Your Name is a Japanese anime romantic drama film. The premise is that two high school students, one living in Tokyo and one living in rural Japan, swap bodies each day. The first time this happens, both are confused and not sure what is happening. The next day when they return, they find out what the other was doing in their place. They start leaving messages to each other to inform of what happened and lay some ground rules. This makes up the first half of the film and was enjoyable and funny to watch. You can see that they start to develop a closer relationship even though they have never met each other face to face. The big emotional impact, and the plot twist, happens midway and it will affect you. Thanks to the set up until that point, it drives it home to the viewer. It was a neat plot device and throughout the whole time, you are cheering for the protagonists. There are some small details that might make you wonder why the two didn't just meet up in person since surely phones have a calendar but most of it is acceptable. The idea is just too good to resist. The protagonists also lose their memories soon after they wake up, leaving in its place that they are searching for something or someone, and this longing is presented so strongly that it feels tangible. While the ending can be predicted, it doesn't dampen the enthusiasm and emotional impact of the final scene, especially when you consider that so much time has passed. Your Name is a wonderful film that is enjoyable every step of the way, that somehow creates a sense of nostalgia.
