"Weathering With You" review: Beautiful visuals and a moving story

"Weathering With You" - Makoto Shinkai's new masterpiece

■ Public Media

theater

■ Original Media

Anime Original

■ Release date

July 19, 2019 - January 1, 0000

■Distribution company

Toho

■Frequencies

114 min

■ Number of Episodes

Episode 1

■Original Story

Makoto Shinkai

■ Director

Makoto Shinkai

■ Production

Produced by CoMix Wave Films

■Works

©2019 "Weathering With You" Production Committee

■ Story

"I wanted to go into that light."
Summer of his first year of high school. Hodaka runs away from home on a remote island and comes to Tokyo. However, he soon finds himself in financial difficulty, and after many lonely days, he finally finds a job as a writer for a dubious occult magazine. As if to suggest what lies ahead for him, the rain continues to fall day after day. Meanwhile, in a corner of the crowded city, Hodaka meets a girl. The girl, Hina, lives cheerfully and resiliently with her younger brother, but she has a certain situation. She has a mysterious ability.

■Explanation

A Japanese animated film directed by Makoto Shinkai. Released on July 19, 2019. The catchphrase is "This is a story about the secret of the world that only I and she know." This is Shinkai's seventh theatrical animated film, three years after his previous work "Your Name."

The new film "Weathering with You" tells the story of a boy and girl at the mercy of fate who "choose" how to live their lives in an era when the harmony of the weather is going haywire. Hodaka, a runaway boy who comes to Tokyo, meets Hina, a girl with mysterious powers. The story of their love is beautiful and heartbreaking, and is depicted as a message to all generations and the whole world as they enter a new era. The voice actors for the main character Hodaka will be Kotaro Daigo, and the heroine Hina will be Nana Mori. The voices of the two, selected from over 2,000 auditioners, are attracting a lot of attention. In addition, Honda Tsubasa, Baisho Chieko, Oguri Shun and others have been cast in a truly luxurious cast. And RADWIMPS will be in charge of all the music in the film, including the theme song "Is There Still Anything That Love Can Do?" As a new challenge for this film, Touko Miura, an artist who sings the subtleties of the heart in a mysterious way, will be on vocals, and several songs will be produced. The "poem" that they spun together has brought even greater emotion to Shinkai's world.

■Cast

・Hodaka Morishima/Kotaro Daigo ・Hina Amano/Nana Mori ・Nagi Amano/Sakura Yoshiyanagi ・Keisuke Suga/Shun Oguri

■ Main staff

・Original story/Makoto Shinkai・Screenplay/Makoto Shinkai・Director/Makoto Shinkai・Storyboard/Makoto Shinkai・Editing/Makoto Shinkai・Image board/Makoto Shinkai・Character design/Masayoshi Tanaka, Atsushi Tamura・Producer/Minami Ichikawa, Noriyoshi Kawaguchi・Planning/Genki Kawamura・Producer/Yoshihiro Furusawa・Chief animation director/Atsushi Tamura・Art director/Hiroshi Takiguchi・Direction/Yuga Tokuno, Kenji Imura・Sound director/Yo Yamada

■ Main Characters

Hodaka Morishima is the protagonist of this story. He is a first-year student at Kozushima High School. At the beginning of the story, he runs away from home and travels to the Tokyo mainland by ferry. He is struggling to make ends meet, so he meets a writer named Suga by chance and ends up working as a live-in employee at his office. He meets Hina after a certain incident.

Hina Amano The heroine of this work. Born on August 22nd. A third-year junior high school student. She has the ability to temporarily clear a localized area by praying. However, every time she uses this ability, her body gradually becomes transparent, which comes at a cost. During her part-time job, she bought a Big Mac for Hodaka, who had run out of money and was starving, and that's how she got to know him.

・Amano Nagisa's younger brother. A fifth grader.

Keisuke Suga: A middle-aged man who runs K&A Planning LLC and makes a living by contributing articles to magazines.

■ Related works

Weathering With You

■ Theme songs and music

・TM1
・Grand Escape ・Lyrics by Yojiro Noda ・Music by Yojiro Noda ・Singer by RADWIMPS
・ED1
・Is there anything love can do yet? ・Lyrics by Yojiro Noda ・Music by Yojiro Noda ・Singer by RADWIMPS

The appeal and evaluation of "Weathering with You"

Director Makoto Shinkai's latest film, Weathering With You, was released on July 19, 2019, and has been a big hit both in Japan and overseas. Director Makoto Shinkai's works are known for their beautiful visuals and moving stories, and Weathering With You lives up to those expectations. The film tells the story of a boy and a girl who are at the mercy of fate in a world where abnormal weather has become commonplace. Below, we will take a closer look at the appeal and reviews of Weathering With You.

Beautiful visuals

Director Makoto Shinkai's works are characterised by beautiful visuals, and Weathering With You is no exception. The cityscape of Tokyo and the natural scenery are carefully drawn down to the smallest detail, drawing the audience in. The rainy scenes in particular are realistic and beautiful, making you feel as if you are actually standing in the rain. Furthermore, the scenes in which the weather clears thanks to Hina's powers are so beautiful, almost magical, that they move the audience. Director Makoto Shinkai's meticulous visuals further enhance the film's appeal.

An inspiring story

The story of "Weathering with You" is about a boy and a girl at the mercy of fate. The protagonist, Hodaka, is a high school student who runs away from home and comes to Tokyo. Despite struggling to make ends meet, he grows as a person through his encounter with Hina. Hina is a girl with a mysterious power, but the price of using that power is that her body becomes invisible. The story of their love is beautiful and heartbreaking, and will move the audience. Director Makoto Shinkai's storytelling has the power to deeply move the audience.

A stellar cast

Another point not to be missed in Weathering With You is the cast. Daigo Kotaro was selected for the lead role of Hodaka, and his acting skills have been highly praised. Mori Nana was chosen to play the heroine Hina, and her crystal clear voice brings out the character of Hina. The supporting cast is rounded out by a stellar cast that includes Oguri Shun, Honda Tsubasa, and Baisho Chieko, adding depth to the story. The acting skills of the cast and the appeal of the characters combine to create a work that leaves a strong impression on the audience.

The power of music

The music in Weathering With You is also one of its great attractions. All of the music in the film, including the theme song "Is There Still Anything That Love Can Do?", is handled by RADWIMPS. RADWIMPS' music has the power to bring out the emotions of the story, deeply moving the audience. Additionally, new songs featuring Miura Toko on vocals have also become a hot topic, further enriching the worldview of the film. The fusion of music and visuals is a major attraction of director Shinkai Makoto's work, and this appeal is fully displayed in Weathering With You.

Recognition and Awards

"Weathering With You" received high praise both at home and abroad. In Japan, the box office revenue exceeded 14 billion yen, making it the second biggest hit after director Shinkai Makoto's previous work, "Your Name." It was also highly praised overseas, winning awards at numerous film festivals. In particular, it was selected for the feature film competition at the Annecy International Animated Film Festival, where it won the Crystal Award. This was the first such achievement for a Japanese animation film, and marked the moment director Shinkai Makoto's talent was recognized worldwide.

Social message

"Weathering with You" is set in a world where abnormal weather has become commonplace, but the film also contains a social message. While depicting modern social issues such as climate change and environmental problems, it also questions the importance of individual lifestyles and choices. Director Makoto Shinkai said in an interview, "This film is not just about the weather, but also about the weather in society and people's hearts," and this message resonates deeply with the audience.

Audience reaction

"Weathering With You" has also been highly praised by audiences. It has been especially popular among young people, with many comments and reviews posted on social media. Audiences have commented, "I was moved by the beautiful visuals and moving story," "RADWIMPS' music enhanced the story," and "I empathized with Hina's ability and the price she pays." There are also many repeat viewers, with quite a few fans going to see the movie multiple times. The appeal of "Weathering With You" is apparent from the audience's reactions.

Related Products and Events

There is also a wide range of merchandise related to Weathering With You. In addition to the Blu-ray and DVD of the film, there are also original artwork collections, setting materials collections, character goods, and other items on sale, which have been highly popular among fans. The events held in conjunction with the film's release also attracted attention. In particular, at the stage greeting to commemorate the release, director Makoto Shinkai and cast members took to the stage, providing an opportunity for direct interaction with the audience. These related merchandise and events are playing a role in further increasing the enthusiasm of fans.

Recommendations and Summary

"Weathering with You" is a masterpiece packed with the talents of director Makoto Shinkai, a work that combines beautiful visuals, a moving story, and a stellar cast and music. It also contains a social message that deeply moves the audience. Its appeal is particularly evident in the strong support it has received from young people, with many repeat viewers. There are also plenty of related products and events, making it a work that fans cannot miss.

If you are interested in the work of director Makoto Shinkai, if you are looking for beautiful visuals and a moving story, and if you can relate to the social message, I highly recommend "Weathering with You." I hope you will experience Makoto Shinkai's new masterpiece at the theater.