The Stranger by the Beach

(Umibe no Étranger)

Synopsis:

On an island off the coast of Okinawa, two young men meet on a beach: Shun Hashimoto, a gay novelist and Mio Chibana, a somber high school student. Day by day, the two of them grow closer, but then, suddenly, Mio decides to leave the island. They reunite three years later, and Mio says he is ready to be with Shun, but will Shun make the commitment?

Quick Thoughts:

I must confess, my knowledge of anime, manga, and the like is direly lacking. Which is probably why my reaction to “The Stranger By The Lake” is mixed. While the imagery of this queer animated film is stunning, the plot is confusing, rather unrealistic, and quite simply – it’s hard to follow. Often referred to as “boys love” films, many of the elements I found problematic are actually characteristic of the Shōnen-ai sub-genre of anime! Unfortunately, the poor characterization and a rather basic plot kept me from enjoying this animated film. But again, I’m certainly no expert – many others have found “The Stranger By The Lake” to be a good representation of the genre! So I leave it to you to make your own decision. Find the time to watch this queer animated film and let me know what you think.