Makoto Shinkai Explained
Makoto Shinkai |
Native Name Lang: | ja |
Birth Name: | Makoto Niitsu |
Birth Date: | February 9, 1973 |
Birth Place: | Koumi, Japan |
Years Active: | 1996–present |
Education: | Chuo University |
Website: |
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Known For: | Your Name Weathering with You Suzume |
Module: | Kanji: | 新海 誠 | Kana: | しんかい まこと | Romaji: | Shinkai Makoto |
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Signature: | Signature of Makoto Shinkai (without "Thank you" remark).svg |
, known as, is a Japanese filmmaker and novelist. He is known for his anime feature films produced with studio CoMix Wave Films.
Shinkai began his career as a video game animator with Nihon Falcom in 1996, and gained recognition as a filmmaker with the release of the original video animation (OVA) She and Her Cat (1999). Shinkai then released the science-fiction OVA Voices of a Distant Star in 2002 as his first feature with CoMix Wave, and followed this with his debut feature film The Place Promised in Our Early Days (2004).
Shinkai's films have consistently received highly positive reviews from both critics and audiences, and he is considered to be one of Japan's most commercially successful filmmakers.[1] His three most recent films Your Name (2016), Weathering with You (2019), and Suzume (2022) are all among the highest-grossing Japanese films of all time both in Japan and worldwide at the time of their release.[2] [3] [4]
Early life
A native of Nagano Prefecture, Shinkai studied Japanese literature at Chuo University, where he was a member of the juvenile literature club and drew picture books. He traces his passion for creation to the manga, anime and novels he was exposed to in middle school. His favorite anime films are , Nausicaä and The Castle of Cagliostro by Hayao Miyazaki, The End of Evangelion by Hideaki Anno and Patlabor 2 by Mamoru Oshii.
Career
After graduating from Chuo University Faculty of Literature in March 1996,[5] he got a job at Falcom, a video game company. He worked there for 5 years, making video clips for games and graphic design including web content.[6] During this time he met musician Tenmon, who later scored many of his movies.
In 1999, Shinkai released She and Her Cat, a five-minute short piece done in monochrome. It won several awards, including the grand prize at the 12th DoGA CG Animation contest (2000). DoGA is an independent nonprofit company set up to encourage entry-level animators with software and advice.[7] The short details the life of a cat, entirely from the cat's perspective, as it passes time with its owner, a young woman.
After winning the grand prize, Shinkai began thinking about a follow-up while he continued working for Falcom. In June 2000, Shinkai was inspired to begin Voices of a Distant Star by drawing a picture of a girl in a cockpit grasping a cell phone. Some time later, he was contacted by Manga Zoo (today a smartphone app), which offered to work with him, giving him a grant to turn his idea into an anime they could sell. In May 2001, he quit his job at Falcom and began to work on Voices. In an interview, Shinkai noted that production took around seven months of "real work".[6]
Voices of a Distant Star was followed by the 90-minute The Place Promised in Our Early Days, which was released nationwide in Japan on November 20, 2004. It was critically acclaimed, winning many honors.[8] [9] Shinkai's next project was 5 Centimeters per Second and premiered on 3 March 2007. It consists of three short films: Cherry Blossom, Cosmonaut, and 5 Centimeters per Second.[10] In September 2007, Nagano's leading newspaper, Shinano Mainichi Shinbun, released a TV commercial animated by Shinkai.Shinkai spent 2008 in London, resting since the completion of 5 Centimeters per Second. He returned to Japan in 2009 to start work on his next project. He released two concept drawings for this film in December 2009. Shinkai noted that it would be his longest animation film to date and described the story as a "lively" animated film with adventure, action, and romance centered on a cheerful and spirited girl on a journey to say "farewell".[11] In November 2010, he revealed that his next work would be titled Children Who Chase Lost Voices from Deep Below. A teaser trailer was released on November 9, and the film was released on May 7, 2011.[12] [13] His next feature, The Garden of Words, was released on May 31, 2013.[14]
On August 26, 2016, Shinkai released Your Name. The film received widespread acclaim from audiences and critics,[15] praising the film for its narrative, imagery, animation, music, emotional weight, and skillful use of post-postmodernist themes. The film was also a commercial success, becoming the fifth-highest-grossing film of all time in Japan. Then by 2019, the film became the highest-grossing anime film of all time worldwide, overtaking Miyazaki's Spirited Away.[2] [16]
Shinkai's next project Weathering with You was released on July 19, 2019 in Japan.[17] [18] The film was also a commercial success, grossing $192.9 million worldwide and making it the tenth highest grossing Japanese film of all time.[19] [20]
Suzume, Shinkai's seventh feature-length film, was released in Japan on November 11, 2022.[21] [22] The film was a further critical and commercial success, grossing over $300 million worldwide.[23]
Personal life
Shinkai has been called "The New Miyazaki" in several reviews,[24] [25] including those by Anime Advocates and ActiveAnime—comparisons that Shinkai brushed off as "overestimation".[26]
Shinkai is married to retired actress and producer Misaka Chieko who is best known for starring in Versus by Ryuhei Kitamura; the couple has a daughter, child actress Chise Niitsu (born 2010).[27] [28]
An asteroid, 55222 Makotoshinkai, is named after him.[29]
Works
Film
Video games
Commercials
Literary works
Manga
Illustrations
- — Illustrator (2003–2011)
Accolades
External links
Notes and References
- Web site: Schilling . Mark . 2023-02-20 . 'Suzume' Director Shinkai Makoto on Hand-Drawn Animation and the Importance of Original Stories . 2024-02-07 . Variety . en-US.
- News: Shepherd . Jack . 2017-01-17 . 'Your Name' beats 'Spirited Away' to become highest-grossing anime ever . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20171210180022/https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/films/news/your-name-spirited-away-highest-grossing-anime-of-all-time-a7530876.html . 2017-12-10 . 2017-05-10 . The Independent.
- Web site: 2016-05-05 . Makoto Shinkai – 'Distant Star' creator now in view . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20160513003731/http://variety.com/gallery/10-animators-to-watch-2016/#!8/makoto-shinkai-10-animators-to-watch . 2016-05-13 . 2016-05-10 . Variety.
- Web site: Brzeski . Patrick . 2023-03-27 . China Box Office: Makoto Shinkai's Anime Hit 'Suzume' Soars With $50M Opening . 2023-03-28 . The Hollywood Reporter . en-US.
- Web site: 新海誠監督×川田十夢氏、母校で対談 中央大学グローバル人材育成推進事業. globalization.chuo-u.ac.jp. 2020-05-02.
- News: Interview: Makoto Shinkai. Anime News Network. Manry. Gia. 2011-08-17. 2018-08-10. https://web.archive.org/web/20150217085711/http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/interview/2011-08-16/interview-makoto-shinkai. 2015-02-17. live.
- Web site: Project Team DoGA. DoGA. 2011-12-19. https://web.archive.org/web/20090807070720/http://www.doga.co.jp/english/top.html. 2009-08-07. live.
- Web site: Makoto Shinkai. Japan Speaker Bureau. 2018-08-10. https://web.archive.org/web/20180810235424/https://www.japanspeakerbureau.com/en/speakers/makoto-shinkai/. 2018-08-10. live.
- News: Glowing visuals, sweetly emotional tale mark strong anime feature debut. The Seattle Times. Shannon. Jeff. 2005-06-17. 2018-08-10. https://web.archive.org/web/20180810235713/https://www.seattletimes.com/entertainment/movies/glowing-visuals-sweetly-emotional-tale-mark-strong-anime-feature-debut/. 2018-08-10. live.
- Web site: Five Centimeters Per Second. Variety. Scheib. Ronnie. 2008-03-06. 2010-08-28. https://web.archive.org/web/20141224232641/http://variety.com/2008/film/reviews/five-centimeters-per-second-1200536043/. 2014-12-24. live.
- Web site: Distant Star's Shinkai Posts Images for Next Anime . Anime News Network . Loo . Egan . 2009-12-24 . 2010-08-28 . https://web.archive.org/web/20100819131217/http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2009-12-24/distant-star-shinkai-posts-images-from-next-anime . 2010-08-19 . live .
- Web site: Paradise Kiss, Mardock Scramble, Gon Promos Streamed (Makoto Shinkai's latest work, Hoshi o Ou Kodomo, to have teaser on November 9) . Anime News Network . Loo . Egan . 2010-11-02 . 2010-11-04 . https://web.archive.org/web/20101104052331/http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2010-11-02/paradise-kiss-mardock-scramble-gon-promos-streamed . 2010-11-04 . live .
- Web site: Makoto Shinkai's Hoshi o Ou Kodomo Teaser Posted in HD . Anime News Network . Loo . Egan . 2010-11-09 . 2010-11-09 . https://web.archive.org/web/20101110204834/http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2010-11-09/makoto-shinkai-hoshi-o-ou-kodomo-teaser-posted-in-hd . 2010-11-10 . live .
- Web site: Video: Japanese anime movie 'Garden of Words' 5-min preview. Digital Journal. 2013-05-12. 2016-05-10. https://web.archive.org/web/20141104005750/http://www.digitaljournal.com/article/350036. 2014-11-04. live.
- Web site: 'Your Name.' Reviews. Metacritic. 2018-08-10. https://web.archive.org/web/20180625184332/http://www.metacritic.com/movie/your-name. 2018-06-25. live.
- News: How Anime 'Your Name' Became an Unlikely Phenomenon. The Hollywood Reporter. Blair. Gavin J.. 2017-01-27. 2017-11-25. https://web.archive.org/web/20171020175606/http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/how-anime-your-name-became-an-phenomenon-969255. 2017-10-20. live.
- News: Anime directors Mamoru Hosoda, Makoto Shinkai working on new films. Inquirer.net. Bayle. Alfred. 2017-05-18. 2017-11-25. https://web.archive.org/web/20171126151124/https://entertainment.inquirer.net/226516/anime-directors-mamoru-hosoda-makoto-shinkai-working-new-films. 2017-11-26. live.
- News: Variety. 'Your Name' Director Makoto Shinkai Readies 'Weathering'. Schilling. Mark. 2018-12-18. 2018-12-18. https://web.archive.org/web/20181219043932/https://variety.com/2018/film/asia/your-name-director-makoto-shinkai-weathering-1203092067/. 2018-12-19. live.
- Web site: Weathering with You (天気の子) (2019) - Financial Information . 2024-02-07 . The Numbers.
- Web site: Weathering with You . 2024-02-07 . Box Office Mojo.
- Web site: December 15, 2021 . 新海誠監督の最新作「すずめの戸締まり」2022年秋に全国公開! 主人公は災いの元となる"扉"を閉めていく少女 . December 15, 2021 . Eiga.com . ja.
- News: Malhotra . Rahul . 2021-12-15 . 'Your Name' Director Makoto Shinkai Announces New Film . 2021-12-18 . Collider.
- Web site: Suzume (すずめの戸締まり) (2022) - Financial Information . 2024-02-07 . The Numbers.
- News: Makoto Shinkai: Could the anime director be cinema's 'new Miyazaki'?. The Guardian. Rose. Steve. 2016-11-09. 2018-08-10. https://web.archive.org/web/20180811003948/https://www.theguardian.com/film/2016/nov/09/makoto-shinkai-director-anime-your-name. 2018-08-11. live.
- News: The Anime Master of Missed Connections Makes Strong Contact in Japan. The New York Times. Rich. Motoko. 2016-12-04. 2018-08-10. https://web.archive.org/web/20180811002531/https://www.nytimes.com/2016/12/04/movies/the-anime-master-of-missed-connections-makes-strong-contact-in-japan.html. 2018-08-11. live.
- Web site: Makoto Shinkai - 'The Place Promised in Our Early Days' Director . Active Anime . 2005-09-27 . 2011-12-19. https://web.archive.org/web/20111220065243/https://activeanime.com/html/2005/09/27/makoto-shinkai-the-place-promised-in-our-early-days-director/. 20 December 2011.
- News: 君の名は。」新海誠監督の妻は女優・三坂知絵子だった. 'Your Name' director Makoto Shinkai's wife, Misaka Chieko, was an actress. ja. Nikkan Gendai. 2016-10-15. 2017-11-25. https://web.archive.org/web/20180308231605/https://www.nikkan-gendai.com/articles/view/geinox/191829/. 2018-03-08. live.
- News: Anime Director Makoto Shinkai's Daughter Chise Niitsu Gets 1st Starring Film Role. Anime News Network. Sherman. Jennifer. 2018-06-24. 2018-08-10. https://web.archive.org/web/20180811034848/https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/interest/2018-06-23/anime-director-makoto-shinkai-daughter-chise-niitsu-gets-1st-starring-film-role/.132915. 2018-08-11. live.
- Web site: JPL Small-Body Database Browser — 55222 Makotoshinkai (2001 RP63). NASA. 2001-09-12. 2011-12-19. https://web.archive.org/web/20180412073334/https://ssd.jpl.nasa.gov/sbdb.cgi?sstr=55222. 2018-04-12. live.
- News: The Hollywood Reporter. 'Your Name' Director Makoto Shinkai Announces New Anime Feature. Blair. Gavin J.. 2018-12-14. 2018-12-16. https://web.archive.org/web/20181227123322/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/makoto-shinkai-announces-new-anime-feature-1169357. 2018-12-27. live.
- Web site: Other voices-遠い声- » 大成建設テレビCM . Other voices - Taisei TV CM . ja . Makoto Shinkai / CoMix Wave Films . October 10, 2014 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20141010033343/http://shinkaimakoto.jp/taisei . October 10, 2014 . mdy-all .
- Web site: Other voices-遠い声- » 大成建設テレビCM「スリランカ高速道路」篇 . Other voices - Taisei TV CM "Sri Lanka highway" . ja . Makoto Shinkai / CoMix Wave Films . October 10, 2014 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20141010033502/http://shinkaimakoto.jp/taisei2 . October 10, 2014 . mdy-all .
- Web site: Other voices-遠い声- » 大成建設テレビCM「ベトナム・ノイバイ空港」篇 . Other voices - Taisei TV CM "Vietnam Noi Bai Airport" . ja . Makoto Shinkai / CoMix Wave Films . October 10, 2014 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20141010033220/http://shinkaimakoto.jp/taisei3 . October 10, 2014 . mdy-all .
- Web site: Other voices-遠い声- » Z会「クロスロード」 . Other voices - Z-Kai: Cross Road . ja . Makoto Shinkai / CoMix Wave Films . October 10, 2014 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20141016231517/http://shinkaimakoto.jp/Zkai . October 16, 2014 . mdy-all .
- Web site: Acclaimed 'Your Name' director Makoto Shinkai directs TV ad on Thomson-East Coast Line. Lam. Lydia. 2018-05-07. The Straits Times. 2020-04-01.
- Web site: Makoto Shinkai highlights Myanmar in new ad for Taisei Corporation. So Japan. Anime Festival Asia. Freakpool. 2020-03-21. 2020-04-01.
- Web site: Digital Contents of the Year '02/第8回 AMD アワード. Digital Contents of the Year '02 / 8th AMD Award. ja. Amd.or.jp. 2003-02-05. 2018-08-12. https://web.archive.org/web/20180812213037/https://amd.or.jp/award/09_01/index.html#08. 2018-08-12. live.
- News: 'Yesterday' Takes Top Prize at Tokyo Film Festival. Variety. Schilling. Mark. 2016-11-03. 2018-08-12. https://web.archive.org/web/20180629211451/https://variety.com/2016/film/asia/yesterday-takes-top-prize-at-tokyo-film-festival-1201908344/. 2018-06-29. live.
- Web site: 報知映画賞ノミネート歴代受賞結果まとめ. Pick Scene. ja. 2020-02-09. https://web.archive.org/web/20200226123847/https://pixiin.com/award-hochi-eigashou-all/. 2020-02-26. live.
- News: Annie Awards 2016 winners list: 'Inside Out' takes top prizes. Entertainment Weekly. Coggan. Devan. 2016-02-07. 2018-08-12. https://web.archive.org/web/20180812213823/https://ew.com/article/2016/02/07/annie-awards-2016-winners-list/. 2018-08-12. live.
- Web site: Blue Ribbon Awards Crowns "Shin Godzilla" Best Japanese Film of 2016. Crunchyroll. 2017-01-26. 2020-02-09. https://web.archive.org/web/20180826113702/http://www.crunchyroll.com/anime-news/2017/01/26/blue-ribbon-awards-crowns-shin-godzilla-best-japanese-film-of-2016. 2018-08-26. live.
- Web site: 11th Asian Film Awards – Nominees 2017. Asian Film Festivals. 2017-01-12. 2020-02-09. https://web.archive.org/web/20170819192533/https://asianfilmfestivals.com/2017/01/12/11th-asian-film-awards-nominees-2017/. 2017-08-19. live.
- News: Kore'eda's 'Our Little Sister' Scores Record Nominations For Japanese Awards. Variety. Schilling. Mark. 2016-01-18. 2018-08-12. https://web.archive.org/web/20180812213308/https://variety.com/2016/film/asia/our-little-sister-nominations-japanese-awards-1201682563/. 2018-08-12. live.
- Web site: Yuri!!! on Ice, A Silent Voice Win Tokyo Anime Award Festival's Top Prizes. Anime News Network. Egan. Loo. 2017-02-23. 2020-05-05.
- Web site: http://jmcao.org/past-awards.html. ja:第26回受賞作品. The 26th Winning Work. Japan Movie Critics Awards Official Website. ja. 2017-05-16. 2018-08-12. https://web.archive.org/web/20180812213421/http://jmcao.org/past-awards.html. 2018-08-12. dead.
- News: 2020 Annie Award Winners Complete List. The Hollywood Reporter. 2020-01-25. 2020-04-09.
- News: Weathering With You, Demon Slayer Win Anime of the Year at Tokyo Anime Awards Festival 2020. Daryl. Harding. Crunchyroll. 2020-02-05. 2020-05-05.
- Web site: Thompson . Jaden . America Ferrera, Colman Domingo and Greta Lee Among Critics Choice Association Honorees for Black, Latino and AAPI Achievements . . November 13, 2023 . January 11, 2024.
- Web site: Flores . Terry . Netflix's Nimona Leads Annie Awards 2024 Nominations . . January 11, 2024 . January 11, 2024.