4 Reasons You Need To See Your Name

Megan Peters

04/11/2017 11:01 am EDT

In July 2016, the anime fandom witnessed the birth of something special.

Names like Hayao Miyazaki have reigned supreme amongst the community for years, but a director rose up and unwittingly challenged the iconic Studio Ghibli creator with a film known as Your Name. The movie made its debut last year, and Your Name has yet to falter in the eyes of new and old anime fans.

Already, Your Name has become the highest-grossing anime feature film at the worldwide box office - and the movie just had its theatrical release in the U.S. If you have not yet had the chance to watch Your Name, then you will be able to see it soon enough when Funimation Films brings the movie to home video. And, if our glowing review of the feature can't persuade you, then maybe the following slides will.

The Animation

Produced by CoMix Wave Films, Your Name is no stranger to gorgeous artwork. Fans and critics have praised the movie for his unearthly aesthetics, and its fluid artwork has left burgeoning artists in awe. Your Name may be a story about interpersonal relationships and a touch of supernatural intrigue, but the film doesn't rely on its storyline to attract audiences. The feature reels in unsuspecting fans with its watery imagery and sun-kissed hallucination sequences which leave viewers reeling.

(Photo: Toho / Funimation )

The Whimsical Story

Director Makoto Shinkai has become a household name for anime fans thanks to Your Name, and the feat is well-deserved. The anime feature may be compared to Studio Ghibli projects due to their scale and popularity, but there are plenty of plot ticks which separate the pair. At its heart, Your Name is a movie spun by miscommunication, mundaneness, and a little bit of magical. Shinkai has previously said he favors character-driven films, and Your Name stands as a testament to the director's preference. While Your Name does have its heart-wrenching moments, the movie most often moves at a laissez-faire pace, and its whimsical charm will make any viewer feel refreshed.

(Photo: Funimation )

The Hype

When it comes to peer pressure, there is little to rejoice in; However, Your Name is a stunning exception of when anime fans should listen to the fandom's hype. Since the movie was released in Japan, reception to Your Name has been immensely positive. The excitement about Shinkai's feature continued to grow as Your Name crushed in foreign markets like Korea and China. And, in the U.S., even Rotten Tomatoes can't bring itself to find a flaw in the film. The website has certified Your Name as fresh with a 98% rating, and fans continue to echo those critics' thoughts in kind.

(Photo: Toho )

The Start Of A New Era

In the past decade, anime has undergone a few ups and downs. The industry found itself in a brief crisis when sales refused to climb, but Japan has since rebounded the panic thanks to a slew of popular anime series. And, with Your Name doing so well, Shinkai and the folks at CoMix Wave Films have made a name for themselves in an oversaturated industry. For decades, Studio Ghibli has been the only well-known Japanese animation studio in the western world, but that is beginning to change. Shinkai has converted scores of people into anime fans with his touching feature, and Your Name has the potential to unlock another renaissance in the anime industry. You may want to hop on that train before moves off too far.

(Photo: Toho )

Disclosure: ComicBook is owned by CBS Interactive, a division of Paramount. Sign up for Paramount+ by clicking here.