It may have its origins in a Japanese novel, and it may be about a plesiosaur, but the particulars don't matter too much: we've more or less seen this movie before. A young kid encounters an unusual animal and forms a bond with it, and while some adults in his life are helpful and good-natured, there are others whose intentions, with the creature and otherwise, are much less altruistic. There is light humor and cutesiness, there are heartfelt beats and touches of more urgent drama, and this rendition of the story is naturally rounded out with its own specifics to flesh it out. Some scenes are especially lovely, and others are especially gauche; there are plentiful tropes on hand, and sometimes the storytelling is so direct as to suggest outright Movie Magic. More curiously, there also distinctly comes a point when, even as the overall thrust of the plot remains familiar, it veers into a wild direction that strains suspension of disbelief, if not altogether raises a skeptical eyebrow; imagine if 'Free Willy' also borrowed thoughts from 1985's 'Commando,' with added geopolitical intrigue, and you're partway there. Still, while it's not super special per se, overall the narrative is fairly well-written and compelling, the scene writing ably propels the saga with a surprising variety of flavors, and by and large 'From a distant ocean came Coo' is earnestly enjoyable.
It's not that Okamoto Kihachi's adaptation of Kageyama Tamio's novel is in any way bad (far from it); Imazawa Tetsuo's direction is quite capable, too. It's just that some aspects of the writing are definitely more sure-footed than others. Down to the characterizations there are solid, admirable, enticing ideas here, but the juxtaposition of the extremes is less than perfect in the first place, and some ideas are unquestionably represented more clearly and cogently than others. Maybe this is an issue of adaptation in the first place, or maybe the episodic nature of a manga or anime series would have been more appropriate. Regardless, however much we may scrutinize and reasonably criticize the writing, it's broadly just swell, with welcome themes. And meanwhile, we can certainly trust in Toei Animation to churn out fantastic work. Thirty years later the sights of this picture may not be the top of the line, and maybe they weren't in the first place, but the artists provide a splendid visual experience all the same. As we rightly anticipate of Japanese animation even more than studios elsewhere around the world, this is flush with terrific detail in every regard: gorgeous backgrounds, and fetching creature and character designs; smooth, fluid action, effects, and other active elements; forward-thinking water effects; and among still more, gratifying consideration for texture, lighting, shading, and more. I place great trust in Japanese animation houses, and this feature is no exception; it's also noteworthy that very early in his career, rising filmmaker Hosoda Mamoru served a assistant animation director here.
In other capacities 'From a distant ocean came Coo' is just as if not more well made. I love the animal sound effects, and the voice cast give excellent, expressive performances as suits the needs of any given scene. I'm sort of downright impressed with composer Oda Kazumasa, emphatically because the mood ranges so widely in the storytelling, and all the while the score is a deft complement: being very pleasing to the ears to begin with, and meeting the demands of the lighter tones, the harder thrills, the tragic drama, and everything in between. Add in the welcome overall quality of the animation and the storytelling, and when all is said and done this really is a good time. It has its faults, and I really wasn't prepared for the shift around the halfway mark, but I'd be plainly lying if I said I didn't like this film. Why, jarring as the violence is once it kicks in, I dare say there's even a spark of originality here, and inspiration, that like-minded fare sometimes lacks. One way or another there's no need to go out of your way for it, but if you're open to all that the medium has to offer - recognizable plots, swerving tones, and all - then the sum total is reliably entertaining. It's no revelation, but I ultimately had fun with 'From a distant ocean came Coo,' and I'm pleased to give it my warm recommendation.
