ANIME MOVIE REVIEW: YOUR NAME (KIMI NO NA WA?)


10/10 

Mitsuha is a country girl who is dreaming of big city life. Taki is a boy from Tokyo who one day wakes up... in Mitsuha's body. The same happens to Mitsuha. After this body switching, when they both come around the next morning, they have very little memory of what has occurred... this strange phenomena repeats itself for some unknown reason. As the boy and the girl learn to live with this curious body swapping, they also become curious of each other... is it love? When the phenomena suddenly stops Taki leaves the comfort of his Tokyo home to find the mysterious girl whose life seems to be fused with his own. What he discovers will shake him to the core. Will the two star crossed lovers be able to reunite against all the odds? 

In Japan the plot of YOUR NAME could be called a "gender bender", but in truth it is a genre bender, uniting romance, thriller, sci fi and disaster in one very complex movie that is very confident  in its own storytelling. 

Director Makoto Shinkai comes from independent movie making, but this mainstream full feature film, that broke the attendance records in Japan, is a true marvel. Shinkai who had always been a one man operation, here, with a decent budget and enough creative freedom, gives us a romantic thriller that is nothing like you have ever seen before.

Applying plot devices that we may have experienced before, Shinkai creates something truly original. Technological specs aside (the animation looks both spectacular and artistic) the movie has the characters you can instantly care for and relate to. The upbeat soundtrack nicely compliments the action and the complicated plot has all the answers when the right time comes.

YOUR NAME Is a feast of colours, adventure and romanticism. Above all it is genuine to its audience and true to the story it strives to tell. If you ever had doubt about watching Japanese anime it is time to be converted. This incredible movie will last with you for the years to come. 

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