Animated film adaptations of graphic novels and manga present a unique challenge. Yes, the heavy work of the animation style and story structure has already been tackled, but it can be too easy for a filmmaker to lean on the source material. In Waves provides a textbook example of this phenomenon, as Phuong Mai Nguyen’s adaptation of AJ Dungo’s graphic novel features some of the year’s best animation, and the story hits all the right notes for a weepy teenage romance, but there are crucially missing elements that hold the film back. It’s crucial to understand, though, that Dungo based the graphic novel on his own experiences, which could explain some of the shortcomings.

Dungo’s stand-in (voiced by Will Sharpe in the English dub) is a shy, introverted teenager, more comfortable skateboarding throughout Los Angeles than going to parties or talking to girls. AJ’s doctor parents aren’t home much, so he seems fairly content to spend his time outside of school by himself, inside his comfort zone. That is, until a friend convinces him to attend a dance and he meets Kristen (Stephanie Hsu), a surfing enthusiast. For reasons that aren’t adequately explained in Samuel Doux and Fanny Burdino’s screenplay, AJ has a debilitating fear of the ocean. But, as all teenage boys do, he sets his fears aside in order to grow closer to Kristen, and he learns to surf.

And so AJ and Kristen begin a whirlwind romance, although, for reasons the screenplay leaves unclear again, they must meet in secret, lest they reveal themselves to her (presumably strict) parents. But Kristen falls ill, learning she has an aggressive form of cancer. In Waves won’t reinvent the wheel in the fated young lovers sub-genre; neither of the main characters are particularly memorable, nor do they make any memorable decisions to linger on after the credits roll. The film’s most notable stylistic decision comes in the form of the occasional black-and-white cutaways, wordlessly telling the story of the origins of surfing in Hawaii.

Indeed, In Waves looks great, a vibrant and stylistically unique animated offering that stands in contrast to what we typically see from major animation studios every year. Nguyen created the film entirely in Blender, the same free animation software used for Flow. Unlike that film though, In Waves actually features humans and dialogue, and while some hiccups can be blamed on the English language dub, the movements of characters’ mouths doesn’t always (ahem) flow as well as it should. Still, the film otherwise shines, especially whenever the characters enter the water.

By all rights, Kristen should be the main character of the film, and we should see her cancer journey through her own eyes, not AJ’s. But since In Waves was conceived with that level of removal, it remains as a testament to the importance of legacy, of passing down our memories of one another, long after we’re gone. There are no critical missteps within the film, no inauthentic character decisions which derail Kristen’s or AJ’s journeys; anyone, regardless of age, who’s closely dealt with someone going through cancer will surely relate to the story within the film. As a coming-of-age tearjerker, In Waves certainly gets the job done, featuring some beautiful imagery. But as anything more than this, it’s hard not to feel let down.

In Waves was screened as a Special Presentation film at the Heartland International Film Festival. Netflix will release the film in select theatres on November 27, and it will be available to stream on December 11.

OSCAR POTENTIAL:

• Unlike 2025, the Animated Feature race is much more competitive this year. Netflix already has a heavy hitter on their hands to push during awards season, in Brad Bird’s Ray Gunn. Unless that film flops, along with some of the other potential contenders, I don’t expect In Waves to receive an Oscar nomination.