Ride Your Wave starts from an element – the sea – which becomes essential for the economy of the story, the sea is an allegory of life itself, made up of continuous waves, some small, others decidedly bigger and more dangerous.
It’s strange that I’m telling you about an anime but I happened to see it by pure chance and I feel like I have to share it with you.
PLOT
Hinako is a nineteen year old passionate about the sea and surfing.
She has recently moved into a small apartment when, trapped in the building where she lives due to a fire caused by the launch of illegal fireworks, she is rescued by the young and affable firefighter Minato, two years her senior.
Following this meeting, the two begin dating and Hinako, fascinated by the boy’s kind and courteous ways and by his willingness to help others, falls in love with Minato and is reciprocated. A sudden tragedy, unfortunately, is destined to upset the protagonist’s happiness, but as she herself will discover over time, it will also have the purpose of making her become aware of her life and her future.
In the first 30-40 minutes, Masaaki Yuasa tells us the love story between Hinako and Minato. This part is undoubtedly the most successful of the entire film, because the development of the relationship between the two characters takes place in a credible and genuine way.
The tragedy that breaks into the life of the protagonist is presented to us without particular emphasis or drama. From that moment, as already mentioned, Ride your Wave veers towards drama by recounting the crisis and difficulties of the protagonist Hinako, unable to accept what happened and to make a change in her life.
The supernatural twist that fits into the story, and that is not at all out of place even if it is never justified. Two final twists made me wince but like any self-respecting anime the coupe de theater is a must!
Hinako will have to learn to tame daily difficulties, just like her beloved waves, in order to be able to put a painful past behind her and see a radiant future shine again in front of her.
Indeed, Ride Your Wave is even a somewhat predictable story, but simplicity can sometimes be a plus. Take advantage of the potential of animation to tell the difficulties of life while the boundary between reality and imagination merges and, as in the works of Miyazakithe extraordinary becomes possible, wonder the only way to face those dark areas of existence.
Come to think of it, Ride Your Wave is a real reflection on overcoming mourning.
Yuasa has become a key figure in thinking about anime and how they interpret the world and life.
And I thought it was a cartoon for children … instead …
SPOILER ALERT
Anime that I really really appreciated even if personally I would have avoided the last greeting, that of the following Christmas, broadcast on the radio from the Chiba Port Tower…. It was the last atrocious checkmate for the protagonist who finally manages to cry first and react later. Very classic allegory of how you really have to hit rock bottom to go back up.
Movie recommended? Yes, absolutely!
