GKIDS is bringing more animated magic from maverick Japanese director Masaaki Yuasa to North American screens, having picked up distribution rights to his latest feature film Ride Your Wave. The surreally romantic work recently premiered in competition at the Annecy animation festival, and is set for a theatrical release in early 2020.
GKIDS had previously introduced North American audiences to Yuasa’s trippy adult features Mind Game and The Night Is Short, Walk on Girl, and modern mermaid fairytale Lu Over the Wall. GKIDS’ President David Jesteadt and Fuji Creative Corp’s Yoshiko Nakayama negotiated the all-rights deal for Ride Your Wave.
“We are huge fans of Masaaki Yuasa, and are always excited to see what he will do next,” said Jesteadt. “We were charmed and moved by his characteristically unique and uplifting take on a romantic story, including a music hook that you won’t be able to get out of your head.”
Synopsis: Hinako is a surf-loving college student who has just moved to a small seaside town. When a sudden fire breaks out at her apartment building, she is rescued by Minato, a handsome firefighter, and the two soon fall in love. Just as they become inseparable, Minato loses his life in an accident at sea. Hinako is so distraught that she can no longer even look at the ocean, but one day she sings a song that reminds her of their time together, and Minato appears in the water. From then on, she can summon him in any watery surface as soon as she sings their song, but can the two really remain together forever? And what is the real reason for Minato’s sudden reappearance?
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