The movie made me feel empty, longing for something, and weirdly incomplete. After watching Your Name, I felt as if real love was something not everyone finds, and for sure not everyone can hold on to. The worst part is that I found myself debating if I would find it or would I not be able to hold on to it.
Trust me, kimi no na wa is going to leave you with emotions you haven't met in a long time. It is going to acquaint you with very distant thoughts and feelings that you either are not supposed to meet or simply aren't logical to meet. I am going to try my best to share my feelings about this movie without spoiling it a lot. For those who haven't watched it, you might want to, and for those who have watched it, I am glad you did.
Your Name was my first anime movie ever. I do not think I will be persuaded to watch another anime movie since Your Name has set me up for disappointment. There is no possible way to beat Your Name. The story, the direction, the genius, nothing can be replicated and cannot be outdone. I hear the director has since released Weathering With You, but I do not think it can live up to Your Name.
This isn't a Netflix and chill movie. This movie isn't meant for a date night unless you really are into your partner. This movie isn't meant for a boys' night unless you want to show how vulnerable you really can get. To truly appreciate the movie you will need to give it all your attention. This isn't a movie for your background noise, it is a work of art and deserves the type of respect.
As much as I praise the movie, it isn't perfect. Everything from the beginning right up until the last few minutes is perfect. The ending was, however, a little unclimactic. I personally feel it did not match the intensity and did not do justice to the build-up.
Was it a good and fair ending? Yes. Was it an appropriate and fitting ending? Yes. Was it a satisfying ending? No.
It felt like walking up to a Turkish ice cream vendor, ordering a sorbet ice cream cone, and getting it served. I got what I wanted. I like what I wanted. But why didn't the vendor tease and mess with me like they do in the Instagram videos?
Apart from the obvious romance, there are a lot of layers in Your Name. The story is also chronologically "incorrect". I have read a lot of reviews where the viewer had to watch the movie more than once to grasp the concept properly. I can see why this movie has grossed so much in earnings and reputation. It is a solid movie. Well made.
I personally loved how there are questions scattered throughout the movie. Your Name gives its viewers an ending they have been waiting for but also lets them go home with lingering questions that only they can answer. For example, where does the story really begin?
One could argue that the entire series of events starts with Mitsuha wishing to live in the city. However, it could have started from the first meteor that hit hundred of years ago which triggered the series. Or did it start with the Shinto Shrine where everything was predetermined, as a result, the series of events was too. If Mitsuha's dad hadn't abandoned it or if he stayed with it, what would be the outcomes?
Another layer I loved in the movie was the cultural layer. It is obviously noticed through the "body swaps". The culture within the culture. In the city, Mitsuha is faced with a lot of culture shock. And so does Taki in Itomori. Apart from that, there are the cultural aspects of Itomori which Mitsuha learns to love...eventually.
Then there are layers like friendships and relationships. We see how Miki and Taki grow close to each other, no thanks to Taki himself, but we also see how Taki realizes he needs to distance himself from Miki. Miki is smart and quickly understands before things get too serious. We also see how far friendships can go both when Taki has rough times in the city and when he comes to Itomori. The same goes for Mitsuha and her circles.
There is a lot of nail-biting moments in the movie. I think the moments last until....the last moment. There are a lot of "blueballs" moments too. Moments when you think everything is nice and dandy, and at the second of climax everything is ruined. I did feel very bad for Mitsuha's granma tho. She went through the same things but never had the luck to figure it all out.
I have one thing to say, follow the red thread. It will really help you follow the movie in a more untangled manner. Think of it as the totem from the movie Inception. You will always be kept wondering and confused from the first scene.
I think the movie did very well because it was able to make the viewer manifest the exact emotion the characters felt in real-time. Whether it be frustration, confusion, sadness, rushed, whatever the emotion, it was reciprocated. I almost punched my monitor when the writing was left uncompleted on the hand. But at the same time I was confused. The exact emotions the character felt.
What a brilliant movie! I would watch it again, but my heart is not equipped to take the ride of emotions one more time.
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