Studio Ghibli's “Ocean Waves” (Tomomi Mochizuki, 1993) seems like the ugly duckling in the studio's fantastical oeuvre. It misses all the Ghibli trademarks. Instead of Hayao Miyazaki or Isao Takahata, the film was directed by the much younger Tomomi Mochizuki. Instead of the studio's usual 18-frames-per-second, “Ocean Waves” maximizes upon 12. Instead of theatrical release, “Ocean Waves” only planned to air on TV — and ended up being Ghibli's first, and last, foray into TV-film.
Make no mistake though: “Ocean Waves” is a must-see hidden gem of Asian animation. Here, independent student council member Yutaka Matsuno (Yoshihiko Seki) and kind-hearted, but clueless Taku Morisaki (Nobuo Tobita) have been friends since middle school. However, when the fiery, Tokyo-born Rikako Muto (Yoko Sakamoto) descends upon the sleepy town of Kochi, her presence strains the boys' friendship. While Yutaka showers Rikako with movies and books, Taku receives all of her clandestine requests; while Yutaka hankers after Rikako from the start, Taku ends up being the object of her affections. By graduation, Taku must make the ultimate coming-of-age decision: should he honor his friend's feelings or pursue his own passions? Should he chase his first love or stay true to his childhood comrade?Â
The love triangle is not novel by any means. However — or more like, as a result — “Ocean Waves” has the liberty to experiment with atmosphere. A frame rate reminiscent of commercial TV anime appeals to painstakingly controlled character expressions; the lack of frames parallels the feelings unsaid. Shigeru Nagata's frequent low-bit, citypop tinkle echoes a VHS playback shudder while establishing shots emulate thickly-framed polaroids. “Ocean Waves” laces the common drama of high school life with the nostalgia of analog media. Instead of an animated fantasy promised the silver screen, Mochizuki's characters make the most of the still.Â
In so doing, “Ocean Waves” rolls on by calling upon a collective past, inviting the viewer too to revisit memories of their first romance. As a result, Tomomi Mochizuki's feature sidesteps the overkill of a typical soap opera or shoujo manga in favor of an understated slice-of-life. Like ocean waves, romance ebbs and fades: the tingling sensations of maybe's and possibly's linger with each gentle bump, until they swell all at once into a crashing current.
