Review of Ride Your Wave
Watching the trailer prepared me for what happens in the film, but it still made me sad as I watched... This is not a romance movie, but rather how someone processes grief so don't watch it expecting a loving romance. From the creator of Devilman Crybaby, this film is a completely different vibe from Devilman Crybaby. The film is full of color and the tone reflects the colors used during each scene. I loved the fluidity of the animation with how the characters interact or how they move along the water. Every bit of the film felt like it was perfectly chosen for the rightmoment, from the colors they used to the music that we hear. The film aesthetics are impeccable and the story tugs at your heartstrings with every passing scene. The characters are fleshed out and we can see how much of an impact each one has on each other very quickly. Each character shows how different the process of grief is for everyone and takes that into account with how the story flows.
I would say for those who like Your Name, Spirited Away, this would be a good watch if you're looking for a movie to watch.
*** Spoilers from this point onward ***
Like I stated earlier, this is not a romance movie, but rather a film about the grieving process. We watch how Hinako processes the death of Minato, her boyfriend with fantastical elements added for the ride. Adding in those fantasy elements is a gray area for me. There were some moments where I liked those elements, but there were moments in the story where it felt a little odd. Even with that, the film made it work without me questioning it too much. Another little thing I have with the film is the odd pacing of their relationship in the beginning, but it wasn't bad, just could've been done better.
Other than those little things, I felt the movie is a good watch for someone looking for a break from romance films. Watching Hinako try to live her own life past Minato's death was fairly realistic in my opinion. Hinako manages to crave her own path, but the scars from losing someone are still there so she will hurt from time to time, but overall she has moved on. Also, I really like the decision of not making Hinako end up with Wasabi was a really nice move, as moving on from a dead partner to date their junior just sounds bad. Thankfully that didn't happen, but rather she rode her own wave that was started by the ripples that Minato placed for her.