Ocean Waves - Studio Ghibli's (Accidental) Queer Film 

Thanks for the great video! I'm Japanese and I was one of them though it is pointless and boring until today. But this line from 11:02 ' I thought she'd never see his value ' (女なんぞにお前の良さは分かりゃせん) makes more sense because it literally says 'Women never understand how great you are'. It's not only RIkako but any women won't be able to understand well like me(Taku). I searched online but at last I couldn't find anyone see this film in the same perspective in Japanese. About understanding of LGBT, Japan is obviously far behind from western countries and some of my friends suffering from it. But your analysis would make a lot of people feels better because it IS the animated film from one of the most biggest studios as you said. Thanks for your great perspective and all the efforts making this once again. p.s Says after watched the preview of Ocean Waves, Hayao Miyazaki got really upset about it and made Whisper of the heart instead.(He doesn't like how they made it too)

My literature professor once said “you’re never wrong when analyzing a book, if you find enough evidence and run with it you’ll be ok” And you just did that with this

“YOU IDIOT!! YOU’RE THE WORST” *happy music intensifies*

I hate it when I accidentally make an incredible piece of LGBTQ media so I have to change it last minute because it’s the 90s.

Taku is way better off with his friend. Rikako needs a therapist and she 100% deserved that slap.

The "happy" montage makes it seem like he wants to go see the castle with her just so he can push her of the roof

Film: * SHOWS MONTAGE OF AWFUL EXPERIENCES WITH A GIRL * also film: * PLAYS ROMANTIC MUSIC * Viewer: but- * ROMANTIC MUSIC PLAYS LOUDER *

I remember watching Ocean Waves and the only thing that stuck were the aesthetic animations and Taku's incredible fashion sense.

The thing with him liking the girl because Yutaka likes her, is something I've literally seen with a friend in Highschool before he realized he liked men. He was full bromance with his best friend but then went after the girl his friend liked, only to get her, mess up his friendship, dump her and years later come to a realization he loved Marco and not the girl. He never reconciled but his former friend was/is straight and he doesnt want to make things awkward by butting into his life now days.

"Chemistry of a boiled potato and a dress shirt" is the imagery I never knew I needed

taku and yukata: **walking together** the backround music: *_casual sax_*

okay so as a mixed kid with a japanese mother, i watched this film when i was very young. when i was in primary school if i'm not wrong, and that was wayy before i knew queer people existed. but EVEN SO, 8 year old me could tell there was something going on between taku and matsuno/yutaka. like y'all "from that moment on, matsuno's place in my heart was always different from my other friends."（それ以来、僕の中で松野がいる場所はいつも他の連中とは違っていた）there is absolutely no hetero explanation for that line. i just rewatched this movie today as a 15 year old queer teen and found this video and i couldn't agree more, everything you said was spot on. also, i am still PISSED about the "you really liked rikako" line, ruined everything

There is no way the castle scene with her lines playing was meant to be happy memories. It sounds like satire. I simply refuse to believe the creators meant it to be a happy, nostalgic montage.

"They can go off and be boring together. Drinking sodas on the roof as the sun shines down on their banal existence." Such poetry!

They went “They are in love with each other....but their not gay”

One reading of the movie that I like that doesn’t change anything is that Yutaka was intentionally misleading Taku when he tells Taku that he liked Rikako. He tries to salvage some closure for Taku since he knows he and Taku can’t be together. Because he loves and trusts Yutaka so much, Taku believes him and reframes his horrible memories of Rikako as romantic. After the movie, Taku and Rikako likely have a short and miserable relationship.

i swear that castle part when taku is recalling all of that "good memories" with rikako feels like a painfully obvious way of telling the viewers that was all a lie, that what they really wanted to do was a taku + yutaka thing but they couldn't so they just left that message ... it's just unbelievable for me that taku and rikako actually had a relationship after that, didn't they hate each other?

I just essentially watch a dude go over his favorite ship that didn't become canon.

Bruh this movie you can literally screenshot any scene and there’s a 90% chance that it’s the title screen for a lofi playlist. From Yutaka looking at Taku while he looks out the window in their school uniforms to Taku watching the train pass by even a scene of Rikako tiring her hair in a bun. Every scene from this movie can be used as an aesthetic.

the belly laugh i gave when they showed him reminiscing while staring at the castle with sentimental music playing, only for the first words we hear from rikako to be "could you lend me some money?" ahahahahahaha

I feel like this movie tried to make an enemy to lovers or tsundere trope thing, but like forgot the part where they're supposed to show some kind of attraction together and instead it's just them having shitty moments and calling it love

"I hadn't noticed til then... " 'YES YES YES' "that you really liked Rikako." NO NO NO.

With her character, I think they were trying to write a “cunning, mischievous girl who acts on emotion” but ended up writing a controlling biatch XD

As a straight male, I thought from the first 10 minutes Ghibli may have actually given us a gay film, and I was pumped. The movie kinda sucked with it's real ending, so in my head it just stops after the reunion scene. And honestly, I feel like the director would prefer it that way. It was so obvious that they were gay for each other or something. But it's Ghibli in the 80's, 90's? It *needed* to have this ending, but I think it was meant to have your ending

This video was more entertaining than the actual film

"Yutaka has the charisma of a dilapidated cardboard box, and Taku is not that far off. Which you could use as evidence for how compatible they are" when I tell you I gasped-

I bet one of the writers was like “Oooo b r o m a n c e” And part of the team was like, “oh you mean he likes the girl?”

I'm kind of just dying over the fact that all you could say for minutes was how boring the movie was and then as soon as the sunset scene came in you were so invested lol. Such a funny juxtaposition

okay so I just finished watching the movie and let me say that Taku was clearly annoyed with Rikako even when she asked for money, he offered $300 (US dollar) for her to use for the rest of the trip. then she rudely ask for a 6k- at the elevator he was shocked how she could ask for so much so rudely, and when she left right after getting the money it's as of he isn't surprised, he told Yutaka right away despite her telling him not to tell anyone because people like Rikako just don't deserve that type of respect when they don't respect you that much either. the whole trip she treated Taku like he's some object to throw around, even her father didn't really consider him as important. Taku WAS annoyed and disappointed and looked like he regretted going there the whole trip. That table scene was his last straw to the idea that he had in the beginning that she was cool, strong or whatever. I had known people in the past that would call me over just to fill space, thinking they are cool and want someone that they think they can impress. She then comes back and reveal that she did just wants to brag. even the way she talks about the hotel stay is in a way that makes it seem like they did something. what confuses me was how she knew well that Yutaka and Taku are close friends, and that Yutaka likes her but she went out after rejecting him rudely to plant the idea that she slept with his best friend Taku to make him sadder. Taku was mad how she used that to make his friend feel so bad and to cause misunderstanding between them. something to note is that when Rikako slapped him he wasn't even hurt by it but slapped her back HARDER cause she has no right to be mad at him when he didn't do her any wrong. But when Yutaka punched him he was so hurt, he knows he didn't do anything wrong to him but forgave him right away. he was probably hurt that Yutaka still likes Rikako and was mad over her but even when he saw that she hurt him, he punched him and left. I thought that Rikako and Taku stopped talking to eachother for good... but then the ending where it's revealed that he liked her all along was so out of the blue, unlogical and unrealistic to be the case. he was never happy with her, whenever they were together, he was bored, annoyed, regretted helping her, and felt like he wasted his time with her. it would of been better if they changed the dialogue when Yutaka speaks to "I realized you *didn't* like Rikako, it was a misunderstanding" or "she wasn't nice to you at all that's why you didn't help her" and "She wasn't nice to either of us to begin with and I childishly ruined our friendship over her... I'm so sorry" then they continue with the comfortable silence watching the sunset or gaze at eachother then we start hearing faint conversations between them as the music get louder signaling that they are in good terms again. after the get together they walk together again and say something along the lines of "see you tomorrow" Then the movie end ✨ a platonic relationship would of honestly been better than THAT random ending we got

Let’s pretend the last sentence doesn’t exist and the two confess their love for one another and live happily ever after, they open a restaurant together, everyone thinks they are just two very good friends opening a business together but they actually got secretly married in the sunset

"It really irritated me when I realized that Yutaka was interested in Rikako... Forget it...! She'll never see his real value." WOW that is some damningly gay dialogue

If I had a nickel for every time Ghibli has made a gay movie that’s not actually gay but should be gay cos it’d make the story so much better and the fact that it isn’t ruins the movie, I’d have two nickels which isn’t a lot but it’s weird that it happened twice Ps. The other movie is When Marnie Was There

Not gonna lie, usually whenever people say a movie has queer undertones and stuff like that, it always seems like they're trying to find the gay in something that doesn't have it. Ironically, the one time when being gay makes a lot of sense in the context of the film, they go out of their way to force a straight moment. I genuinely believe it would have made sense to emphasize a gay relationship in this film because of how the female love interest seems to have no redeeming qualities, while the best friend is always there for him. There was potential.

I can’t write good chemistry between characters but this movie does it by accident?? dang

I lose it at "a chemistry of a boiled potato and a dress shirt" LMAO

To add to your theory of "retelling of the scenes", that castle scene with Rikako's lines were probably Taku's enlightenment that he didn't like her at all. He was letting her go at that point

And the way Rikako didn’t atone for any of her wrongdoings & how much trouble she caused for multiple people. And in the end the film presents her as some innocent, sweet, and emotionally well-adjusted girl? To that I say BLEARGH!

it's the fact that the movie is called "ocean waves" and yet the only scene where a wave is present is when the two of them went to the pier. yep, that sealed it. this movie never really had rikako in the picture.

This boy is like: I sure do love being used, belittled, manipulated and yelled at

It was refreshing to watch an analysis of a female character that is aware and sensitive to sexist tropes in media

Movie's last line is Taku saying "Ah, I think I was in love with her madly." which made me believe that he convinced himself that he loved her at that moment. We didn't see any love or even platonic moments untill last 10 mins. It didn't feel like a romantic movie :/

"They can go off and be boring together, drinking sodas on the rooftop as the sun shines down on their banal existence." lol relationship GOALS!

Ghibli: The boy likes the girl us and eliquorice: *heehoo they gay*

I really thought I’d love every movie Ghibli ever produced until I watched Ocean Waves. Thankfully, this video exists and I can enjoy the movie in a different way!

I was not prepared for how funny the reminiscent sequence is.

Oh yeah there’s no nicer memory than a girl telling you you’re stupid and taking your money. True love 10/10

watching this movie with my mom, at the dock scene she says "why are they so far from eachother? why are they not holding hands?" mum, i just got to show this video to you, you'll love it!

I don’t understand why, but I keep on finding myself coming back to this video. It’s just so.. well made

The montage of “happy memories” did me in lmaooooo

i love how everyone just accepted the two boys being the true canon pair i-

11 minutes in and I forgot that this wasn’t a “are they gay” episode

Real talk, I thought the same thing about those 2 being gay. It makes so much sense, it explains Taku's character and why he acts the way he does, the ending where Taku likes Rikako doesn't make any sense based off the story we saw. Rikako could have been more interesting if the story was told from her perspective and she had subtle moments of being really nice, but they just didn't execute her well. I liked Yutaka's character, mostly because I found Taku's fascination with him to be interesting. This is a bit of a tangent, but I really like Taku's drip when he was in Tokyo, it was simple but stylish.

might I add that 90% of their conversations go like "hey what's up check out hot girl" "haha" "ok see u later"

I feel like that castle scene was just a protest because they didn't let the creative team make this film gay enough

History books would say: They were great friends

Okay. Can we all take a moment to appreciate this guy on how amazingly he analysed this movie which most people would not even watch 20 min with full attention.

I watched this when I was pretty young, and the first and last thing I thought about this film was: Damn, Rikako is so toxic.

Yutaka: I hadn't noticed 'til then... Me: yes... yES! Yutaka: that you liked Rikako. Me: HELL NO--

also it‘s kinda disturbing how the movie‘s called „ocean waves“ and literally the only and single time we see the ocean in the whole movie is in that confessional scene with taku and yakato at the pier, hinting that really the movie was all about them after all.

I still hold that When Marnie was There would have been a queer masterpiece if not for the incredibly important fact that Marnie is Anna's grandmother. Important on both the level that 1: incest is gross and 2: the entire story kind of hinges on this detail and Anna's process of forgiving Marnie for dying and leaving her. If I hadn't gone into the film knowing the real relationship between Marnie and Anna the ending would have been pretty jarring because their relationship throughout the film hardly feels like one of a grandmother and granddaughter. Still really liked the movie though.

I love this video because it’s the literal embodiment of that one tumblr post that goes something like « why would you like media that is good when you can instead like media that is bad and just pace around your room like an insane person thinking about What If It Was Good?? »

4:48 *She slaps him* oh.. *He slaps her back* OOOOOHHHHHH!!!!!!

24:32 It's like someone having flashbacks of an emotionally abusive relationship but set with romantic music... it's So many levels of wrong

that slap was satisfying tho and don't take it as a 'misogynist' comment or something , i'm a girl too but whenever people go 'you shouldn't hit a girl!' or some bullshit (they still do , i'm not spouting it outta my ass) i just feel like they are saying i'm a fucking weak , because when boys hit boys it's ,they can get a little ruff sometimes ! when a boy hits a girl (not saying it's right or anything but i always get angry when girls slap boys without any reason and they don't get reprimanded) it's ' a man doesn't hit a girl! '

saw ocean waves, the ending completely threw me off, knew that a youtuber must have done something about it, thanks man couldn’t have slept peacefully without this

like the guy didnt have to be gay or bi but it was clear as day that he loved the other guy (in some fashion or another) and didnt give a rats about the gal.

He still remembers all of the beautiful things she told him. Somber music begins to play... "My period just started. Sometimes its really bad."

- The girl asked the mc for money so she could "find" her father - Mc and girl fought ALL through out the movie - MC complaint how bitchy and pushy is the girl is And out of nowhere MC "in love" with the girl 👏👏👏 The most shittiest romance movie ever made by Ghibli

I go back and rewatch this video at least twice a year. It’s so calming and interesting

Most cathartic moment: When Taku finally gives Rikako the bitch-slap she deserved. Yes, she had tough things going on in her life, as well. But a lot of people do and still manage not to be absolute bitches to everyone else.

imagine reminiscing about someone and the first thing you think about is how they asked you for money. Real romantic and full of love~ 😂

The whole "reminiscing over the Tokyo trip" scene was making my head hear Penny from Snapcube shouting "WHATS WRONG WITH STRAIGHT PEOPLE"

“i hadn’t noticed until then ………………….. that you really liked rikako.” stares directly into the camera.

this movie really seems like the original intention was to actually be lgbt+ but they weren't allowed to actually do it like that so they just left the subtle hints

The actual title of the movie in japanese is "I can hear the ocean." There are a couple of scenes by the ocean (party in Hawaii, confession on the bridge) but the only scene where we actually hear the ocean is on the dock.

this film is probably one of those movies that has to have an after credit scene that no one actual cares about and the scene was how Taku confess to Rikako that he loves his best friend more than her and in fact he doesn't have any desire to her ever. and then he run back from the station to Yutaka.

Dang.. how I wish the film actually did end up like what you just depicted. While watching this a couple of months ago.. I was highly hoping "please tell me Taku and Yutaka actually like each other and will confess their feelings in the end"

He clearly did not have feelings for her. I mean that flashback with all these cringe moments about her clearly are not a flashback of someone he has any love for.

This sounds like when fangirls are trying to prove that their ship is real, but it makes sense.

Man, now you completely changed my point of view about Rikako, like if the movie had developed more her personality, like her personal problems involving her family, it wouldn't seem that she's a totally bad person because we would see her background and how that makes her be this way, but yeah, in the end she didn't talk to Taku to explain herself and apologize to him, it's bad because I love the last song that plays in the movie and yeah, the things she said were not romantic at all

I appreciate the thoughtful reflection, effort, and just plain sweetness of this video. Thank you for making it.

Maybe a writer wanted it to be gay, but didn't have the freedom too.

My mom's a 56 year old woman. We watched this together. The entire time we kind of gossiped about how shitty the FL was and how palpable the romantic tension was between the two ML's. Like if a 56 year old woman can instantly tell the two ML's have romantic tension, then anyone can as well.

dang u just fixed the whole movie

I always come back to this video ❤

I feel like they purposely made Rikako the most unlikeable character ever.

She’s like the edgy self insert on every fanfiction with a OC x main character. Main guy falls in love with her (even if their only memories are of her being a bitch), and they have no chemistry together lmaoo

I end up re-watching this beautiful and thought provoking analysis every few months, I know I’m not the only one ;-) 🏳️‍🌈

its been two years and by far this is still my favorite youtube video ever

This is straight up a gay film that the studio was to scared to release so they edited it to be straight last minute lol

Let's get one thing straight, this movie isn't.

I love the ending credits you see every moment Rikako and Taku were madly in love with each other through actions when their words did not match

Still one of my all time favorite videos on RU-vid regarding Ocean Waves. You did a stellar job, my guy 👍

The most satisfying thing in the movie is when he slapped her back.

The scene at the beach with romantic music, the female lead is a terrible person, male lead says his friendship is different than it is with others WHAT GREAT A FRIENDS

This is actually so cute. I love Ghibli movies, but this was so unpredictable, it became a masterpiece- 😭

For some reason, I keep on coming back to this video. There's just something about this video that gets my brain working, i love it

Also a lot of lgbt people don’t realize they are part of the community until much later in life. Suddenly you look back at your life until now and see little clues and unimportant memories, that were actually very clear signs that you choose to ignore or misinterpreted. A lot of people already know, but some just don’t even consider it as an option.

Dang, but their clothing style is on point. Gotta grab me them shorts and button ups

im glad that this movie got a breakdown like this because it really deserved it. i feel like the people who made it may have actually wanted to explore a queer relationship but were held back by studios and execs. i appreciate this reading of it a lot