I'm writing this review after my second time through Drowning Love, and it definitely gains depth as you get to know it better. I'm always interested when the shoujo genre departs from its norms and turns into something more serious, which this film is an excellent example of. It's not a cheerful, sappy shoujo film, and rather comes across as a striking, nuanced, and deeply romantic meditation.

One thing I think is good to keep in mind going in is that the story of Drowning Love occupies the physical and spiritual realms equally. (The "spiritual" here refers to the Japanese Shinto faith, and the spirits and beliefs it contains.) In Drowning Love, the abstract, the liminal, the spiritual carry just as much weight as what "really" happens - if not more. This movie works through a tragic, life-changing experience in a really nuanced and thoughtful way - poetically rather than logically, if you will. The main couple has so much chemistry, and their relationship has so much weight to it that I find I can never take my eyes off of them. In that vein, this movie is incredibly sexy, not because of the amount of skin shown, but because the characters and their bond grab you in unexpected and breathtaking ways.

I feel like the second time through I have finally figured out the ending. The movie does feel like it ends in the abstract, rather than the concrete, but I want to reassure someone fearful of wasting their time that the ending isn't nonsense - I was able to understand it better when I paid attention to the transitions between the scenes.

The music was the only let-down in this film. It was like the only leave-over from a stereotypical shoujo film - upbeat rock music that just didn't fit the story. The rock only plays rarely, though, and I want to give full kudos for the auditory richness here - the sounds of water running, the main character breathing, the beating drums at the festival. When you're in this movie, you're really in it with all your senses, and that's a great accomplishment on the part of the film-makers.

In conclusion, this movie was clearly made by a group of skilled people who were putting deep thought into it. The results are stunning, and a second watch or a few rewinds will clear up any confusion experienced the first time around. I want to give a shout-out to the actors, as well, who are incredible - and especially the second male lead, who is compelling without being pitiful or saccharine. This is definitely one I will be coming back to re-watch again and again.

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