1/20/2017 - Your Name (Kimi no na wa) (2016/2017) – 6/10

(Currently) The highest grossing anime of all-time, Your Name is a brightly colored mystical pop teen romance that excels at delivering on and slightly past its premise but does not reinvent the wheel. Angsty and anxious, the pubescent hormones pour out of this film along with its emo J-pop soundtrack and teenage body swapping hijinks. It sucks you into the emotions and plot complications, but never bursts free from its genre tropes or its maudlin undercurrent.

The animation is strong, as the entire production looks quite glossy and superiorly rendered. There is a somewhat trippy sequence about 2/3rds of the way through that was probably the pinnacle of the film’s visuals. I do not believe that there was anything revolutionary or groundbreaking in the animation though. A heightening of the standards presented in any anime series or original movie.

The “twist” was appreciated, keeping my attention and providing a deepening of the sci-fi elements already extant. The further existential questions posed by that in-film realization helped to salvage a story teetering on the edge of tired and overly sentimental. It pulled itself from a Ranma ½ meets Freaky Friday-inspired generic teen romantic comedy to give itself profundity, symbolism, and a prospect for introspection.

Overall, a pleasurable and fun little anime that will keep your interest if you let it. I don’t understand the fervor and unabashed gushing over this film coming from others and around the world, but it is nice this film is finding an audience. Not amazing or groundbreaking, just slightly above average.