5 Best Makoto Shinkai Anime to Watch

Makoto Shinkai is one of the directors of anime A renowned Japanese filmmaker known for his emotional stories and captivating visuals. His films often highlight themes such as love, distance, and unexpected encounters. With a distinctive visual style and strong cinematic atmosphere, Shinkai is able to deliver a touching and unforgettable viewing experience.

Here are Makoto Shinkai's top five works according to the highest ratings on IMDb. Each movie is characterized by a different theme and visual approach, but they all offer an emotional journey that is worth your time.

5. 5 Centimeters per Second (2007)

Takaki and Akari are two childhood friends who are separated by distance after their respective families move away. The story is divided into three acts depicting the process of loss, longing, and the reality that not everything can be preserved forever.

5 Centimeters per Second (Byousoku 5 Centimeters) is Shinkai's early work that longtime fans are most familiar with. The story does not involve fantasy elements, but instead presents a bittersweet and desolate realistic romance, wrapped in a poetic narrative.

The movie depicts how time and distance can keep two people apart, even when feelings haven't changed. The slow tempo of the story is in line with the emotional experiences of the characters trapped in the past.

4. The Garden of Words (2013)

On a quiet rainy morning, Takao-a student who dreams of becoming a shoemaker-meets Yukino, a mature woman who seems to be avoiding her work. They begin to meet regularly in the same park every time it rains.

The Garden of Words (Kotonoha no Niwa) is a short film that touches on the dynamics of cross-age relationships. Instead of highlighting the usual romance, the movie brings up feelings of awkwardness, loneliness, and the need to be understood in different phases of life.

With a simple yet powerful setting, Shinkai manages to capture a sense of stillness that speaks deeper than dialog. The depiction of rain, leaves, and water reflections create an atmosphere that supports the closeness of two souls looking for a place to belong.

3. Weathering with You (2019)

Hodaka, a teenager who runs away to Tokyo, meets Hina, a girl with the unique ability to stop rain and bring sunlight. Together, they build an emotional connection amidst the environmental crisis and pressures of big city life.

Weathering with You (Tenki no Ko) brings together teenage romance with climate change issues in the form of a fantasy story. The film still carries Shinkai's strong identity-dramatic palate, contrasting colors, and emotionally layered relationships between characters.

Behind the story of love and magic, the movie touches on the conflict between the forces of nature and human desires. There is a strong message about the consequences of choices on the environment and how feelings can clash with greater realities.

2. Suzume (2022)

Suzume is a high school student who accidentally opens a door to another world and awakens a force of nature that cannot be controlled. She then meets Souta, a mysterious young man who is in charge of closing the doors of disasters scattered throughout Japan.

Suzume (Suzume no Tojimari) takes Shinkai's approach to a broader level by combining natural disaster, spiritual fantasy, and emotional adventure. The movie depicts the personal connection between trauma and loss in a symbolic yet relatable way.

More than just a fantasy story, Suzume takes the audience into another world full of mystery and emotion. The movie presents a reflection on the past, how humans deal with loss, and how an inner journey can start from an open door.

1. Your Name (2016)

Taki, a student in Tokyo, and Mitsuha, a girl from Itomori village, are mysteriously connected when they start exchanging bodies for no apparent reason. This incident leads them into a search for each other that gets more emotional as time passes.

Your Name. (Kimi no Na wa.) is a milestone work in Makoto Shinkai's career. The movie combines elements of fantasy, romance, and natural disasters in one balanced story, without losing its distinctive personal touch. The depictions of Tokyo and the Japanese countryside are detailed and immersive.

The movie's success is not only evident from its global box office achievements, but also from the audience response that made it one of the highest-rated anime movies in the world. The story is touching, the visuals are amazing, and the music amplifies the emotional experience from start to finish.

Through these five films, Makoto Shinkai takes you through the different layers of human feelings-from longing and loss to hope and forgiveness. Each title is not only visually captivating, but also offers a deep emotional look at life.

If you want to understand how cinema can speak to the human heart through the colors of the sky and unspoken words, these five anime are a good place to start.