Ocean Waves
At Kichijōji Station, Tokyo, Taku Morisaki glimpses a familiar woman on the platform opposite boarding a train. Later, her photo falls from a shelf as he exits his apartment before flying to Kōchi Prefecture. Picking it up, he looks at it briefly before leaving. As the aeroplane takes off, he narrates the events that brought her into his life...
Critics Sentiment
Taku and Rikako reunite at Tokyo train station
Taku and Rikako argue and slap each other
The film drops significantly during the confusing corridor fight sequence before gradually building to its acclaimed subtle reunion ending.
Ocean Waves maintains steady appreciation for its authentic character work and understated approach, with reviewers consistently praising its subtlety over spectacle. The film struggles in its middle act where character motivations become unclear, but recovers strongly with its emotionally resonant conclusion. Critics valued its realistic portrayal of teenage relationships despite finding some character actions frustratingly opaque.
Full cast
Nobuo Tobita
Taku Morisaki (voice)
Yoko Sakamoto
Rikako Mutou (voice)
Toshihiko Seki
Yutaka Matsuno (voice)
Yuri Amano
Akiko Shimizu (voice)
Kae Araki
Yumi Kohama (voice)
Jun'ichi Kanemaru
Okada (voice)
Ai Satou
Taku's Mother (voice)
Aya Hisakawa
Young Girl (voice)
Tomokazu Seki
Minarai (voice)
Hikaru Midorikawa
Tadashi Yamao (voice)
Sumi Shimamoto
Rikako's Father's Lover (voice)
Reiko Suzuki
Mrs. Okami (voice)
Kinryu Arimoto
Rikako's Father (voice)
Takeshi Watabe
Principle (voice)
Ako Mayama
Additional Voices (voice)
Sachiko Mitani
(voice)
Crew
Write a Review
Rate each story beat:
