Your Name is arguably one of the most successful feature-length anime movies of recent years - and it's not hard to see why. The gorgeous animation, the engaging story, the soundtrack that viewers want to listen to for months after watching the movie - all of these make Your Name what it is.
And yet, the movie had its fair share of criticism that might have negatively impacted it. On the other hand, Your Name could actually be overrated if all of these negative things are considered. It's worth examining the anime more closely to fully see it for what it is.
10 OVERRATED: It Was Unfavorably Compared To Miyazaki's Work
When Your Name was released, it was almost immediately hailed as one of the best feature-length anime films of the 21st century. This also led to the movie being compared to Hayao Miyazaki's work as well as Studio Ghibli's creations as a whole.
Of course, this did not do the movie any favors with many saying that it's obviously nowhere near as good as Spirited Away or other Miyazaki creations. The problem with this, however, is that Your Name is not being assessed on its own even though it's actually a very good anime movie.
9 UNDERRATED: Makoto Shinkai Fans Will Love It
On the other side of the comparison dilemma is the fact that Makoto Shinkai fans will absolutely love it. Miyazaki fans might not like it as much as the Ghibli movies, but Shinkai fans will enjoy it quite a bit.
Previously, Shinkai was mostly known for The Garden of Words despite directing some other feature-length anime movies. After Your Name, he directed Weathering with You and all three of these are beloved by the director's fans.
8 OVERRATED: It Can Feel Too Long & Boring
Some viewers, even those who enjoyed Your Name, said that they felt it was too long and even kind of boring because of this length.
Of course, 107 minutes is not that long for a movie, but it can be lengthy for an animated movie. Moreover, the boring aspect might be the result of the movie's focus on the love story more than anything else.
7 UNDERRATED: It Has A Unique Atmosphere
Perhaps in part because of the director and in part because of the story itself, Your Name has a very unique atmosphere that is one of the reasons why the movie became so successful and beloved universally.
Your Name has elements of mystery while mostly focusing on romance, but at the same time, it has a very lighthearted and fun atmosphere with plenty of jokes.
6 OVERRATED: The Writing Feels Like It's Just Going Through Necessary Beats
Though some people ignored or didn't notice this aspect of Your Name, other viewers pointed out that the writing felt like it was just going through necessary beats.
Moreover, the writing didn't feel genuine and instead was somewhat going through the necessary beats without a hint of adventure in it. Of course, this is somewhat subjective, but it's still a relatively important issue the movie suffers from.
5 UNDERRATED: The Romance Feels Realistic
What does feel genuine and realistic, however, is the romance. Because the focus is mostly on the relationship between the two main characters, it was inevitable that their relationship would be so developed.
But the movie actually goes above and beyond to show just how close the two have grown throughout their whole body-swapping adventure. Their feelings for each other don't develop out of nowhere and actually come from getting to each other gradually.
4 OVERRATED: The Concept Is Not All That New
When it comes to the more negative aspects of Your Name, the concept is probably the one that comes to mind first because it can actually drive away some potential viewers.
The problem is that the concept of Your Name is not all that new. Body-swapping has been around for ages which means it has been explored quite a bit and there is usually not a lot of new things that can be introduced to a topic like this. So when someone hears about the concept of Your Name, they might simply decide to skip it just because of the premise.
3 UNDERRATED: The Soundtrack Is Very Memorable
Though the animation is the first thing any viewer will notice when sitting down to watch Your Name, but the second thing will definitely be the soundtrack which is very memorable.
Even the opening of the anime has a lively song playing as the titles play out setting the mood immediately. And then, throughout the story, the music just makes the atmosphere even more immersive allowing viewers to choose more songs from the soundtrack for their personal playlists.
2 OVERRATED: The Main Characters Feel One-Dimensional
Even though the romance between the two main characters feels as genuine as it could be, the characters themselves can sometimes come off as somewhat one-dimensional.
Both Taki and Mitsuha are quite stubborn and initially dislike the situation they are in, but eventually, they start changing each other's lives. Some viewers considered their personalities to be pretentious, but there's one thing that actually justifies this - they are both teenagers.
1 UNDERRATED: The Visuals Are As Good As They Get
As mentioned earlier, the animation is the first thing anyone will notice when turning on this movie for the first time or even when watching it for the 10th time. And it's really worth it.
Not only are the characters drawn in a dynamic way, but the backgrounds are so detailed that they sometimes seem completely real. The natural landscapes are just as beautiful as the urban areas making the entire movie a feast for the eyes.