Following the success of Your Name., director Makoto Shinkai has become a critical darling, but that doesn’t mean the press has been kind to him. Last week, reports from Nikkan Sports in Japan surfaced which alleged that Shinkai was involved in an affair. Now, the director is clapping back and clarifying the reports in his own words.
Taking to Twitter, Shinkai used his account to address the affair reports and shoot them down. The director said he did eat a meal with the editor alleged to be his mistress, but Shinkai stressed there was “no truth at all” to the newspaper’s claims. Later, the director even said he was surprised that the press is paying attention to his personal life. Shinkai admitted his actions did invite some misunderstanding but that his job is to make good movies. For now, the director says he is busy focusing on his next project and personal life.
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According to Nikkan Sports, the newspaper heard from “multiple concerned parties” that Shinkai was involved in an extramarital affair. The paper claims the unnamed editor whom Shinkai met up with is in her early 30s and that they met through a mutual friend in 2016. The paper then reported the duo’s relationship then deepened towards the end of 2016 shortly after Your Name. hit theaters in Japan.
For now, it looks like the reports were premature as Shinkai has openly addressed them with fans. The director is currently married to Mika Shinohara. His wife has voiced characters in several of Shinkai’s projects like She and Her Cat as well as Voices of a Distant Star.
If you are unfamiliar with Your Name, Funimation describes the film as follows:
The day the stars fell, two lives changed forever. High schoolers Mitsuha and Taki are complete strangers living separate lives. But one night, they suddenly switch places. Mitsuha wakes up in Taki’s body, and he in hers. This bizarre occurrence continues to happen randomly, and the two must adjust their lives around each other. Yet, somehow, it works. They build a connection and communicate by leaving notes, messages, and more importantly, an imprint.
When a dazzling comet lights up the night’s sky, it dawns on them. They want something more from this connection—a chance to meet, an opportunity to truly know each other. Tugging at the string of fate, they try to find a way to each other. But distance isn’t the only thing keeping them apart. Is their bond strong enough to face the cruel irony of time? Or is their meeting nothing more than a wish upon the stars?
