Weathering with You – Movie Reviews by Ry!
Weathering with You – A Storm of the Heart, Anime and Love
Anime, a form of art that is amazing to the eye. From the cutest aspect of character designs to the epic stylings of the outrageous fights, anime is much more than a general cartoon. What makes this genre so great is the purity of the escape. There is a sense of playing with the imagination, but it is given through strong storytelling. This next film is no exception. Weathering with You is an anime that brings together human devotion within the passion of the art. With strong characters and a vivid imagination of lore, this is a story that builds a slow connection to the heart. Weathering with You might play along a simple coming-of-age tale, but it is one that will make you feel the purity of this form of art.
The story follows Hodaka, a high school boy that runs away to Tokyo and befriends Hina, a girl who can manipulate the weather. What starts out as a typical friendship becomes much more, as the two discover that everything has a consequence. The initial introduction and first act are a generalization of the genre. The beginning of the story places the main characters, Hodaka and Hina, through circumstantial scenarios. This is done through a subtle approach, as you are given heavy doses of exposition through subtlety. This layering allows for the abstraction of the unknown to be revealed within simplistic direction. The intention is to ease the audience into the lore through the characterization of two high school kids that are living on the own. Once they become true friends, the story turns into something more magical. You are witnessed to a feeling of worth blending with enchantment. The ideas of a typical coming-of-age tale becomes pure, as the animation and interactions lend itself to honest feelings of growth for Hodaka and Hina. Within that, you see the ramification of them using her powers, as the lore of the weather manipulation becomes vivid to the world around. The goodness of intention has its faults, reflecting in the blindness of their innocence. This is, thematically, a natural reflection of fate.
Their relationship begins to provide reflection of common themes of adolescence, growing up and love. The raw emotions of humanistic endeavors help ease the connection to the imaginative detail of the weather manipulation within the recreation of Tokyo. The ambivalence of colors helps bring life to the contrast, as the main characters feel like they are living in a real version of the actual city. This all comes to head when the weather gets beyond their control, and certain decisions must be made. The consequences bring about the affliction of human endeavor, highlighting the importance of choice. Once in the finale, everything coming to head. The climax showcases the importance of love, leading to an epilogue that brings about true growth of the characters. Weathering with You showcases every aspect of anime. From its general introduction to the blending of realism with imagination, you get an escape that is pure of heart. If you’re a fan of anime or like coming-of-age tales, this is one for you. A definite treat as a Matinee.
Full Score – 3.5 out of 5 (Matinee)