Summary: One day, Taki Tachibana wakes up in a strange room he doesn't recognize, in a strange place, and in a teenage girls body. Perplexed by the situation, Taki comes to learn about the girl's life, and live a day in her shoes, literally. At the same time, Mitsuha Miyamizu awakes in a small apartment in Tokyo, a city she's always dreamed of visiting, in the body of a young man. Both return to their own bodies the following day and wonder - was it a dream?
Warning: This review contains ONE spoiler for the plot of Kimi no Na wa. Though important, I felt it was critical to point out, and in no way reveals the events of the movie past it.
Review
Plot: The short answer is no, it wasn't a dream, as the two soon realize when their friends and family question the strange way they'd been acting the day before, and when they swap bodies again, the two know that something is up. The story of Kimi no Na wa seems like a light hearted gender-bending comedy at first, and for the first third or so of the movie, that's all it is. However, once the story begins to unfold, and Taki and Mitsuha become completely accustomed to each others lives and the way they swap bodies seemingly at random (but always overnight), it stops, and the real plot of the movie begins. I can't write anything here without spoiling the movie, but it's a story that is full of emotion, both wonderful and happy, as well as awful and sad. It's a story that will elicit emotions in the viewer long after the movie ends. There are multiple twists, and though in some ways the ending was predictable, it in no way reduces the impact it has as it unfolds. The subtle way the plot unfolds, and the small intricacies woven into it are like the threads of Mitsuha's braided cord, and they form together to make and outstanding story in any medium.
Characters: Taki is a generic and jaded Tokyo high school student. He goes to school, has friends, works a part time job, and wants to pursue his dream of being an architect. Life in the city is just life to him, and holds nothing special or unique. Mitsuha is a country girl who is forced to work as a shrine maiden at the town shrine, which her family has run for generations. She hates small town life and dreams of one day moving to Tokyo. As they come to grips with their strange predicament, Taki learns the values and lifestyle of a small country town, and comes to love the town for its people and scenery - scenery that stays with him long after the swapping stops. Mitsuha loves living Taki's life in Tokyo, and through it gets the chance to do things she always dreamed of but was never sure she'd be able to do. Though there are other characters in the movie (a girl Taki has a crush on in Tokyo, Mitsuha's little sister and grandmother) that play an important role, Taki and Mitsuha are the leads, and their interplay with one another, and the changes they cause in one another's lives, are the crux of the movie, and completely satisfying and worthwhile to watch.
Presentation: The animation is beautiful. It is up there with any Miyazaki film and the best anime studios in Japan. The art style vividly shows the emotions of the characters, recreates (or reimagines) places in Tokyo and the countryside of Japan beautifully, adding life to every scene of the movie. The distinctions between the more fast paced life in Tokyo and the relaxed lifestyle of the countryside also come through in the art, giving further distinction to the world Taki and Mitsuha live in. The music, by Radwimps, is equally impactful. It is a mix of simple piano tracks, classical themes, and a somewhat older style of pop/rock music. When combined with the animation, the two create an evocative experience that brings joy, tears, and laughter to the audience. On a side note, both the Japanese and English audio tracks are excellent, but there are minor aspects of the story that feel lost in translation in English due to the lack of specific words that exist in Japanese, but not in English.
Entertainment Value: Makoto Shinkai (the writer and director) created a movie that will have the viewer riveted from the start. The simple and juvenile jokes that begin the movie quickly turn into surprise and wonder as Taki and Mizuha understand their predicament, and then to frustration as they realize the other is improving/screwing up each other's life. From that simple beginning, the viewer is then engrossed in the emotional journey to come and riveted to the screen as the events unfold. As I left the theater, both times I saw it (in Japanese first, and then in English), not a single person was unhappy, and nearly everyone stayed through the credits in hopes the effect the movie had wouldn't disappear. It's difficult to believe there will be people who won't like Kimi no Na wa, though I'm sure there will be some that don't.
Rating: 10/10 - A perfect movie, not just of the anime variety, that hits on a wide spectrum of emotions to create an experience that viewers will long remember after the credits roll.
Kimi no Na wa (Your Name) - Feature length film: 1 hour 47 minutes
Note: Kimi no Na wa (literally Your Name in English), is based on the book of the same name by Makoto Shinkai (who as mentioned is also the writer of the screenplay, and the director of the movie). The movie has received much critical acclaim winning sixteen awards at festivals and academies world wide, and has been nominated for fourteen more. Though it wasn't an Oscar nominee last year, it was only released in the US this last week, so I'm hopeful it will get recognition from them this year. It is one of the highest grossing Japanese films of all time, and the highest grossing anime of all time worldwide. It is licensed in the US by Funimation, and was released in both English and Japanese in theaters. Interestingly, the English version has the songs by Radwimps (specifically the ones with lyrics) in English. Radwimps rewrote every song in the movie and re-recorded the songs in English for the English language version of the film.
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