This review is spoiler-filled. Unless you want to cry with a fury fist in the cinema, or simply cry without it, I’d recommend not reading until you’ve watched the film. Or read anyway, with a fist and no tears.
In the follow up to the acclaimed 2016’s “Your Name”, Makoto Shinkai’s latest animated feature takes us to modern-day Tokyo, following sixteen year-old Hodaka Morishima as he leaves home in search of something more. During his travels, he meets up along with an orphan girl named Hina Amano, which he soon learns that she is able to control the weather. And thus, begins an enriching film of romance, coming-of-age, and an abundance of comedy.
Much of “Weathering’s” plot revolves around our main character, Hodaka, and in the process, learning about his past and why he’s decided to runaway from home. Alas, these questions are all answered within the film’s plots and themes, but as with all Shinkai films with star-crossed lovers, it’s somewhat complicated.
For those who haven’t watched the film, “Weathering’s” parallels to a certain book that appears in the first 30 minutes of the film seems to tell the audience that, “Hey, this is the film you’re watching, and this is the book that I’m (kinda) referencing. You like references? I sure do!”
In the name of all things holy and spoiler-zilla, you’ve been warned.
“Weathering” and “The Catcher in the Rye”: Parallels
It’s a simplistic parallel, but a parallel nonetheless. In both stories, we are first introduced to home runaways, in search of meaning and in turn, coming of age.
Hodaka, much like Holden Caulfield, other than sharing a similar first letter in their names, are both sixteen, both disenchanted with life, and largely cynical in their young age. I’m surprised at the lack of ‘phony,’ Shinkai. It is also because of their attitudes and personalities in life that enable audiences and readers to enter into what they think, what they feel, and most importantly, why them and not someone else.
In many ways, while being a coming of age story, some would argue that Holden in the book doesn’t really ‘come of age’. This is partly due to his own way of thinking, but maturity in different ways is definitely seen throughout the length of the book.
Hodaka on the other hand suffers a major transformation, and one that is a dozen times more distinct than Holden in “Catcher”. In the film, Hodaka risks it all, at an adolescent age, to leave home and sail away to an area that he has never been in. While searching for jobs online and eating instant noodles, Hodaka also reads, you guessed it, “The Catcher in the Rye”, which showcases not just the comparison that he has to his own life, but also seeking ways to learn from it.
The comparison here is startling, but perhaps Shinkai wanted to show us of the struggles of modern youth, and the coping mechanisms that they employ. Especially with the younger generation, most would rather look to the internet and ask questions than seek help through physical interactions. Hodaka does this, when he goes to an online forum and starts asking people about ‘high paying jobs’ for a sixteen year-old. Of course, the internet shuts him down. It’s the internet, Hodoka. What did you expect?!
I believe the book was used as a way for Hodaka to cope with his current situation, in which through the lens of Holden, he starts to see the cynicism of others and, in some ways, the truth for himself. All of this will be revealed later on in the film, and as a matter-of-fact, shows exactly how Hodaka chooses differently from Holden that allows him to change for the better.
Throughout the beginning of the film, and as we see later on as the story reveals itself, Shinkai employs a dark screen shutter. What this means is he uses a ‘cut to black’ to indicate a book-end to certain chapters within the film. In the first book-end of the film, it arrives shortly after Hodaka has found true companions in down-and-out writer Keisuke Suga and Natsumi, whom Hodaka mistakes for a mistress. It is here, after all the interviews and jobs that Hodaka goes through, that we see him finally happy, truly happy.
And we receive our first cut to black.
Hodaka and Hina: Bond, Conflict, and Resolution
The main central focus on the film is undoubtedly Hodaka and Hina. After all, whether you like the film’s ending (which we will get to), rests on the shoulders of their relationship, and their conclusion.
In a way, the plot of the film is largely familiar, and to Shinkai’s… un-credit — If that’s a word? — the film stands on the shoulder of another film. Yes, it’s “Your Name”.
It’s no secret that “Your Name” is one of the most popular anime films in recent times, but it is also one of the most successful too. And yeah, they kind of overlap. And when themes overlap in “Weathering” with “Your Name”, there’s a sense of emotion that just doesn’t quite compare.
For example, the first major tension-filled scene in the film, when Hodaka rescues Hina and a gun goes off, she eventually takes him up to the shrine where she became the ‘weathering girl’. Of course, this scene does go by quick and might be out of place that, despite its shortcomings, one can easily forgive when the film proceeds to show us why it happened.
While the scene above arrives early, it sets us up for the rest of the film, showing us the route and the steps in getting there. This is further reinforced when Keisuke and Natsumi uncover the secrets of a ‘sacrifice’ of a weathering girl in order to cure Tokyo’s massive downpour.
In “Your Name”, Shinkai doesn’t let our main characters meet until the third act. Both a bold move and one that reeks of pure satisfaction to the audience. We’re rooting for them to get together and, alas, they do, and for a short while, the film understands the brilliance of ‘rescue’ and ‘affection’.
“Weathering” takes a different approach, though not too far with its steering. Because we’re introduced to our characters early, it sets up the motivation, the conflict, and in doing so, creates the resolution. The film’s ideology roughly stays the same when Hodaka has to do whatever it takes — escaping the police, running on train tracks, running on more train tracks, and climbing up a flight of stairs to reach Hina in the clouds.
Though the film does get us to care for Hina’s powers and the resulting consequences, it lacks empathy in areas that should have been included. For example, showing more scenes of Hina with her brother and late mother would have provided for a much better introspective into her decisions later on in the film, and allowing the audience to understand why, rather than asking: ‘what?’.
It’s not easy, of course, since the film does take a complex approach in telling both a coming-of-age tale, and a romantic teen drama. It is because of this complexity that allows audiences to take home different pieces of the film, and while both leaving room for interpretation and adding a definite stamp, Shinkai deftly handles the idea with fine-tuned execution to achieve duality.
A Bittersweet Ending
At the end, we see Hodaka, in contrary to Holden in “Catcher”, who finds meaning and purpose, and truly ‘comes of age’. In many ways, the film itself is an insight into Hodaka’s world, where the rain never stops and he struggles to make it work in a world that is foreign to him.
That is when Hina arrives, and we see the occasional sun, prompting happy exchanges and allowing Hodaka to feel genuine love, and to learn to love and care for someone else. It is because of this that when the decision is made by Hodaka to save Hina and bring her back, he understands that his world is important, but not as important as the person living in it: him.
When he realizes that the one thing he cares about is taken from him, he goes to ‘literal’ heaven and back to rescue her, and will do anything in his power to ensure he never loses her, again. Hina, on the other hand, understands her meaning of life: being more than just a sacrifice, but a reason for hope that the world may simply be better because of her actions.
In some sense, the raining Tokyo in the film is metaphorical society. Much like a character in a terrible film, Tokyo’s arc doesn’t change, allowing the film to tell the full arcs of Hodaka and Hina: one who fights for himself, and one who’s ready to stop fighting.
And that makes the ending, well, bittersweet. Tokyo will submerge faster than Venice, with Hodaka’s life forever overturned, and yet, among the sea of recluse, problems and hopelessness, he truly found something that could light up his life forever.
And even if she couldn’t anymore, Hodaka learnt that it isn’t about the world, or about society, or about anyone else, it’s about the one that you care about, and doing whatever it takes to get them back.
Or the film could just be about Hodaka wearing a VR headset playing video games while he thinks this all up. It kind of works. Ready Player Two, anyone?
Shinkai’s latest film is sure to make you sob, or if you’re likely to cry, an oasis, but I recommend bringing a bucket (though it probably won’t help) if you’re the latter. Either way, “Weathering With You” is a sweet film that exceeded my expectations with grand meaning, splendid story and a host of hearty characters. While it’s no “Your Name”, nothing is ever going to top that.
Whatever Shinkai does next, I’ll be sure to get my butt in the theater to support his beautiful films.
These are just my thoughts on the film. Let me know yours.
