Best movies like Ocean Waves
Last updated March 2024
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Plot Summary:
At Kichijōji Station, Tokyo, Taku Morisaki glimpses a familiar woman on the platform opposite boarding a train. Later, her photo falls from a shelf as he exits his apartment before flying to Kōchi Prefecture. Picking it up, he looks at it briefly before leaving. As the aeroplane takes off he narrates the events that brought her into his life.
IMDB Rating: 6.6
IMDB Votes: 20000
Genere: Animation, Drama, Romance
Country: Japan
Duration: 72 min
Plot tags: anime, realistic, adult animation, sincere, touching, serious, whimsical
Best tv shows and movies like Ocean Waves (1993):
Similar in 82%
Suzuka (2005)
Plot Summary:
Yamato Akitsuki travels to Tokyo alone to study in one of the high schools located within the area. He lives in with his aunt who operates a public bath solely for the ladies in the local district and begins his normal high-school life. One day, he chances upon a girl in school and is immediately mesmerized by her beauty. He is shocked when he realizes later that the girl, Suzuka, is actually living next door to him. From then on, Yamato's ordinary life begins to change little by little.
IMDB Rating: 6.8
IMDB Votes: 400
Genere: Animation, Drama, Romance, Sport
Country: Japan
Duration: 23 min
Plot tags: anime, sincere, touching, humorous, semi serious, realistic
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Similar in 80%
Twilight (2019)
Plot Summary:
Hakubo tells the story of two young people who live in rural Fukushima: Sachi Koyama, a girl who excels at playing the violin, and Yuusuke Kijinami, a boy who loves to paint. After an awkward, chance encounter, the two meet and begin to fall in love, but Yuusuke is still living in the shadow of the 2011 Tohoku earthquake and tsunami.
IMDB Rating: 6.0
IMDB Votes: 159
Genere: Animation, Drama, Romance
Country: Japan
Duration: 52 min
Plot tags: anime, sincere, atmospheric, uplifting, touching, emotional, stylized, independent film
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Similar in 76%
Ef: A Tale Of Memories & Melodies (2007)
Plot Summary:
On Christmas Eve, Hiro Hirono meets a girl named Miyako Miyamura as she chases a purse snatcher. Hiro later finds out that Miyako also goes to the same school as he does and they start hanging out together. This makes Hiro's childhood friend, Kei Shindō, feel left out, so she tries to compete with Miyako for Hiro's affection, creating a love triangle. Meanwhile, Renji Asō meets a girl named Chihiro Shindō at an abandoned train station. He soon learns that Chihiro suffers from a type of amnesia where her memory lasts for only 13 hours. He also discovers Chihiro's dream of writing a novel, but she has never been able to fulfill that dream due to her condition. Renji then decides to help her fulfill that dream.
IMDB Rating: 7.4
IMDB Votes: 825
Genere: Animation, Comedy, Drama, Mystery, Romance
Country: Japan
Duration:
Plot tags: anime, sincere, realistic, stylized, touching, serious, psychological, sexual, sexy
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Similar in 76%
Tamako Love Story (2014)
Plot Summary:
Devoted to her family’s rice-cake–making business and the high school baton club, Tamako is a little slow when it comes to love. She’s oblivious to her childhood friend Mochizo’s affections, even though all their friends know. With graduation closing in and Mochizo leaving for Tokyo, will Tamako realise her feelings and tell him in time?.
IMDB Rating: 7.0
IMDB Votes: 3000
Genere: Animation, Comedy, Drama, Romance
Country: Japan
Duration: 83 min
Plot tags: anime, romantic, touching, feel good, sweet, super sentai
Similar in 77%
The Moment You Fall in Love (2016)
Plot Summary:
Following Natsuki Enomoto's confession rehearsals with Yuu Setoguchi, their younger siblings Kotarou and Hina struggle to confess their own love. Despite a disastrous first meeting in middle school with her upperclassman Koyuki Ayase, Hina’s heart is captured by his warm smile. Initially confused by these newfound feelings, Hina soon realizes that she has fallen in love for the very first time. Chasing after her brother Yuu and her crush Koyuki, Hina also enrolls in Sakuragaoka High School; but the threads of love are far-reaching, and they entangle Hina and her friends. Boisterous but sensitive, Hina hopes to confess her feelings to the tender-hearted Koyuki. Meanwhile, Kotarou, oblivious to his own feelings for her, is determined to always keep Hina smiling. This movie follows Hina, Kotarou, and Koyuki in high school. Their youthful love forges new relationships, but also threatens to break others.
IMDB Rating: 6.0
IMDB Votes: 548
Genere: Animation, Comedy, Drama, Romance
Country: Japan
Duration: 63 min
Plot tags: anime, touching, sincere, romantic, humorous, captivating, entertaining, whimsical
Similar in 87%
Josee, the Tiger and the Fish (2020)
Plot Summary:
A youth romantic drama with themes of growing up, the story focuses on college student Tsuneo and dreamer Josee, who lives her life stuck in a wheelchair. Josee—named after the heroine in Françoise Sagan’s Wonderful Clouds—spends most of her days reading and painting until by chance she encounters Tsuneo, and decides it’s time to face the real world.
IMDB Rating: 7.6
IMDB Votes: 7000
Genere: Animation, Drama, Romance
Country: Japan
Duration: 99 min
Plot tags: anime, captivating, sincere
Similar in 77%
Crystal Skies of Yesterday (2018)
Plot Summary:
The story of some senior high school students in a Chinese village, their dreams, friendships and romances.
IMDB Rating: 6.5
IMDB Votes: 282
Genere: Animation, Romance
Country: China
Duration: 82 min
Plot tags: light, anime, sentimental, sincere, captivating
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Similar in 79%
Clannad: After Story (2008)
Plot Summary:
A sequel to the anime based on the Key Clannad franchise. After Story is a path that opens in the original visual novel after all the other paths have been opened. Life continues on for Tomoya. A few months have passed since he confessed his love to Nagisa. Now entering the second semester, he continues to meet a variety of different people, expanding his own world in the process. His various encounters and the start of his new family with Nagisa, Tomoya will finally begin to understand the value of the most precious thing that we have in this world; the value of having a family.
IMDB Rating: 8.6
IMDB Votes: 12000
Genere: Animation, Comedy, Drama, Fantasy, Romance
Country: Japan
Duration: 24 min
Plot tags: anime, touching, sincere, serious, emotional, manga, thought provoking, mind twisting, realistic, gloomy
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Similar in 83%
His and Her Circumstances (1998)
Plot Summary:
In His and Her Circumstances, like a drug, Yukino Miyazawa was addicted to admiration and praise from those around her. She worked hard to become the perfect student, the perfect girl. But that was before… him. Souichirou Arima. The instant she met him, she hated him. Without even trying, he snatched the very glory from her hands by easily acing the high school entrance exam that should have made her the class representative. To take back what is rightfully hers, Yukino is putting all her efforts into plotting her revenge – but was love part of the plan?.
IMDB Rating: 7.7
IMDB Votes: 2000
Genere: Animation, Comedy, Drama, Romance
Country: Japan
Duration: 24 min
Plot tags: anime, semi serious, sentimental, touching, feel good, realistic, humorous, talky, crying
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Similar in 82%
Love, Chunibyo & Other Delusions! (2012)
Plot Summary:
Yuta has a problem. As one of the thousands of Japanese students afflicted with "chunibyo," a state where they're so desperate to stand out that they've literally convinced themselves that they have secret knowledge and hidden powers, Yuta spent most of his middle school years living in a complete fantasy world. But that's not his major problem now, as with a lot of work and effort, he's finally managing to overcome his delusions to the point where thinks he's ready to start high school with all his cards in order. No, his BIG problem is the girl he first encounters climbing on his balcony. It seems that his own efforts to rid himself of his chunibyo have attracted the attentions of another sufferer, and she's decided that this makes him her soul mate. And since Rikka's just moved in upstairs, now he's being sucked into her fantasy world! Can a formerly wild and crazy guy handle being the focus of a completely delusional girl? Or will his own chunibyo return with a vengeance?.
IMDB Rating: 7.4
IMDB Votes: 5000
Genere: Animation, Comedy, Drama, Fantasy, Romance
Country: Japan
Duration: 25 min
Plot tags: anime, exciting, touching, humorous, semi serious, adult anime, suspenseful, super sentai, stylized
Similar in 78%
Toradora! (2008)
Plot Summary:
It’s Ryuji’s first day as a junior in high school and it seems as if things are looking up. He gets to sit in between his only friend, Yusaku, and, more importantly, the girl he’s secretly crushing on, Minori Kushieda. But just when he thinks the stars are aligned in his favor, he unwittingly crosses the most feared girl in school, Taiga Aisaku, making her onto his arch enemy. To top it off, Taiga has moved in right next door to Ryuji and happens to be Minori’s best friend! Can this school year possibly get any worse?!.
IMDB Rating: 8.0
IMDB Votes: 18000
Genere: Animation, Comedy, Drama, Romance
Country: Japan
Duration: 24 min
Plot tags: anime, shoujo, realistic, semi serious, tsundere, sincere, manga, adult anime, seinen, romantic comedy
Similar in 83%
Your Lie in April (2014)
Plot Summary:
Kousei Arima was a genius pianist until his mother's sudden death took away his ability to play. Each day was dull for Kousei. But, then he meets a violinist named Kaori Miyazono who has an eccentric playing style. Can the heartfelt sounds of the girl's violin lead the boy to play the piano again?.
IMDB Rating: 8.6
IMDB Votes: 36000
Genere: Animation, Comedy, Drama, Music, Romance
Country: Japan
Duration: 23 min
Plot tags: anime, touching, stylized, semi serious, uplifting, adult animation, manga, smart, shounen, tear jerker
Similar in 79%
Kimikiss: Pure Rouge (2007)
Plot Summary:
Kouichi Sanada and Kazuki Aihara's childhood friend Mao Mizusawa has returned after living in France for a couple of years. Kouichi is surprised to learn that, since her parents are remaining overseas for the time being, his mother has agreed to let Mao stay with them. The three friends help each other deal with the ups and downs of high school romance.
IMDB Rating: 6.6
IMDB Votes: 132
Genere: Animation, Comedy, Drama, Romance
Country: Japan
Duration:
Plot tags: touching, humorous, semi serious, captivating, anime, realistic
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Similar in 80%
Anohana: The Flower We Saw That Day - The Movie (2013)
Plot Summary:
A year has passed since Menma's ghostly return to the Super Peace Busters. Although the time they spent together during that summer was short, the five members reminisce about what happened as they each write a letter to their lost friend.
IMDB Rating: 7.3
IMDB Votes: 3000
Genere: Animation, Adventure, Drama, Family, Fantasy, Mystery, Romance
Country: Japan
Duration: 99 min
Plot tags: anime, psychological, emotional, sentimental, touching, serious, stylized, islamic, seinen
Similar in 85%
The Anthem of the Heart (2015)
Plot Summary:
A young girl had her voice magically taken away so that she would never hurt people with it, but her outlook changes when she encounters music and friendship. Will Naruse be able to convey the anthem of her heart?.
IMDB Rating: 7.3
IMDB Votes: 6000
Genere: Animation, Drama, Family, Fantasy
Country: Japan
Duration: 119 min
Plot tags: anime, sincere, touching, psychological, sentimental, romantic, epic
Similar in 79%
5 Centimeters Per Second (2007)
Plot Summary:
Takaki and Akari are two classmates in elementary school. During their time together they have become close friends. Their relationship is tested when Akari moves to another city because of her parents' jobs. Both of them struggle to keep their friendship alive, as time and distance slowly pulls them apart. When Takaki finds out that he is moving further away, he decides to visit Akari one last time.
IMDB Rating: 7.5
IMDB Votes: 62000
Genere: Animation, Drama, Family, Romance
Country: Japan
Duration: 63 min
Plot tags: anime, sad, depressing, touching, emotional, scenic, romantic, visual, uplifting, epic
Similar in 82%
Flavors of Youth (2018)
Plot Summary:
Three different stories of youth set in different cities of China. 1 Shanghai Love. 2 Sunny Breakfast. 3 Small Fashion Show. Directed by Zhenxing Yi, the plot revolves around a young man working in Beijing. He used to live with his grandma in his less developed hometown Hunan. While he is drown in his childhood reminiscence, he receives an unexpected call – Grandma is in critical condition.
IMDB Rating: 6.6
IMDB Votes: 8000
Genere: Animation, Drama, Romance
Country: China, Japan
Duration: 74 min
Plot tags: anime, anthology, light, manga, psychological, atmospheric, uplifting, sweet, captivating, scenic
Similar in 79%
A Silent Voice (2016)
Plot Summary:
Shouya Ishida starts bullying the new girl in class, Shouko Nishimiya, because she is deaf. But as the teasing continues, the rest of the class starts to turn on Shouya for his lack of compassion. When they leave elementary school, Shouko and Shouya do not speak to each other again... until an older, wiser Shouya, tormented by his past behaviour, decides he must see Shouko once more. He wants to atone for his sins, but is it already too late...?.
IMDB Rating: 8.1
IMDB Votes: 96000
Genere: Animation, Drama
Country: Japan
Duration: 130 min
Plot tags: anime, touching, sincere, romantic, sweet, inspirational, biting, manga, adult animation, epic
Similar in 76%
Weathering with You (2019)
Plot Summary:
Hodaka, a high school boy who moves from his isolated island home to the city of Tokyo, who immediately becomes broke! After finally finding work at a shady occult magazine, the sky rains every day until amidst the hustle and bustle of the big city, he meets a young woman called Hina. She lives a cheerful life with her younger brother, but also has a certain power: to stop the rain and clear the sky.
IMDB Rating: 7.5
IMDB Votes: 52000
Genere: Animation, Drama, Fantasy, Romance
Country: Japan, China
Duration: 112 min
Plot tags: anime, touching, exciting, captivating, feel good, fairy tale, epic, manga, light, visually stunning
Similar in 89%
From Up on Poppy Hill (2011)
Plot Summary:
The story is set in 1963 in Yokohama. Kokuriko Manor sits on a hill overlooking the harbour. A 16 year-old girl, Umi, lives in that house. Every morning she raises a signal flag facing the sea. The flag means “I pray for safe voyages”. A 17 year-old boy, Shun, always sees this flag from the sea as he rides a tugboat to school. Gradually the pair are drawn to each other but they are faced with a sudden trial. Even so, they keep going without running from facing the hardships of reality.
IMDB Rating: 7.4
IMDB Votes: 50000
Genere: Animation, Comedy, Drama, Family, Romance
Country: Japan
Duration: 91 min
Plot tags: anime, touching, sentimental, atmospheric, romantic, sweet, emotional, talky, serious, manga
Similar in 88%
I Want to Eat Your Pancreas (2018)
Plot Summary:
Spring time in April and the last of the cherry blossoms are still in bloom. The usually aloof bookworm with no interest in others comes across a book in a hospital waiting room. Handwritten on the cover are the words: "Living with Dying." He soon discovers that it is a diary kept by his very popular and genuinely cheerful classmate, Sakura Yamauchi, who reveals to him that she is secretly suffering from a pancreatic illness and only has a limited time left. It is at this moment that she gains just one more person to share her secret. Trying to maintain a normal life as much as possible, Sakura is determined to live her life to the fullest until the very last day. As her free spirit and unpredictable actions throw him for a loop, his heart begins to gradually change.
IMDB Rating: 8.0
IMDB Votes: 22000
Genere: Animation, Drama, Family, Romance
Country: Japan
Duration: 109 min
Plot tags: anime, sincere, disturbing, romantic, atmospheric, thought provoking, captivating, light, epic, manga
Similar in 80%
The Garden of Words (2013)
Plot Summary:
Takao, who is training to become a shoemaker, skipped school and is sketching shoes in a Japanese-style garden. He meets a mysterious woman, Yukino, who is older than him. Then, without arranging the times, the two start to see each other again and again, but only on rainy days. They deepen their relationship and open up to each other. But the end of the rainy season soon approaches ….
IMDB Rating: 7.4
IMDB Votes: 51000
Genere: Animation, Drama, Romance
Country: Japan
Duration: 46 min
Plot tags: anime, touching, sweet, atmospheric, melancholic, serious, romantic, colorful, visual, manga
Similar in 78%
The Place Promised in Our Early Days (2004)
Plot Summary:
The story takes place in a alternate postwar period, in 1996, where Japan is divided. Hokkaido is ruled by the "Union" while Honshu and other southern islands are under US authority. A tall tower was built on Hokkaido, which could even be seen from Tokyo. In the summer of 1996, three middle-school students make a promise that they'll cross the border with a self-constructed plane and unravel the tower's secret, but their project was abandoned after the girl, Sayuri Sawatari, became mysteriously ill and transferred to Tokyo. Years later on the brink of another war Hiroki Fujisawa finds out that Sayuri had been in coma since then, and he asks Takuya Shirakawa to help him finding a way to wake her up.
IMDB Rating: 6.9
IMDB Votes: 15000
Genere: Animation, Drama, Romance, Sci-Fi
Country: Japan
Duration: 90 min
Plot tags: anime, serious, manga, captivating, suspense, sad, adult animation, deep, futuristic, whimsical
Similar in 78%
The Girl Who Leapt Through Time (2006)
Plot Summary:
When 17-year-old Makoto Konno gains the ability to, quite literally, "leap" backwards through time, she immediately sets about improving her grades and preventing personal mishaps. However, she soon realises that changing the past isn't as simple as it seems, and eventually, will have to rely on her new powers to shape the future of herself and her friends.
IMDB Rating: 7.7
IMDB Votes: 70000
Genere: Animation, Adventure, Comedy, Drama, Family, Fantasy, Mystery, Romance, Sci-Fi
Country: Japan
Duration: 98 min
Plot tags: anime, touching, feel good, humorous, manga, surreal, mind bending, mind twisting, psychological, funny
Similar in 79%
Your Name. (2016)
Plot Summary:
High schoolers Mitsuha and Taki are complete strangers living separate lives. But one night, they suddenly switch places. Mitsuha wakes up in Taki’s body, and he in hers. This bizarre occurrence continues to happen randomly, and the two must adjust their lives around each other.
IMDB Rating: 8.4
IMDB Votes: 306000
Genere: Animation, Drama, Fantasy, Romance
Country: Japan
Duration: 106 min
Plot tags: anime, sweet, touching, melancholic, romantic, captivating, surprise ending, sentimental, scenic, suspense