Ride Your Wave

Hinako is a surf obsessed college student who relocates to a small seaside town. A sudden fire traps her in her apartment, and Minato, a courageous young firefighter, rescues her from danger. What starts as a chance meeting quickly turns into a bright and easygoing romance, the kind of relationship you feel in the salt air and warm sun. The film blends everyday life with a hint of fantasy as water and memory shape their bond, turning simple moments into something larger than life. When circumstances pull them apart, they must reckon with love, loss, and whether hope can endure through fear.

Released in 2019, Ride Your Wave is directed by Masaaki Yuasa with a story by Reiko Yoshida. This original animated feature comes from Studio Science SARU and showcases Yuasa's kinetic style and bold color sense. Set against a sunny coastal town, the film blends romance with fantasy as everyday moments surge with the rhythm of the sea.

Fans and critics alike celebrate its vibrant color palette and Yuasa's expressive animation, which makes water behave like a living mood ring that shifts with the characters' feelings. The movie speaks to anyone who has hoped across distance or time for a loved one, and it lingers with a hopeful, dreamlike energy that invites rewatching.

Critics applaud a balance of humor and melancholy, strong voice performances, and themes that ground fantasy in real feeling. It probes how relationships help us cope with change, how communities rally around each other in crisis, and how art can turn private longing into a shared experience that binds people across ages and backgrounds.

Box office figures for Ride Your Wave have not been publicly disclosed, with the film reaching audiences mainly through festivals and streaming. The movie has found a niche among fans of Japanese animation and emotionally driven romance, helping it linger on the circuit and online.