Makoto Shinkai’s ‘Your Name’ Would Never Have Been the Competition Studio Ghibli Needed Without Another Classic Manga Writer
Makoto Shinkai’s Your Name (Kimi no Na wa) took the world by storm in 2016, breaking box office records and redefining what a modern anime film could do. The film’s stunning animation, heartfelt storytelling, and emotional resonance solidified Shinkai’s position as among the best anime directors in Japan and the world alike.
While most credit the success of Your Name to Shinkai’s personal vision and narrative abilities, its body-swapping and gender fluidity themes owe a considerable debt to one of the legends of manga: Rumiko Takahashi. Takahashi, author of Urusei Yatsura, Maison Ikkoku, Ranma 1/2, and Inuyasha, played a central role in shaping gender-bending storytelling in manga and anime.
Makoto Shinkai’s iconic movie Your Name. | Credit: CoMix Wave Films
Her works, particularly Ranma 1/2, not only brought gender fluidity into mainstream media but also set the stage for films such as Your Name to explore the same...
While most credit the success of Your Name to Shinkai’s personal vision and narrative abilities, its body-swapping and gender fluidity themes owe a considerable debt to one of the legends of manga: Rumiko Takahashi. Takahashi, author of Urusei Yatsura, Maison Ikkoku, Ranma 1/2, and Inuyasha, played a central role in shaping gender-bending storytelling in manga and anime.
Makoto Shinkai’s iconic movie Your Name. | Credit: CoMix Wave Films
Her works, particularly Ranma 1/2, not only brought gender fluidity into mainstream media but also set the stage for films such as Your Name to explore the same...
- 4/3/2025
- by Moumita Chakraborty
- FandomWire
Similar News
Adam Brody, Kristen Bell, Timothy Simons, and every ‘Nobody Wants This’ Emmy acting submission
- 5/2/2025
- by Joyce Eng
- Gold Derby
Netflix’s May 2025 Must-Watch Lineup
- 5/2/2025
- by Hrvoje Milakovic
- Comic Basics
Emma Roberts, Luke Wilson & Heather Graham To Star In Rom-Com ‘Getting Rid Of Matthew’ From ‘Purple Hearts’ & ‘Gossip Girl’ Outfit Alloy; Architect Launching For Cannes
- 5/2/2025
- by Andreas Wiseman
- Deadline Film + TV
‘I Had Never Been Involved Like That’: Jake Gyllenhaal Won’t Return for ‘Presumed Innocent’ Season 2 but I Have Complete Faith in the Story
- 5/2/2025
- by Roma Dean
- FandomWire
‘Oshi no Ko’ and ‘Re:Zero’ Voice Actress Rie Takahashi Set to Return After Taking an Unexpected Hiatus Due to Health Issues
- 5/2/2025
- by Aaheli Pradhan
- FandomWire
‘The Beginning After the End’ Took the Most Sacred Element of YA Novels and Ruined It
- 5/2/2025
- by Arpita Samaddar
- FandomWire
20 Unforgettable Non-English Films You Have to Watch Before You Die
- 5/1/2025
- by Hrishita Das
- FandomWire
“This is not what I want”: Hayao Miyazaki Once Made a CG Short Movie But That Made Him Hate It Even More Than Before
- 5/1/2025
- by Aaheli Pradhan
- FandomWire
“It had a tremendous impact on me”: Without Hayao Miyazaki’s ‘Lightest’ Movie, Pixar May Never Have Existed Like We Know Today
- 4/30/2025
- by Aaheli Pradhan
- FandomWire
IMDb.com, Inc. takes no responsibility for the content or accuracy of the above news articles, Tweets, or blog posts. This content is published for the entertainment of our users only. The news articles, Tweets, and blog posts do not represent IMDb's opinions nor can we guarantee that the reporting therein is completely factual. Please visit the source responsible for the item in question to report any concerns you may have regarding content or accuracy.