Parents' Guide to

Your Name

By Sandie Angulo Chen, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 12+

Stunning but mature animated body-swapping love story.

Movie PG 2017 107 minutes
Your Name Poster Image

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What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

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age 12+

Based on 19 parent reviews

thekgal91
thekgal91 Adult
October 10, 2020
age 11+

Reviewing with the 7 Media Keys

Your Name is a romantic fantasy movie directed by Makoto Shinkai that was released in 2017. It has an MPAA rating of PG, but I was unable to find a USCCB rating for this movie. It was distributed by Toho. The primary audience for this coming-of-age film seems to be tweens and teens of both genders. It is an anime movie that was written in Japanese, but dubbed for American audiences and premiered in LA in July 2017. Your Name is a touching, emotional, dramatic movie about two character, Taki and Mitsuha, who begin waking up in each other’s bodies every few days. They learn to work together to make both their lives as normal as possible and eventually, both attempt to visit one another. However, there are certain barriers that keep them from meeting. One day, they stop switching and Taki does relentless research to try to find Mitsuha. However, the mystery seems to be deeper than he anticipated. He finds out that Mitsuha is in grave danger and has to try to save her life. I find this to be an excellent movie. While there are some minor negative aspects, overall it is very effective, captivating, and inspiring. The connections that the characters form with one another are very strong and they are very motivated in their search for one another. Their dedication to each other and other characters can be inspiring for us as viewers. The movie has good attitude awareness and portrays the teenaged main characters accurately so that viewers may relate to them and learn from them in their search for connection, which is something most people this age experience, making it relevant as well. The character of Mitsuha expresses desire for a different life, unsatisfied with her life as the daughter of a mayor of a small town. This is another experience that many young people may find relevant. The movie contains apparent truth about relationships and love for teenagers. Again, it realistically portrays these relationships and is able to capture the feeling of falling in love as a young teen. It maintains the dignity of these characters by being so truthful about them and their nature. However, there are some sexual aspects in this film that hurt their dignity. They are mild, but recurring throughout the movie as a joke. Finally, to talk about the practical side of the movie. It is very skillfully developed¸ with a beautiful animation style that truly elevates the already captivating story. The soundtrack perfectly fits the emotions of the movie at each point and together with the stunning art and writing, creates a work of art. The movie is able to balance humorous, romantic, and action-filled moments for an experience that leaves the viewer feeling satisfied and fulfilled. I give this movie 5/5 stars for the beauty, emotion, and truth that it shows.

This title has:

Great messages
Great role models
2 people found this helpful.
adarcy
adarcy Adult
November 27, 2019
age 11+

Very good story. Sends a message to kids that love is not superficial. It is about getting to know who a person truely is.

Good for tweens and teens.

This title has:

Great messages
Great role models
1 person found this helpful.
See all 19 parent reviews

What's the Story?

YOUR NAME follows two Japanese teens -- big-city boy Taki (Michael Sinterniklaas) and rural girl Mitsuha (Stephanie Sheh) -- who mysteriously wake up one morning in each other's bodies. Mitsuha has dreams of life beyond her provincial town and wishes to be a handsome Tokyo boy, and she seems to get her wish. At first she thinks it's just a detailed dream, because the teens don't know when they'll wake up as each other. It lasts only from the time they each wake up until they fall asleep, and it could happen up to a few times a week. Whey they realize it's "really" happening, they begin to leave reports in each other's cell phones, recounting important events. Mitsuha helps Taki get closer to his crush, a beautiful older server at the restaurant where he works, while Taki helps Mitsuha become more assertive, extroverted, and athletic. Eventually, though, they begin to have feelings for each other, since they know each other so well. But when Mitsuha and Taki try to find each other as themselves, it becomes clear something is wrong.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (19):
Kids say (62):

Stunningly animated and well acted, this extraordinary Japanese coming-of-age tale is equal parts body-swap comedy, time-travel romance, and adventure film. Written and directed by Makoto Shinkai and based on his own novel, the story is engrossing enough to appeal to older tweens, teens who might think they've graduated from animated movies, and adults who appreciate well-crafted animation. The parts are familiar: two people who mysteriously trade bodies, a love/hate romance that blossoms from notes and messages, and a disaster film in which a few realize the danger and must convince everyone else. But how Shinkai weaves these pieces together is original, compelling, and unforgettable.

It sounds contradictory, but this is a sweeping love story in which the couple doesn't really meet, yet knows intimate details about each other. Taki and Mitsuha understand nearly everything about each other because they've literally been each other. It's one of the reasons it's so amusing and entertaining to watch the montage of them getting frustrated with each other. And while there's a running gag about Mitsuha "loving her boobies" (when she wakes up as Taki), it's depicted as humorous curiosity, rather than prurient or off-putting. Like the older-skewing Studio Ghibli titles, Your Name is a perfect choice for middle schoolers and up who will appreciate the combination of adventure and romance in a way that younger viewers aren't mature enough to enjoy.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about Your Name's messages. What is the story trying to say about the difference between a big-city teen and one from a small town?

  • Who do you think is a role model in the movie? What makes them courageous and/or empathetic? Why are those important character strengths?

  • Discuss the love story in Your Name. What age audience is it aimed at? Why do you think that?

  • What does the movie have to say about gender? How do the two main characters react to being in the body of someone of the opposite sex? How do you think you'd feel?

Movie Details

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