Children of the Sea

Name: Children of the Sea
Genre: Adventure, Drama, Mystery, Fantasy, Animation
Released: September 1, 2020
Duration: 111 min
Rating: 74
Cast: Anjali Gauld, Beau Bridgland, Benjamin Niedens, Denise Lee, Gorô Inagaki

2020

METASCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 8 Critic Reviews

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USER SCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 11 Ratings

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6.8

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6.8	User Score Generally favorable reviews based on 11 Ratings

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Children Of The Sea (US Trailer 1)

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Movie Details & Credits

GKIDS | Release Date (Streaming): September 1, 2020 | Not Rated

Starring: Anjali Gauld, Beau Bridgland, Benjamin Niedens, Denise Lee, Gorô Inagaki, Hiiro Ishibashi, Karen Strassman, Lynden Prosser, Mana Ashida, Marc Thompson, Min Tanaka, Sanurzhan Suleimeniv, Seishû Uragami, Sumiko Fuji, Tôru Watanabe, Win Morisaki, Yû Aoi

Summary: When Ruka was younger, she saw a ghost in the water at the aquarium where her dad works. Now she feels drawn toward the aquarium and the two mysterious boys she meets there, Umi and Sora. They were raised by dugongs and hear the same strange calls from the sea as she does. Ruka's dad and the other adults who work at the aquarium are onlyWhen Ruka was younger, she saw a ghost in the water at the aquarium where her dad works. Now she feels drawn toward the aquarium and the two mysterious boys she meets there, Umi and Sora. They were raised by dugongs and hear the same strange calls from the sea as she does. Ruka's dad and the other adults who work at the aquarium are only distantly aware of what the children are experiencing as they get caught up in the mystery of the worldwide disappearance of the oceans' fish.… Expand

Director: Ayumu Watanabe

Genre(s): Adventure, Drama, Mystery, Fantasy, Animation, Family

Rating: Not Rated

Runtime: 111 min

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Critic Reviews

100

The Telegraph Robbie Collin

Sep 3, 2020

A surging tsunami-crash of creativity and beauty. Read full review

Peter Debruge

Oct 29, 2019

This wide-eyed loner may be “just” an anime character, but she’s as relatable as any live-action teenager you might meet on screen this year, thanks to the splendid attention to detail and seemingly boundless imagination that characterizes Children of the Sea, director Ayumu Watanabe’s stunning adaptation of the prize-winning manga by Daisuke Igarashi. Read full review

Alex Saveliev

Aug 17, 2020

By simply witnessing the grandeur of the sea, by allowing us to glimpse that symbiosis between ocean and universe, the film ends up resonating powerfully, a feast that will stimulate both the eye and the cerebral cortex. Read full review

Rafael Motamayor

Sep 3, 2020

One thing is for certain, you haven’t seen an anime movie like this. Read full review

RogerEbert.com Simon Abrams

Sep 1, 2020

Children of the Sea is consequently yet another animated fantasy based on hackneyed tropes, like sprite-like martyrs, the guiding hands of fate, and vague nostalgia for a pre-technological past. Read full review

Maya Phillips

Sep 2, 2020

Children of the Sea finds plenty of beauty and purpose in the watery depths but doesn’t provide enough grounding first: It’s all too easy to get lost 20,000 leagues under the sea. Read full review

Allan Hunter

Sep 3, 2020

Full of interesting concepts and accomplished animation, Children Of The Sea is less than the sum of its many parts and just seems to lose its way after a very promising beginning. Read full review

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User Reviews

alejandro970

Sep 4, 2020

Beyond Studio Ghibli, this story comes with a more stylized but beautiful, hypnotic animation style. The plot may be difficult to follow because of its metaphors about marine life, its relationship with the universe and ours in it, but in no way provoke boredom or indifference. To see moreBeyond Studio Ghibli, this story comes with a more stylized but beautiful, hypnotic animation style. The plot may be difficult to follow because of its metaphors about marine life, its relationship with the universe and ours in it, but in no way provoke boredom or indifference. To see more than once to assimilate it better.… Expand

0 of 2 users found this helpful02

Jamejarrs

Sep 17, 2020

Almost a week after seeing this movie and I'm still trying to digest it, I'm honestly having a hard time placing my feelings for it.

The one thing I can say without a doubt is that Children of the Sea is absolutely stunning to look at. The animation on display here is like nothing I've everAlmost a week after seeing this movie and I'm still trying to digest it, I'm honestly having a hard time placing my feelings for it.

The one thing I can say without a doubt is that Children of the Sea is absolutely stunning to look at. The animation on display here is like nothing I've ever seen.

My main hang up is the story. The characters are likable and the plot is intriguing, but it absolutely goes off the deep end in the last third and that's where my hangups lie. It becomes incredibly hard to follow which makes its ending not quite land the way it should have. Some plot threads don't feel entirely fleshed out, but are simultaneously wrapped around the plot at large to make them thematically relevant.

I think I walked away glad that I saw it, but it's going to be a hard sell to people I know.… Expand

0 of 1 users found this helpful01

OwtDaft

Sep 8, 2022

Great visuals, it's very unique looking. The film starts off good with good character development. Mediocre pretentious nonsense story faking depth. Iincoherent. Can't care what happens if you don't know whats happening. The film might still be worth watching for the visuals alone. The firstGreat visuals, it's very unique looking. The film starts off good with good character development. Mediocre pretentious nonsense story faking depth. Iincoherent. Can't care what happens if you don't know whats happening. The film might still be worth watching for the visuals alone. The first act of the film is at least decent, before it becomes a total mess.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

ozymandias79

Sep 14, 2021

What did I just see? The universe having sex? This was too artsy and painful to watch.

1 of 1 users found this helpful10

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