A heartwarming and fantastic story

Rating: 10/10 (13 January 2020)

This has grown to be one of my favorite movies of all time and I never get tired of it. One particular thing I noticed in the movie is how different the first half of the movie is compared to the second. Almost like two stories in the same universe, which implies on how detailed, satisfying and important the animation, music and every line in the movie are. It is an astonishing experience and, surprisingly, in only 1.5 hours. This is very intriguing because the movie feels much more than that.
The animation is absolutely beautiful and lovely to the naked eye. The music drags the viewers into something that is indescribable, something so deep and benevolent that it's hard to pinpoint where this feeling exactly emerges from. The movie connects the fundamentals of this world to the edge of our current time. Somewhere between the beauty in Japanese lakes, forests, mountains, ancient traditions and myths all the way to the breathtaking cityscapes of Tokyo, a love bond between a city-boy Taki and country-girl Mitsuha defines how powerful and important love could be, and how the beauty of our nature needs to be protected.