Review of Your Name. (2016) by Reginthorn — 06 Apr 2017

Your Name is a lively combination of romance, identity, and culture. I went into the film with a very little understanding of the plot’s complexities. From the trailer, I assumed Your Name would be an anime Freaky Friday love story.

The framework of the narrative certainly fits into my initial assumption. Yet, there is a multitude of undercurrents in the film which make Your Name stand out. For starters, Your Name constantly changes themes and mood.

Often, I found myself laughing and, a few minutes later, would suddenly be on the verge of tears. The movie’s eclectic flow makes for a constantly engaging experience. The Freaky Friday element is roughly half of the film’s two-hour runtime.

In fact, a plot twist in the film literally took my breath away. Your Name is the rare film which combines overwhelming variety and makes everything fit organically. Through variety, the anime earns a conventional ending between protagonists, Mitsuha and Taki.

While body switching is the plot's main intrigue, the film adds complexity through its exploration of Japanese culture. Japanese gender identity is explored with such a masterful hand. In subtle strokes, the viewer understands the sheer contrast in the lives of Japanese men and women.

For example, a group of men have a crush on a female co-worker; Mitsuha, in Taki’s body, simply initiates conversation with the desired woman and, with ease, sets up a date. When Taki is back to normal the next day, his male coworkers all line up disgusted by his act of group betrayal.

The scene effectively demonstrates the strength of the herd like quality of gender in Japan. It’s no surprise then when Taki, in Mitsuha’s body, finds such humorous wonder in the breasts he suddenly gains.

A contrast can also be noticed in the struggle between the past and present. The present is Taki’s experience of Tokyo. Likewise, the past is illustrated by Mitsuha’s familial duty to her small town’s local shrine.

In other words, the film merges Japanese spirituality with modern sensibilities. A desire to escape and return to the country define the film’s ecliptic take on Japan. Mitsusha is your typical country girl with a thirst for a life in the city.

Meanwhile, Taki finds beauty in Mitsuha’s country town. The viewer amusingly experiences each setting (Tokyo and Itomori) through the unique lens of the protagonists. Ultimately, a comet and local god guide the distant figures into a surprising collision course.

As a result, fate is sealed by the two somewhat metaphysically dissimilar sources. The forces of science and divinity augment Your Name into making the seemingly fated connection all the more plausible.

The film is a testament of the “opposites attract” sentiment. In summary, the film has a real beating heart. I will end my review saying Your Name is the best looking animated film I have ever seen.

The colors are always pleasingly vibrant. Additionally, all of the scenes are lovingly rendered and pulsating with life. I haven’t walked out of a theatre with such a positive perspective on life in a long time.

If you live in a city, you ought to take the time to experience this anime masterpiece.