Makoto Shinkai is a Japanese filmmaker, manga artist, and animator responsible for many beloved animated feature films. These include the recent hit Weathering With You as well as other award-winning films such as Children Who Chase Lost Voices, The Garden of Words, The Place Promised in Our Early Days, among others.
In addition to that explosive portfolio showcasing Shinkai's talent, he was also the brilliant creative mind behind the extremely popular Your Name film. The movie has received multiple adaptations after the postitive reception the movie garnered, including both a novel and a manga series.
Today we will be discussing the latter, as Yen Press has provided us with a review copy of the first volume of their Your Name manga. Containing the first three chapters of the story, it is a combined effort of creator Makoto Shinkai and artist Ranmary Kotone.
Yen's manga adaptation expands on the interesting concept introduced in the movie, which, for those who haven't seen it is about a country girl and a city boy who wish for opposite lives and wind up swapping each other's bodies every other day. What initially seemed like an absolute dream for the two instantly becomes more complicated as they face the complications of being in a body of the opposite sex, jobs, curious classmates, dating, and more.
Despite the invasiveness of the entire situation, the two characters -- Taki and Mitsuha -- wind up gaining an interesting friendship through communication via notes. Even though they are miles apart and they initially feel as though each other is ruining their lives, as the story progresses the characters can't help but begin to feel connected to one another -- leading to romantic feelings.
What is most important is that this adaptation expands on the story. Not only does it provide another medium for fans to enjoy the story of star-crossed lovers through, but it also gives fans of the story more depth to the characters as well as an expanded world to experience.
Yen Press' manga adaptation of the beloved film Your Name lives up to every bit of the movie's hype. Expanding on the concept and story that fans fell in love with, the manga also retains every bit of the heart that it's movie counterpart contained. Makoto Shinkai's spirit and personality bleeds through the pages and leaves readers aching for more. While it isn't often that adaptations stand up to their inspiration, the Your Name manga proves that it is far from impossible. - Five out of five.
A story of two people determined to hold on to one another.
Mitsuha, a high school girl from a town deep in the mountains, dreams of an unfamiliar life in Tokyo. Taki, a high school boy from Tokyo, dreams that he is a girl living in the mountains. As the two begin swapping lives, a miraculous story is set in motion.
Your Name is now available for purchase through Yen Press for $13.00 here.