still be together.
Meanwhile, her friends worry about her well-being.
Stories like this are actually a
dime a dozen. A happy couple is suddenly
broken up by the tragic death of one of them, and the inability to move on by
either partner (or both) brings about the return of the dead partner in some form,
and it’s only when acceptance or closure is realized that the dead partner
becomes free to pass on to the afterlife (e.g. Ghost, A Ghost Story, Odd Thomas, etc.). Indeed, Ride
Your Wave is essentially like that. However,
on top of executing such clichéd concept extremely well, it does have valid
nuances that make it distinct from – and even superior to – similar such
stories.
To be honest, its exceptionality
is not immediately apparent. Two-thirds
into the movie, it felt to me that it was basically just another one of those
stories. It was being poignant, engaging,
charming, and visually stunning, yes, but it didn’t feel as something truly
special at that point. Then the third
act came, and the reveals genuinely blew me away. After that, it seemed like everything clicked
into place to make me realize that the film I was currently watching had been outstanding
after all. That third act really tugged
at my heartstrings. Hard.
How the character designs, color
palette, and set pieces look should immediately give away that it’s a Masaaki Yuasa film. His works simply have that
distinctive animation style. However, it
isn’t as over-the-top as usual, especially when compared to the visual dynamics
of Devilman Crybaby and Night Is Short, Walk on Girl. His hand is also noticeable, albeit in a more
subtle way, in how the narrative flow s and unfolds. There is care and thoughtfulness about it. One concrete way this manifests is that it doesn’t
immediately ascertain whether there are indeed fantastical elements at play
here or it’s all happening in Hinako’s head.
It keeps you guessing until it arrives at the point where it
definitively settles that question.
In the end, this may be a case of
recency bias, but after watching this film and letting it marinate for a while
in my mind, I feel that it has become my most favorite Masaaki Yuasa anime to
date. It’s not only a smart, gorgeous, entertaining,
and moving film, but it can also stir you to reflect deeply about your life so
far, your present relationships, and your legacy.
I highly recommended Ride Your Wave.
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