Shinkai’s latest film is about to make a (third) grand début in North America!
Earlier today, Funimation announced that Your Name. (Kimi no Na wa.) will hit North American theaters on April 7. As of press time, specific theatres have yet to be announced, but Funimation did confirm that both subtitled and dubbed screenings will be offered.
Funimation also revealed that RADWIMPS will create new English versions of their songs in the film, including Zen Zen Zense, Sparkle, Yume Toro, and Nandemo Ii ya. The group composed over 22 tracks for the film’s original run.
RADWIMPS lead singer Yojiro Noda spent part of his childhood in the United States, and will be leading the charge on the song rewrites.
Creator and director Makoto Shinkai commented on the news, stating:
Melody and lyrics must be something inseparable for RADWIMPS. For all that, I cannot respect and thank them enough for making these wonderful English versions to entertain international audience […] In Your Name., songs, lines and the story are in complete harmony. Lyrics represent characters’ cry of the heart. I hope these alternative versions will lead the audience to a better understanding of the world of Your Name.
Your Name. is an original film from Makoto Shinkai (5 Centimeters per Second, Children Who Chase Lost Voices),who directed the feature at CoMix Wave Films. Shinkai also penned the script, while Masayoshi Tanaka (anohana: The Flower We Saw That Day, High School of the Dead) provided character designs. Masashi Ando (Spirited Away, Paprika) served as animation director on the project.
The film made its global theatrical début on July 3, at Anime Expo. Funimation announced that they licensed the movie at the convention. The feature also saw an Oscar qualifying theatrical run in late 2017.
Earlier today, Box Office Mojo reported that Your Name. passed Studio Ghibli’s Spirited Away in global revenues, making it the highest-grossing anime film to date.
Funimation describes the film as:
The day the stars fell, two lives changed forever. 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. Yet, somehow, it works. They build a connection and communicate by leaving notes, messages, and more importantly, an imprint.
When a dazzling comet lights up the night’s sky, it dawns on them. They want something more from this connection—a chance to meet, an opportunity to truly know each other. Tugging at the string of fate, they try to find a way to each other. But distance isn’t the only thing keeping them apart. Is their bond strong enough to face the cruel irony of time? Or is their meeting nothing more than a wish upon the stars?
Source: Funimation (Press Release)
