Your Name. (2016) User Reviews (1,024)

You wonder HOW the Academy didn't nominate this lovely picture...

[planktonrules · 9/10 · 16 May 2017]

A few months ago when they announced the Oscar nominations for 2017, I was very surprised to see the French film, "The Red Turtle", among the nominees for Best Animated Feature. After all, this strange film featured a plot involving a man who falls in love with a woman who used to be a turtle.and has also earned less than a million dollars at the box office worldwide. At the same time, the Japanese animated film, "Your Name.", earned over $350,000,000setting box office records throughout Asia for a Japanese animated movie. It has even earned more than any of the films from the terrific Studio Ghibli.home of the legendary Hayao Miyazaki!

Fortunately, "Your Name." is now playing in select markets throughout the United States and I was in Philadelphia this week.where I jumped at a chance to finally see this record-breaking yet inexplicably snubbed movie. If it's playing near you, I suggest you consider also seeing this lovely and rather adult picture. Now when I say 'rather adult', I do not mean it has any objectionable content. However, parents should understand that just because it is a cartoon does not mean that younger children should see it. They simply could not be expected to follow the plot, as the film is complex and clearly designed for teens and adults.

As to the story, for some time it's a tad confusing.and that's okay as it will eventually all come together. It seems that Mitsuha and Taki are somehow psychically linked. When Taki goes to sleep, he finds himself as Mitsuha.which is a bit embarrassing for him since he is a teenage guy and Mitsuha is a teenage girl! But why.why is he experiencing Mitsuha's life? And, the strange part is that he soon learns that what he's experiencing happened several years ago!! And what does a comet have to do with this as well? How can Taki's strange dreams possibly save Mitusha and her small village? I'd say more, but don't want to reveal too much about the story.

The quality of this film is very, very nice. I would not say that the animation is quite as good as a typical Ghibli picture, but it is close. But what makes this a delightful film are that it never tries to be cute or formulaic.it's a wholly unique viewing experience. It also is very well written and kept my interesteven though I was suffering jetlag! I saw the film in Japanese with subtitles, though the theater and many others are showing an English dubbed version as well. So, in this case, I actually had the choice which I wanted to seewhich was very unusual.

Forget Disney! We have movies like Your Name.

[jbbianchino · 10/10 · 8 February 2018]

Your Name is just a good movie. This movie felt long, but not too long. All the way through, I was asking what would happen next. It was clever, emotional, and left me crying after the movie. The twist was done really well, and I almost wanted to pause the movie. Also, the animation is gorgeous. You get to see detailed images from many angles and perspectives, and there were hundreds of animators! The credits didn't start out with the cast like it usually would. The first thing you saw after a black screen was hundreds of names of animators and designers. I watched this movie again and I still felt my muscles ready to let tears out. I would not recommend this movie any less than the next guy, so what are you waiting for? Get a couple of friends and watch Your Name!

could be the greatest love story of all time

[A_Different_Drummer · 10/10 · 2 February 2017]

In truth, the most competitive area of fiction is not invasions from outer space or talking dogs or impossible missions but rather the most basic narrative of all, the love story.

And this is also the most overcrowded field, and the most difficult to do right.

This film, this story, is extraordinary. It reminds me of MY SASSY GIRL, a love story from Asia that captured the imagination of the world and has almost become a franchise, it's been copied so many times.

It also brings to mind Richard Matheson's classic BID TIME RETURN, another love story for the ages that uses time juxtaposition. (Done as the movie SOMEWHERE IN TIME, 1980).

I already gave this the highest rating on the IMDb.

The animation is stunning and complimentary to this one-of-a-kind tale.

All things considered, I would like to avoid the ongoing arguments about which Japanese animation studio is better, or worse, than the other.

I prefer to simply be grateful that Japanese anime exists at all, because I cannot imagine any other country producing something this moving, this powerful, in graphic form.

((Designated "IMDb Top Reviewer." Please check out my list "167+ Nearly-Perfect Movies (with the occasional Anime or TV miniseries) you can/should see again and again (1932 to the present))

Beautiful

[yannickd · 10/10 · 7 September 2016]

I went in to see Kimi no Na ha without knowing anything about the movie. I had simply been intrigued by the movie poster with the comet as a background to two high school students living in wildly different environments - and the excellent reviews on its Friday release convinced me to see it just the day after.

Not knowing anything about the movie made me relish every single moment of it. The two main characters would, it seems, never have the occasion to meet each other, but through a mysterious circumstance are led to share some of their waking hours with each other. At first, the movie struck a compelling, funny and nostalgic view at high school life in Japan, love, friendship, puberty, teenage angst and some elements of mysticism. It felt like a very fresh and charming sentimental love comedy with a dash of depth and teenage angst. And it already utterly captured me at that point.

Yet midway, the movie veers resolutely into dramatic, and more mystical territory, while managing to keep the lighthearted tone it had reached during the first half at just the right moments. Together with one of the main characters, I was shocked and powerless upon learning of one aspect that had eluded both protagonists, as well as the audience. At the same time, a trope often used in science-fiction got thrown into the mix and the stakes suddenly get much higher, making me look back to the first half of the movie and thinking "wwwooooowww I get it now", while following the paths of the protagonists, which, just like the Kumi Himo (thread making?) that Miyamizu Shrine makes, represent time itself. Meeting, diverging, tangling, getting cut, doubling back. The second half of the film is a perfect adventure, full of suspense, humor, hope, and yes, tears. And at some points, it gets close to tragedy (one scene in a train left a huge lump in my throat). In some respect it reminded me of Spirited Away (my long time favorite animation movie), in which both main characters grow thanks to the other, and whose paths had crossed and would cross again, beyond memory or reality.

Saying more would spoil the movie, so I have been very, very vague. Suffice it to say the movie made me laugh, cry, get the goosebumps, and got me to the edge of my seat at some points. It really had great storytelling, pacing, characters, and emotions throughout. I loved it.

The visuals were also gorgeous. Absolutely gorgeous. Tokyo is more real than the real Tokyo, and the director, animators, background artists, and computer artists seem to have devilish fun playing with lighting and getting some of the most beautiful scenes and moments I can recall in an animation movie.

I should mention the music as well, which was very, very good. I know RADWIMPS (I went to see them live a couple of years back), but was surprised at the tone they achieved, and how well it fit with the movie - the music, along with the visuals, really help in getting a full immersion into the story.

However, some of the most hilarious jokes in the movie seem to be untranslatable to English - in particular the "dialects" of the main characters, as well as a specific moment that makes use of several of the ways that Japanese people use to refer to themselves, depending on context and sex (watashi, watakushi, boku, ore). So I'm looking forward to seeing how those scenes will be handled in the translation!

I have since seen the movie one more time, bought the OST, and bought and read the novelization (which is almost like the movie, but does give more insight into each character's thoughts and thought processes.). Highly recommended!

Your Name

[Tweekums · 10/10 · 10 November 2017]

This delightful Japanese animation follows two strangely interlinked lives; Mitsuha, a high school girl living in a rural area of Japan, and Taki, a similarly aged boy in Tokyo. They have never met but they somehow start switching places in their dreams. At first each thinks they are having strange but very realistic dreams but the following day as the 'dream' fades they are surprised when friends and family tell them that they had been behaving oddly the day before; not recognising anybody and not knowing where they are meant to be… then each finds a note from the other. They continue to swap days until suddenly it stops… Taki can't recall many details but he has a memory of the place Mitsuha lived and is drawn to find her. Armed with a sketch of the location he finds the village and learns a shocking truth… it had been destroyed in a natural disaster three years previously and Mitsuha was amongst the five hundred people who died! He is determined to find a way to swap places again so he can save her.

Anybody who has seen previous films from director Makoto Shinkai will immediately recognise the beautiful style of the artwork, with incredibly detailed backgrounds. Of course a good film must do more than 'look good' and this succeeds there too; the first half is a fun introduction to the characters and their situation. This is done with plenty of humour; the fact that they find themselves in bodies of the opposite gender is quickly handled in an amusing but not a crude manner. There are lots of delightful details such as while swapped they talk in different dialects and Taki talks like a girl… of course this is better appreciated if you speak Japanese but is explained so non-Japanese speakers (like me) can realise that it is happening. The events that take place half way through the film come as quite a surprise and suddenly change to tone of the film. As Taki tries to find a way to save Mitsuha and her village it is far from obvious that he will be successful. Overall I'd certainly recommend this to older fans of good animation; the content isn't really unsuitably for younger viewers but it would probably be a bit confusing.

These comments are based on watching the film in Japanese with English subtitles; an English dub is also available on the DVD I bought.

Phenomenal

[DoubleCshinobi · 10/10 · 11 August 2016]

Kimi no Nawa is up there with the quality of work Studio Ghibli makes. It's a journey in a world breathing with atmosphere, mystery, and visual wonder. A journey about growth and resilience in the face of overwhelming odds. A journey about human emotion that transcends space and time, as we watch our two protagonists struggle relentlessly against fate. A journey that might just be one of the most captivating anime movie experiences I've had in years.

Director Makoto Shinkai's artistry is something people tend to love or hate, but this film is solid proof to all of his disdainful critics that his movies were never "just eye candy". They explore the nature of life and relationships in quiet ways rarely seen or discussed, which is why most of them are not fast-paced or action packed...and why they are so beautiful. But even if you're not a fan of this kind of style with its major use of metaphorical imagery and mixture of subtle and explosive emotions, definitely give Kimi no Nawa a chance. This is by far his most ambitious, original movie in many ways. For instance, there's an actual mystical element to the story apart from his previous films that are set purely on realism. The pacing is a lot faster and intense. There's a surprising amount of humor in the script, making the chemistry between the characters more light-hearted and comically entertaining than expected. All of this is done through a narrative vision so emotional, so brilliantly realized, that I'm pretty sure everyone at the Anime Expo world premiere screening was tearing up, including me.

Without spoiling, what mainly drives this film's story is the dynamics of our main characters' relationship. The way these two interact is just so unique and lovable. The premise itself allows them to bond on a more personal level, far more intriguing than the usual teenage love story where boy meets girl, boy likes girl, boy gets girl. Eventually, you become so invested in their strange relationship, that when all the action goes down, it's no longer just suspenseful - it's almost heartbreaking.

Editing and sound design play a HUGE role in this immersion. There's rarely a single dull moment because of how gripping and emotionally driven the timing of every cut is. The sound design combined with a beautiful music score is outstanding - subtle and moving when creating atmosphere, powerful at times of dramatic conflict. In fact, the same can be said for pretty much all of the visual aesthetics - which if I haven't already mentioned, are amazing. This is a prime example of astonishingly jaw-dropping animation combined with powerful storytelling.

Kimi no Nawa is not just any anime movie. It has the potential to be viewed and studied as art cinema. It's so beautifully crafted and meticulously detailed, I feel like I didn't even cover 80% of its greatness in this review. To do that, I would have to make a spoiler analysis review, and to do that, I would probably have to see the movie again, maybe a couple more times before I can fully appreciate this nearly flawless masterpiece.

I know I sound like I'm fanboying, but as a film student and anime fan for many years, I'm being fully honest here - if Director Makoto Shinkai keeps this kind of quality up, he is going to be an even bigger name in the anime industry for years to come. Remember Your Name long enough until it's available in your country, if you're not seeing it in Japan theaters. Because trust me, you're not going to forget it. 10/10

I am speechless.

[itsnemra · 10/10 · 9 September 2016]

So the movie is named "Your name?" and its a perfect title, it doesn't reveal anything about the content and yet it caught my interest. I tend to watch animated movies because they have so much more to offer at the same time it is a tougher competition.

The story line is really good, why? Well it you are open minded it will be pretty easy to follow and accept what is going on, question about how and why get answered by themselves if you believe it is possible. Regarding the animation it give you what your mainstream point of view of Japans architecture, nature, culture and society, all from how they dress to the body language etc. The music, sound effects and voice actor/actress amplifies the emotions and guides you from start till end. There are plenty of a messages and it makes me thing about me and everything living around me, where I come from and where I am going. Regarding the character development its spot on, no more information was needed then what was provided, we are limited but at the same time free to make our own thought.

I wish to say thank you to everyone who have supported and/or worked with this piece of art, they should feel really proud of themselves, it is an honor that you shared it with us (the viewers). Thank you!

A beautiful piece of art, but the quality of the story is held back by Makoto Shinkai's ability to take that extra step,

[patrickbuiter · 7/10 · 6 March 2017]

I think most of us can safely say that as far as pure direction and art go, Makoto Shinkai's popular new movie called "Your Name" has taken the world by storm. As of now, it has won several large prizes and it's praised by casual watchers and critics alike.

There is no doubt that this is in fact one of Makoto Shinkai's most beautiful pieces of art as far as pure visual fidelity goes. That, in combination with its engrossing soundtrack just allows the movie to speak to the heart directly. This often means that people will refrain from criticising this movie, and i find myself being a lone bird flying in the opposite direction of all the others when it comes to this movie.

The issue i have with this movie doesn't lie in its art, or in its direction. It more lies within the lack of depth in the story itself. Makoto Shinkai is known for using repetitive settings in his movies, as they do tend to sell well.

I just wish Makoto Shinkai would have been a bit more creative in his writing, rather than making me think "oh, it's this again. Not very original." The story is confusing, but once i figured it out it didn't leave me lost in thought and i was honestly disappointed.

That being said, Your Name is still a solid movie with stunning animation and I'd recommend you try watching it yourself. It's not very long and it's definitely worth a watch purely because it looks stunning.

Once seen, never forgotten- truly magnificent

[TheLittleSongbird · 10/10 · 9 December 2016]

'Your Name' is not just one of the best animes in recent years (and there have been some very good ones), but one of the best animes ever from personal opinion.

Will go even further, saying it's one of the best animated films in recent years, one of the best animated or otherwise films of the year and that it rivals the masterworks of Miyazaki. This is a huge compliment, for any anime, animated film or even any film, and a bold claim that still stands. Much of it is to do with how 'Your Name's' stayed with me and the impact it's had, a film once seen but never forgotten.

The animation in 'Your Name' is stunning, so beautifully and intricately drawn with immaculate attention to detail in the backgrounds and a simply breath-taking array of ethereal but also atmospheric colours. The music fits the film's atmosphere with no problem at all and also works wonders as a soundtrack on its own, serving superbly as music on its own.

Meanwhile, the script is thought-provoking and touching, with much to say and explored expertly and neatly with no heavy-handedness. The storytelling engages throughout, sucks one into its world and never lets go of the immersing and is enormously heartfelt, really investing in the characters' chemistry and their love for each other. Pacing is deliberate, but never drags due to the emotional impact and how well realised the characters are, even when noticeably slower in the second half.

Characters, and the film's themes, are brilliantly written and developed, and the voice acting is emotive and fit the characters with no qualms.

In summary, a truly magnificent film all round that will be remembered for years to come. Deserves all the raves it's gotten, and deserving of even more. 10/10 Bethany Cox

A visually pleasing film with depth, but with little weight

[imoosachi · 7/10 · 11 November 2017]

As an avid follower of the works of Studio Ghibli, this film had much to live up to, especially considering its deeper themes and the exploration of a different, more subtle sort of romance between two individuals separated by time and space. Unfortunately, this film turned out exactly as I expected and feared, with an interesting storyline and basis, yet the characters, dialogue, and overall crafting of the story itself detracted from the overall quality. I will focus mainly on the negatives in this review, as there are a plethora of other reviews that seem to only focus on the highlights.

The main issue that I had with Your Name was the script. Having seen it both in the original Japanese with English subtitles, and also dubbed (on my second viewing) with the English voice actors, I was really hoping for the proper brevity and gravity that Studio Ghibli so constantly delivers. However, I was met with the characters stuck in an endless loop of telling viewers what they were feeling, and especially in the more intimate moments of the film, where this could have been left more to the viewers deduction – if someone is crying for a particular reason, it is often best left for the viewers to decide why; the character does not always need to vocalise their feeling in order to convey them. For this reason, I felt that I had very little attachment to the characters in a setting where attachment to the characters was vital.

Furthermore, I believe that very little of the humour in this movie worked for the better. As I stated before, in a movie as heartfelt and intimate as this, the dialogue and the humour should be handled with the utmost care, and most of the time throughout the movie, I felt as if it took you away from the story – by all means, there certainly would be moments of humour when a boy switches bodies with a girl and vice versa, but humour was not the purpose of this movie, and this should have been respected.

One last, and slightly more subjective gripe, but I found the music choices to often be contradictory and 'annoying,' to say the least. I understand that the montage sequence, set to an upbeat pop/rock song is a common event in the world of anime, and having seen many anime outside of Studio Ghibli myself, I understand and respect this. However, with a movie such as your name, I found it only broke apart the emotional storyline, and in many ways, lost some of the viewers investment in the story. The piano sequence (the main theme, I believe?) was beautiful; why not exclusively keep the orchestral/piano score throughout the entire movie? Overall, Your Name was a very solid attempt at a very difficult premise, with beautiful visuals, a poorly handled storyline, and not much else. 7/10

Love Story - Romance + Clichés

[mr-shcmr · 4/10 · 1 March 2017]

THIS REVIEW IS ABOUT THE STORY. EVERYTHING ELSE (ART, SECONDARY CHARACTERS, ATMOSPHERE) IS GREAT.

A boy and a girl discover that some days, their lives are swapped, which they only remember as dreams afterwards.

You see the love story coming between those two ? Color me naive, but I didn't.

First, it's one of the most contrived premises you could have for a love story. Second, there's like a million stories you could tell with such a premise, why take the less original ? Of all the funny, awkward, insightful etc. things that could happen to two people who exchange lives, why go for the most clichéd ?

But OK, let's accept that they fall in love with each other. After all, a lot of the emotional impact of the second half of the movie hinges on their being infatuated with each other. But we're never shown that happen ! The most we're shown for Mitsuha (the girl) is that she takes an interest in Taki's (the boy) life. I guess it could count as both reason and show of her growing fondness for him. As limited as it is, at least it's a small hint that something's happening.

We're not so lucky with Taki.

After his date with his female coworker, she guesses that he's recently fallen for another woman. At that point I thought she guessed wrong, because nothing we see supports that idea. But I'm more and more convinced that she's conveying the message of the authors : at that moment, they're flatly informing us that Taki is falling for Mitsuha.

What do they say again in storytelling school ? "Show, don't tell." Well, it's a typical example of telling, not showing.

It's like the movie is trolling us : "Oh, btw, Taki's totally into Mitsuha now ! A lot of stuff happened, but we didn't think it was worth showing, even though ALL we're showing you are those 2 very characters. U mad ?"

Just to be clear, I'm not saying that he has no reason for falling in love. He has plenty ! If you've seen the movie, here's a quick quiz. Taki falls in love with Mitsuha because :

a) he's attracted by her looks

b) he's impressed by her skills

c) he's thankful for her help

d) he remembers their first encounter in the subway

e) they're soulmates

f) any of the other bazillion possible reasons ?

You don't know ? Nobody does ! Because we don't see their love bloom.

As it is, this love story misses its core, its pivotal moment. It's a love story without romance.

Little annoyances :

Memories and messages appear and disappear so as to fit the plot's needs so perfectly that we have left the lands of Plot Convenience to enter the realm of Plot Laziness.

The second part is so clichéd that at any point you can safely guess what happens in the next 15 minutes.

Mitsuha convinces her father at the end in a deeply moving and insightful argument. Well, I guess, because we're TOLD, NOT SHOWN (uuuuugh)

Cosmically enchanting, touching and visually beautiful.

[SpoilerAlertReviews · 10/10 · 27 November 2016]

It's been a while since I've seen something outside of Studio Ghibli, being the most recent When Marnie Was There. I'm not familiar with Makoto Shinkai's work but this certainly encourages me to watch the rest of his catalog.

I knew nothing about the film until only the day before seeing it, instantly attracted to the poster and the mini synopsis of two high school teens from opposite sides of the country, who periodically switch in their dreams.

Gladly I didn't read anymore into it and just went to watch it as there's so much more to the intriguing story at face value. It's a little confusing at times bouncing between the two characters, but that doesn't deter the enjoyment and wonderment of the film.

We follow quiet country school girl Mitsuha voiced by Mone Kamishiraishi, going about her daily chores and traditions in a village shrouded by folklore and superstition with mayor-elect pushing for advancement. All this while we also follow rough-and-ready city boy, Taki, voiced by Ryûnosuke Kamiki, who is no stranger to voice acting, starring in Spirited Away at the age of eight and later in Howl's Moving Castle.

The two become celestially bound to one another without fully understanding how, or even knowing who each other are, which leads them both on an adventure of discovery, comical annoyance and eventual romance. It's perfectly balanced between the two even with a number of interesting side characters, each adding something to the intricacies of the plot and supplying a lot of the light-hearted comedy.

The scenery and animation is stunning, vibrant and beautifully breathtaking; with blinding lens flares and gorgeous landscapes that fill the entirely screen. It's superbly paced, perfectly edited so not to make a mess of the constant jumps.

The score by the Japanese rock band, Radwimps is simply amazing, perfect for the film with a mixture of teeny pop/rock and pleasant instrumentals, with surprising tracks like "Kataware Doki" using soft pianos and strings. It's a score Final Fantasy composer, Nobuo Uematsu would be proud of.

There are some films that are not meant to be for live action, showcasing the stunning craftsmanship and elegant talent of the skilled animators and artists, this being one of those films. The actual anime capturing the magical essence of the heartfelt story that I don't believe can be replicated as good live.

Cosmically enchanting, touching and visually beautiful. Certainly the best anime I've seen this year.

Running Time: 9 The Cast: 9 Performance: 9 Direction: 10 Story: 10 Script: 10 Creativity: 10 Soundtrack: 9 Job Description: 10 The Extra Bonus Points: 10 for being such a wonderful, beautiful, romantic story, magical in every sense. Would I buy the Bluray?: Definitely

96% 10/10

One of the Greatest movies i watched in my entire life.

[kevinxip · 10/10 · 3 October 2016]

I have followed Makoto Shinkai's older works and most of them really have a bad ending, though still good, but this movie's sweet. He really know how to play with our emotion, especially for his work's fans who have followed his works, i'm hoping its not a bad ending during the entire movie.

But man, this work is a true masterpiece. When i looked at Makoto's older works, I suddenly think, he had the potential to beat Miyazaki's spirited away, and there he goes. I'm not saying this is better than spirited away, they had a different genre and makoto had his own stunning style.

How this piece of animation would turn my emotion really hard? Even Spirited Away, When Marnie was There, and 5cm per second can't do that. This is a movie that you must watch before you die, really.

Yes, yes and yes!

[malcydon · 10/10 · 10 September 2016]

Absolutely fantastic! Recommended for everyone.

Just watch it.

Amazing characters, scenery, city life and town life, story. Everything is just wow. So fine! The suspension, the empathy, the scenes. The thoughts. It's playful and pleasant, but serious and funny at the same time. It makes you want to feel it and live it, while you just keep cheering for everything.

This 1.5 hours was one of the most well spent time in my life. It was so good, that I actually sit down and wondered why we can't we live like that? Why can't we be in that village? In that anime Tokyo?

Every minute is a time well-spent. It's a time SO well spent, that I was afraid when it's going to end. I literally just realized that this would be the end of an anime. Than this would be the end of an hour long movie.

I was so afraid when it's going to end. It borough such a beautiful and marvelous utopia before my eyes, with all it's mistakes, conflicts. That I actually wanted to live there. I actually realized however, that I'm not good of a person to be worthy of such utopia.

However it is very close to reality. Every time something out of order happens, you remember. This is a certain reality. People can die, be ashamed, punished. Everything can end in a tragedy. But when something wrong happens, nobody really cares.. and I was like: "Why? Why aren't you moving? Are you not afraid for your lives?" Than I remembered.. this is a certain utopia. Even for the people who live in it. Nothing bad happen to them, nothing really could. They are peaceful, good people, in a modern world. Nothing bad happened in the last 3 generation, why would anything happen now?

This movie gave me a new set of feelings, viewpoints, happiness, thoughts and desires, I might have lacked or just not realized before. I'm really glad I watched it. It was a piece from my dreams.

Must watch

[pekiworgen · 10/10 · 10 September 2016]

I started watching this movie with high expectations,but somehow this movie managed to be exceed them.Movie didn't just look amazing,which is expected from Makoto Shinkai,but story is amazing as well,it manages to keep attention of viewer from start to finish,and as movie progress it just gets better and better.I think that everyone that loves movies should watch this.Even if someone doesn't like animated movies they should give this movie a try.

Also i love how some little things that at first seem meaningless at the end of movie get amazing meaning. Personally i think this is best work that Makoto Shinkai made by far,its above all of his previous works,and doesn't have flaws that some of his other works had.

What seems to be a silly premise evolved into something even more trifling. But with its unbearable charm, it worked astonishingly well.

[yuschaa · 9/10 · 25 September 2016]

Your Name (Kimi No Na Wa) tells the story of two teenagers with vastly different backgrounds. One is a boy who lived in Tokyo and has the word "city" described all around him. One is a girl who lived in rural town far from technology and anything interesting. One morning, somehow, they found out that they have swapped bodies. Together, they must help each other find solution in daily life problems, and solve the mystery of the reason why this whole conundrum started.

This may sound like your typical body-swap romantic comedy situation, but you may find yourself on the wrong side of the spectrum as this movie takes you into an incredible journey. With a storytelling so divine, complex, yet understandable, this movie captures the essence of what romantic comedy movies have lost nowadays, a heart and a charm to lure you in.

Japanese animation movies tend to have a bit of a stereotype, but the movie successfully shown very little of that. Transitioning from one scene to the other effortlessly, Radwimps deserves an incredible applause for their talents in the movie, as every song and every score fits perfectly to the scene currently shown.

Although the movie does end in a predictable way, the voyage to that predictable end is more than enough to keep you satisfied. There are some usage of stock characters and several clichés throughout, something that maybe will drive some of the audiences away or cloud their judgment. But beside all that, the story is still original and well executed.

What seems to be a silly premise evolved into something even more trifling. But with its unbearable charm, it worked astonishingly well.

As Deep as the Mariana Trench...

[Xstal · 8/10 · 30 October 2020]

... and as intricately woven from an abstract and mysterious loom. Using spectacular animation to draw in the viewer and steal their attention this story of finding love, of finding it in yourself and others, may well have you occasionally scratching your head. Don't worry, you're not alone, but there are plenty of resources online that can help you recompile what you've just consumed in order to make more sense of this beautiful, enchanting and imaginative Japanese composition.

Creative and stunning but...

[yureskowrites · 6/10 · 27 December 2019]

The animation in this movie is absolutely stunning. The creative twist on the red string of fate also captured my attention.

However, I found the characters underdeveloped. They had little personality to them. In a movie supposedly meant to move you, I did not root for the characters to prevail or even relate to the characters. For that reason, I couldn't give this movie a higher rating.

However, it is an absolutely stunning movie, and I throughly enjoyed the more "movie montage" moments and the corresponding music.

It clutched my heart the entire way

[mushroompaper · 10/10 · 9 September 2016]

This was absolutely amazing... the trailer made it seem like a stereotypical "boy meets girl, etc." story... but from the beginning to the end, the movie rotated from a past and present time-line, only proving in the end that time itself was twisted the entire movie - giving us viewers an extremely well written and original plot. The chemistry between the characters, development, music, pacing, animation, everything was absolutely in chorus in the most beautiful way. I cannot even compare this to Studio Ghibli films, not because it's better or not as good, but because it is just a movie of its own caliber. Studio Ghibli films were a lot more fictional, fantasy, and imaginative - free formed and had its own flow. Kimi no Na Wa was cleverly planned out from the first minute to the last, logical, balanced, yet just as if not more breathtaking.

I'm Still Not Convinced

[Raptorclaw155 · 7/10 · 9 May 2020]

The film isn't incompetently made but I found it incredibly difficult to maintain my suspension of disbelief with this one.

The body swapping is fine but I don't understand how sabotaging the other's life while acting as them somehow leads to romance between them. There are two possible scenarios this film offers in terms of the fate of Mitsuha and her hometown: either the comet destroyed it and everyone died or she managed to save everyone from the beginning. Either way, the whole sequence where Taki travels the ruins of her hometown is entirely unnecessary. My biggest fear is that they manage to change the course of history which is the only thing that could give the whole sequence of Taki looking for Mitsuha's hometown purpose but that would only make it worse for me. Ideally the film should have ended with Mitsuha's death or, to compromise, she had always survived the incident and they had both completely forgotten each other and it ends in a scene where they walk past each other completely oblivious to the other.

The magical aspects of films like this are what make Your Name so frustrating for me. Everything about the writing makes the film feel like the God of the Machine can force their bidding so that the outcome remains the same regardless of the circumstances.

Despite the litany of issues I have with the writing of the film, I will say that it is a good looking one almost seamlessly marrying 2D animation with CG animation. I also found some of the gags related to the body swapping plot device to be humorous though there is one particular one that's a bit overplayed.

I don't see where the romance comes from this. The two characters live each other's lives as the other so wouldn't it make more sense if romance happened between them and one of the other characters they met while being the other? I see the emotion and the voice acting is superb but I don't understand why these characters feel so strongly for the other.

I feel like this film could have gone in to more interesting directions than where it did and having given it another chance I'm still not convinced that this is the masterpiece so many others say it is. There's another film that is live action which is very similar to this one that came out the same year which, I think, managed to execute its variation of this kind of story much more effectively with considerably less.

The film is alright in my opinion but I'm in the minority. Most believe that it is a masterwork and I believe that, despite my difference of opinion, it deserves a fair shot for anyone curious about it. Don't necessarily take my word for it, see it for yourself and come to your own conclusion.

Overrated AF

[joshkej-84077 · 4/10 · 27 August 2018]

When I first saw Your Name, I enjoyed it for the most part. I thought the pop music montages and dialogue were pretty cringey, but overall the film was visually and atmospherically impressive enough for me to fall for it.

After a recent rewatch, I was actually shocked at how emotionally manipulative and utterly devoid of substance this movie really is. I'll break everything down for this:

The body swapping is a fairly generic idea, but they could have done a lot with it. Unfortunately it fails on so many levels to further cement the idea of the two protagonists exploring each other's lives and personalities, and instead the movie tricks the viewer into thinking that this actually happens. The two leads never learn about each other's lives from swapping bodies on any emotional level, instead those cringey montages that I mentioned before gloss over this important aspect that should have been more properly handled. This is also extremely problematic since we're supposed to believe that Taki and Mitsuha actually fall in love with each other, but we never find out why. They don't learn anything from living as the opposite gender either, in fact the story relies on breakage of character for comical effect. For example, the normally androgynously behaved and chilled-out Taki acts like a sporty, aggressive, manly-man while in Mitsuha's body.

SPOILERS: The second half of the movie is just as disastrous as the disaster it depicted. Not only does it abruptly drop the comedic tone of the first half of the movie, but it handles disaster and loss rather badly too. It relies far too heavily on the protagonists making dumb decisions, wasting time complaining about nothing, retardedly running around for no reason, and idiotically forgetting each other's names. All this is made even more unbearable by yet another wave of godawful pop music montages and cringey dialogue.

In the end there's no emotional loss in Your Name. There's no sacrifice, no learning from your mistakes, because in the end the protagonists just reverse the timeline and save the day. But now they've forgotten about each other forever? Surely there's a bittersweet ending? Nope, they get reunited and live happily ever after in the end, that's what happens. That time wasting ordeal of running around and forgetting each other's names meant nothing in the end.

Even though there are also many MANY plot holes that I didn't mention, Your Name's number one issue boils down to the atrocious writing and badly thought out story and characters. I still adore the film's visuals and immersive atmosphere, but it simply falls flat as a story.

why YOUR NAME is the best animated movie of the last five years

[boclani · 10/10 · 8 December 2016]

Your Name is a journey about growth and having the ability to bounce back when thrown against overpowering hardships. It's a journey that focuses on human emotion that are larger than time and space. It's a journey of where we watch our protagonists struggle again and again against destiny. And it's one of the greatest animated journeys you will ever experience.

Watch the review at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p7v32c900F4 and / or read along here

Your Name follows a girl from the country and a boy from the city who have never met that switch bodies when they dream.

This movie may seem like your romantic-comedy body-swap situation. But it will surprise you how in depth the gets. The storytelling here is top notch, because you understand everything, but when you think about it, the concept gets quite confusing, but because of the brilliant direction my Shinkai, he somehow makes it understandable.

The two protagonists are the driving force of the film instead of Shinkai's normal eye candy visual sell outs. Within the great writing are actually some very funny and memorable conversations. The comedy works well to add another layer to the great chemistry between the protagonists. Props to the actors.

It was just so fun watching the dynamic feelings of these two and I loved how the two genders figured each other out while inhabiting the others' body.

I was a little confused when a lot of the first act is dedicated to the girl, without really seeing the movie from the boy she's swapping with, his view. But the movie surprised me when something happened to the girl and we see the boy for most of the rest of the movie. So actually the screen time for both protagonists were quite similar. That blew me away.

If you delve deep into his work Shinkai tends to break the forth wall often in the way he portrays emotions. He, in a way, makes you reflect upon your own life, and all his movies are really, really relatable. He makes you look back on dark times, times you don't really want to think about again and he says a different messages every movie.

A big part of the film was it's editing and sound design. This all helped with the immersion. Every scene is dripping with hidden details covered in immense beauty sugar coated with an outstanding soundtrack played by Radwimps.

And although the end is predictable, it did what 5 Centimetres Per Second didn't do. It left me satisfied.

What seemed like a stupid idea turned into Your Name. And it's not just another Japanese animation.

There are so many scenes where it feels like the Shinkai just pulls the rug from underneath you, like the movie doesn't always follow the normal routine. I felt so many emotions in this movie.

It grips you in that way and shows that every second in the movie and in life is important.

This movie takes every awesome element that Shinkai has ever used in his films and are all constrained into this movie. This film has jaw dropping photo-realistic visuals with beautiful Japanese voice work, great cinematography, laugh out loud comedy, gripping story, insane twists, looming soundtrack, heart racing action, unforgettable quotes.

But the best part about this movie is that it has very few mistakes. Everything is in the film for a reason.

Still, I don't feel like I've covered most of the points of why this movie was so good without spoiling anything.

But I can say that when I watched it, it was something special. Looking around at other reviews and forums, I have a feeling, that this will be regarded as one of the best animated movies ever made.

A+

10 / 10

Watch more reviews like this at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfNozbWd9SJYYwLK2zYn_AA

Amazing

[staceylight · 10/10 · 22 November 2021]

A true masterpiece of an animated film. Nothing i've watched has come close yet to the magic Makoto Shinkai has created with Your Name. The story is so seamless, the plot twists are so expertly woven into the plot and nothing ever felt jarring or unnecessary. The characters are loveable and you do root for their journeys to find one another, and when they do, it is so satisfying. The most satisfying ending I've ever watched. The animation alone is absolutely stunning! 10/10!

I made an IMDb profile just to rate this movie 10/10

[edmarshallimdb · 10/10 · 10 April 2017]

I don't have much to say because I'm completely stunned after watching this movie. This movie is unbelievable. It's one of the best films I've ever seen. I just finished watching it about an hour ago, and I'm still reeling.

Reader: I don't know what you want from your films. But this movie is one of the most charming, transporting, amazing movies I've ever seen. I cannot recommend more.

i'm spell bound , but still I would like to describe it.

[hnkisadiq · 10/10 · 15 September 2016]

which movie includes time travel, destructive meteor shower,heart-wrenching tragedy,mesmerizing romance,wonderfully extravagant art and many more genres in 1.5 hours,none to my knowledge.'your name' is a beautiful blend of sci-fi, thriller ,romance.I watched the movie just after it's release and believe me i found no reason to blink my eye, it is yet another masterpiece by makoto shinkai.when watching Japanese anime movies, the westerners usually prefer studio ghibli's work , but after this many might reconsider this.if you want to know what I'am speaking about just watch it and you would cherish those 1.5hrs of emotions filed with love,agony,tragedy,joy.And please believe me this is no exaggeration.while watching the movie you will feel your heart racing craving for more drama,romance but still you want to know how it ends and amid-st this confusion you will be using your brains to understand what is going on.And when it ends you will be realizing that it is the one epic movie that will go on in your "the best movies i've ever watched" list. And the next moment you will be writing or telling about the movie to your friends.

P.S Just consider watching it and you will never regret it.