Your Name

Your Name is just a good movie. This movie felt long, but not too long. All the way through, I was asking what would happen next. It was clever, emotional, and left me crying after the movie. The twist was done really well, and I almost wanted to pause the movie. Also, the animation is gorgeous. You get to see detailed images from many angles and perspectives, and there were hundreds of animators! The credits didn't start out with the cast like it usually would. The first thing you saw after a black screen was hundreds of names of animators and designers. I watched this movie again and I still felt my muscles ready to let tears out. I would not recommend this movie any less than the next guy, so what are you waiting for? Get a couple of friends and watch Your Name!

I went in to see Kimi no Na ha without knowing anything about the movie. I had simply been intrigued by the movie poster with the comet as a background to two high school students living in wildly different environments - and the excellent reviews on its Friday release convinced me to see it just the day after.

Not knowing anything about the movie made me relish every single moment of it. The two main characters would, it seems, never have the occasion to meet each other, but through a mysterious circumstance are led to share some of their waking hours with each other. At first, the movie struck a compelling, funny and nostalgic view at high school life in Japan, love, friendship, puberty, teenage angst and some elements of mysticism. It felt like a very fresh and charming sentimental love comedy with a dash of depth and teenage angst. And it already utterly captured me at that point.

Yet midway, the movie veers resolutely into dramatic, and more mystical territory, while managing to keep the lighthearted tone it had reached during the first half at just the right moments. Together with one of the main characters, I was shocked and powerless upon learning of one aspect that had eluded both protagonists, as well as the audience. At the same time, a trope often used in science-fiction got thrown into the mix and the stakes suddenly get much higher, making me look back to the first half of the movie and thinking "wwwooooowww I get it now", while following the paths of the protagonists, which, just like the Kumi Himo (thread making?) that Miyamizu Shrine makes, represent time itself. Meeting, diverging, tangling, getting cut, doubling back. The second half of the film is a perfect adventure, full of suspense, humor, hope, and yes, tears. And at some points, it gets close to tragedy (one scene in a train left a huge lump in my throat). In some respect it reminded me of Spirited Away (my long time favorite animation movie), in which both main characters grow thanks to the other, and whose paths had crossed and would cross again, beyond memory or reality.

Saying more would spoil the movie, so I have been very, very vague. Suffice it to say the movie made me laugh, cry, get the goosebumps, and got me to the edge of my seat at some points. It really had great storytelling, pacing, characters, and emotions throughout. I loved it.

The visuals were also gorgeous. Absolutely gorgeous. Tokyo is more real than the real Tokyo, and the director, animators, background artists, and computer artists seem to have devilish fun playing with lighting and getting some of the most beautiful scenes and moments I can recall in an animation movie.

I should mention the music as well, which was very, very good. I know RADWIMPS (I went to see them live a couple of years back), but was surprised at the tone they achieved, and how well it fit with the movie - the music, along with the visuals, really help in getting a full immersion into the story.

However, some of the most hilarious jokes in the movie seem to be untranslatable to English - in particular the "dialects" of the main characters, as well as a specific moment that makes use of several of the ways that Japanese people use to refer to themselves, depending on context and sex (watashi, watakushi, boku, ore). So I'm looking forward to seeing how those scenes will be handled in the translation!

I have since seen the movie one more time, bought the OST, and bought and read the novelization (which is almost like the movie, but does give more insight into each character's thoughts and thought processes.). Highly recommended!

Your Name (Kimi No Na Wa) tells the story of two teenagers with vastly different backgrounds. One is a boy who lived in Tokyo and has the word "city" described all around him. One is a girl who lived in rural town far from technology and anything interesting. One morning, somehow, they found out that they have swapped bodies. Together, they must help each other find solution in daily life problems, and solve the mystery of the reason why this whole conundrum started.

This may sound like your typical body-swap romantic comedy situation, but you may find yourself on the wrong side of the spectrum as this movie takes you into an incredible journey. With a storytelling so divine, complex, yet understandable, this movie captures the essence of what romantic comedy movies have lost nowadays, a heart and a charm to lure you in.

Japanese animation movies tend to have a bit of a stereotype, but the movie successfully shown very little of that. Transitioning from one scene to the other effortlessly, Radwimps deserves an incredible applause for their talents in the movie, as every song and every score fits perfectly to the scene currently shown.

Although the movie does end in a predictable way, the voyage to that predictable end is more than enough to keep you satisfied. There are some usage of stock characters and several clichés throughout, something that maybe will drive some of the audiences away or cloud their judgment. But beside all that, the story is still original and well executed.

What seems to be a silly premise evolved into something even more trifling. But with its unbearable charm, it worked astonishingly well.

It's been a while since I've seen something outside of Studio Ghibli, being the most recent When Marnie Was There. I'm not familiar with Makoto Shinkai's work but this certainly encourages me to watch the rest of his catalog.

I knew nothing about the film until only the day before seeing it, instantly attracted to the poster and the mini synopsis of two high school teens from opposite sides of the country, who periodically switch in their dreams.

Gladly I didn't read anymore into it and just went to watch it as there's so much more to the intriguing story at face value. It's a little confusing at times bouncing between the two characters, but that doesn't deter the enjoyment and wonderment of the film.

We follow quiet country school girl Mitsuha voiced by Mone Kamishiraishi, going about her daily chores and traditions in a village shrouded by folklore and superstition with mayor-elect pushing for advancement. All this while we also follow rough-and-ready city boy, Taki, voiced by Ryûnosuke Kamiki, who is no stranger to voice acting, starring in Spirited Away at the age of eight and later in Howl's Moving Castle.

The two become celestially bound to one another without fully understanding how, or even knowing who each other are, which leads them both on an adventure of discovery, comical annoyance and eventual romance. It's perfectly balanced between the two even with a number of interesting side characters, each adding something to the intricacies of the plot and supplying a lot of the light-hearted comedy.

The scenery and animation is stunning, vibrant and beautifully breathtaking; with blinding lens flares and gorgeous landscapes that fill the entirely screen. It's superbly paced, perfectly edited so not to make a mess of the constant jumps.

The score by the Japanese rock band, Radwimps is simply amazing, perfect for the film with a mixture of teeny pop/rock and pleasant instrumentals, with surprising tracks like "Kataware Doki" using soft pianos and strings. It's a score Final Fantasy composer, Nobuo Uematsu would be proud of.

There are some films that are not meant to be for live action, showcasing the stunning craftsmanship and elegant talent of the skilled animators and artists, this being one of those films. The actual anime capturing the magical essence of the heartfelt story that I don't believe can be replicated as good live.

Cosmically enchanting, touching and visually beautiful. Certainly the best anime I've seen this year.

Running Time: 9 The Cast: 9 Performance: 9 Direction: 10 Story: 10 Script: 10 Creativity: 10 Soundtrack: 9 Job Description: 10 The Extra Bonus Points: 10 for being such a wonderful, beautiful, romantic story, magical in every sense. Would I buy the Bluray?: Definitely

96% 10/10

Kimi no Nawa is up there with the quality of work Studio Ghibli makes. It's a journey in a world breathing with atmosphere, mystery, and visual wonder. A journey about growth and resilience in the face of overwhelming odds. A journey about human emotion that transcends space and time, as we watch our two protagonists struggle relentlessly against fate. A journey that might just be one of the most captivating anime movie experiences I've had in years.

Director Makoto Shinkai's artistry is something people tend to love or hate, but this film is solid proof to all of his disdainful critics that his movies were never "just eye candy". They explore the nature of life and relationships in quiet ways rarely seen or discussed, which is why most of them are not fast-paced or action packed...and why they are so beautiful. But even if you're not a fan of this kind of style with its major use of metaphorical imagery and mixture of subtle and explosive emotions, definitely give Kimi no Nawa a chance. This is by far his most ambitious, original movie in many ways. For instance, there's an actual mystical element to the story apart from his previous films that are set purely on realism. The pacing is a lot faster and intense. There's a surprising amount of humor in the script, making the chemistry between the characters more light-hearted and comically entertaining than expected. All of this is done through a narrative vision so emotional, so brilliantly realized, that I'm pretty sure everyone at the Anime Expo world premiere screening was tearing up, including me.

Without spoiling, what mainly drives this film's story is the dynamics of our main characters' relationship. The way these two interact is just so unique and lovable. The premise itself allows them to bond on a more personal level, far more intriguing than the usual teenage love story where boy meets girl, boy likes girl, boy gets girl. Eventually, you become so invested in their strange relationship, that when all the action goes down, it's no longer just suspenseful - it's almost heartbreaking.

Editing and sound design play a HUGE role in this immersion. There's rarely a single dull moment because of how gripping and emotionally driven the timing of every cut is. The sound design combined with a beautiful music score is outstanding - subtle and moving when creating atmosphere, powerful at times of dramatic conflict. In fact, the same can be said for pretty much all of the visual aesthetics - which if I haven't already mentioned, are amazing. This is a prime example of astonishingly jaw-dropping animation combined with powerful storytelling.

Kimi no Nawa is not just any anime movie. It has the potential to be viewed and studied as art cinema. It's so beautifully crafted and meticulously detailed, I feel like I didn't even cover 80% of its greatness in this review. To do that, I would have to make a spoiler analysis review, and to do that, I would probably have to see the movie again, maybe a couple more times before I can fully appreciate this nearly flawless masterpiece.

I know I sound like I'm fanboying, but as a film student and anime fan for many years, I'm being fully honest here - if Director Makoto Shinkai keeps this kind of quality up, he is going to be an even bigger name in the anime industry for years to come. Remember Your Name long enough until it's available in your country, if you're not seeing it in Japan theaters. Because trust me, you're not going to forget it. 10/10