Review of Ocean Waves (1993)

Moving picture, 76 minutes

Mochizuki Tomomi (director), Suzuki Toshio (producer).

A casual love story in modern Japan, mostly in senior high school. A bit of mystery and lots of maturing.

Realistic, almost slice-of-life drama, stretching over about three years. It builds slowly to familiarity and open resolution, which is very effective. A good example of Japanese animation in the real, modern world, with no magic or other fantastical stuff, not even high-flying scenes of imagination. Made for TV, way over budget and schedule.

References here: Ghibli movie titles, Here Is Greenwood (1991).

moving picture Ghibli animation Japanese production fiction