Review: Weathering With You

Release date: January 17, 2020
Running time: 114 minutes
Starring: Kotaro Daigo, Nana Mori, Shun Oguri 

From the creators of the critically acclaimed Your Name comes another beautiful, heartfelt animated journey.  Hodaka Morishima (Daigo) has run away from home to Tokyo.  Struggling to survive, he befriends Hina Amano (Mori), a girl with a special power.  Together, the two struggling teenagers survive and thrive in a Tokyo covered by perpetual rain.  

As you would expect from the team that brought you Your Name, Weathering With You is absolutely gorgeous.  The animation is crisp and beautiful, with a clean style that really helps to tell the story.  The film is mostly set in Tokyo, and from what I remember, it looks just like it.  Many of the buildings are recognizable and even some of the minor details like alleyways and housing evoke that special city.  Also what you would expect from a movie called Weathering With You, it has stunning weather.  From beautiful rays of sunshine to some torrential downpours and slow motion rain shots, the weather is as important to this story as the main characters are and is as beautifully animated as well. 

On top of the amazing animation, the music of Weathering With You contributes just as much to the story.  The lyrical songs are wonderful and fit what is going on in that specific scene.  However, there are sections of piano music that are beautiful and understated, yet come in at exactly the right time to set the mood and contribute to the moving story.  And the story itself, although a little quirky and dramatic, is a wonderful story about children maturing and finding their place in this world.  The characters and their struggles tell a beautiful, heartfelt story that will stick with you well after the movie's credits.

Weathering With You is an absolutely stunning film with amazing animation, incredible weather effects, and moving music that combine to tell a beautiful, heartfelt story.

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