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Ride Your Wave
きみと、波にのれたら
2019 95 min Japan 12+
★7.6
Animation, Romance, Comedy, Drama, Fantasy
Director: Masaaki Yuasa
Trailers
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Description
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.
US Gross:
$332,432
Starring
Ryôta Katayose
Actor
Rina Kawaei
Actor
Honoka Matsumoto
Actor
Awards
2 wins & 7 nominations total
Key opinion
Riding a Wave with You is a visually vibrant and emotionally resonant romantic drama that balances themes of grief and self-discovery. While some critics praise its unique, life-affirming tone and sincere character arcs, others find the narrative simplistic and the romantic sweetness overwhelming.
| Production | The film utilizes a distinctive, vivid, and hyper-stylized visual aesthetic that successfully captures a warm and atmospheric tone. | |
| Acting | The emotional core of the film is anchored by a compelling and relatable portrayal of the protagonist, Hinako, whose journey through grief resonates deeply with many viewers. | |
| Theme | The thematic exploration of life, loss, and the necessity of personal growth provides a meaningful, albeit occasionally melancholic, foundation for the story. | |
| Screenplay | The screenplay is divided between those who find the fairy-tale simplicity charming and effective, and those who perceive the character motives and plot developments as shallow or predictable. | |
| Emotion | Opinions on the film's tone are polarized, with some finding the sweetness and romantic elements to be a soothing, life-affirming balm, while others feel the overt sentimentality is cloying or forced. | |
| Pacing | The film's pacing draws criticism for feeling aimless or slow in its first half, though others argue the runtime effectively supports the character-driven narrative. |