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May contain spoilers, although they are kept at a minimal.

(My ratings for the movie: Story/9, Art/7, Sound/8, Character/9, Enjoyment/10)

At first I didn’t know what to expect with this movie. I first knew of this series through its manga, where I got to go through Mai’s arc very briefly. This was back at what, the start of January so I didn’t quite remember it. Then came the anime, which some people disliked, but I very much enjoyed each heroine’s story arcs. Unfortunately they had to end the story short with supposedly one heroine’s arc left uncovered (Makinohara Shoko’s), which is this premise of this movie. They ... cover her story arc, and I’ll just say the movie is pretty good.

The movie almost spends no time with chit-chat, as they go straight into the issue regarding the series. And if you’ve caught up with even just a bit of the original TV series, you’ll know that it’s again the Adolescence Syndrome at work here (or anything else you’d prefer to call 思春期症候群). This time, in typical main MC fashion, our favorite Sakuta does what he does best, which just like the TV series, goes out of his way to save the new damsel in distress. This time, it’s about the somewhat mysterious girl that he met on the beach when Sakuta was at his lowest point in life, Shoko. She was always referenced in the TV series, yet she never got a proper episode to herself. Now she has a movie to herself, and I think it was the right call to give her a 2 hour sitting.

Everything about Shoko’s story arc nearly seems like it falls right into place. She is intertwined with Sakuta’s life, and as per his memories, Sakuta would probably say the same thing. As the movie progresses, Sakuta learns more and more about Shoko, including details like the day they’ve met years ago, the Adolescence Syndrome that she has, the decisions that they would both end up having to make, and more. It gets more tense as the story moves on, and for a lack of better words, just like how other reviews describe it, really tears your heart apart. Maybe sitting inside a cinema makes it ever so more realistic and dramatic, but the feelings that this movie expresses are much stronger than the TV series ever gave me. While not entirely relatable to everyone, this movie really puts the stress on Sakuta (and Mai), and I think serves as an amazing finale to what seems like the first wave of production for Aobuta.

That’s not to say this movie has no flaws. That’s impossible. However, there are things that I didn’t particularly like about the movie. For example, while they did slightly tone down the sexual harassments made by Sakuta (by count, not intensity), I still feel like it is not an entirely important aspect to the movie (or his character, really). There are also parts of the movie where I am not be able to relate to, and very occasionally the actions taken by the main characters also put me off from an otherwise pleasant but periodically heart-clenching experience.

I personally believe it was the correct decision to make Shoko’s story arc a movie, it gave a somewhat believable conclusion to an otherwise untackled plot hole/device. While it does end off in a strange way, it is a fitting ending for an overall entertaining series. If you do end up seeing the movie, hopefully you’ll find it just as enjoyable as I did.

[Minimal Spoilers]

Weathering With You, or Tenki no Ko is Makoto Shinkai's newest film. Building on his movie universe after Your Name, this film seems to take place after the events of the movie. While this movie might not have the hype surrounding it like Your Name, it is still an enjoyable movie for the average viewer.

For people who have only watched Your Name, this movie is not by any means a sequel. This is also, unfortunately (IMHO) not as impressive as Your Name, despite me finding it a particularly great movie. Nonetheless, both movies are enjoyable to watch.

Story:

In my opinion, I think Weathering With You ... is ultimately a very simple romance movie. It's simply a story about a boy embarking on a journey, finding people close to him, growing up, and more importantly, finding love.

This time, Makoto Shinkai's film puts in more time to develop characters around the main protagonist, unlike Your Name where Mitsuha and Taki are of (very) big importance. It's a nice change and I felt like would make people able to relate to the film much more. While both films are supernatural romances, I feel like Weathering With You does a good job at bringing the movie down to earth, making it just a bit more relatable.

Building on urban legends, Weathering With You's concept revolves around a girl being able to call on the sun appearing by praying, which is extremely important for Tokyo (the movie's setting) as it is constantly raining. This movie is about the boy's adventure and his growing understanding of this legend.

But this film doesn't just end there. Albeit being a simple movie, Weathering With You attempts to delve into a deeper issue with the main protagonist. Being 16/17, he is on the verge of becoming a socially recognized adult, but like most teenagers nowadays, many of them are simply not ready to face the reality of society. This film intertwines seemingly impossible fantasies and urban legends with the realization of what growing up really means. Sometimes it's not easy to grow up, and most people don't really know what it means to grow up too. However, during this boy's journey with the many people he meets in Tokyo, he is slowly absorbing all the information around him and finds out that growing up is by no means a simple thing, just like real life. Unlikes Your Name where almost everything is set on a supernatural basis, Weathering With You is much more a relatable movie, bringing a concept that everyone will deal or have dealt with.

Because it is not by any means a complex concept, there would not be a lot of ways to expand on a story. However, Weathering With You is almost a new take on this topic without explicitly stating its intent. I think the movie does a good job of expressing it, which is good.

Art:

If you've watched any Makoto Shinkai film in recent years, then you know what caliber of art that his team is capable of, and Weathering With You is no different. From stills to animations, this movie is very much comparable to Shinkai's previous movies in terms of art and is sure to appeal to the masses that have not experienced anime movies.

And if you have yet to watch one of Makoto Shinkai's movies, then you should definitely watch one. Right now. Go.

Sound:

RADWIMPS rose to fame after their impressive performance on the music of Your Name. It shouldn't be a surprise as they simply handled it brilliantly - bright vocals with an upbringing tempo and tonality. It fitted Your Name brilliantly.

Similarly, RADWIMPS returns with Weathering With You, and they have done yet again an amazing job with the music. While not having as many vocal tracks in the soundtrack, all of the music synergizes well with the movie, and without spoiling too much, is a great fit with its "weather" theme IMO. Please do give it a listen.

Character:

Here is where I think the film is similar to Your Name. When comparing art styles, one would find that they look very alike, and because that's true. At times I find the main protagonist look overly similar to Taki from Your Name, and while that doesn't necessarily affect my viewing experience, I find it to be somewhat disturbing. That's probably just me. However, if you've watched Your Name, then you can expect the same character designs that many have come to like - approachable, easy on the eyes and creates cute characters.

Morishima Nodaka is the boy that embarks on his adventure. While his character exterior is nothing notable, that fits him perfectly as that's what he's supposed to be - a growing teenager nearly becoming an adult. He has the qualities of what a teenager should be - stubborn, somewhat arrogant and more importantly, naive in terms of his knowledge of society. At first, he is only able to follow his dream, much less a goal. Throughout his movie, he slowly grows bit by bit during his stay in Tokyo, and unfortunately, I would have hoped for a bit more development with him but I think this film also offers a lot of foreshadowing for viewers to discover what he truly is as a person.

Amano Hina is the other protagonist. She is also a teenager, who has struggled to find her position in society. She has a slightly more memorable attire (which is her hairstyle mostly) and has a bright personality that is somewhat uncharacteristic of a teenager. Similar to Nodaka, she also has her fair share of problems, and her facade game is strong. She seems strong-willed, but otherwise, she is also just another teenager. Again I feel like her character could have been expanded a bit more, but I think what Makoto Shinkai has settled with is perfect as it compliments the theme of the movie well.

Sub-characters are more memorable this time around. You have Suga Keisuke, a random dude on a boat that got to knew Nodaka. There's Natsumi, a girl that lives in Keisuke's apartment. You get to meet Nagi, Hina's "hot stuff" younger brother. That's what you get to see on the surface, but Weathering With You dives deeper into most of the sub-characters. While not necessarily providing a full backstory, there's more than enough for you to understand each and one of their motives. Each one of the sub-characters is essential to the story and I feel like is why their character development is important. It's really nice that Makoto Shinkai didn't skip out on creating some good sub-characters.

Enjoyment:

At first, I used an extremely critical view to look at this film. I didn't really like Your Name because the hype it received didn't exactly translate into how good a film it was supposed to be. Weathering With You at first seemed to me like a slightly downscaled and lazier version of Your Name, like - slap on another supernatural topic, give them new hair and similar personalities and you have another "great movie"!

Then I remembered why Makoto Shinkai is somewhat revered as a director. There are so many things hidden in each and one of his movies and it's all the subtleties and major plotlines that contribute into them becoming memorable movies. From the beautiful art, distinct personalities and captivating storyline, Weathering With You is another memorable movie. I like this one more than Your Name for sure.

Overall:

At first, I said this movie was a simple supernatural romance. The genres alone seem to prove me otherwise. But I guarantee you, it's actually that simple - everything is very methodical, laid out in a way that everyone that watches it is able to understand its story. If you wanted to find out more about the movie, there are yet again some subtle hints throughout the movie that enhances a character's image, and makes the story make even more sense. While it seems like there's a lot of cliches and tropes in this movie, I think that's just a progress of the increasing number of animes and its byproducts that make such ideas become mainstream. Not to take away from Weathering With You though, Makoto Shinkai is able to use those seemingly simple ideas and compose them into a beautiful movie.

If you're also a somewhat critical person, I suggest for once, putting down those glasses and look at this movie at purely an enjoyment standpoint. Weathering With You reminded me of the first time I watched Your Name - stunning visuals, breathtaking soundtrack, and cute characters. I wasn't as informed with anime at the time and I genuinely enjoyed the movie so much, and I believe a great portion of Your Name's viewers share a similar thought. It was only after I decided to rewatch the movie so many times that I found the many faults that I came up with. (I guess that makes me hooked on the movie?) For many first-timers, it was a magical experience and I feel like Weathering With You builds upon that image of Makoto Shinkai's films. Easy and simple to get into, with a deepening story that people don't seem to expect.

Supernatural being a seemingly unapproachable topic while stringing that in with romance to create a relatable story for the masses. Makoto Shinkai has thought of everything to make his films an enjoyable experience, and Weathering With You is yet another remarkable movie by him. Do give it a shot.

I am a romance fan. So, when I saw this anime with the "romance" tag, it automatically went into my Plan to Watch list. What surprised me that instead of a typical everyday school life romcom, what I got was a fresh blend of innocence and slowly yet steadily developed love between the two "late bloomers".

Story: (8)
The story starts off with soft, pleasant music coupled along with a tour around Kawagoe, the place the story revolves around. As the students of school look excitedly for their classes, both the main characters - Azumi and Akane are given a slight appearance. Luckily, they end up in ... the same class, and the heartwarming story begins. While they might have yet to notice, signals of love have already started to bloom between the two.
This story is nothing like the average school life romcom.
Tsuki ga Kirei fully utilizes the innocence of middle-schoolers who have yet to yearn for love, and delivers the story by showcasing bit by bit on showcasing how the main characters develop their blooming relationship.

Art: (8)
"feel." this time takes a different approach to how the art is handled in Tsuki ga Kirei. Unlike their previous hits like Oregairu S2 or Outbreak Company, all the characters have rather flushed out looks. While they may look bland to someone, I personally think that this further enhances the simplicity and the theme Tsuki ga Kirei has to bring out.
How the specially designed characters blend in with the background is also one of Tsuki ga Kirei's features. Usually, the backgrounds are not anything flashy, since Kawagoe isn't a big city. Many buildings and such have a "old" touch to it. Therefore, more flashier and livelier art present in Oregairu S2 or Outbreak Company wouldn't have fit the deal. If feel decided to use that art style in Tsuki ga Kirei, it certainly would not deliver the same effect.

Sound: (9)
Every single song, no matter openings, endings or insert songs are all sang by Touyama Nao. Already a big plus there. But, that's not it. Along with the really-good songs also goes with really-good background music. In Tsuki ga Kirei, every scene has its respective BGM. The whole effects feels grand, but you'd have to experience it yourself first hand to understand how well the sound is handled in this anime.
Also, when they insert songs covered by Touyama Nao, it always manages to take the spotlight. Not only does it fit the scene all the time, but how you can feel the feeling overflowing from both the anime and the singer just shows how well the sound is handled. Again, you'd have to watch the anime to understand how well it's handled.

Characters: (8) ******(There are minor spoilers here)******
Azumi Kotarou is one of the main characters in Tsuki ga Kirei. He's rather fascinated with literature, and every episode he quotes a quote from (usually Dazai Osamu, but there's a time where he also quotes Natsume Souseki), which just reinforces the fact that he loves literature so much. Until he met Akane, he wasn't really interested in love.
Mizuno Akane is the other main character in Tsuki ga Kirei. She gets nervous really easy, and really fast - shown by her multiple interactions with her mini-plushie (I'm not sure what to call this). She's also a fast runner, but without her mini-plushie, she usually performs badly. She wasn't that interested in love either, until she *SPOILER HERE* got asked out by Azumi.
To be honest, those are the only characters that you should pay attention to. But, there are also Chinatsu and Hira, who serves as people adoring for their one-sided love to become true. Others are not well developed but do not have to be, since the show is basically entirely focused on Azumi and Akane.

That's all for the stuff. Here's my opinion about the anime below.
Enjoyment: (10)
Tsuki ga Kirei is a romance that I've been looking forward to, ever since I've heard that it was the same director that was responsible for Angel Beats. At first, I had doubts about the art when I saw the PV. It seemed to me that, everything seemed so bland, and that nothing would stand out. I checked out feel's other works, and I believe they've never used such a form of art style in any of their anime.

Well, I'm glad that I decided to stay, 'cause what the show gave me was a pleasant surprise. This slow-paced romance that showcases the budding relationship between the innocent middle-schoolers are one of the reasons that attracted me. It gave me flashbacks on my school life as well. Unlike the many romances that usually has interference one way or the other, Tsuki ga Kirei just goes straight in, focuses and develops their relationship. Slowly, bit by bit, I get more and more attached to this anime. For as long as I've been watching romance anime, i have yet to see one that promotes such a theme. And it surely did it right. It's how they each take their own time to steadily develop their relationship that truly shook me. Step by step, their bond becomes stronger.

I believe that this show would be one of the hiddem gems of the season. This is an anime about how pure and innocent love can be at a young age.
If you were annoyed by the slow pacing of this anime, then I do suggest you to give it another try; how slow-paced it is truly showcases how their relationship develops.

Overall: (10)