ANI-MOVIES, *Ocean Waves

First titled I Can Hear The Sea, this made for TV movie selection was released throughout most of the English speaking regions as Ocean Waves, despite having little to do with a seaside setting. Based on Saeko Himuro's book, the Studio Ghibli film produced movie was handled by most of the groups' less experienced animators, which apparently lead to having the project getting delayed. It's one of the few Ghibli titles that doesn't have a science fiction, fantasy, or supernatural element to it, and mostly done as a dysfunctional high school romance. Aside from being intially aired in Japan in 1993, it didn't get an American release until the 2010s, and that was with no English dub, possibly meant as an impulse buy for completionists.

During their schooldays, students Taku and Yutaka bond from being the only ones protesting the school's decision to cancel their trip. A pretty young transfer student named Rikako who slowly rises in popularity mainly do to her high scores. Yutaka develops feelings for Rikako, but she bonds more with Taku during the school's trip to Hawaii after she talks him into lending her some money. Taku later hears from Rikako's friend that she borrowed the money to visit her divorced father in Tokyo, which he takes the place of her escort. Their Tokyo voyage has the two slightly bonding, but Taku realizes Rikako's vanity and arrogance when dealing with her family and old friends. Once back in school, Taku has an arguement with Rikako when she told Yutaka of their trip, and the three of them having a falling out for their rest of their final semister. Years later, Taku goes back home for a class reunion where he and Yutaka reconcile, although Rikako was absent because she was back in Tokyo looking for Taku, to which the two have the possiblilty of a new beginning.

Ocean Waves is one of the more realistic teenage melodrama anime titles. The style and music are extremely reminiscent of early 90s anime like Here Is Greenwood and Kimagure Orange Road, even though it doesn't give into stereotypical tropes like some of the overhyped Rumiko Takahashi manga. The anime movie was followed up by an animated sequel which wasn't produced by Studio Ghibli, thus American otaku will have to look into any existing imports to find out how Rikako and Taku's relationship developed past the finale. The subtitled American release suffers from miniscule lettering that are difficult to interpet upon first watch, making it necessary to frequently rewind to make out the text.