Ride Your Wave
2019 · Directed by Masaaki Yuasa
Original language: Japanese
- animation
- romance
- comedy
- drama
- fantasy
The story
Hinako is a surf-loving college student who has just moved to a small seaside town. When a sudden fire breaks out at her apartment building, she is rescued by Minato, a handsome firefighter, and the two soon fall in love.
What it’s like
Loose, bouncy hand-drawn animation with rubbery, exaggerated character movement, and a bright palette of sun-warmed sand, deep blue water, and summer-green hillsides, all rendered with a soft, painterly edge. The seaside town feels humid and unhurried, with long shots of waves rolling in, blurred sunlight on water, and the quiet bustle of a small harbor. The score is airy and jazzy, leaning on light percussion, with the sea always audible underneath. The pace is easygoing and playful at first, with comic beats and a shy, flustered romance, before it slowly turns toward grief and reflection in its later stretches. Violence is absent, and the fire at the story's start is brief and not graphic, but the film does deal with death and mourning, and its sadness lands more heavily as it goes on. It suits a lazy summer afternoon or a comfort watch when you want warmth that gradually deepens into something bittersweet. It is for viewers who enjoy coming-of-age romance, surf culture, and animation that treats feeling with openness and tenderness.
More films like Ride Your Wave
Closest in mood, pacing and theme. Tell us why you loved Ride Your Waveand we’ll explain which ones fit you.
