'Your Name' Gets New Anime Cameo With TV Edit

Your Name is not only one of the top-selling anime franchises in 2017, it's Comicbook.com Golden Issue award winner, and the biggest anime film of all time. Even with all of these accolades, director Makoto Shinkai has not forgotten about the film's fans.

Before the television broadcast premiere in Your Name in Japan, director Makoto Shinkai teased fans by challenging them to find a new Easter egg he put specifically put into the TV version. Along with a specially edited end credits, fans were buzzing about what it could be.

いよいよこの後よる9時からテレビ朝日で『君の名は。』放送です。ひとつマニア向けクイズを。映画中に１カットだけ、『言の葉の庭』のタカオ（画像の少年）が出てきます。ちょっと理不尽に難しいんですが、我こそは！という方は探してみてください笑。放送後に答えをツイートしますねー。 #君の名は。 pic.twitter.com/pVIY1M8D0r

— 新海誠 (@shinkaimakoto) January 3, 2018

Luckily, Shinkai delivered and set up a grand universe for his films. Your Name not only features a cameo from one of his characters from his previous work, The Garden of Words, the TV edit confirmed both of the film's main characters went on to live a happy life.

Eagle-eyed Shinkai fans noticed that he already included a cameo in for The Garden of Words' Yukari, who moved to the countryside at the end of the film and now works as Mitsuha's teacher. But Shinkai sneakily edited in the film's other protagonist Takao into one of the later scenes in the film, confirming this shared universe.

『君の名は。』テレビ放送ご覧いただけた方々、本当にありがとうございました！！
マニア向け「タカオはどこにいるか？」クイズの回答です。ラスト付近の大事なカットなので、観客の気が逸れないように顔を隠していました…笑。 #君の名は。 pic.twitter.com/3WKYQorgeI

— 新海誠 (@shinkaimakoto) January 3, 2018

What is even better for fans of The Garden of Words, however, is that Shinkai confirmed that the two main characters got a happy ending. Shinkai confirmed that Takao had been studying to become a shoe designer all that time while Yukari was teaching in Itomori. But after The Miracle of Itomori, where Mitsuha and Taki help the people evacute Itomori, Yukari moved to Tokyo to be with Takao.

The Garden of Words may have had a bittersweet ending compared to Your Name, but Shinkai's diligence and love of his work led him to craft a better secret ending for fans of the film years later.

If you are not familiar with Your Name, then you should know the film is the most successful anime feature of all-time. The movie made its debut last year in Japan and quickly became an phenomenon as it earned more money than any of Studio Ghibli's iconic films. Your Name managed to overcome Spirited Away at the box-office to become the highest-grossing anime feature at the worldwide market, and Paramount Pictures has made a deal with creator Makoto Shinkai to bring the film to life.

If you are not familiar with Your Name's plans abroad, then you should know Hollywood is putting an all-star team to work on its latest anime adaptation. J.J. Abrams confirms back in September he will be directing a live-action take of Your Name with Paramount Pictures. Eric Heisserer will pen the script following his work on Arrival. Lindsey Weber will producer the film along with Genki Kawamura, the anime film's producer.