Your Name

Honestly, I’m not a fan of Animes nor a huge fan of romantic films. Still, I got blown away by this picture from director Makoto Shinkai. At the first sight, I thought “Your Name” will tell a typical love story of two high school teenagers. I was supposed to be wrong … The film indeed tells such a story but not the way a typical Netflix film would tell it, rather it is told with grounded characters you can empathise with and who aren’t over-subscribed.

On top of that, the main characters swap bodies from time to time which makes up the fantasy part of the film and the premise. Even then, the characters appear realistic and reliable. I mean every boy who would wake up as a girl tomorrow would first touch his breasts to see what it’s like to have some of your own. I always had to smile in these little scenes which appear so grounded and comprehensible.

The two main characters are dubbed by Ryunosuke Kamiki and Mone Kamishiraishi in the Japanese original and by Michael Sinterniklaas and Stephanie Sheh in the English version. The fantastic soundtrack is composed by Radwimps, always fitting and never exaggerated. As someone who never watched Animes besides Pokémon, I was stunned by some of the animations of “Your Name”, although they are probably still outstanding among other Animes.

All in all, “Your Name” is a magnificent picture with a plot more than just an ordinary love story. The film is rather about searching, the search for your soulmate. To make it clear, I don’t believe in soulmates, not in our world where love is often not more than a good feeling which lasts for some years until it’s faded away. Nevertheless, it sometimes seems like some people are made for each other and destined to be together.

Destiny on the other hand is a higher power I do believe in. The notion that everyone’s fate is predetermined is a very facilitating way of thinking, still, it may be one with meaning. Beyond that, doesn’t it sound magical? Two souls ripped apart of each other and searching their entire life for their lost half. How would you recognise your soulmate? Is it someone you meet and can’t let go of? Is it somebody you’ll be reunited by life over and over again until you see it? Well, the chance of finding that one person that perfectly matches your soul seems extremely low. However, “Your Name” shows us what it could be like to find it.