While many people still try to convince others that Ghost in the Shell is a bad movie (it's not! just different), many people went to the cinema to see Kimi no na wa. No matter who saw the movie though, everyone feels like it's the best movie ever. While I can't say this is the best movie I've seen, I can see why and how the movie dazzled so many people...and if I could I'd just go to the cinema to watch the movie again.
Since the release of this movie I saw so many overly positive comments about the movie. I watched a trailer quite some time ago and I marked that movie as one of those I wanted to watch when it would be available. The movie is now in cinemas around the world so I read more and more comments about the movie. Everyone seems to be in love with it. It sparked my interest way more than the trailer and I really wanted to go see it. Our country is not obviously 'the world' though so the movie won't be available in our cinemas.
It is directed by Makoto Shinkai and that is also why I did not expect the movie to be a bad one. I expected something between a very good movie and a masterpiece that will give me something to think about. I wanted to know what people see in the movie so I've done something what one shouldn't and downloaded a Japanese cam version. On one of the days I felt like totally different person (because I felt like a woman unlike my normal self) I decided to watch the movie. We follow a story of two characters. Mitsuha and Taki who in their sleep end up in the body of the other. I actually get dreams like this quite often so this was no surprise to me. But we can see the identity crises of both characters, hear Mitsuha's dialect when being in Taki's body and her struggle with using proper pronouns. We also see the characters behave in a different way being seen as strange and it shows on the animation as well - something I did not expect to be visible. This is not what the movie is about but it shows something many people are afraid to talk, see or accept and seeing this on a screen in the cinema certainly help those people in our society that do not simply fit to binary roles the society set for us. It serves as an awareness movie even if it wasn't meant like it (maybe it was).
The two protagonists are looking for a way how to interact with each other, they leave each other messages, photos and notes and together experience something unique. Their relationship transcends time and space. While we watch these episodes that are light in nature the movie shifts into a more serious and depressive part of the movie. We learn that the comet that is being referenced in the movie is a vital part of the story and what it actually means for the two characters.
Many people say this is a major twist in the movie and unpredictable but it seemed totally obvious to me. I'm not sure if that is because I paid more attention to what was either shown or hidden/not commented in the movie or it just comes more naturally to me - not being new to all kinds of anime/manga, fantasy and science-fiction. This is one of the movies in which I have the impression that every detail counts. There is nothing that would be 'not necessary'. All those little things be it in class, TV screen or poster on the wall are things that add something to the story and give clues while not disrupting the viewer from the overall viewing experience. Some of those 'clues' are very depressive indeed (Itomori pictures in the museum).
Kumohimo braid that represents the time in the movie is also something that caught my interest. For some reason people are fascinated by braiding/weaving and often give it magical powers and often it links to time. Maybe our world/universe is made of threads (strings).
The movie gives us room to think while we see what is in front of us and feel strong emotions. The colors are simply beautiful and even if I haven't seen a good quality of the movie I can tell you that it is awesome and very well done. The animation is awesome and it is not something I usually pay much attention to. But when it is done well or in a way that is unique I notice that too. It's not just about the story and style, the animation is something that can make the movie way more lively or full of emotions.
As for sound and soundtrack. Personally I'm not a fan but I can say that it was done in a way that is not normal in anime and maybe that is why it affected me more. It made me feel more mellow and more distracted at times. Someone tried very hard to achieve something and they did.
The name of the movie is something that you will understand later in the movie. Similarly to Sen to Chihiro no Kamikakushi title. I won't spoil the story, but you will hear it, feel it and maybe cry. Because it is sad, very sad.
I don't know what to say more because it is very difficult to express what I feel. But one thing is for sure. Go see the movie because it is a masterpiece. I wouldn't say that it is the best Makoto Shinkai's movies or best anime movie to watch, but it certainly is one of the best and is one of the most accessible to those that are not familiar with Japanese anime or Makoto Shinkai's movies. It is very faced paced (not usual) and written with decent humour.
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