In the end, love finds a way through hard work, courage, honestly and doing the right thing. The plot is elaborated with ‘rivals,’ a young man and young woman who are interested in each of the two main characters a scene between the boy’s mother and the wealthy man, and village gossipers who seem to do all they can to complicate the path of true love. The boy graduates from the small fishing boat to work on a freighter where he proves himself by an act of valor while at sea where he risks his life in a storm. The father prohibits her from seeing the lower-class boy. Of course it’s understood that the daughter will marry one of the few other upper-class boys on the island. He falls in love with the newly arrived beautiful daughter of the wealthiest man on the island who owns a large freighter. The main character’s father died in WW II, so his work as a fisherman is the main support of his mother and young brother, although his mother is a diver. ![]() The island women are famous for their endurance diving to collect buckets of abalones, hopefully with an occasional pearl inside. Most of the men are fishermen going out daily in small 2-3-man boats. It’s a coming-of-age story of a young man on a small Japanese island. So imagine my surprise to find I’m reading a book about first love with a happy ending! (We know this from the blurbs on the cover, so I’m not really giving away plot.) The author himself headed up a ritualistic right-wing group and ended up committing ritual suicide. All have been dark, focused on planning secret rebellions, a planned murder, ritual suicide, death and reincarnation. The film’s lack of sophistication could alienate more hardcore fans who may demand a more substantial narrative, but I enjoyed its simplicity and it took me back to my high school days where having crushes was as equally important as cramming for exams.I’ve read a half-dozen novels by this Japanese author. Not overly emotional, Ocean Waves does have its fair share of heartfelt moments and a satisfying epilogue to boot. Romantic feelings develop and mature over time, but director Tomomi Mochizuki is more interested in the suppression of those feelings as a guise or coping mechanism. It’s a breezy, outdoorsy-type film, and there’s something charming about its portrayal of teenage infatuation and matters of the heart. One of the few Ghibli films that is not directed by Hayao Miyazaki or Isao Takahata, Ocean Waves does quite a lot in its short runtime of 70-odd minutes. She finds Yutaka and Taku different from the rest and spends more time with each, particularly Taku, who’s the main protagonist. ![]() But enter Rikako, a transfer student from Tokyo, who’s both smart and pretty, though many dislike her attitude of superiority, which is unfortunately a misjudgement. Taku and Yutaka become close friends after a school incident draws them together. Long, and perhaps unfairly, regarded as a minor Ghibli and meant as a television movie, Ocean Waves features a story about two guys and one girl set against the context of high school life. Many Studio Ghibli animations are coming-of-age movies and Ocean Waves is no exception. Subject Matter: Moderate – Coming-of-age Infatuation, Reminiscence
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |