Today’s quick review: Weathering with You. Hodaka Morishima (Brandon Engman), a sixteen-year-old runaway, looks for work in Tokyo in the middle of the rainiest summer on record. After a long struggle, Hodaka lucks into a job with Keisuke Suga (Lee Pace), a down-on-his-luck publisher specializing in urban legends. But Hodaka only finds his true calling when he meets Hina Amano (Ashley Boettcher), a girl with the power to control the weather.
Weathering with You is a Japanese animated fantasy romance about a pair of teenage misfits who start an extraordinary business together. Using Hina’s ability to clear up cloudy skies, Hodaka and Hina set out to brighten the days of customers all around Tokyo while turning a modest profit. Along the way, they grow closer to one another, learn to take responsibility for their lives, and gradually discover the terrible cost of Hina’s gift.
Weathering with You is predominantly a visual film. The premise is a perfect justification for scenic panoramas of Tokyo, beautiful beams of sunshine, and rainstorms of every mood imaginable. Rarely do more than a few minutes go by without something breathtaking appearing on screen. The film’s visual toolkit is shallow but reliable. Even though the film relies heavily on permutations of sun, city, and rain, the visuals never lose their appeal.
In terms of story, Weathering with You is a typical anime romance. Hodaka and Hina are self-reliant teenagers struggling to claim their place in an adult world, but in spite of their love for one another, fate conspires to drive them apart. The plot doesn’t hold too many surprises, and it tends to drift to a stop when the film doesn’t actively inject more drama. In spite of this, it makes for a charming love story that’s emotionaly fulfilling.
Weathering with You is a strong pick for fans of the sentimental side of Japanese animation. Its story is solidly consstructed, if not groundbreaking, while the detail that goes into its animation and some strong visual themes make it a treat for the eyes. How much you get out of it will depend on your taste in animation and romance, but there’s enough raw quality to be worth checking out.
For a gorgeous fantasy romance with an even grander plot, try Your Name. For a young romance without the fantasy, try I Want to Eat Your Pancreas or Whisper of the Heart. For an enthusiastic adventure some similar story elements and a looser animation style, Lu Over the Wall.
7.8 out of 10 on IMDB. I give it a 7.0 to 7.5 for gorgeous animation and a pleasant story.