I watched Ruby Gillman, Teenage Kraken expecting a bright animated adventure about a girl discovering a secret identity, and that is exactly what the film offers on the surface. But what made it more appealing to me was the way it connects giant ocean mythology to a very ordinary adolescent fear: the fear of standing out too much. Ruby is not only hiding that she comes from a family of krakens. She is trying to survive high school, friendships, crushes, family rules, and the constant embarrassment of being seen too clearly.