Kimi no Na wa a.k.a Your Name is a Japanese anime film directed by Makoto Shinkai and was released in 2016. (I’m late, I know) It’s one of the biggest anime film of all time, being Japan’s 4th highest selling movie to date.

At first, all I know about the movie was that it’s played in the cinema and that it’s quite popular, but I didn’t pay much attention to it because I don’t really feel like watching movie these days but also because I don’t really have the time to. The reason I watched it is because my friends asked me to, basically. I do have to say that this movie interest me somehow because my past experiences with Japanese works (check out Haruki Murakami) has been great, plus the good reviews.

With that being said, I really like the illustration of this movie, it’s done in such great detail, like the precision and persistence of moving lights and shadows cast on objects, the attention to the focus of the characters and blurs of the backgrounds, or when the teacher’s writing on the blackboard looks so realistic. The director and the illustrator did such an incredible job, I have to applause them.

Anyhow, there are two central characters in the movie, a high school rural girl named Mitsuha and a high school city boy named Taki. The film started off with some mystery as Mitsuha couldn’t remember the things she did the night before. As the story develops, I then understand that the reason for that is because the night before, someone else took over her body, which is Taki. The plot then evolved with the two discovering this peculiar fact that they changed body a few times a week for one whole day from the moment they wake up until the moment they go back to sleep.

I really enjoyed the way the story is presented, the story line is really fun and lighthearted, and very much relatable. They actually give each other a do and don’t list while switching to the other’s body and record what they’ve done for the day on their individual phones to hep them cover this fact from their surroundings. Isn’t that adorable?!

Anyhow, the climax comes when they actually stopped changing bodies. I was left with questions hanging on top of my head like What’s happening? Why the sudden stop? and lots of other questions. [Spoiler Alert] So, after an intensive journey to find out the truth, Taki discovered that they’re actually from a different time period, the switch is made from a present Taki to Mitsuha from 3 years before, which explains inability for them to contact each other. But the real reason for the sudden stop is because….

I would love to tell you the whole story, but I won’t. The reason is because I really want all of you, I literally mean EVERYONE to actually just go and watch this movie and actually experience it for yourself. It’s an amazingly well directed, well illustrated work of art with a wonderful story line containing all these deep and profound essence. What I learn every time I consumed Japanese novels or films, they always give me that sense of warmth. It makes me think and see things from a different perspective, experience a whole new dimension and I appreciate Japanese artists for being able to do that.

Lastly, I’m not saying all Japanese works are great, because like everything there are good ones and horrible ones. However this movie, Kimi no Na wa is definitely one of the best movies I’ve ever watched. So the only thing I can say is : find out the rest yourself! [p.s you’re welcome! ]