Rarely seen outside of Japan and never before released in North America, The Ocean Waves is one of Ghibli’s most poignant and unsung masterpieces, capturing the joys and drama of adolescence and teenage alienation with subtle insight and affecting sensitivity. Kochi is an average coastal town on the sleepy, idyllic island of Shikoku, and young Taku’s quiet life is turned upside down with the arrival of Rikako, a beautiful transfer student from Tokyo. As rumors start to spread at school, their friendship is tested by changing relationships and the onset of adulthood.