Ride Your Wave

Hinako is a young woman who loves to spend her time on a surfboard. For her studies, she enrolled at a university on the coast of Japan. When she surfs the sea, she is watched by the young firefighter Minato, who has had his eye on her for a long time. When Hinako’s dormitory catches fire as a result of illegally set-off fireworks, it is Minato who saves her from the inferno of flames. The two meet, get to know each other, and soon fall in love. A romantic relationship begins, in which the two do a lot together and bring their passions closer to each other. Hinako teaches Minato how to surf. Hinako tells him that the waves after a snowfall are special to surf and if successful, they will offer him a wish.

Hinako is devastated. She receives support during this difficult time from Minato’s sister and his fire brigade colleague Wasabi, who want to help her get back on track. Hinako notes that she can still see Minato: Minato appears in the water when she sings the song “Brand New Story,” which the two have sung together many times. Hinako finds that she must let go in order to move forward in her life. She must learn to ride her own wave.

“Love is a wild animal.” However, sometimes she is tame and seems invincible. This is exactly the feeling that Ride Your Wave conveys at the beginning, before life strikes. The story hardly causes any surprises, but due to the high narrative pace, it never gets boring. The anime is endlessly romantic and manages to find the positive even in the negative phases of life. With playful naivety, it is shown that everything in life has its reasons and justification.

• Ride Your Wave