Anime Review: Stranger by the Shore

Watching anime is a bit like falling into Wonderland. You never quite know where the characters are going to go or what you’re going to get with the story. When it comes to the 2020 romantic BL drama Stranger by the Sea, it was a bright and beautiful experience filled with tears and stunning animation.

Based on the manga of the same name, Mio (voiced by Yoshitsugu Matsuoka/Justin Briner) is grieving a very heavy loss. Shun(voiced by Taishi Murata/Josh Grelle) is a young novelist who is gay but struggles with his sexuality. It’s one of those instances in a BL drama where 1.) not everyone is queer on some level and 2.) not everyone is 100% open and accepting of the character’s sexuality. Shun was abandoned after coming out (which is why he struggles). It’s very much a slice-of-life type of story.

But it isn’t a story without its flaws. There’s a time gap that really stunts Mio’s character development. Three years seem to pass in the blink of an eye and in those three years, his character goes from questioning and concerned, to an overly-cheerful hornball whose only goal is to get busy with Shun. Still, it’s very good.

Directed by Akiyo Ohashi, visually, this film is stunning. The colors are bright and invoke a feeling of summer. The character designs, especially those for Mio and Shun are gorgeous. Also, the score, composed by Mina Kubota is breathtaking.

Shun looking up into Mio’s eyes as they make love for the first time

Available for viewing on Funimation or for purchase through sites like Right Stuff Anime the box set for the Limited Edition Blu-ray comes with a sturdy slipcase and a 100-page art book featuring interviews with the manga creator, storyboards, and more. It’s well worth the near $50 price tag.