Drifting Home is a Japanese anime film on Netflix that revolves around a group of schoolchildren. Sixth-graders Kosuke and Natsume grow up as childhood friends in the same apartment building. Later in the story, the apartment building is set to be demolished. While playing during summer break, they find themselves caught in a strange phenomenon: they are surrounded by a vast sea as far around them as they can see. Will Kosuke and the others make it back to their world? A summer journey of farewells has just begun.
Drifting Home has a director and cast members all of Japanese descent. The traditional, Japanese animation style, cultural motifs, and English subtitles make this a must-watch for anime fans.
Drifting Home is centered around the theme of survival, a major theme that brings adventure to young viewers. A group of middle school kids finds themselves stranded at sea with no parents or guardians, with little food and water, and only having each other for company. As the kids struggle to survive and find their way back home, they learn how to communicate, get along with one another, and work together to find resources such as food and water. The subplot of
Drifting Home focuses on Kosuke Kumagaya and Natsume Tonai, both 11 years old, who are childhood friends who grew up like siblings. The relationship between the two began to be strained after the death of Kosuke's grandfather, Yasuji. Their strained relationship interferes with the kids' efforts to bring all of them home.
The kids feel like they're cut off from the outside world. They can't use their phones to call for help because there's neither Wi-Fi nor cell phone service. Since the kids have different ways of dealing with a crisis, they experience conflict with one another when it comes to solving problems. The movie's title,
Drifting Home, gives viewers the image of a group of kids stranded at sea trying to find their way back home, where it's safe. A brief montage shows how the kids are trying their best to survive and call for help. he climax sees the kids face danger when they are caught in a massive storm.
Kosuke's light blue stuffed animal is a symbolic object that represents his old friendship with Natsume, back when they were younger. Now, he is cold and distant and spends time away from the others in his blue tent. His personality changes when he sees his friends in danger and he changes for the better as he reconciles with Natsume. The epilogue describes how Kosuke said something mean to Natsume and never took responsibility for his actions, thus resulting in the two falling out. After that, things got back to the way they were.
Drifting Home is an adventurous movie that is centered around the theme of friendship.
