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[This review contains spoilers, because I wasn't able to explain why I didn't like this movie without speaking of specific story events and why is it done.]
This movie brings back the feeling of the story of a romance that the previous firm ‘Your Name' gave me, but the plot is different. Both movies having the same director and the style remain at teenage lovers, how and what they have to overcome the hardships they face together in order to be together in the end, but the world is filled with the supernatural phenomenon and sometimes leads to sacrifice taken in order to see the other ... half. The most heart toughing word he says to the girl is "I'll choose you over any blue sky", indicating that the boy is willing to sacrifice the world just to be with the girl.
A runaway boy name Hodaka went to Tokyo by ferry, during the process he almost fell of the ferry by was save by a man name Keisuke that ends up giving him a job, a place to stay and food to eat. He lives with his niece Natsumi who is helping Keisuke with his small start-up company. Hodaka ends up meeting a girl named Hina when saving her from working at a sketchy club. They end up befriending and he found out that Hina has special powers to clear the weather. Tokyo has been facing heavy rain for the past two years and the citizen their miss the feeling of the blue sky. But everything comes with a cost, Hodaka found out that the 100% sunshine girl is a maiden of the sky, she suffers a great consequence that was foretold by an old man.
The movie does not relate much about the life of Keisuke, on why he chooses to take in Hodaka during his time of need and why he decided to convince him to not keep running away from the police. What was he thinking during the visit of the police officer, why he shed a tear and what was the thing trigger him to go against the law and aid Hodaka? We can see that Hodaka reminds Keisuke of himself in a way as said by his niece Natsumi, and I can see that Hodaka words of wanting to see Hina one last time were the changing point that reminds Keisuke wanting to see his wife for one last time as well. He ran away to Tokyo when he was a teen and found the love of his life in Tokyo.
We can see that the necklace on Hina neck is the bracelet which her mom wore during the opening scene, this can mean that she has taken up the role of being the mother of the household to make a living to support her and her brother. She faked her age and resume to get a job and even went as far as being an escort to make a living. She only mentions her mother once in the movie, and it was during her last job with Hodaka before they decide to take a break.
The producer of this firm is Makoto Shinkai, he has done amazing work in the past with the firm ‘Your Name’. Which was nominated for many awards and won most of it. All his past firm is about high school romance. For example, ‘Your Name’, Five centimetres apart and The Garden of Words. He has been named the next Miyazaki after the huge success of ‘Your Name’.
It is known that Japanese Animation always likes to relate their character names with the characterises of them. If not mistaken, Hina means sun or day with (hi) means sun or light, (na) means green or tea. Not to mention the translation of the Japanese movie name means "The Weather's Child", indicating that Hina is the child that the weather has given birth and the child is Hina during the time she walks across the shrine. Hodaka means sail and height, he did run away from home by sailing in a ship to reach great heights in his life. There is more meaning in their names but this is the important factors on what the director choices the name for the characters.
The animation for this firm is basic, it does not have the 3D feeling like other animation I have watched nor does is has realities graphic. It feels like a slideshow every few second but the thing I acknowledge is the amazing artwork and how most scenes are a reference to the real-life Tokyo. It allows the viewer to experience that they are in Tokyo with the main character and not in a fictional place. Even the music choice fits perfectly into each scene and each word has a meaning that reflects the theme.
Overall I find this movie to have a good flow with a character relating the scene before and everything links up piece by piece as well get into the movie. We can relative what is going on in the firm to our everyday life, wanting to escape the boring life we have and exploring the beautiful world around us. Even with all the supernatural things happening in the movie. Would recommend people who like high school romance and into the culture of Japan as well as their mythology.