Your Name.
Your Name.
High schoolers Mitsuha and Taki are complete strangers living separate lives. But one night, they suddenly switch places. Mitsuha wakes up in Taki’s body, and he in hers. This bizarre occurrence continues to happen randomly, and the two must adjust their lives around each other.
Tubeman72 reviewedMay 2, 2025
The anime hit Your Name (Kimi no na wa., 2016) has captured hearts all over the world. In Japan alone, the film shattered records and earned box office numbers typically reserved for a Hayao Miyazaki release. In the Netherlands, it had already been screened at several film festivals, but eventually, a distributor had the courage to give it a full theatrical release. And we couldn't be happier!
Your Name is about two teenagers. First, we meet Mitsuha, a girl living in the mountain village of Itomori with her father (the town’s mayor), her grandmother, and her younger sister. It’s an idyllic place, but like many her age, Mitsuha longs for an exciting life in the big city. Taki, the film’s second main character, leads just such a life: he attends high school in Tokyo and works part-time at a restaurant. One day, Mitsuha remembers a strange dream. When she talks to her family and friends, it turns out she acted very oddly the day before. As this happens more frequently, Mitsuha starts recalling details from the dream. In her dream, she is Taki. But... the dream isn’t a dream at all — it’s real: Taki and Mitsuha are randomly swapping bodies!
Because neither of them can control when it happens, nor is there any clear pattern to it, they initially feel confused and unsure. They don’t dare to talk about it to anyone — after all, people already laugh at their strange behavior. Eventually, though, the two find a way to communicate. They leave messages for each other and Mitsuha keeps a diary in Taki’s phone using a mobile app. By now, they understand what is happening — but the why remains a mystery. A special bond forms between them, a friendship between two people who have both never and always met...
After a funny and slightly whimsical first half, Your Name suddenly takes a dramatic turn, and the stakes are raised significantly. Everything you’ve seen up to that point must be reconsidered in a new light, and the emotional impact is profound. The pace quickens, tension builds, and nothing is certain anymore.
Your Name is not only a masterfully crafted story, but also a visual spectacle. From detailed drawings of Mitsuha’s bedroom to breathtaking scenes of bustling Tokyo, the stunning landscapes, and mesmerizing shots of the starry sky — this is the kind of film you could watch ten times and still discover something new each time. It’s been created with such care, love, and attention that the result is overwhelmingly romantic, dazzling, and deeply moving. You can’t help but fall head over heels for this film.