Review of Your Name. (2016) by Luke K — 10 Mar 2017

Despite my social status I don't actually watch a lot of anime, it takes a lot for a Japanese animation film to catch my attention even though I am generally intrigued by it. So despite even though its limited release only made it to one small shack of a Cinema in Leicester Square, the only place in London it was showing, I was somehow drawn to see this film even though I've never seen a foreign film in cinema, let alone an anime and I've never travelled so far from home to see a film. My only conclusion is that much like the supernatural element that brings the two star crossed lovers, I was also somehow meant to see this film. So believe me when I say this is the best film I have seen this year I do not say it lightly. I have not had the pleasure of seeing every film this year but I know for a fact I wouldn't be thinking about those films after I left the screen as much as this one.

This film does something I've never seen before in live action or anime, this is a body swapping film with two teen's growing up, who have never met each other before yet somehow fall in love with each other and their lives. And yet as crazy as it sounds it just works in the most beautiful way. One thing I very much enjoyed is that this is never too shy to turn away from the more adult themes that would come from 2 growing up teenagers tht would also happen to randomly switch bodies. Theres running gags which although not surprising were still very much enjoyable, nothing felt out of place and its realistically understandable. The little things with this relationship make it fresh and exciting, the couple only switch bodies a few times a week at random and they can never remember what happened so they have to leave each other notes when they change each others lives accordingly and also set the "Do's and Don't" out of respectability. All the while the main elements of the film begin to unravel. And that is only one half of the film!

The film juxtapositions dream and reality, supernatural and science, girl and boy, life and death. The beauty of the film comes in the form of kataware doki (the moment between night and day) the film revolves around this, it's the theme and motif, the correlation between taki and mitsuha, it's what brings everything together and how it all begins and ends. Even with it's gorgeous animation, the film is shockingly realistic in many ways, and parts I refuse to spoil. Yet it is also fanatical, everything about this film comes in two parts and you cannot have one without the other. Its very much a dream, both satisfying and shocking, even though out hero and heroine always wake up from a dream they can't quite remember, this is one dream you will not forget. Together this film forms an emotional, comedic, and romantically chaotic journey.

It's a fine way to end this year and might help prepare students like me for the next life to come.