Teenage runaway Hodaka struggles to live in an endlessly raining Tokyo until he is taken under the wing of a lowly entertainment publisher. Along the way, he becomes partners, both in a business and possibly romantic sense, with Hina, a slightly older but equally struggling teenage girl who possesses the supernatural power to briefly stop the stormy weather. WEATHERING WITH YOU is my first experience with Makoto Shinkai, the legendary anime director who became a global superstar thanks to his last film, the highly acclaimed mega blockbuster YOUR NAME. Yes, despite being a former anime aficionado who tries to keep an eye on the industry, I still haven't partake with his previous movie nor even his breakthrough feature VOICES OF A DISTANT STAR during its heyday. Putting all of that aside, WEATHERING is an engaging romantic fantasy drama that does sweep you off of your feet at times but struggles whenever it comes back down to Earth. Shinkai and his crew pour a lot of breathtaking detail into its animated world, from the gorgeous city landscapes to the salivating depictions of food that almost rivals Studio Ghibli. Some might say a little too much detail is included: the film is rife with product placement which is pretty accepting considering, well, it does take place in Tokyo but still proves to be a bit distracting. The film is further enhanced by its heartwarming soundtrack provided by the rock band RADWIMPS. The film's theme song is an utter delight and will stick with you after you leave the theater.
Unfortunately, Shinkai's script doesn't retain much of the same beauty. I can easily see why the film was a huge hit with its native audiences: it thoroughly relishes the melodramatic allure of teens rebelling against patronizing adults and an unforgiving social system while also falling in love via shouty exclamations and hand holding. However, the central romance leaves a lot to be desired. I just did not find it to be up to par with many other recent romantic anime dramas such as I WANT TO EAT YOUR PANCREAS and even dare say FIREWORKS. My only guess for the cause of this seems to be the film's heavy focus on Hodaka and his plight. His viewpoint is so dominating, he even narrates all over the opening scene, which is a crucial moment in the life of Hina. Speaking of whom, Hina doesn't get a whole lot to do besides her superpower or really show a lot of blatant affection for Hodaka until the film enters its second half and the script has to quickly make up for lost time. The pacing could have been better handled, often speeding past more fun comedic storylines only to then bog itself down with melancholy and liberious usage of flashbacks. And then you have the ending which can best be described as Edgar Wright-esque in its daringness and divisiveness. Even with its faults, I do see myself and many a viewer going back to this movie in the future and warming myself more and more with its good graces.
FINAL REVIEW: 3 / 5
