Must be disappointing leaving Itomori only to have the next town be completely flooded

★★★ 1/2 out of ★★★★

Weathering with You (2019) [Japanese title: 天気の子]

Runtime: 112 minutes

MPAA: Rated PG-13 for suggestive material, some violence and language.

Makoto Shinkai once again animates his follow up to Your Name. with great detail, but it's as visually arresting as conflicting.

Weathering with You (which also takes place in the same universe as Your Name.), depicts Tokyo in a constant state of rain and fog, and sporadic moments of sunshine. Some scenes look brilliant, and the rain animation is as fluid and dazzling as you would expect. However, the mist, roaring thunder, and aggressively bright sunlight is admittedly sometimes too much, and makes fine little details in the background rather fuzzy, an unintended distraction.

Otherwise, this is a very minor quibble in a film in which I thought punched about as hard as Shinkai's previous feature. Weathering with You is more accessible and as impactful, and while one may compare its more conventional narrative to Your Name., the film completely compensates with brutal truths on why life is not easy for a 16-year-old runaway searching for a job for financial security in Tokyo.

In fact, a light novel published a day prior to the film's release explains that 16-year-old runaway Hodaka Morishima (Kotaro Daigo) fled from his household due to abuse from his father. After almost slipping from a ferry during a terrible storm and being saved by later boss Keisuke Suga (Shun Oguri), he arrives in Tokyo. He is overcome with numerous adversities, struggling to get a proper job, good accommodation, and nice meals. Fortunately, a friendly McDonalds waiter Amano Hina (Nana Mori) gives him a free meal, which he appreciates.

Hodaka is then hired by Keisuke as an assistant at a magazine publishing company and meets Natsumi (Tsubasa Honda), Keisuke's niece whom Hodaka mistakes for his mistress. They hear about the legend of "sunshine girls", who have the ability to manipulate the weather, and carry out numerous interviews. "Weathering" then turns dark as the first challenge is presented to Hodaka: rescuing a girl, whom he recognises as the friendly McDonalds waiter, from men who intimidate her to work at a club. He then reluctantly fires a gun which he picked up earlier on, and it scares the club owners.

Hina then shows Hodoka that when she prays, raindrops start levitating and fly upwards, clearing the sky. Hodoka also visits Hina's house, where she prepares a meal for him, and he meets her brother Amano Nagi (Sakura Kiryu). After learning about Hina's financial troubles and her mother's untimely demise, leaving her with no legal guardian, Hodoka proposes to start a business of clearing the sky for customer-requested events like weddings, sports activities and picnics. 

From there, Shinkai is smart to move in a new direction, providing something novel and interesting. "Weathering" does not become a lethargic lesson about managing money, but the deeply uncomfortable danger of characters escaping from the police due to the possession of firearms and absence of legal guardians, given their young ages of 16 and 15. If you're a little more than observant, Shinkai also sneakily adds in a few cameos, with returning characters Taki (Ryunosuke Kamiki) and Mitsuha (Mone Kamishiraishi) appearing halfway through the film.

It's also more straightforward than his previous feature, in terms of the romance between the characters and its narrative. Your Name. surprised audiences several years prior with its twisty and remarkably interesting plot, but "Weathering" builds its romance in believable and more genuinely affecting ways. Hodoka falls for Hina because out of all the cruel people in the world that exploit him or abuse him, he finds solace in knowing that one person is so caring and loving, while Hina also finds solace with Hodoka as she discovers her purpose and enjoys the best moments in her life with him.

Furthermore, it's no surprise that all the catchy songs that fit itself in from time to time are from RADWIMPS, and I'll be sure to listen to it several more times. "Weathering" builds and sums up the emotion to extraordinary impact, and also includes several wonderful and memorable dialogue, like "Dear God. If you exist, please don't take anything more and don't give anything more", and "Who cares if we can't see any sunshine? I want you more than any blue sky.", teardrops well-earned.

Ultimately, it's about what we fight for and care about, and finding a kind soul in a world full of evil and cruel people. Weathering with You works in such emotionally honest ways that we care about their place in the world, and makes you ponder what a person is willing to sacrifice so that the journey was worth it. As the picture ends in 2024, Hodoka meets Hina after a 3-year time gap. They'll find solace with each other just like Taki and Mitsuha. Maybe it is what it is because God has answered his prayers and granted him a caring and good partner.