Release Date: 26 August, 2016
Number of Media: Local DVD/Blu-ray release. No English dub announced. There is a novelization and a manga adaptation, both written by Shinkai.
What's It About: Highschoolers Taki and Mitsuha mysteriously swap identities with one another while they sleep. Over time, they come to understand each other's lives and deepen their connection to one another, and figure out a way to meet. However, there are complications that prevent this from happening, in which they must work together to overcome.
The Good: The art is absolutely gorgeous. If there's one thing Shinkai is known for, it's his ability to paint skies and landscapes. As a result, his rendition of the rural areas of Japan leave much to the imagination, and the rendering of the more fantastic elements of the film burst into life with dazzling spectacle. The music, by Japanese rock band Radwimps, evoke youthful, energetic themes that help illustrate the speed and dynamism of the characters, particularly 前前前世 (Zenzenzense). The film has some very interesting and unpredictable twists that present very difficult obstacles for the characters to overcome, and they do so with wonderful emotional impact.
The Bad: There's alot going on, so it can be hard to understand exactly what's happening and how. There are also a few unexplained supernatural phenomena occurring, even within the fictional world's own worldframe, and these go unanswered, leaving a few plot holes behind. There's also some over-delivery on some of the jokes, which are perhaps one gag too long, but some of the other more logical ones have hilarious outcomes.
Best Character: Mone Kamishiraishi as Mitsuha Miyzmizu. She undergoes the most growth of all characters in the film, although compared to other stories, isn't a whole lot, since her screentime is equally shared with Taki's. She is the source of most of the jokes in the film (my favorite is this one). Initially she is disinterested in maintaining the traditions that she upholds as a shrine maiden and wishes to move to the city, but later comes to respect them as part of her town's identity and they eventually come to save the town from destruction.
Should I Watch It: Makoto Shinkai is famous for his emotionally touching stories that often feature star-crossed lovers separated by an uncrossable chasm. This film is exemplary of that and serves as his breakthrough hit, and is an enormous commercial success in Japan and abroad. If you're reading this blog for anime reviews, then this is definitely a good one to get you started, if you haven't already.
Similar Shows: Erased (2016), The Girl Who Leapt Through Time (2006), Kokoro Connect (2012)
Trailer:
