Studio Ghibli has built a legacy of breathtaking animation and deeply emotional storytelling. But not every Ghibli film has reached the same level of recognition as some of their bigger hits like Spirited Away, Princess Mononoke, or The Boy And The Heron.
We’ve now leanred that one of its lesser-known works, Ocean Waves, is finally getting a theatrical release more than 30 years after its debut.
Originally released in 1993 as a made-for-TV film, Ocean Waves stands apart from Ghibli’s more fantastical works. Adapted from a series of novels published in the early ‘90s, the film tells a grounded, coming-of-age story about friendship and young love.
Unlike the whimsical worlds of My Neighbor Totoro or the grand action of Howls Moving Castle, this film focuses on the quiet, personal struggles of its characters, making it an interesting entry in Ghibli’s line of films.
Ocean Waves will make its big-screen debut in Japan starting July 4th. There’s no official word yet on whether North America will follow suit, but for those eager to experience the film, there’s already a way to watch.
MAX currently has Ocean Waves available for streaming, allowing Western audiences to finally catch this overlooked Ghibli title. And at just 70 minutes long, it’s an easy watch that showcases a different side of the studio.
Here’s the official description: “From the legendary Studio Ghibli, creators of Spirited Away, My Neighbor Totoro, and The Tale of The Princess Kaguya, comes a poignant and wonderfully nuanced story of adolescence and growing up.
“Taku and his best friend Yutaka are headed back to school for what looks like another uneventful year. But they soon find their friendship tested by the arrival of Rikako, a beautiful new transfer student from Tokyo whose attitude shifts wildly from flirty and flippant to melancholic.
“When Taku joins Rikako on a trip to Tokyo, the school erupts with rumors, and the three friends are forced to come to terms with their changing relationships. Ocean Waves is a beautifully animated adaptation of Saeko Himuro’s best-selling novel, and a true discovery.”
For longtime Ghibli fans, this is an exciting chance to see a film that never got its due.
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