Weathering with You Review – Why This Shinkai Film Left You Feeling Conflicted

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"I don't care if we never see the sun again. I'd rather have Hina than any blue sky."—Some viewers were moved to tears by this line, while others thought "Wait, hold on a second." Director Makoto Shinkai's Weathering with You remains one of the most divisive anime films even seven years after its release.

The visuals are undeniably stunning. RADWIMPS' music stirs the soul. But the deeper you follow the story, the more questions arise: "Why doesn't he talk to anyone?" "What's with this gun?" In this review, I'll thoroughly examine the structural contradictions at the heart of this film.

🎬 Official Trailer

📌 This Title in 3 Lines

📖 Synopsis

Hodaka Morishima, a first-year high school student, runs away from his island home to Tokyo. With nowhere to stay, he spends his nights at internet cafes until he starts working as a writer for an occult magazine run by Keisuke Suga, a man he met on the ferry. In a Tokyo plagued by abnormal weather and constant rain, Hodaka meets Hina Amano—a girl with the mysterious power to clear the sky just by praying.

Hina lives alone with her younger brother Nagi. Hodaka proposes starting a "sunshine girl" business using her ability, and the three of them enjoy a brief period of happiness together. But the power to bring sunshine comes with a cruel price. To restore the world's weather to normal, Hina must become a "human sacrifice" and disappear into the sky. Hodaka faces an impossible choice: the world, or Hina.

✨ What Makes This Title Special—The Visuals and Music Are the Real Deal

From Rain to Sunshine—A "Weather Miracle" Only Animation Can Deliver

Makoto Shinkai's visual mastery is on full display here. In fact, when it comes to depicting water, this may be his finest work yet. The streetscape reflected in puddles, raindrops streaming down window glass, and the moment clouds part and light breaks through when Hina prays—these are privileges of animation that live-action could never replicate.

The Jingu fireworks festival scene is particularly breathtaking. Dark, oppressive rain clouds give way to clear skies as fireworks bloom against the night. In that moment, there's a visual power that makes you feel like you want to live. Taken in isolation, this sequence alone qualifies as a masterpiece.

The Coexistence of Tokyo's "Reality" and "Fantasy"

The seediness of Shinjuku, the bustle of Ikebukuro, the old-town atmosphere of Tabata—the Tokyo depicted in this film is remarkably realistic. The neon lights of Kabukicho, the Docomo Tower, views from the Yamanote Line windows. Anyone who lives in Tokyo can instantly recognize these locations—the attention to detail is that precise.

Layered atop this real Tokyo is the fantasy element of "a girl who can clear the sky by praying." This coexistence of reality and fantasy is quintessential Shinkai craftsmanship. However, this very "realism" eventually becomes a liability for the narrative—more on that later.

"Problems They Didn't Create Weighing Down on Them"—A Compassionate Look at Today's Youth

Abnormal weather, economic inequality, adult rules. Young people trying desperately to survive in a world they didn't create—their struggle mirrors today's real youth. Both Hodaka and Hina are scraping by at the bottom of society, yet still fighting to live.

The interpretation of this film as "focused on climate change, environmental destruction, and oppressed youth" is valid. As a fable for the climate crisis era, the film certainly carries a message. The problem is that the "vessel" meant to deliver that message is fundamentally broken.

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😅 Room for Improvement—Or Rather, Fatal Flaws

The Gun as a "Foreign Object"—Why Was This Necessary?

The film's biggest problem is the presence of the gun. Hodaka finds a handgun in a trash can, carries it around as a "good luck charm," and eventually fires it at police officers. This entire sequence destroys the story's realism from the ground up.

Consider the odds of finding a handgun in Japan. Even if we accept that premise, why would anyone put a paper-wrapped object from a trash can into their bag? The excuse "I thought it was a toy" doesn't hold water—no one wraps a toy gun in paper and throws it away.

The director likely wanted to show that "Hodaka had crossed a point of no return." But choosing a gun as the means completely derails the story. If you want police chasing the protagonist, a missing person report would have been more than sufficient. The balance between fantasy and reality collapses entirely at this single point.

Hodaka's "Reason for Running Away"—The Limits of a Protagonist Without Motivation

Why did Hodaka leave his island? There's a line about "wanting to change the scenery," but that's far too weak. The suffering on the island, whatever drove him to escape—none of it is shown, yet the story marches on.

On the ferry at the start, Hodaka appears to be injured. Was it a fight? Bullying? We can imagine, but that's all we can do. This "absence of motivation" deals a fatal blow to the climactic chase. The audience can't understand why he's so desperate.

Some might defend this by saying "not showing his background allows viewers to project their own circumstances." But that's just an excuse for lazy screenwriting. To understand his intense feelings for Hina, we needed to see what kind of place he was running from.

The Weight of "Sacrificing the World" Doesn't Come Through

In the end, Hodaka chooses Hina, and Tokyo remains flooded under three years of continuous rain. In the "sekai-kei" (world-system) genre context, this is a story of sacrificing the world to save one girl. But the weight of that "sacrifice" barely registers.

The depiction of flooded Tokyo feels almost pastoral. People have adapted and are going about their lives. Taki-san and Suga-san are kind to Hodaka. Not a single person voices any criticism. If it rained continuously for three years and the capital flooded, Japan's economy would be devastated—yet there's no sense of that gravity at all.

Perhaps the message is "the world was already broken" or "don't worry too much about it." But if that's the case, the whole "choosing you over the world" theme loses its power. It's unclear what the screenplay is trying to convey.

The Frustration of "Kids Who Won't Ask for Help"

What frustrated me most watching this film was "Why doesn't anyone consult anyone?" When Hodaka learns Hina will become a sacrifice, why doesn't he talk to Suga? Sure, Suga is an "adult," but he clearly cared about Hodaka in his own way.

Running from police, waving a gun around, blowing up a truck—and after all that recklessness, the conclusion is "save Hina"? Surely there was another way. Treating adults as enemies, trusting no one, spiraling in isolation. Is this "youthful purity" or just "foolishness"?

I understand the desire to depict the adolescent sense of being trapped, thinking "adults don't understand." But the adults in this film aren't that bad. Suga ultimately supports Hodaka, and Natsumi helps too. Why not rely on adults who aren't enemies?—this question kept pulling me out of the story.

🎭 Memorable Scenes

"I don't care if we never see the sun again. I'd rather have Hina than any blue sky. Let the weather stay crazy forever!"

Choosing one girl over the world's weather. A declaration of ultimate egoism. Love it or hate it, many people's hearts are moved by this purity. However, as mentioned above, because the "weight of the sacrificed world" doesn't come through, the impact of this line is diminished.

"We'll Be Alright"—Is This a Happy Ending?

Three years later, Tokyo is flooded. Yet Hodaka and Hina reunite, smiling. "I'm still praying. We'll be alright."—How you interpret this ending will largely determine your view of the entire film.

Is it a happy ending or a bad ending? Or perhaps hope for "living on in a changed world"? Leaving interpretation to the audience can be seen as honest filmmaking—or as a cop-out.

💭 How It Made Me Feel

After watching, I didn't feel satisfied. Something nagged at me. "Was that supposed to be a good story?"—I couldn't quite process my feelings. Is it because the film poses questions? Or simply because the screenplay is broken?—honestly, I can't decide.

The visuals and music grabbed my heart again and again, yet I couldn't fully immerse myself in the story. This "torn feeling" is probably the shared experience of many who watched Weathering with You.

🎬 If Weathering with You Left You Frustrated, Watch These 3 Next

For those bothered by the film's issues, here are works that tackle similar themes with more depth or different approaches.

Suzume (2022)

The conclusion of Makoto Shinkai's "disaster trilogy." What Weathering with You couldn't fully realize—"confronting disaster" and "cooperating with adults"—is carefully depicted here. Protagonist Suzume works alongside the adults she meets on her journey. The "kids who won't ask for help" problem from Weathering with You is brilliantly overcome. A film that showcases Shinkai's growth as a storyteller.

Interstellar (2014)

A masterpiece that presents the "love or the world" choice while fully depicting the scientific rationale, emotional stakes, and weight of sacrifice. Christopher Nolan tackles the same "ultimate choice" theme with overwhelming scale and logic. Here you'll find the "weight of choice" that Weathering with You lacked. Comparing the two makes painfully clear how lightweight Hodaka's decision appears.

Gran Torino (2008)

A film depicting the ideal form of "an adult who guides the young." Clint Eastwood plays an old man who awkwardly mentors his Asian-American teenage neighbor. What Suga couldn't accomplish, Eastwood's character achieves at the cost of his life. A film that makes you think about "what adult responsibility means." Essential viewing for anyone frustrated with how adults were portrayed in Weathering with You.

📺 Where to Watch Weathering with You

Weathering with You is in the rare position of being available for streaming on virtually every major platform. No matter which service you subscribe to, you can watch it. For newcomers, Crunchyroll with its free trial is a great option—and you can explore other Makoto Shinkai works there too.

📊 Streaming Comparison

Service	Availability	Free Trial	Monthly Price
Crunchyroll	Streaming	14 days	From $7.99
Amazon Prime Video	Streaming	30 days	$14.99
Netflix	Streaming	None	From $6.99
Hulu	Streaming	None	From $9.99
Max	Streaming	None	From $9.99

📝 Final Thoughts—Visual Masterpiece, Screenplay Misfire

Weathering with You is a film where Makoto Shinkai's visual artistry and RADWIMPS' music reach their peak. The moment rain gives way to sunshine is genuinely moving. But the beautiful vessel contains a story marred by the gun contrivance, a protagonist without motivation, and a "world sacrifice" that feels too light.

If you're going to tell a sekai-kei story about "choosing you over the world," you need to confront the audience with the weight of that choice—like Interstellar did, like Evangelion 2.0 did. This film lacked that commitment. Drunk on beautiful imagery while a corner of your mind thinks "Is this really okay?"—that's probably the honest reaction of many who watched Weathering with You.

⭐ Title Characteristics

Category	Rating
Visual Quality	★★★★★ (5.0)
Music	★★★★★ (5.0)
Story	★★☆☆☆ (2.0)
Characters	★★★☆☆ (3.0)
Thematic Depth	★★★☆☆ (3.0)