Umi ga Kikoeru (Ocean Waves)

Q: Why are there two English titles?

Unlike other movies, Ghibli didn't give it an official English title for a long time. Ghibli recently gave it the title, "The Ocean Waves", but most people in the US know it as "I Can Hear the Sea", which is a direct translation of the Japanese title.

Q: Is it a Takahata movie?

No. Although Takahata worked as a producer, "Umi" was directed by MOCHIZUKI Tomomi, the director of the "Kimagure Orange Road" movies. It was the first anime Ghibli produced under a director other than Miyazaki or Takahata. "Umi" was an attempt to make anime solely by the young staff members, mostly in their 20s and 30s. Mochizuki, who was 34 years old then, was brought in to direct this TV movie. Their motto was to produce "quickly, cheaply and with quality", but "Umi" went over budget and over schedule.

Q: Where did the story take place?

It mainly took place in Kouchi City. Kouchi is on the island of Shikoku, the smallest of the four major islands that comprise Japan. It's in the southern part of Japan, and facing a warm current, it's much warmer than Tokyo. The station Taku saw Rikako at was the Kichijoji station of the Chuo line in Tokyo. Ghibli used to have a studio in Kichijoji, but they moved to Koganei in 1992.

Q: Is it based on a manga or a book?

It's based on a book, "Umi ga Kikoeru", by HIMURO Saeko, published by Tokuma Shoten. ISBN4-19-125064-7, 1200 yen. The book is illustrated by KONDO Katsuya, the character designer and animation director of the anime "Umi". It was serialized in "Animage".

Saeko Himuro is one of the most popular Shojo (girl's) novel writers. Shojo novels are a kind of a cousin to Shojo manga, and she is a master of writing sensitive love stories.

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Q: I heard that there is a sequel. Is there?

Yes, but it's not by Ghibli. It's not even anime. Ms. Himuro wrote a sequel, "Umi ga Kikoeru 2: Ai ga Arukara" (Because there is "Ai"), again illustrated by Kondo, published by Tokuma Shoten, ISBN4-19-860287-5, 1,200 yen. The first and the second novel were then put together and made into a live action TV movie. Unfortunately, since they crammed two books into a two hour TV movie, since young Japanese actors can't act, since the script was really bad, and since Rikako was played by a rather unattractive girl who was chosen through a general casting call, the live action version lost all the magic the anime had.

• Synopsis of Umi2

Q: Are there any in-jokes in "Umi"?

In the train station at the end of "Umi", there is a Porco Rosso movie poster on the wall. Porco also shows up in the school festival scene.