Trying to make sense of Nanatsu no umi. Kôhen: Teisô-hen

So, is Nanatsu no umi. Kôhen: Teisô-hen worth your time? If you enjoy movies that feel like a dusty, half-remembered dream from the 1930s, then sure. If you need a fast plot, look elsewhere immediately. This one is for the patient, the curious, and those who don't mind getting lost in a narrative that feels as sprawling as the ocean it’s named after.

It’s funny how movies from this era just decide to exist in their own bubble. There’s no rush to explain who anyone is or why they are standing in that particular doorway. You just show up and deal with it. The pacing? It’s glacial. It’s like watching a boat drift toward a pier; you know it’ll arrive eventually, but the anticipation is mostly just staring at the water.

Kinuko Wakamizu has this way of holding a scene that makes you wonder if she’s actually acting or just bored. It’s magnetic. There’s a moment about midway through where someone mentions a secret, and the camera lingers on her face for what feels like three minutes. It probably wasn't that long. But the silence in the room just sits there. It’s heavy.

The whole thing has this weird, stiff elegance to it. Everyone is so polite that it starts to feel like a threat. You keep waiting for someone to yell, or trip, or spill something, but they just keep being perfectly composed. It’s unsettling. Much like the weird tension you find in Thérèse Raquin, there is a sense of people trapped by their own choices.

I found myself zoning out during the dialogue-heavy stretches. Then, suddenly, a wide shot of the sea would appear and I’d be pulled back in. The contrast between the claustrophobic interiors and the open water is the only thing keeping the movie from feeling totally airless. It’s not exactly dynamic filmmaking, but it has a rhythm. Sort of like a heartbeat that’s skipped a few too many times.

There’s a strange lack of urgency here that feels almost rebellious. Most films want to grab you by the collar, but this one just wants you to sit quietly in the corner and watch the wallpaper peel. Oddly, I didn't hate that. It’s definitely not for everyone, and I’m sure some will find it as dry as old parchment. But if you’re in the mood to watch people struggle with their own dignity while looking very sharp in period costumes, well, here you go. 🌊