Makoto Shinkai Movies: Why You Should Watch Them
- ejorigin
- Aug 17, 2023
- 4 min read
Written by: Tan Zhi Shan (23-I1)
Designed by: Lim Sher Min (23-E1)
“I want to live. Want to hear your voice. I don’t want to be alone. I fear death.” - Suzume. Definitely one of the most resonating lines of a movie, it still gives me chills even by just reading it. This is just one of many impressionable lines in Makoto Shinkai’s movies.
Who is Makoto Shinkai?
Makoto Shinkai, well-known in the animation industry, is someone who has directed, produced, and written anime movies you have most likely watched. With his vast range of talents, from directing to animating to voice acting, even drawing manga, Makoto Shinkai is definitely one of the most prominent figures in the Japanese animation film industry. He studied Japanese Literature in University and, as of 2023, has written 13 works, many of which have been nominated for awards. His best known works are 5 Centimeters per Second (秒速5センチメートル), Your Name (君の名は), Weathering with You (天気の子), and Suzume (すずめの戸締まり). So, why should you watch his movies? Well, there are other reasons beyond his awards and skills.
Plot
Shinkai’s movies have unique elements, often playing with elements like time and nature, as seen in Your Name, Weathering with You, and Suzume. His movies reflect human nature. For example, his characters do not see the bigger picture, only thinking about what they are occupied with, not thinking about how their actions affect others. The plots also reflect our real world.This is seen from several plot points, for instance, Suzume dealing with the 2011 Tohoku earthquake. Shinkai’s plots are moving and very touching. This comes from someone who has cried many times out of sadness or joy while watching his movies. His plots are also special due to their open and ambiguous endings. These endings are up to the audience to self-interpret. At the same time, they leave the audience wanting more.
Music
While the plot is an important part of any movie, the addition of music into Shinkai’s movies are also very artistic and fitting, most notably in his latest 3 movies. As someone who loves listening to music, this is the biggest factor in why I love his movies so much. The music in Shinkai’s movies contributes to the feelings that the plot brings to the audience. This tasteful incorporation of music is definitely one of the essential elements of his movies, additionally emphasised in the lyrics which have subtitles of their own as well. Some popular songs from his movies are Sparkle, Nandemonaiya, Grand Escape, Suzume, and Kanata Haluka. These songs all come from the same band, RADWIMPS, who produced the music for Shinkai’s latest films, Your Name, Weathering with You, and Suzume. There is just something so beautiful about the melody and lyrics which makes you want to play them over and over again. Even without understanding the words sung, you can feel the emotions the songs intend to invoke.
Art
The art of Makoto Shinkai’s movies are also not to be forgotten. Shinkai’s combination of fantasy and reality is often most easily seen in the art of his movies, with scenes depicting real places in Japan. For example, the stairs to Yotsuya Suga Shrine seen in Your Name, the Hijiri-bashi bridge in Suzume - a bridge in Chiyoda, Tokyo. These places shown in iconic scenes prompt people to find them in real life and take pictures there. After Suzume’s release, many people on Tiktok took to posting videos of the railway tunnel seen from Hijiribashi in Suzume, accompanied by the music that played in that scene.
Stairs to Suga Shrine, Tokyo
Hijiri-bashi bridge, Tokyo
Shinkai’s art not only ties fiction to real life, but it also does so exquisitely. Shinkai’s movies feature an absolutely gorgeous artstyle. The light and shadows in his movies contribute to the mood. Anyone can definitely appreciate the art of the movies even without any artistic background. Personally, I think the skies are the best part of all his movies. Whether at night, dawn, day, or dusk, the skies are always drawn spectacularly. Here are some photos I find to be absolutely extraordinary.
Where to Watch His Movies
Hopefully, I have convinced you to give his movies a try, and so here are some ways you can watch his movies! In Singapore, Netflix currently only has Your Name, one of his best movies. However, you can watch his other movies on streaming platforms such as HBO GO for Weathering with You, whereas Suzume is currently showing in cinemas, and others can be watched on Crunchyroll. While there is no single platform that shows all of his movies (other than illegal sites), I hope that this does not discourage you from watching them. I promise, watching his movies is an experience you will never regret!
References:
Majumder, S. (2021, August 13). An interpretation of the open-endings in Makoto Shinkai Movies. Cinemamonogatari. https://www.cinemamonogatari.com/2021/08/13/interpretation-of-the-open-endings-in-makoto-shinkai-movies/
IMDb. (n.d.). Makoto Shinkai. IMDb. https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1396121/
Photos taken from
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