Ocean Waves
Encyclopedia
Ocean Waves, also known as , is a TV anime
movie made by Studio Ghibli
. It was directed by Tomomi Mochizuki
and was based on the novel of the same title by Saeko Himuro
.
The story is set in the city of Kōchi
, on the Japanese island of Shikoku
. It concerns a love triangle
that develops between two good friends and a new girl who transferred from Tokyo.
This film was an attempt by Studio Ghibli to allow their younger staff members to make a film reasonably cheaply. However, it ended up going both over budget and over schedule.
. Picking it up, he looks at it briefly. As the plane takes off he narrates the events that brought her into his life... The story is told in flashback
.
In Kōchi
, two years previously, Taku is working in a restaurant, where he receives a call from his friend Yutaka Matsuno asking to meet at their high school. He finds Yutaka at a window, looking at an attractive girl. She is a transfer student from Tokyo who Yutaka was asked to show around. Taku's interest piqued, he tries unsuccessfully to view her. The boys discuss their upcoming school trip to Hawaii
.
Taku meets Yutaka at the school gates, where he is introduced to the new girl, Rikako Muto. She smiles, and thanks Yutaka for his help. He explains that she was asking for directions to a bookstore. Walking home, Taku teases him about his infatuation.
Rikako proves to be gifted academically and at sports, but is arrogant. Taku believes she is unhappy at having to leave Tokyo. His mother learns from gossip that a divorce brought Rikako's mother to Kōchi. In a later phone conversation with Yutaka, he also discovers that Rikako is living alone, away from the family house.
The school year
ends, heralding the Hawaii trip. Taku, suffering from an upset stomach, is heading through the hotel lobby where he is stopped by Rikako. She explains that she has lost her money and asks to borrow some, as Taku has a part-time job. She persuades him to lend her ¥60,000. Promising to repay him, she warns that it may take a while and not to tell anyone. As she departs, Taku sees a stern Yutaka and feels compelled to explain. Later, Rikako admonishes him for telling Yutaka about the money. She tells him that Yutaka has also made her a loan of ¥20,000 and again insists that he does not tell anyone.
Back in Kōchi, the third year begins with Rikako making a friend, Yumi Kohama. Rikako has not yet returned Taku's money and he wonders if she has forgotten. Out of the blue, a distressed Yumi calls Taku, explaining that Rikako had tricked her into coming to the airport
on the pretence of a concert trip, only to discover that their real destination is Tokyo, tickets paid for with Taku's money. He races to the airport, sending Yumi home, saying that he will accompany Rikako.
Upon arrival, it appears that Rikako has not given her father any notice of her intent, interrupting his planned trip with a new girlfriend. Her father thanks Taku, repays the loan and arranges a room at the Hyatt Regency
hotel. Later a dejected Rikako turns up. She explains that when her parents were fighting, she'd always sided with her father, but had now discovered he wasn't on her side. Comforting her, Taku offers her his bed and attempts to sleep in the bath. The next morning, Rikako seems back to her normal self and kicks Taku out so that she can change to meet a friend for lunch. Taku wanders around the city. After catching up on sleep at the hotel, Taku receives a call from Rikako asking to be rescued. The friend she met turns out to be a former boyfriend, Okada, who is not quite the person she remembered him to be.
Returning to Kōchi, Rikako ignores Taku, but doesn't hide from others that they spent a night together. Taku discovers this from Yutaka, who had earlier confronted Rikako. He had also admitted feelings for Rikako to her, and had been rebuffed. Taku confronts Rikako in class for hurting his best friend, calling her "The worst!". She responds by slapping him and he returns the favour.
The autumn school cultural festival
arrives and Rikako, who has been avoiding rehearsals for the Yosakoi
dance, has become even more distant from the other girls, many of whom openly dislike her. They confront her behind the school, but Rikako stands firm. One girl believing that Rikako was flirting with her boyfriend attempts to strike her, but is held back. Taku, who has seen it all, approaches Rikako and comments that he is impressed with the way she handled herself. She slaps him. Yutaka confronts a somewhat stunned Taku, who tries to explain. Yutaka punches him and then walks away, leaving Taku to pick himself up. They do not talk for the rest of the year.
In the present, Taku's plane lands and he is offered a lift home by Yutaka, who explains he punched him because he realized Taku had held back his feelings for his sake. At a class reunion, former student president Shimizu mentions she has seen Rikako in Tokyo, much to Taku's surprise as he thought she'd gone to Kōchi University
. He realises that Rikako was the woman he'd seen at the station. Walking home, Yumi tells Taku that she too had met Rikako, explaining she couldn't make it to the reunion. Rikako had said she wanted to meet a person she knew, but wouldn't say who... saying only that he slept in bath tubs.
In Tokyo, Taku again sees Rikako across the platforms, but this time runs to find her. The train pulls away but he notices someone to the right. Seeing her, he realises that he had always been in love with her.
Taku's Mother
Rikako's Father
Principal
, Madhouse Studios
, and Oh! Production
, who had worked with Ghibli on past projects.
This film was the first Ghibli anime directed by someone other than Hayao Miyazaki
or Isao Takahata
. Tomomi Mochizuki
, who was 34 years old at the time, was brought in to direct. The film was an attempt to make anime solely by the young staff members, mostly in their 20s and 30s. Their motto was to produce "quickly, cheaply and with quality", but ultimately it went over budget and over schedule.
. In 2008, distribution company Wild Bunch
announced that it had licensed the film to a number of European releasing companies, including Optimum
. It was released in the UK under the title Ocean Waves on January 25, 2010 shortly before the planned theatrical release of Ponyo, as part of the Studio Ghibli Collection and carrying a PG rating from the BBFC
. As with the film Only Yesterday, it was released with subtitles only.
In Spain the film is distributed by Aurum and was released on DVD in November 2008. The DVD includes Japanese and Spanish audio tracks and Spanish subtitles. It was titled as Puedo escuchar el mar (in English translation I Can Hear the Sea).
In Australia the film is distributed by Madman Entertainment
as a subtitle only DVD.
Anime
is the Japanese abbreviated pronunciation of "animation". The definition sometimes changes depending on the context. In English-speaking countries, the term most commonly refers to Japanese animated cartoons....
movie made by Studio Ghibli
Studio Ghibli
is a Japanese animation and film studio founded in June 1985. The company's logo features the character Totoro from Hayao Miyazaki's film My Neighbor Totoro...
. It was directed by Tomomi Mochizuki
Tomomi Mochizuki
, sometimes incorrectly romanized as Tomomichi Mochizuki, is an anime director and producer. He is married to animator Masako Gotō and sometimes uses the alias when writing screenplays or working on storyboards...
and was based on the novel of the same title by Saeko Himuro
Saeko Himuro
was a Japanese novelist, essayist, and playwright born in Iwamizawa, Hokkaidō Prefecture, Japan. During the 1980s and 1990s, she was one of the most popular authors released under Shueisha's Cobalt Bunko imprint. She is best known outside Japan for I Can Hear the Sea, later a Studio Ghibli movie...
.
The story is set in the city of Kōchi
Kochi, Kochi
is the capital city of Kōchi Prefecture on Shikoku island of Japan.Kōchi is the main city of the prefecture with over 40% of its population. As of May 31, 2008, the city had an estimated population of 340,515 and a density of...
, on the Japanese island of Shikoku
Shikoku
is the smallest and least populous of the four main islands of Japan, located south of Honshū and east of the island of Kyūshū. Its ancient names include Iyo-no-futana-shima , Iyo-shima , and Futana-shima...
. It concerns a love triangle
Love triangle
A love triangle is usually a romantic relationship involving three people. While it can refer to two people independently romantically linked with a third, it usually implies that each of the three people has some kind of relationship to the other two...
that develops between two good friends and a new girl who transferred from Tokyo.
This film was an attempt by Studio Ghibli to allow their younger staff members to make a film reasonably cheaply. However, it ended up going both over budget and over schedule.
Plot
At Kichijōji Station, Tokyo, Taku Morisaki glimpses a familiar woman on the platform opposite. Later, her photo falls from a shelf as he exits his apartment before flying to Kōchi PrefectureKochi Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located on the south coast of Shikoku. The capital is the city of Kōchi.- History :Prior to the Meiji Restoration, Kōchi was known as Tosa Province and was controlled by the Chosokabe clan in the Sengoku period and the Yamauchi family during the Edo period.- Geography...
. Picking it up, he looks at it briefly. As the plane takes off he narrates the events that brought her into his life... The story is told in flashback
Flashback (narrative)
Flashback is an interjected scene that takes the narrative back in time from the current point the story has reached. Flashbacks are often used to recount events that happened before the story’s primary sequence of events or to fill in crucial backstory...
.
In Kōchi
Kochi, Kochi
is the capital city of Kōchi Prefecture on Shikoku island of Japan.Kōchi is the main city of the prefecture with over 40% of its population. As of May 31, 2008, the city had an estimated population of 340,515 and a density of...
, two years previously, Taku is working in a restaurant, where he receives a call from his friend Yutaka Matsuno asking to meet at their high school. He finds Yutaka at a window, looking at an attractive girl. She is a transfer student from Tokyo who Yutaka was asked to show around. Taku's interest piqued, he tries unsuccessfully to view her. The boys discuss their upcoming school trip to Hawaii
Hawaii
Hawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of...
.
Rikako proves to be gifted academically and at sports, but is arrogant. Taku believes she is unhappy at having to leave Tokyo. His mother learns from gossip that a divorce brought Rikako's mother to Kōchi. In a later phone conversation with Yutaka, he also discovers that Rikako is living alone, away from the family house.
The school year
Education in Japan
In Japan, education is compulsory at the elementary and lower secondary levels. Approximately 98% of all students progress to the upper secondary level, which is voluntary . Most students attend public schools through the lower secondary level, but private education is popular at the upper...
ends, heralding the Hawaii trip. Taku, suffering from an upset stomach, is heading through the hotel lobby where he is stopped by Rikako. She explains that she has lost her money and asks to borrow some, as Taku has a part-time job. She persuades him to lend her ¥60,000. Promising to repay him, she warns that it may take a while and not to tell anyone. As she departs, Taku sees a stern Yutaka and feels compelled to explain. Later, Rikako admonishes him for telling Yutaka about the money. She tells him that Yutaka has also made her a loan of ¥20,000 and again insists that he does not tell anyone.
Back in Kōchi, the third year begins with Rikako making a friend, Yumi Kohama. Rikako has not yet returned Taku's money and he wonders if she has forgotten. Out of the blue, a distressed Yumi calls Taku, explaining that Rikako had tricked her into coming to the airport
Kochi Ryoma Airport
Kōchi Airport , also known as Kōchi Ryōma Airport , is a regional airport in Nankoku, a city in Kōchi Prefecture of Japan. It is located on the southeastern coast, east of the city of Kōchi....
on the pretence of a concert trip, only to discover that their real destination is Tokyo, tickets paid for with Taku's money. He races to the airport, sending Yumi home, saying that he will accompany Rikako.
Upon arrival, it appears that Rikako has not given her father any notice of her intent, interrupting his planned trip with a new girlfriend. Her father thanks Taku, repays the loan and arranges a room at the Hyatt Regency
Hyatt
Hyatt Hotels Corporation , is an international operator of hotels.Hyatt Center is the headquarters for Hyatt corporation...
hotel. Later a dejected Rikako turns up. She explains that when her parents were fighting, she'd always sided with her father, but had now discovered he wasn't on her side. Comforting her, Taku offers her his bed and attempts to sleep in the bath. The next morning, Rikako seems back to her normal self and kicks Taku out so that she can change to meet a friend for lunch. Taku wanders around the city. After catching up on sleep at the hotel, Taku receives a call from Rikako asking to be rescued. The friend she met turns out to be a former boyfriend, Okada, who is not quite the person she remembered him to be.
Returning to Kōchi, Rikako ignores Taku, but doesn't hide from others that they spent a night together. Taku discovers this from Yutaka, who had earlier confronted Rikako. He had also admitted feelings for Rikako to her, and had been rebuffed. Taku confronts Rikako in class for hurting his best friend, calling her "The worst!". She responds by slapping him and he returns the favour.
The autumn school cultural festival
Japanese Cultural Festival
The is an annual event held by most schools in Japan, from Nursery schools to universities at which their students display their everyday achievements. People who want to enter the school themselves or who are interested in the school may come to see what the schoolwork and atmosphere are like...
arrives and Rikako, who has been avoiding rehearsals for the Yosakoi
Yosakoi
Yosakoi is a unique style of dance that originated in Japan. Yosakoi started in the city of Kōchi in 1954, as a modern rendition of Awa Odori, a traditional summer dance. Yosakoi-style dancing has spread throughout much of Japan. The style of dance is highly energetic, combining traditional...
dance, has become even more distant from the other girls, many of whom openly dislike her. They confront her behind the school, but Rikako stands firm. One girl believing that Rikako was flirting with her boyfriend attempts to strike her, but is held back. Taku, who has seen it all, approaches Rikako and comments that he is impressed with the way she handled herself. She slaps him. Yutaka confronts a somewhat stunned Taku, who tries to explain. Yutaka punches him and then walks away, leaving Taku to pick himself up. They do not talk for the rest of the year.
In the present, Taku's plane lands and he is offered a lift home by Yutaka, who explains he punched him because he realized Taku had held back his feelings for his sake. At a class reunion, former student president Shimizu mentions she has seen Rikako in Tokyo, much to Taku's surprise as he thought she'd gone to Kōchi University
Kochi University
is a national university in Kōchi, Kōchi, Japan. The predecessor of the school was founded in 1922, and it was chartered as a university in 1949.-External links:*...
. He realises that Rikako was the woman he'd seen at the station. Walking home, Yumi tells Taku that she too had met Rikako, explaining she couldn't make it to the reunion. Rikako had said she wanted to meet a person she knew, but wouldn't say who... saying only that he slept in bath tubs.
In Tokyo, Taku again sees Rikako across the platforms, but this time runs to find her. The train pulls away but he notices someone to the right. Seeing her, he realises that he had always been in love with her.
Characters
- Main protagonist. Taku, needing money for the school's trip to Hawaii, took his restaurant busboyBusboyBusser, busboy and busgirl are terms used in the United States for someone who works in the restaurant and catering industry clearing tables, taking dirty dishes to the dishwasher, setting tables and otherwise assisting the waiting staff....
job to offset the expense, at the cost of falling grades and his teachers' disapproval.
- Taku's friend and rival for Rikako's affections. Yutaka and Taku became friends when they jointly campaigned against the cancellation of their junior high school trip due to the school's low test scores.
- (Her only credited film appearance)
- Taku and Yutaka's love interest.
Supporting characters
- Rikako's closest friend in Kōchi.
- Female student-body president.
- Rikako's ex-boyfriend. While in Tokyo, Rikako heads to a restaurant near the hotel to meet with Okada. Over the course of the meal she discovers that he is not the type of person she once thought he was. He has also started dating Rikako's best friend. During the meal, Rikako telephones Taku to ask him to rescue her from the situation.
- Taku's large friend, who has a crush on Yumi. He confesses this love to everyone at the class reunion prior to Yumi's arrival, before collapsing into unconsciousness due to excess alcohol consumption.
Taku's Mother
Rikako's Father
Principal
- (He also acted as a Kōchi dialect instructor for cast)
Production
Production was controlled by Studio Ghibli, but much of the animation was produced with the assistance of J.C.StaffJ.C.STAFF
, is a Japanese animation studio founded in January 1986. Their first release was the three episode OVA Sengoku Kidan Yōtōden, in 1987. They have produced several well-known anime series, such as Revolutionary Girl Utena, Excel Saga, Shingetsutan Tsukihime, Shakugan no Shana, Toaru Majutsu no...
, Madhouse Studios
Madhouse (company)
is a Japanese animation studio, founded in 1972 by ex–Mushi Pro animators including Masao Maruyama, Osamu Dezaki, Rintaro, and Yoshiaki Kawajiri. It has created and helped to produce many well known shows, starting with TV anime series Ace o Nerae! in 1973, and including western favourites Ninja...
, and Oh! Production
Oh! Production
, sometimes credited as Oh! Pro or Oh Pro, is an anime production studio in Amanuma, Suginami, Tokyo, Japan. It was established in May 1970 by animators Norio Shioyama, Kōichi Murata, Kazuo Komatsubara, and Kōshin Yonekawa.-Created by Oh! Pro:...
, who had worked with Ghibli on past projects.
This film was the first Ghibli anime directed by someone other than Hayao Miyazaki
Hayao Miyazaki
is a Japanese manga artist and prominent film director and animator of many popular anime feature films. Through a career that has spanned nearly fifty years, Miyazaki has attained international acclaim as a maker of animated feature films and, along with Isao Takahata, co-founded Studio Ghibli,...
or Isao Takahata
Isao Takahata
is a Japanese anime filmmaker that have earned critical international acclaim for his work as a director. Takahata is co-founder of Studio Ghibli with long-time collaborative partner Hayao Miyazaki. He has directed films such as the war-themed Grave of the Fireflies, the romantic-drama Only...
. Tomomi Mochizuki
Tomomi Mochizuki
, sometimes incorrectly romanized as Tomomichi Mochizuki, is an anime director and producer. He is married to animator Masako Gotō and sometimes uses the alias when writing screenplays or working on storyboards...
, who was 34 years old at the time, was brought in to direct. The film was an attempt to make anime solely by the young staff members, mostly in their 20s and 30s. Their motto was to produce "quickly, cheaply and with quality", but ultimately it went over budget and over schedule.
Reception
The website Animé Café gave the film 4/5 stars, noting this to be "A graceful and mature offering from Ghibli's younger generation".Distribution
Disney has the rights of distribution of Ocean Waves in United StatesUnited States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. In 2008, distribution company Wild Bunch
Wild Bunch (film company)
Wild Bunch S.A. is a French film production and international sales company. Originally a division of StudioCanal, the company has produced films such as Land of the Dead, Southland Tales and Where in the World Is Osama Bin Laden?. They have also produced Woody Allen's Cassandra's Dream, Vicky...
announced that it had licensed the film to a number of European releasing companies, including Optimum
Optimum Releasing
StudioCanal UK is a film distributor company working in the UK and Ireland. The company releases many films, including foreign language films, anime releases such as Studio Ghibli's films and independent British, Irish and American films in the UK and sometimes Ireland.Optimum was acquired by...
. It was released in the UK under the title Ocean Waves on January 25, 2010 shortly before the planned theatrical release of Ponyo, as part of the Studio Ghibli Collection and carrying a PG rating from the BBFC
British Board of Film Classification
The British Board of Film Classification , originally British Board of Film Censors, is a non-governmental organisation, funded by the film industry and responsible for the national classification of films within the United Kingdom...
. As with the film Only Yesterday, it was released with subtitles only.
In Spain the film is distributed by Aurum and was released on DVD in November 2008. The DVD includes Japanese and Spanish audio tracks and Spanish subtitles. It was titled as Puedo escuchar el mar (in English translation I Can Hear the Sea).
In Australia the film is distributed by Madman Entertainment
Madman Entertainment
Madman Entertainment is an Australian company that distributes international films as well as Japanese anime and manga in Australia and New Zealand. The company is owned by Funtastic Limited and is one of the major entertainment companies in Australia. It employs 130 people and has an annual...
as a subtitle only DVD.
External links
- Ocean Waves at Nausicaa.netNausicaa.netNausicaa.net is an English-language fan website established in 1996 to contain information discussed on the Miyazaki Mailing List and to be a general resource for information regarding Hayao Miyazaki, Isao Takahata, Studio Ghibli, and related topics...