Weathering with You is a Japanese animated film written and directed by Makoto Shinkai. Released in 2019, the film has made over $186 million worldwide in the box office. Shinkai is well-known in the anime movie community for several of his other standout works such as Your Name, The Garden of Lost Words, and 5 Centimeters Per Second. All of these films share the theme of romance. However, even if romance isn’t your thing, Shinkai’s films will most definitely keep your attention in an assortment of other ways.
Weathering with You follows the story of Hodaka Morishima, a
young highschool student who leaves his isolated hometown to head to the big city of Tokyo. It is here that he meets, Hina Amano, a mysterious young girl who we eventually learn has the unique ability to control the weather. As expected, love is in the air, and our two main characters eventually come to develop feelings for each other as the plot begins to thicken. Shinkai always does an excellent job of showcasing emotion in such a powerful way. Characters’ feelings never come off as cheesy or annoying. Instead, they are incredibly genuine and you find yourself legitimately concerned for them as different challenges arise. Fans of 2016’s Your Name are also in for a pleasant surprise as a certain pair of characters make their appearance on screen yet again.
Throughout the course of the movie I rarely lost interest in what was happening on screen. The animation and visuals are once again top notch. Expect to be blown away by the beauty of the colors and sophistication of art within the film. The soundtrack is also spot on, with returning music from the Japanese band Radwimps, who also did music for Makoto Shinkai’s previous hit film, Your Name.
Overall, it’s hard to find something wrong with Makoto Shinkai’s Weathering With You. The world that is built and developed stays consistent and holds the viewer’s interest. The visuals are amazing, the music is terrific and the story warms the heart while still leaving room for potential tears. If you are a fan of animated films, or want a good place to start, Weathering With You is the movie for you.
Art by Treasurer Julia Batista.