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Animated drama

Ride Your Wave (2020): Cast, Ratings, Box Office & Plot

Ride Your Wave (2020) movie poster

Ride Your Wave is a 2020 animated drama directed by Masaaki Yuasa, starring Rina Kawaei as Hinako Mukaimizu, Honoka Matsumoto and Ryôta Katayose. It runs 1 hour 35 minutes and earned $4 million worldwide. It earned 1 award nomination, including Best Animated Feature — Independent at the Annie Awards 2021. Critics gave it 93% on Rotten Tomatoes and 65 on Metacritic, and IMDb users rate it 6.8/10.

IMDb rating
6.8/10
Rotten Tomatoes
93%
worldwide gross
$4M
award nomination
1
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Ride Your Wave (2020) movie poster
Released
Runtime
1h 35m (95 min)
Director
Masaaki Yuasa
Genres
Drama , Fantasy , Comedy , Romance
Original language
Japanese
Studio
GKIDS
After the credits
No No extra scene
The story

What Is Ride Your Wave About?

The premise of Ride Your Wave without spoilers. The whole story is in the plot summary further down.

In a quiet seaside town, Hinako experiences the joys of love and the pain of loss. She develops a passionate relationship with Minato, a brave firefighter, but tragedy unexpectedly tears them apart. Through the power of a shared song, a unique connection forms, allowing them to find a way to reunite and navigate the complexities of life, loss, and enduring love.

Ride Your Wave Themes & Keywords

· 45 tags
  • firefighter
  • f rated
  • title written by female
  • female writer
  • female screenwriter
  • surfing
  • female surfer
  • firefighting
  • student
  • sea
  • fireman
  • riding a bicycle
+33 more
  • fireworks
  • illegal fireworks
  • fire
  • rescue from fire
  • rescued from a fire
  • love
  • beach
  • omelette
  • camping stove
  • female wears a swimsuit
  • death
  • singing
  • flashback
  • little girl
  • rescue from drowning
  • anime animation
  • surfer
  • surfboard
  • building fire
  • fire alarm
  • stairwell
  • wetsuit
  • learning to surf
  • childhood flashback
  • christmas
  • cafe
  • dumbwaiter
  • falling in love
  • death of boyfriend
  • train station
  • grief
  • female nudity
  • female rear nudity
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Cast & crew

Ride Your Wave Cast & Characters

Rina Kawaei leads the cast as Hinako Mukaimizu, with Honoka Matsumoto as Yoko Hinageshi and Ryôta Katayose as Minato Hinageshi. Directed by Masaaki Yuasa; 8 actors are credited in all.

From the director

More from Masaaki Yuasa

More films directed by Masaaki Yuasa, best-rated first: The Night Is Short, Walk On Girl, Inu-oh, Mind Game and Lu Over the Wall.

Full filmography
Ratings

Ride Your Wave Reviews & Ratings

Critics gave Ride Your Wave 93% on Rotten Tomatoes and 65 on Metacritic, and IMDb users rate it 6.8/10. Our Echo Score gives it 82/100, strongest in art & craft (85) and weakest in story & flow (70).

82 /100

Ride Your Wave Echo Score Breakdown

In Ride Your Wave, visual artistry and emotional depth form its primary strengths. Critics and users frequently note the film’s distinctive aesthetic flourish and its heartfelt exploration of grief and romance, while some point to its conventional narrative structure and episodic pacing as limitations. The blend of mature thematic focus with imaginative visual sequences provides a consistently engaging experience despite occasional predictability. Overall, the film leaves a lasting impression through its cohesive interplay of craft and emotional resonance.

Our own 0–100 rating, built from five aspects: art, character, story, the sensory experience and how well a film rewatches.

  • Art & Craft 85

    When it comes to art and craft, Ride Your Wave showcases a distinctive visual aesthetic. The film’s use of water as a dynamic motif and its bold color application create a cohesive and imaginative design language. The editing supports fluid transitions between scenes. Overall, the art direction and production design consistently enrich the viewing experience.

  • Character & Emotion 80

    In terms of character and emotion, the film delivers relatable and nuanced portrayals. The protagonist exhibits strengths and vulnerabilities, fostering genuine emotional resonance, and the chemistry between leads grounds the romantic arc. While some critics note limited depth in secondary figures, the principal cast maintains a coherent emotional journey. Overall, character development remains a compelling element.

  • Story & Flow 70

    When assessing story and flow, Ride Your Wave presents a heartfelt narrative with occasional predictability. The pacing alternates between reflective moments of grief and surges of action, though some find the midsection episodic. The plot engages through its mature thematic concerns, even as originality falls into familiar romantic drama conventions. Overall, the story sustains emotional engagement despite structural simplicity.

  • Sensory Experience 85

    In terms of sensory experience, the film excels with a cohesive visual style and immersive sound design. The soundtrack complements the emotional tone, while the color palette and animation fluidity emphasize the thematic motif of water. Some viewers note limited novelty in musical cues, but the audiovisual presentation largely enhances the film’s atmosphere. Overall, sensory elements remain a standout.

  • Rewatch Factor 75

    When considering rewatch factor, Ride Your Wave offers enduring emotional appeal that rewards subsequent viewings. The interplay of thematic depth and visual motifs reveals subtle nuances on repeat, although its predictable storyline may lessen the element of surprise. The film’s sincere exploration of grief and love retains impact over time. Overall, its lasting resonance invites at least one revisit.

Plot

Ride Your Wave Plot Summary

What happens in Ride Your Wave from start to finish, spoilers included, with a timeline of 15 key events. The opening is below; the full summary is a 3-minute read.

Spoilers ahead

19-year-old Hinako Mukaimizu moves to a picturesque coastal town with dreams of college and a passion for surfing, not giving much thought to her future. However, her life takes a dramatic turn when a fireworks display inadvertently sets her apartment building ablaze. In her moment of need, she is rescued by Minato Hinageshi, a 21-year-old firefighter renowned for his unwavering sense of justice. Captivated by his formidable nature, Hinako finds herself drawn to him as they share time together, especially when Minato teaches her how to surf.

Full summary

The whole story of Ride Your Wave, scene by scene

Read the full summary
Box office

Ride Your Wave Box Office

Ride Your Wave grossed $4 million worldwide. $332,432 came from the US and Canada and $3.7 million (92%) from the rest of the world.

2020 box office

Worldwide gross

$4M

US & Canada
$332.4K
International
$3.7M
US & Canada 8% Rest of the world 92%
Awards

Ride Your Wave Awards & Nominations

Ride Your Wave earned 1 award nomination, including Best Animated Feature — Independent at the Annie Awards 2021.

1 nomination1 ceremony

Videos

Ride Your Wave Trailers & Videos

4 videos: 1 trailer and 3 featurettes.

Ride Your Wave - UK Premiere at Scotland Loves Anime 2019 film festival
  • Featurette Ride Your Wave (2019) - Cast Greeting / Official Trailer 30s
  • Featurette Eunyoung Choi: Developing Talent at Science SARU
  • Featurette Eunyoung Choi: On the Animation Process
Quiz

How Well Do You Know Ride Your Wave?

10 questions about the story, each with a hint if you get stuck. Pick an answer to see whether you were right.

Question 1 of 10

  1. Question 1: not answered
  2. Question 2: not answered
  3. Question 3: not answered
  4. Question 4: not answered
  5. Question 5: not answered
  6. Question 6: not answered
  7. Question 7: not answered
  8. Question 8: not answered
  9. Question 9: not answered
  10. Question 10: not answered

What is Hinako's primary passion in the film?

Details

Ride Your Wave Also Known As

20 alternative titles, including “Kimi to” and “Nami ni Noretara”.

Also known as
  • Kimi to
  • Nami ni Noretara
  • 너와
  • 파도를 탈 수 있다면
  • Riding a Wave with You
  • คำสัญญา ปาฎิหารย์รัก 2 โลก
  • Ride Your Wave: Juntos en el mar
  • El amor está en el agua
  • 너와 파도를 탈 수 있다면
  • На твоей волне
  • 若能与你共乘海浪之上
  • คำสัญญา..ปาฎิหารย์รัก 2 โลก
+8 more
  • Pegando uma Onda com Você
  • 乘浪之約
  • Surfa a Tua Onda
  • Lướt Sóng Cùng Em
  • L’amor és a l’aigua
  • 浪尖上的約定
  • Călărește-ți valul
  • לרכב על הגל שלך

Seen Ride Your Wave?

FAQ

Ride Your Wave FAQ: Cast, Box Office & Awards

Runtime, release date, director, cast, box office, ratings, awards and post-credit scenes of Ride Your Wave, each answered in a sentence.

How long is Ride Your Wave?

Ride Your Wave runs 1 hour 35 minutes (95 minutes).

When was Ride Your Wave released?

Ride Your Wave was released on February 19, 2020.

Who directed Ride Your Wave?

Ride Your Wave was directed by Masaaki Yuasa.

More films by Masaaki Yuasa

Who is in the cast of Ride Your Wave?

Ride Your Wave stars Rina Kawaei as Hinako Mukaimizu, Honoka Matsumoto as Yoko Hinageshi and Ryôta Katayose as Minato Hinageshi, among 8 credited actors.

How much did Ride Your Wave make at the box office?

Ride Your Wave grossed $4 million worldwide ($332,432 domestic, $3.7 million international).

How is Ride Your Wave rated?

Ride Your Wave has 6.8/10 on IMDb, 93% on Rotten Tomatoes, 65 on Metacritic and 76% on TMDB.

Was Ride Your Wave nominated for any awards?

Ride Your Wave received 1 nomination across 1 ceremony.

Does Ride Your Wave have a post-credit scene?

No. Ride Your Wave has no extra scene during or after the credits.

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