The Films of Makoto Shinkai

Makoto Shinkai is the new face of anime in the world at large. But how did he get his start - and how did he get where he is today? Let's find out.

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In the depths of his Mother's Basement, Geoff Thew creates videos analyzing the storytelling techniques of anime and video games. He has been named the number one Worst YouTube Anime Reviewer by The Top Tens.

[otakuwithoutideas]

Makoto Shinkai should never be compared to Miyazaki. Miyazaki makes the ethereal everyday whereas Shinkai makes the everyday ethereal.

[Odinsday]

I feel like calling Shinkai "the New Miyazaki" does him a great disservice. Both directors are phenomenal in their own unique and interesting ways.

[Pythonassum]

production team: how many trains?
Shinkai: yes

[Nkanyiso_K]

*It's Impossible for him to get an Oscar because of the Distributors.* *_The Way Hollywood Chooses has everything to do with Established companies, they don't know what funimation is, Ghibli gets by because of Disney_*

[WhaleManMan]

Someone being called "the new X" is a bad call.
Remember, Shymalan was once called "the next Speilberg".

[machintosh]

A lot of people misunderstood the ending to 5 Centimeters Per Second. It's a perfect parallel of the ending to "Your Name". In 5 Centimeters Per Second they're both just going about there normal everyday morning. And as they both walk across the train tracks. And they turn around but a train passes by. And when it finally passes shes not there anymore. They finally saw each other again after years. But instead of running after her and falling in love again. Takaki just stands there, smiles and walks away. His entire teen life he was afraid to move on, because he was afraid she hadn't. But in the end it was him that didn't move on. While she got married and lived a happy life. He realized he was the one that couldn't move on. His feelings for her kept him from being happy. So he walked away and moved on.

[vaibhavprashanth]

And two years later Makoto Shinkai released a new movie and came to India himself showing me that there is a future for me as animator in India

[Blizzic]

Wow the amount of people who can't figure out that "the New Miyazaki" refers to his position, as Geoff says: "as the face of japanese animation in the world at large, " and not as a director who imitates Miyazaki's style or whatever the comments are whining about.

How fucking many of you commented without even watching 70 seconds into the video?

[smjaiteh]

No one should call him "the new Miyazaki". It's a constant reminder that we're not always going to have our old one...
Also, Miyazaki's films fill me with wonder. Makoto Shinkai's films fill me with tears. He's more like the new Mamoru Hosoda. And we still barely used the old one!

[gerrystreet]

Well for me Makoto Shinkai is Makoto Shinkai, and Miyazaki is Miyazaki. They are both unique

[SaucyRamenBoy]

And now we have Tenki no Ko (Weathering With You) coming in less than 3 weeks, which already looks good

[NelsonStJames]

Makoto Shinkai's greatest achievement is his inspiration to independent animators who don't necessarily want to work for a Disney or Dreamworks, doesn't have a big crew (or may have no crew), and may not have the top of the line software.

He showed that you can still accomplish your dream with the tools you do have available to you.

[twilftw]

shinaki "ha you think THIS is the greatest anime pah im only using 50 precent of my absolute power"

[avarisclari]

I have loved Shinkai's works since I first saw Voices of a Distant star, and have seen every single one. When they announced Your Name was going to be in theaters, and around my birthday at that, my friends and I planned to go to the nearest one showing it. Your Name is the only movie I've seen more than once in theaters, and I saw it 4 times in theaters. I ordered the soundtrack. I ordered the limited edition Blu Ray. I love it.

[lanaegg]

I saw Children who chase lost voices for the first time when I was like 10 or so on TV and never forgotten about it since. I know it isn't the best film of them all, but I like it a lot.

[jduff]

5cm is my favorite anime film. Between the story. music and art - it tugs at the heartstrings like no other. For me, it's just beautiful.

[shortymcbluehair]

Imagine if Shinkai and Miyazaki worked together with Shinkai's backgrounds alongside Miyazaki's character movements conveying how the characters are feeling.

[dimitrisg.]

POV: You are watching this after Suzume came out.
I wish Mother's Basement makes a video about that movie.

[ZaronNitro]

I despise the whole idea of "Shinkai being the NEXT Miyazaki" or any other artist being compared to a big name in the same medium. I believe it takes away the artist's individuality and sours their work, I would even go so far as to say its insulting to both directors.
Like many, I've loved Miyazaki's movies and I also loved Your Name, but not once did I think of or compare with Miyazaki when watching it. Whenever I watch Spirited Away or Princess Mononoke, I think "These are great Miyazaki films" and go on to enjoy them on their own merits. Whenever I watch Garden of Words or Your Name, I think "These are great Shinkai films" and do the same as I did with Miyazaki's films.
Shinkai got the amount of attention for his films - especially Your Name - by his own right, just like Miyazaki did before him, so surely he should be respected as such?

I know this is just my opinion at the end of the day, it just irks me whenever I see such comparisons (...Does anyone remember when M. Night Shyamalan was said to be the next Spielberg?)

[ChaunchoCYM]

Thank you Geoff! I've been following Shinkai since Garden of Words and I'm so happy to see all of his movies and history compiled into one exceptional video. So happy I can buy the blu-rays for Your Name now!