Best Makoto Shinkai Movies: Love, Rain & Cosmic Romance!

Few directors capture the bittersweet poetry of existence quite like Makoto Shinkai. With films such as Weathering with You and The Garden of Words, Shinkai presents a vision that is at once visually stunning and emotionally resonant—a true feast for both the eyes and the soul. His distinct, heartfelt perspective has captivated many, though for newcomers, the abundance of his work can be a bit daunting.

As of 2025, Shinkai’s oeuvre in theaters includes Voices of a Distant Star, The Place Promised in Our Early Days, 5 Centimeters per Second, Children Who Chase Lost Voices, The Garden of Words, Your Name, and Weathering with You, Suzume. Additionally, his early work, She and Her Cat, was brought to television in 2016, marking an early glimpse of the creative genius that would come to define his career.

Each film in Shinkai’s repertoire is marked by expansive, breathtaking landscapes—a hallmark of what fans call the “Shinkai World”—that don’t just dazzle the eye but also stir the heart. Coupled with poignant, heart-wrenching tales of love and loss, his films invite you to experience the world in a way that is both introspective and profoundly moving.

In this article, we’ll introduce a curated ranking of Makoto Shinkai’s works and help you navigate his cinematic universe. Choose the film that speaks to you, and embark on a journey into the mesmerizing world of Makoto Shinkai.

Love, Rain, or Time Travel? Decode Which Shinkai Film Fits Your Mood

1. For Entertainment Seekers: Start with Your Name

If you crave a film with strong entertainment value, start with Your Name. For anyone new to Shinkai’s universe, Your Name is an ideal entry point. It seamlessly marries the familiar, emotionally charged landscapes of Shinkai’s world with a narrative that captivates audiences of all ages and genders. It’s a film that demonstrates his powerful influence while offering sheer, unadulterated entertainment.

2. Visual Poetry at Its Best: The Garden of Words & 5 Centimeters per Second

For those enchanted by visual poetry, turn your gaze to The Garden of Words and 5 Centimeters per Second. The Garden of Words invites you into a rain-soaked Shinjuku Gyoen, its rainy scenes imbued with a quiet, reflective beauty.

In contrast, 5 Centimeters per Second unfolds through the ephemeral bloom of cherry blossoms and the crisp serenity of snowy vistas. Both films marry poignant love stories with meticulously rendered landscapes, creating a sensory experience that lingers in the heart.

3. For the Sci-Fi and World-Themed Enthusiast: Voices of a Distant Star & The Place Promised in Our Early Days

If science fiction and expansive, world-themed narratives spark your interest, then Voices of a Distant Star and The Place Promised in Our Early Days are well worth your time. Voices of a Distant Star, a remarkable 25-minute film crafted solely by Shinkai, tells the tender yet heartrending tale of two souls separated by space and time, earning accolades despite its brevity.

Two years later, The Place Promised in Our Early Days expanded on this vision, winning the Mainichi Film Award for Best Animated Feature and offering a thought-provoking “sekai-kei” narrative set in a divided Japan.

4. Embrace the Fantasy: Children Who Chase Lost Voices

For fans of fantasy, Children Who Chase Lost Voices is the film to watch. If you enjoy the wonder and imaginative spirit found in Ghibli classics, this work offers a distinct, adventurous journey. Centered on a young girl’s quest to the ends of the earth, it stands apart from Shinkai’s other films with its pure, unbridled fantasy—and its visuals are nothing short of breathtaking.

5. Let the Music Move You: The Soundtrack of Shinkai’s World

Lastly, don’t overlook the music—a vital part of Shinkai’s cinematic signature. His films are often accompanied by theme songs that become almost as iconic as the movies themselves. In Your Name, for instance, RADWIMPS’ “Zen Zen Zense” soared to social acclaim. Other works feature memorable tracks like Hata Motohiro’s “Rain” and Yamazaki Masayoshi’s “One More Time, One More Chance.”

Whether it’s the early compositions by Tenmon or the stirring performance by KASHIWA Daisuke in The Garden of Words, the music in Shinkai’s films deepens the emotional experience, ensuring that every viewing is as much an auditory delight as it is a visual one.

Box Office Ranking List of Films Directed by Makoto Shinkai

Makoto Shinkai’s films have not only enchanted viewers with their poetic beauty but have also made a significant impact at the box office. Among his seven theatrical works, Your Name (2016) stands out as the crown jewel, grossing over 25 billion yen. His most recent film, Suzume, which hit theaters on November 11, 2022, claims the runner-up position in terms of revenue, outpacing his previous release, Weathering With You. The following table outlines his films, their release years, and their box office standings:

My Recommendation: 

The Garden of Words: A Love That Lingers in the Rain

I don’t hate rainy days. But that’s only if I’m at home, with time to spare, watching the world outside blur into streaks of gray.

I remember a particular ride from Shillong to Sohra, where the rain fell in quiet sheets against the window. We stopped at a lonely stretch of road, and someone asked me, “Do you like the rain?”

He was a tribal Christian man, probably in his forties. “I like it because the rain is good for the soil,” he said.

“Soil?”

At the time, it struck me as an odd thing to say, especially from someone who wasn’t a farmer. But the thought lingered, and in time, I began to understand.

It’s in those quiet moments—when the rain falls and the world slows down—that we begin to see things differently. The Garden of Words captures that feeling perfectly.

Takao, a high school freshman, skips class on rainy mornings and finds solace in a hidden corner of Shinjuku Gyoen. There, he sketches shoes, dreaming of becoming a shoemaker.

One day, he meets a woman on his usual bench—an unlikely figure with a can of beer in one hand and a piece of chocolate in the other. Her name is Yukino, and though she reveals little about herself, a quiet bond forms between them. They begin to look forward to rainy days, where unspoken words carry more weight than conversations.

Takao, who has long grown used to cooking for himself in an empty home, starts making lunch for Yukino. In return, she gifts him an expensive book on shoemaking. Slowly, he begins crafting a pair of shoes for her, hoping one day she will wear them.

But then, in a sudden shift, the rain clears. Takao sees her at school, surrounded by whispers and stolen glances. Teacher.

Love Before It Becomes Love

The Garden of Words is not a conventional love story. It’s about the space between emotions, about feelings that haven’t quite found the right words. Inspired by the Manyoshu, Japan’s oldest poetry anthology, it lingers in unspoken moments, in longing glances, in the way raindrops bead against green leaves.

Makoto Shinkai, known for his breathtaking visuals and bittersweet romances, once said that The Garden of Words is a story about “love before it becomes love.” It is a tale of solitude and connection, of two lost souls finding comfort in the rhythm of the rain.

For those who appreciate delicate storytelling, stunningly realistic depictions of nature, and a romance that exists in the spaces between words, The Garden of Words is a film that stays with you—like the scent of rain on warm pavement, long after the storm has passed.

Your Name: A Love Story That Defies Time and Space

Japan is a month away from witnessing a celestial event unseen in a thousand years—a comet streaking across the sky in a moment of rare cosmic beauty. However, for Mitsuha, a high school girl in a quiet rural town, and Taki, a high school boy navigating the fast-paced life of Tokyo, something even more inexplicable is happening.

They wake up in each other’s bodies. At first, it’s chaos—confusion, missteps, the absurdity of living someone else’s life. But as the body-switching continues at random intervals, an unspoken connection forms between them. And then, as if drawn together by an unseen force, they begin searching for answers. The gears of fate are turning, and what they find will change everything.

The Beauty of Connection

The brilliance of Your Name lies not just in its breathtaking visuals—though, as expected from Makoto Shinkai, the film is a work of art. It lies in how it weaves together time, memory, and longing into something deeply personal and profoundly universal. The story unfolds with a mix of humor and wonder, building towards a revelation that redefines everything Mitsuha and Taki thought they knew.

And then there’s the music. RADWIMPS’ songs don’t just accompany the film; they are part of its soul. Their melodies drift in at the perfect moments, amplifying emotions, making quiet scenes feel weightless and the climactic ones pulse with urgency.

Romance, Friendship, and the Ultimate Connection

What makes Your Name so timeless isn’t just Mitsuha and Taki’s fateful love story—it’s the way the film treats human connection itself. Even when they don’t fully understand what’s happening, they never dismiss each other. They don’t mock their impossible situation; they embrace it. And when it truly matters, their friends stand by them, even if it means breaking the rules.

In a way, Your Name is about more than romance. It’s about the quiet magic of finding someone—whether a stranger or a soulmate—who changes your world.

A Timeless Masterpiece

Years after its release, Your Name hasn’t lost its magic. Shinkai’s stunning landscapes, the intricate story, and the seamless fusion of music and emotion make it a film that rewards rewatching. Each viewing offers something new—an unnoticed detail, a different interpretation, a fresh wave of emotion.

Whether you’re experiencing it for the first time or the tenth, now is always the perfect time to step back into the world of Your Name. After all, some stories, like some connections, are destined to last forever.

5 Centimeters per Second: The Weight of Distance, the Gravity of Memory

There is a certain cruelty to time, a quiet and indifferent force that pulls people apart even when their hearts still yearn for each other. 5 Centimeters per Second is not a film about love in the way that romance movies usually are. It is a film about distance—physical, emotional, and existential—and about how we move through life, haunted by the moments we can never quite return to.

It begins simply enough. Takaki and Akari, inseparable as children, are torn apart when Akari moves away. They promise to stay in touch, to keep the bond alive through letters. And yet, the world has other plans. As they grow older, their connection becomes a memory, slipping further away like the cherry blossoms that drift to the ground at five centimeters per second.

But this is no grand tragedy. There are no villains, no betrayals, no dramatic climaxes. Instead, there is something far more painful—the quiet realization that life moves on, even when we are not ready to.

The Pain of What Could Have Been

As an adult, Takaki is a man adrift, stuck in the past, unable to find meaning in the present. He works, he dates, he goes through the motions, but there is a hollowness to it all. His girlfriend of three years tells him, “Even after exchanging a thousand emails, we only moved one centimeter closer.” And just like that, another chapter of his life closes, not with an explosion, but with a whisper.

It is this understated heartbreak that makes 5 Centimeters per Second such a deeply personal film. Makoto Shinkai does not give us easy resolutions. There is no grand reunion, no dramatic confession of love. There is only the cold, inescapable truth that sometimes, no matter how much we want to hold onto someone, life has already taken them in a different direction.

A Visual and Emotional Masterpiece

Shinkai’s artistry has never been more poetic. Cherry blossoms falling, train lights flickering in the winter haze, an endless sky stretching between two people who were once inseparable—every frame is a painting, every moment heavy with unspoken emotion.

And then there’s One More Time, One More Chance by Masayoshi Yamazaki, a song so achingly perfect that it feels less like a soundtrack and more like an echo of everything the film is trying to say.

A Film That Divides, a Film That Resonates

Not everyone loves 5 Centimeters per Second. Some find it frustrating, self-indulgent, even melodramatic. Takaki, in particular, is often criticized—too introspective, too wrapped up in his own emotions, too unwilling to let go. And yet, isn’t that what makes the film so powerful?

There is a reason why Osamu Dazai’s works resonate with certain readers while others find them suffocating. There is a reason why Yukio Mishima, who once criticized Dazai for being “effeminate,” later admitted that his dislike stemmed from self-hatred.

5 Centimeters per Second is not a film that asks to be liked. It is a film that holds up a mirror to our own nostalgia, our own regrets, our own longing for a past that will never return.

And maybe that is why, even when it frustrates us, we can’t look away.

Weathering With You: A Love Story That Defies the Sky

The sky above us is a vast and unpredictable thing. It brings sun and storms, light and shadow. It is both an obstacle and a canvas, shaping the world below with forces beyond our control. But what if we could change it? What if, with a single prayer, we could bend the sky to our will?

Makoto Shinkai’s Weathering With You takes this idea and spins it into something both magical and deeply human. At its heart, this is a story about love—not just the love between two people, but the kind of love that makes you willing to defy the world itself.

The Weight of Rain, the Lightness of Love

It begins with a runaway. Hodaka, a high school boy from a small island, arrives in Tokyo with no money, no plan, and no place to go. Tokyo, in turn, greets him with endless rain—a city drowning under gray skies, mirroring the isolation and desperation he feels. But then he meets Hina, a girl with the power to clear the sky simply by praying. With her, the rain stops. With her, light breaks through the clouds.

They begin using her ability to help others—granting moments of sunshine for weddings, festivals, and those longing for just a glimpse of blue. But as with all miracles, there is a cost. Hina is a weather maiden, and in exchange for her gift, she is slowly being consumed by it. Each prayer she makes brings the sky closer to taking her away.

A Sekaikei Story: When Love Matters More Than the World

If Your Name was a grand, sweeping romance with fate pulling the strings, Weathering With You is more personal, more intimate. It belongs to the sekaikei genre—a style of storytelling where the fate of the world is directly tied to the emotions of the protagonist. Here, it is not about saving everyone. It is about saving one person, even if it means letting the rest of the world drown.

Shinkai has said that Weathering With You is not a film about “social correctness.” It does not offer easy moral answers. In most stories, the hero would make the noble sacrifice, choosing to save the many over the few. But Hodaka is not that kind of hero.

When faced with losing Hina, he does the one thing that feels true to him—he chooses her. He chooses love over balance, over logic, and over the demands of the world. And as a result, Tokyo remains submerged in endless rain.

A World of Water and Wonder

Visually, Weathering With You is a triumph. Shinkai’s signature style is on full display—rain-slicked streets reflecting neon lights, water-drenched cityscapes shimmering with an almost dreamlike beauty.

And then there are the creatures—fish-like beings made of water, floating in the sky, suggesting a hidden ecosystem above us, something ancient and unknowable. The sky is alive, just as much a character as the people beneath it.

These moments of fantasy are grounded by RADWIMPS’ music, their songs once again serving as the heartbeat of the film. Where Your Name was bright and youthful, Weathering With You feels heavier, more melancholic, like a love letter written in the rain.

A Story That Stays With You

Weathering With You is not as universally beloved as Your Name. Some find its ending selfish. Others see its message as one of defiance, a refusal to accept fate as it is written. But love, real love, has never been about playing by the rules.

In the end, it leaves you with a question: If you had to choose between the person you love and the world itself—what would you do?

Suzume: A Journey Through Doors and Time

Suzume is just an ordinary 17-year-old girl living in the quiet countryside of Kyushu—until she meets Sota, a young man searching for a mysterious door. Drawn by curiosity, she follows him to an abandoned building, where she finds an old, weathered door standing alone in the ruins. The moment she opens it, she unknowingly sets a disaster in motion.

What follows is a breathtaking adventure across Japan, from Kyushu to Tokyo, as doors begin to open one by one, unleashing unseen forces. But these doors are not simply portals to another world—they are tied to memories, to loss, and to a past Suzume has long forgotten.

A Story of Growth and Discovery

The heart of Suzume no Tojimari lies in its protagonist’s journey. As Suzume travels across the country, she faces challenges that push her to grow—both as a person and as someone carrying the weight of a larger fate. The story is layered with themes of loss, resilience, and moving forward, making the ending especially emotional.

Shinkai has always been a master of blending fantasy with reality, and Suzume is no exception. It combines adventure, romance, and supernatural elements with a deep, personal narrative. At times, it even feels like a road movie, carrying us through different landscapes of Japan, each with its own atmosphere and emotions.

Mysteries of the World: What is an Earthworm?

Before watching the movie, I had read the novel version of Suzume no Tojimari—and to be honest, I didn’t fully understand everything. One of the biggest mysteries was: What exactly is an earthworm? The film brings these abstract ideas to life with stunning visuals, making it easier to grasp the world Shinkai has created.

There’s a beauty in how the movie unfolds, revealing its deeper meanings through breathtaking imagery. Watching it reminded me of a mix between Spirited Away and Princess Mononoke—a fantasy adventure that carries both wonder and emotional weight.

A Film That Stays With You

The visuals are, as expected from Shinkai, absolutely stunning. The landscapes of Japan are painted with such detail and emotion that they almost feel alive. Every frame tells a story, making Suzume a film that lingers in your mind long after it ends.

I have a feeling that my thoughts on this movie will evolve over time. Maybe, after a second or third watch, I’ll notice things I didn’t before. But for now, I only wish I had watched the movie first before reading the novel—then I might have understood the story more clearly from the start.

Guess I’ll just have to watch it again.

Dive Deeper into Shinkai’s World with His Novels

If you truly want to grasp the depth of Makoto Shinkai’s storytelling, his novels are highly recommended.

Many of his films feature intricate timelines and emotionally complex narratives that can be challenging to fully understand after just one viewing. While watching a movie multiple times can certainly help, reading the novel adaptation offers a new layer of insight.

Why Read the Novels?

Shinkai’s novels often provide inner monologues and character backgrounds that aren’t fully explored in the films. These details add richness to the story, making it easier to connect with the emotions and motivations of the characters.

Additionally, some of his works have also been adapted into manga. While these versions don’t always follow the films exactly, they offer fresh perspectives and unique interpretations of the story.

For fans who want to immerse themselves even further in Shinkai’s world, his novels and manga adaptations are must-reads.

As for his next movie, director Makoto Shinkai has built a career on weaving delicate human emotions with breathtaking visuals, but his next work might take an unexpected turn. In a recent Newtype magazine interview, Shinkai revealed that his upcoming film will be quite surprising—something unlike anything he has done before.

Given his signature themes of love, fate, and separation, one might wonder: will he step away from the bittersweet romances that define his legacy? Could we see a bold new genre, a shift in storytelling, or even a completely fresh visual style? Whatever the case, one thing is certain—when Shinkai reaches for the sky, he always leaves us in awe.