Kimi No Na Wa (Your Name)

This post tries to analyse the light novel Kimi No Na Wa (Your Name) and the anime film adaptation of it. The novel was released in 2016 and was adapted into a film 2017 by the same author Makoto Shinkai.

The cinematic adaptation loyally follows the light novel with very minute modifications. By going through both of them it is evident that the novel was given primacy and hence fidelity is shown

One of the key differences is that the point of view in the light novel is first person with respect to two of the protagonists Taki and Mitsuha whereas it is third person in the movie. The picturization of the characters was lacking in the light novel whereas the movie tried to express the character of the people in it through various visual effects.

The film uses a different focalization compared to the novel.  The focalization in the film is external with no narration under the perspective of any character, but the light novel's focalization is fixed to the protagonist Mitsuha

One fidelity based difference in the film is that Taki calls out to Mitsuha after they pass each other whereas they actually meet each other in the light novel.

Another key difference is that the film tries to visualize the sadness of the protagonists through added scenes of internal dialogue.

Yashaswi Yenugu

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