He knows that Yutaka is into her, and narrates, 'I felt unreasonably irritated to know that Yutaka was interested in Rikako, I thought she'd never see his real value.” If all this doesn't scream that he's actually in love with Yutaka himself then I don't know what to tell you. For a film that barely runs over an hour, this kind of detail comprises a lot of the film and makes everything seem more alive - it highlights that although the drama of the love triangle might feel all-consuming to the kids, life still very much carries on around it.Īs older Taku narrates, he claims, 'I always thought of Yutaka a bit differently than my other friends.' It's clear throughout the film that he cares how Yutaka sees him, as he keeps most of his encounters with Rikako a secret. There's another chef squatting outside and smoking a cigarette on his break, who blankly stares off into the distance as Taku gets his bike. A chef prepares fish with a scowl on his face, and grumbles under his breath, 'you can't rely on kids', as the fish lands on the chopping board with a heavy thud. As he rushes off, his manager calls out to him, but he ignores her. Outside of the potential queer love blossoming, I love this scene because of how real the place Taku is working seems. He clearly cares deeply about Yutaka if he's willing to blow off work so quickly just to see him. This is the kind of moment normally expected between love interests, not friends.

He immediately unties his apron and rushes to meet him. At the start of the film, Taku receives a call from Yutaka while he's at work washing dishes, asking him to see him after his shift. Taku often begrudgingly gets involved in her life, but it's more out of a sense of chivalry than any particular romantic interest. Instead of a film all about two boys fawning over a girl, they appear far more interested in each other than Rikako. And even though this may not be an intentionally queer film, people recreate Ghibli films all the time, so why can't I reimagine this as a queer love story? This gives the film a wistful perspective that is lacking in some of Ghibli's child protagonists. The story is told via flashbacks, narrated by Taku - who is now in college - as he flies home for a high school reunion. Ocean Waves tells the story of a high school love triangle between teenage best friends Taku and Yutaka, and a new girl from Tokyo, Rikako.

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