Hodaka has to sell out a little at this early stage in his adult life, but he doesn’t have to like it. Hodaka also makes far less pay than he deserves after he goes to work for Keisuke’s tabloid-style website, though Keisuke at least offers him food and shelter. Even Keisuke Suga ( Shun Oguri), a penny-pinching clickbait journalist and the first friend that Hodaka makes in Tokyo, immediately exploits Hodaka’s kindness: Keisuke shamelessly accepts a full meal from Hodaka after he saves Hodaka from falling overboard (they’re both traveling to Tokyo on a ferry). Before then: Hodaka’s relationships are defined by how little money and therefore status he has. Falling in love and supporting Hina is part of that journey, though it’s not the most important part until midway through the film. Hodaka has to do some work on himself and his self-image in order to overcome the city’s general indifference. Still, it’s refreshing to see Hodaka’s world isn’t just a reflection of his mood: the overcast sky and constant rain that overwhelm Shinkai’s Tokyo also reflects a world over-run by blank-faced adults who mark time before they’re allowed to go home and avoid the outside world. Most of movie’s story is told from Hodaka’s point-of-view, which gives Shinkai’s latest a familiar trajectory: boy flees from home without a plan, quickly runs out of money, looks for shelter, makes new friends, evades the cops (and child protection services), and falls in love. Hodaka and Hina’s richly detailed environment is also probably the thing you’ll remember most about “Weathering With You,” a compelling fantasy with a generic conclusion. Shinkai’s brand of peppy magical realism is attractive, and “Weathering With You” is a perfect entry point for animation fans who are still looking for the next big Pixar or Hayao Miyazaki. You might also want to follow Shinkai and his animators given how vivid their conception of Hodaka and Hina’s lonely, but romantic world is. I didn’t care much about how plucky high school dropout Hodaka ( Kotaro Daigo) and his mysterious love interest Hina ( Nana Mori) ultimately get together, but I enjoyed following them while they figured things out for themselves.
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