When I watched this late 2017 (by late, I mean December-end-of-the-year late), I didn't really know what to expect. Kimi no Na wa was a film that, at least I heard, was nominated for multiple awards not just in Japan, but in the UNITED STATES. So if it reached out to people across nations, it had to be good, right? But, how good?
Absolutely spectacular. There's not much words to describe it other than one of the most enjoyable piece of animated film I have ever seen, topping most if not ALL Pixar Movies for me, and heck, even Miyazaki's works. Makoto Shinkai is a
...
genius, and although he has been very humble about Your Name's success (I can respect that), it is truly my favorite movie of not only 2017, but of all time. Here's why.
Story: 9
The story has strong ties to Japanese culture, so for the average foreign viewer they may not understand what some of the elements are, especially parts when they incorporate the language and the dialects they use, which aren't present in English. However, since I have watched my fair share of anime (like, 25-30. That's scratching the surface, but whatever), I understood the portrayal quite easily. The twists and turns the story takes you on messed with my emotions, and it was basically an emotional rollercoaster all the way through; always moving, never letting you rest for too long.
Makoto Shinkai, while he does make excellent slice-of-life movies, some, more specifically his longer films, are known to be slow. There were...a few slower parts (which is why this is the only part that isn't a perfect 10), but it is made up with quite literally everything else, which is why I gave it the score I did.
Art: 10
If I could give an Over 9000 I would. The art is honestly a lot more aesthetic than REAL LIFE. No joke. Screenshots don't do this movie justice. It's beautiful, surpassing every anime I've seen. Every five seconds felt worthy of a wallpaper, and the way the characters fit into this gorgeous environment is really natural. From the green forests to the concrete jungles, Makoto Shinkai NAILED the Art.
Sound: 10
More like a 12 to me. RADWIMPS, the band that made the soundtrack for the movie, worked in tandem with Shinkai since the early stages of the movie, making sure that their music fit in with Shinkai's animation. And it really did. The music did as much to sell me on this movie than the Art and Story combined; the amazing slow-rock songs were quite honestly one of my favorite parts of this movie. I would know, I bought the whole soundtrack as soon as the movie ended.
I think what I have to compare Your Name's soundtrack with is My Hero Academia's. Yes, they are very different, which is why I'm contrasting them. Your Name's music feels like it fits in with JUST Your Name. No other movie can just take Dream Lantern (The movie's opening song) and put it with their scenes and expect it to work. On the other hand, MHA's soundtrack is comparatively different, more specifically the track You Say Run. If you've been on YouTube for more than 5 minutes, you would notice that people put that track over practically any fight scene from any anime, and it goes perfectly with it (in fact, there's a scene in Your Name where You Say Run goes well with. Not telling where). It's generic, not saying generic is a bad thing, but it takes away from the heart of that song. Meanwhile, since RADWIMP's soundtrack is so unique that it only goes with one film, the heart is never taken away, as whenever the listener hears "Nandemonaiya", they don't think of that one scene in MHA's 2nd episode (for those who watched it you know what I'm talking about), they think of Your Name. That's why it deserves a perfect 10.
P.S. The voice acting for the Japanese and English versions were superb as well.
Character: 10
Some people think this is the weakest part of the film, saying that the characters are too shallow, or simple to really relate to. That they don't have any complex problems with their lives. But that's the thing: They're teenagers, barely making into their senior year (last I checked they were 17). Do you think you had any big issues in your life when you were 17 besides worrying about college? Not really. They don't have to have big problems because they're too young to have big problems. This movie was aimed at the adolescent, which is why this movie spoke to me a lot more than it spoke to, say, my parents. I had a blast because I related to them. The movie did perfect with the audience is was mainly trying to focus to, which is why I also gave this section a 10.
Enjoyment/Overall: 10 (but actually infinity)
Like I said, this was my favorite movie of all time. I don't really need to say anything more other than, if you haven't watched it, watch it as soon as possible. It is truly a masterpiece among the titans of Japanese animation.
Jan 4, 2018
Kimi no Na wa.
(Anime)
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When I watched this late 2017 (by late, I mean December-end-of-the-year late), I didn't really know what to expect. Kimi no Na wa was a film that, at least I heard, was nominated for multiple awards not just in Japan, but in the UNITED STATES. So if it reached out to people across nations, it had to be good, right? But, how good?
Absolutely spectacular. There's not much words to describe it other than one of the most enjoyable piece of animated film I have ever seen, topping most if not ALL Pixar Movies for me, and heck, even Miyazaki's works. Makoto Shinkai is a ... |
