“An Ocean Romance with a lot of Heart”
- Episodes : 94 Mins
- Genre : Comedy, Drama, Fantasy, Romance
- Airing Date : June, 2019
- Producers : Science SARU
Contains Spoilers
Kimi to, Nami ni Noretara (Ride Your Wave) Introduction and Story
Hinako Mukaimizu has lived life by literally riding the waves. Despite being in her college years, Hinako loves only the feel of her board becoming one with a nice large wave. A life-changing moment occurs for our young surfer girl when her apartment complex is set ablaze by some deviants! While trying to escape the fire, Hinako rushes to the roof where a cherry picker from a fire truck lands in front of her. Onboard the picker is a firefighter by the name of Minato Hinageshi and fate begins turning henceforth!
The first half of Kimi to, Nami nu Noretara focuses on our two main leads slowly becoming closer to one another. Hinako tries to teach our expert firefighter how to surf and they begin to slowly fall for one another during the process. The eventual couple even begins to travel together and can be seen living life to the fullest. However, tragedy strikes hard for the couple when the ocean shows it isn’t to be trifled with. Hinako begins to change her life slowly as she looks away from the ocean for the first time ever.
Despite trying to run from her past, Hinako is forced to re-live her past days with Minato no matter where she goes. Minato’s sister—Youko—alongside Minato’s colleague—Wasabi Kawamura—try their best to be there for Hinako during her troubling days of self-discovery. Hinako refuses to let the past die, though, and it begins to warp her reality. Minato becomes part of her life in a very unusual way and you have to wonder whether Hinako is losing her sanity or is just scared to be alone.
Kimi to, Nami ni Noretara’s final act is where the movie gets very deep. Hinako’s friends—especially Wasabi—begin to worry about her. However, a few incidents occur and the viewer begins to wonder if Hinako truly has lost her mind or if there is some supernatural element occurring behind the scenes. We won’t spoil how this plays out near the final act—we refuse to spoil the end of this movie to you readers out there—but it definitely will get you a bit choked up. Now, if you need more reasons to watch Kimi to, Nami ni Noretara—or reasons you might want to avoid this movie—continue reading below!
1. Realistic Cast
The one element that jumped right at us while watching Kimi to, Nami ni Noretara is the cast of characters. Everyone from our main surfer girl Hinako to the firefighter who wishes to prove his worth—Wasabi Kawamura—has an air of realism to them. It makes their trials and tribulations both relatable—if not occasionally extreme—and intriguing.
2. Resonating Voices
It’s not often we say that voice acting is a specific reason to watch an anime film but in the case of Kimi to, Nami ni Noretara, the voice acting sells this movie alone! Hinako is voiced by Rina Kawaei and Minato by Ryouta Katayose might not have many works under their belt but you can tell they truly immersed themselves in these characters to the fullest. When Hinako and Minato are singing a song together, we almost feel as if the voice actors themselves are getting into the tune and laughing at the slightly cheesy lyrics/beat. The other leads aren’t lacking either as they embody their characters in a way we rarely see in any anime film.
3. Flowing Story
Many romance/drama movies can feel a bit hard to follow as they get overly dramatic. Kimi to, Nami ni Noretara keeps the tale simple to follow and it allows you to stay fixed to the screen from beginning to end. The entire tale moves like flowing water, smooth and rhythmic, which makes this a great watch.
1. Slightly Predictable Story
As well written as Kimi to, Nami ni Noretara is we have to be honest, readers…the story is a bit predictable. Everything Hinako ends up dealing with isn’t a surprise even when it tries to be. Don’t go into Kimi to, Nami ni Noretara expecting a truly original tale as you might end up a bit disappointed.
2. Depressing Real-World Stuff
It can be easy to forget that anime isn’t afraid to delve into real-world issues/drama. If you’re someone who knows the dangers of the sea and have lost loved ones due to the ocean’s might, Kimi to, Nami ni Noretara might spark some painful memories.
3. Artful or Overly Simple?
Here’s where many will be divided. Kimi to, Nami ni Noretara looks, at times, spectacular—namely the water effects—but other times, it can be a bit plain/simple. If you are very critical of animation, Kimi to, Nami ni Noretara might be a hit or miss in terms of anime style.
Final Thoughts
Honestly, Kimi to, Nami ni Noretara was an enjoyable film for its hour-and-a-half run. While not being the best romance movie we’ve seen, there’s plenty to enjoy in this tale that keeps things on a semi-grounded reality with only a small tinge of supernatural added in.
Will it be the next big anime movie? The jury is out on that one but in our minds, Kimi to, Nami ni Noretara is worth a watch! Are you going to run to theaters to check it out this February? Comment below to let us know! For even more anime movie reviews be sure to keep stuck to our amazing hive here at Honey’s Anime!
Author: Aaron