Only in the later parts of the movie did the fantasy elements take center stage, resulting in tense conflict and an epic climax. The characters are more focused on themselves and each other, giving a narrow but more personal story. The fantasy element takes a backseat as an ever present afterthought. The plot of ‘Weathering With You’ is more grounded as it centers around the characters in the story. Each has their own life story but only glimpses are shown in the movie. Fleshing out the characters while highlighting the social issues of downtrodden Japanese.

Be it a runaway teen, unemployed looking for work, or a widower vying for custody of his child, the movie offers glimpses of their experience, perfectly weaved into the story. Specifically the lifestyle of Japanese citizens that are in tough times or down on their luck. Modern Japan is given ample focus as well. It’s not only Japan’s traditional folklore that is given the spotlight. Very much like Japan’s traditional folklore. A beautiful shrine atop a dilapidated building. ‘Weathering with You’ is a window into Japan’s traditional roots with its weather. Mystical rain fish, abnormal rain, and exposition in the form of ancient myths and legends. This movie takes these legends and weaved it into its beautifully crafted story.

For Japan, it’s little things like hanging teru teru bozu to invite good weather the next day or tales of a water dragon that brings the rain wherever it goes. Whether it is a festival to invite good weather for crops, a dancing ritual to call forth the rain, or tales detailing magic and monsters that causes natural disasters man has always had superstitions and rituals that involve the weather across all cultures around the world. Humans has always had a mystical relationship with the weather.

The movie dabbles in the supernatural, specifically in the Shinto faith. In the city that has been plagued by continuous storm and rain, he met a girl with the power to clear the sky. Written and directed by Makoto Shinkai, ‘Tenki no Ko’ (translated as Child of the Weather) or ‘Weathering With You’ starts with a runaway boy, Hodaka who ran away from home with a goal to earn a living in Tokyo. This is what happens when Japan tries to make another worldwide hit like the movie ‘Kimi no Na wa’ (Your Name). But this movie is the culmination of serious amounts of effort, planning and funding. Not to put down conventional anime a whole lot of effort is put into making these episodes. Even the big budget anime are a level below this. The usual anime that is released every season could not even measure up to this one.

It has been a long while since I’ve seen anime refined into a masterpiece of art. Q-ichi: Hey, apparently your recommendation of the cicada dragon story got a lot of views.

Weathering with you tenki no ko 2019