A colossal explanation of Your Name (Kimi no Na wa)

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Discussion

  1. Wow! I’ve been blogging about this movie for a year and I still picked up some fresh insights here. Thanks!

    • Travis actually failed to realize that that the whole phenomenon is actually the mountain god’s doing. I already understood what was going on after a few rewatches and let me explain it by detail here, but hey these are just my opinions you can debunk it:

      First off as all of you know the Miyamizu Family has been worshiping Musubi, the mountain god. Unknown to them however the god actually has the ability to to switch the consciousness of two people in different places of time as vaguely explained by the grandma when she, Taki (within Mitsuha’s body) and Yotsuha went to the shrine.
      Her line states: Musubi is the old way of calling the local guardian god. This word has profound meaning. Typing thread is Musubi. Connecting people is Musubi. The flow of time is Musubi. These are all the god’s power. So the braided cords that we make are the god’s art and represent the flow of time itself. They converge and take shape. They twist, tangle, sometimes unravel, break, and then connect again. Musubi – knotting. That’s time.

      This explains a lot why this is happening to Taki and Mitsuha, it wasn’t caused by a wish Mitsuha wanted, it was the god’s power. Every line about Musubi in that paragraph can be related to what happened to the both of them.

      They converge, take shape, twist, tangle = Taki and Mitsuha switching bodiesand forming a bond.
      Sometimes unravel, break = the timelines not in step, and the eventual hindrance of body switching.
      Then connect again = Taki being able to swtich with Mitsuha for the last time when he drinks Mitsuha’s rice wine (which by the way can be explained by saying that it is half of her and Musubi since it was created during the ritual).

      Second, the comet isn’t a time glitch. Its just a natural phenomenon, there’s nothing really special about it. It is only relevant because the FIRST comet drop was where Musubi’s shrine is located, the SECOND is where the town of Itomori stands and the THIRD is supposed to destroy the town.
      At this point you’ll be able to say that Musubi is deliberately trying to save the people of Itomori or the Miyamizu family from the inevitable wipeout that will come in the next 1200 years by switching the eldest daughter of the family (probably Musubi’s rules) with a random boy somewhere in Japan after the ritual.

      Taki and Mitsuha falling in love was Musubi’s intentions all along and we can say that he was actually hoping for it to happen but it wasn’t relevant enough until the third comet drop actually happened.

      Why hasn’t the god just switched them the time of day before the comet dropped you might ask? Simple theory, Musubi’s powers has expirations. Or the god is actually wanting and hoping for Taki to figure out why he is drawn to a town he hasn’t been before which resulted to him finding that the town is destroyed and Mitsuha is already dead. Then comes the reswitch of the both of them happening after Taki drinks the wine offering which RECONNECTS him to the god and Mitsuha.

      Also I think that switch during the day when Grandma, Yotsuha and Taki (within Mitsuha) went to the shrine was intentional cuz if ever his will to fill that missing piece of him is strong he knows where to look.

      Third, Kataware doki; and I will restate it here, THE COMET IS NOT MAGICAL, I’m sorry I can’t help it.
      But yeah, the term Kataware-doki isn’t really something to focus on, the phenomenon that happened when Mitsuha and Taki meets at the shrine is just another trick Musubi pulled off for the both of them. He wouldn’t be a good god if he wasn’t gonna atleast make them see each other. It also makes sense that the god made them meet at the edge of the crater where the shrine is, it could mean Musubi’s powers is more powerful there. Also the sunset 6 o’clock… Look at the hands hmmmm.

      Fourth, Taki doesn’t realize Mitsuha lives in Itomori until he wanted to. He just didn’t care until he fell inlove which means he’s almost forgotten everything and is just clinging onto that feeling he has been having.

      Fun fact: IF Mitsuha didn’t switch with Taki who had a crush, the date will never happen. Which means they will almost never realize they’ve fallen inlove with each other, which also means Mitsuha will stay dead.

      • You and the author of this page both missed an important point.

        The reason they forgot each other was explained by grandma when they first went to the shrine to drop off the sake; “past this point is ‘kakuriyo’; the underworld! In exchange for returning to this world, you must leave behind what is most important to you.”

        Kakuriyo also means “world of the gods” or basically the “hidden world”.

        That is the reason they lost their memories. They met up at that location a second time. Leaving it required leaving their memories of each other; the thing that was most important to them.

        Likewise, you forgot that the inside of the shrine to their god depicts the comet itself.

        Why?

        “MUSUBI” IS THE COMET.

        That’s why they drew it inside the shrine. That’s why the shrine is its first impact site. Musubi IS the comet.

        Besides, Shinto doesn’t have “gods” in the way you describe. A Kami is a prevailing spiritual existence whose manifestation is the unique character of a particular location or thing. A Kami is something that you must understand and work with, possibly even bribe, trick, or appease through rituals.

        Because a Kami IS the place, it IS the thing. When you treat the kami of your coffee table right, it means you give it the necessary maintenance, place it in the right location, and use it according to tradition – which makes it last longer and stay unbroken.

        When you give the “powerful” kami of the forest respect it means you don’t trample through it at night with impunity or you are likely to be punished for your hubris by tripping on something you didn’t see, breaking a leg, and getting eaten by chipmunks… which makes YOU last longer and stay unbroken.

        In modern Itamori (where they have LOST ALL RECORDS) the defining characteristics are the Hida mountains and Musubi is a mountain kami/god.

        In truth, it is not a mountain god and the mountains are not the overwriting characteristic underlying the spiritual character of that land. It is the Comet that comes every 1200 years. The comet whose crater they live in. The comet whose center holds the shrine to their Musubi. Not the mountains.

        “Musubi is the old way of calling the local guardian god. This word has profound meaning. Typing thread is Musubi. Connecting people is Musubi. The flow of time is Musubi. These are all the god’s power. So the braided cords that we make are the god’s art and represent the flow of time itself. They converge and take shape. They twist, tangle, sometimes unravel, break, and then connect again. Musubi – knotting. That’s time.”

        The Comet and its tail appear as a braided cord. It returns and breaks, connects (with your town) and leaves again. It is like time at Kakuriyo, it twists, tangles, unravels, breaks, and connects again. Time Is a knot at Kakuriyo and Kakuriyo is the manifestation of the Comet where Musubi’s shrine resides. Inside the shrine is a mural of Musubi: the Comet.

        The comet is 100% the source of this phenomenon. There have been not one, not two, but at least 3 impacts there. First, the one that created the shrine of Musubi, then the one that created the lake, then the one that destroys Ishimori.

        We could not even make a weapon that could strike so accurately as that comet does every 1200 years.

        That comet’s accuracy is honestly so unbelievable that if you said it was an advanced alien weapon it’d be more plausible statistically.

        The rituals are a covenant with Musubi that bring them to that crater in that way every autumn before the comet is to return on its 1200 year cycle. If you dispense with all the god talk, then the sake and the shrine are just props that lure both subjects to the crater so they can coordinate.

        In that case the god is whatever remnant of the first impact is causing the phenomenon and the rituals are a means of taking advantage of that phenomenon.

        Shintoism is then a methodology for surviving or using the Kami – the spiritual manifestation of the prevailing character of a region. In this case it was exceptionally successful.

        BTW: sunset at that location in 2016 on oct 22 was 16:56 – comet impact was 20:42

        • That was a very great explanation I did watch the anime when it came out in Japan, but yeah i kept thinking about it a lot! LIKE A LOT!!!
          Anyhow um yeah i just have to say that Itomori means ‘Thread Guard’

        • Hoyt,
          Please, how did you find that the sunset was at 16:56? I can’t

      • I agree! Honestly, I understood the story’s concept on the Musubi part. I mean, that word alone can explain a lot of the strange events happening to the both of them. Japanese language is truly amazing.

      • Thanks, Glitchygoo!

  2. thank you very much for this, i just watched this with my son, i was so confused, love the movie but just didnt get some parts

  3. Thanks.. A decent explanation.

  4. one question.. were Mitsuha and Taki the same age? refering to the scene where Taki saw the list of victims of the comet strike, Mitsuha was 17. the present (when he saw the victim list) Taki was 17 too wasn’t he? so they never really have the same age right? on that case, Mitsuha is 3 years older than Taki isn’t she? please do educate me on this, I’m so dying to know.

    • Yes. Mitsuha is 3 years older than Taki.

  5. Taki is actually 3 years younger than Mitsuha (and teshi and sayaka too)
    This is shown on multiple instances in the movie
    1. Mitsuha goes to tokyo one day before the comet and meets taki in train, Taki here is clearly younger than her (check their heights)
    2. At last scene, they meet each other finally, these days taki is job hunting while mitsuha is already working on her job and dressed up like a regular working adult
    3. When taki sees teshi and sayaka, in the cafe they’re planning their wedding(which doesnt just happen after your college) while taki has just finished his college/education

  6. One thing I think you neglected to point out of the beginning and during your timeline explanation.

    Taki forgot Mitsuha because in the cave – the grandmother said “In exchange for returning to this world, you must leave behind what is most important to you.” At that moment in time, Mitsuha is what matters most to Tak and vice versa. So once he and Mitsuha leave the crater, they forget each other – leaving each other behind.

  7. Ignore my original comment I somehow skipped over the part where you explicitly referred to the quote i mentioned.

    • ha, it’s all good!

      • 2 questions

        First in the png it says mitsuha experiences the switching then after she died taxi starts switching bodies does that mean mitsuha was switching bodies first/before taxi started switching. I always thought that they both were simultaneously switching bodies just in different time periods

        Second in the png it’s says taxi wakes up in mitsuha body in a alternate timeline. How is there a alternate timeline? Were did it come from?. I believed that they were switching bodies at the same time so the scenes with mitsuha show what she went through before her death

        Plz answer I NEED ANSWERS

        • First, “Your Name” is a Japanese animated film directed by Makoto Shinkai. It was released in 2016 and became a worldwide phenomenon, grossing over $300 million at the box office.

          The story follows the lives of two high school students, Mitsuha and Taki, who live in different parts of Japan. Mitsuha is a girl living in a rural town in the mountains, while Taki is a boy living in Tokyo. One day, they both start experiencing strange occurrences where they wake up in each other’s bodies. They begin to communicate through notes and messages, and they start to develop feelings for each other despite never having met in person.

          As they continue to switch bodies, they try to find a way to meet and figure out the mystery behind their strange connection. Along the way, they must also confront a series of challenges and dangers that threaten to keep them apart.

          “Your Name” is a heartwarming and emotional tale of love, friendship, and the power of human connection. It has received widespread acclaim for its beautiful animation, compelling storytelling, and thought-provoking themes.

          Secondly, “Your Name” is a Japanese animated film directed by Makoto Shinkai. It was released in 2016 and became a worldwide phenomenon, breaking box office records in Japan and earning critical acclaim.

          The movie follows the story of two high school students, a boy named Taki and a girl named Mitsuha, who live in different parts of Japan. One day, they suddenly begin to switch bodies randomly, waking up in each other’s lives and trying to navigate the challenges of living in a foreign body. As they continue to switch bodies, they try to communicate with each other and figure out what is happening to them.

          As they search for answers, they also begin to develop feelings for each other, and they struggle to find a way to meet and be together in person. The film explores themes of fate, longing, and the power of human connection, and it features stunning animation and an emotionally powerful score. If you enjoy romantic dramas with a touch of fantasy, “Your Name” is a must-see.

  8. Nice explanation. I originally watched this in a theater in Tokyo without any English subtitles, and I just got around to watching it with English, so it is really nice to see a decent attempt to explain the contents.

    While reading this, I wondered if kataware could be related to the splitting of time and identity. My first instinct was that “かたわれ” (kataware) might be interpreted as 方 (kata – person) 割れ (ware – split). I looked it up in a dictionary and also found 片割れ (kataware), which means fragment. It all depends on the Chinese characters that are chosen to write it.

  9. hi i think the event when mitsuha whishes being a boy is after she switch body for the first time. Tessie-Sayaka explain she is weird yesterday->going to so called cafe (mitsuha went straight to her place) -> she’s dance at shrine while made sake -> the wishes. That what i thought, cause for the first switch they thing it’s only a dream. And i assume that whole scene were happen in one day (morning-night)

  10. I can contribute a bit more with the cultural background.

    The Miyamizu family deity is Musubi. Musubi may refer to: Musubi-no-Kami, the Shinto Kami of matchmaking, love, and marriage, similar to the Chinese Yue Lao.

    Yue Lao (Chinese: 月老; pinyin: Yuè Lǎo; literally: ‘old man under the moon’) is a god of marriage and love in Chinese mythology. Yue Lao appears at night, and unites with a silken cord all predestined couples, after which nothing can prevent their union. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yue_Lao)

    That’s why Taki and Mitsuha are connected by the red cord and met at twilight.

    • Interesting, with the context of 月老 in place, that totally explain the red thread. It works in mysterious ways I guess!

  11. Another tell from the poem on the blackboard.

    The poem reads – Please dont ask me, “who’s that in the gloom?” I am waiting here for my love, in the September dusk.

    The author is unknown, but it is from Collection of Ten Thousand Leaves.

    Mitsuha’s name in Japanese means three leaves, and her sis is four leaves and grandma is one leave.

    Collection of Ten Thousand Leaves is a collection of poems from their ancestors.

  12. I don’t remember exactly but I think it may be japanese, but it’s this theory of the red string. It’s the red threat of fate. It’s believed that a god ties the red string to each other and that is your soulmate. And the scene where Taki falls and is seeing Mitsuhas life is all connected by a red thread and it’s connected through space and time.

    • In Sweden there is the idiomatic expression “the red thread”. It is used when discussing a story and if the story can be easily followed by the reader. For example if you say that a story lacks a red thread it means it is incoherent. I’m guessing the expression somehow found it’s way here from Asia. Alternatively Wikipedia also says that Theseus rescued himself from the Minotaur with a red thread. Maybe all these three things in three different places on earth come from the same origin?

  13. Thank you for explaining, but I still have a question and I’d like to hear your opinion. How did Mitsuha leave notes in Taki’s phone, if she was from the future? I am so confused.

    • They were literally switching bodies, and as the movie description states, it’s a fantasy animation that incorporates science fiction — which gives the idea of time travel. As Mitsuha traveled through time into Taki’s body and vice versa, they were actually living in each other’s “current time” for those days. Because the instances where Taki switches bodies with Mitsuha is before the comet strikes her town, I think we can presume that she isn’t dead, which allows them to leave those feelings and memories within each other, no matter whose body they’re in (sort of like it’s engraved into their hearts).

  14. Twin flames

  15. Did taki and mitsuha ended up being together? Because at the Movie Weathering With You they aren’t shown together though..

    • finally, someone is talking abt that. I mean… Mitsuha was at work, but i wanna believe that they are together XD

    • There are many cameo appearances; Taki and Mitsuha probably being the most prominent. Chronologically it seems like it could have been around the Tokyo Olympics in 2020. The new stadium has been completed in the movie, but it’s still under construction at the moment (Aug. 2019). We see Mitsuha working at a jewelry store wearing the name tag “Miyamizu”, so she isn’t married to Taki. Chronologically Taki and Mitsuha didn’t know each other yet in 2020 so they meet after the events of the movie. But considering how Tenki no Ko ends, it breaks space/time continuity. I’d prefer not having cameos if they don’t fit the world.

      Source: https://medium.com/@crean/what-i-think-of-tenki-no-ko-67c7a0f23e1

      • In japan, It is not an obligation for women to have their husband’s last name. Conversely, when a surname remains only on a woman, the man can use his wife’s surname, and the surname is not lost in history. So, we can imagine that they are together and that he adopted her last name. ^.^

    • Refer to the time lines. Weathering with you happen before taki and mitsuha meet each other( They meet physically on 2022 april 8 in manga) . Weathering with you happen in 2021 after 8 years from the commet strike. ( dates can be clearly seen in a poster in WwY and in text messages)
      Referance:https://kiminonawa.fandom.com/wiki/Timeline

  16. Hi, thanks for this. I have seen the movie 3x and actually read the book but still i was shocked to know that there’s a 3 year gap on their age ?. Anyhow, i what i really want to know is how did mitsuha managed to convinced her dad to evacuate the townspeople?? ?

    • As far as I understand it, the first time Mitsuha (Taki in Mitsuha’s body) attemped to convince her dad to evacuate Itomori her father didn’t believe her because he could tell that it wasn’t Mitsuha. After they switch at the shrine, and it is Mitsuha (Mitsuha back in Mitsuha’s body), and she falls over and realises that Taki loves her as he wrote it on her hand, I’m under the impression that her father decides that she isn’t lying or mad, now that he can tell it is truly his daughter and not someone else in her body.

  17. So Ycamzep,
    Just my current train of thought here. But im guessing Mitsuha ‘simply’ explains her connection with Taki, their meeting at the crater and how that took place after Taki drank the sake.
    Perhaps her father tried to do the same after Mitsuha’s mother died but was unable to bring her back, which is why he blames himself for her death and turned his back on becoming a priest. As he no longer believed in the spiritual connection since it failed for him, meaning he was not her ‘true’ love as determined by the gods. The grandmother said earlier that they hadn’t met with the ones they were connected to earlier on so this would make sense.
    Back to Mitsuha explaining to her dad, he has the realisation of what has happened since he would have known about the traditions, gods etc. So it’s not out of the blue for him to do a 180 and save the town because he already has an understanding of the rituals involved and the near legend of the spirits.

    Anyways really wanna go visit some the locations if I ever get the chance to go to Japan.

  18. Does anyone else get lsd vibes from this? I saw it for the first time not long after acid and just the whole look of it is similar especially and the circle place they meet. The fact it is a circle for a start ya know. Also does anyone else realise the swap is always 12th & 13th? Does anyone know why. After closer look in to these numbers 12 is related to 666 and obviously 13 is seen at the unlucky number. However some places suggest 13 is an angel number and the meaning is misconclued.
    Just very interesting how me and the current girl I’m seeing are born on these dates. Myself 13th of 6th and her 12th of 11th. We found it impossible to watch the film until it got to the time of 6 first time we watched it which was recently.
    Then I realized anime is an anagram of name with an i added and her name is anna which is similar to anagram and anime. We both have a large interest in anime and we met through instagram.
    If this makes sense to anyone else please reply because is it just me or does it all add up a little too well?
    Are some people caught in the loop of 5 and others the loop of 6

  19. Why movie is named as your name

  20. Could there also be a metaphor here for a separation from God/heaven, and the love shared between Earth and heaven?

  21. 1) yeah, as someone noted: the wish to be a boy in her next life comes after the ritual. At lunch after the first switch (apparently) which she couldn’t remember, Sayaka mentions the upcoming ritual. And this was after finding the “who are you?” note.

    2) I totally don’t think it was two comets. It totally seems to be the same one comment that fragmented when it passed by earth 1,200 years ago, and again in 2013.

  22. If the thread is equal to the twisting of time it makes since when Taki unravels it and give it to her meaning the timeline is broken but is fixed when she ties the thread back together as a different timeline on her body.

  23. Love all of it. I do, however, want to share my opinion on why they forgot each other.
    At first, I also thought it was the time paradox that created the memory loss but when I think about how the Miyamizu shrine requires an offering or “equal exchange”, I thought the reason why they forgot about each other is because Taki and Mitsuha came to the Underworld without any offerings. Because of this, the Underworld took something of equal importance; their memories of each other.

  24. Do someone knows why Mitsuha nor remember his meeting and body switches with Taki after she saved the town? Why they remember it as “a disaster exercise” after the fact?

  25. they’re in different timelines, right? Mitsuhaya and Taki met on top of the mountain but after the twilight they return to their perspective timeline. If mitsuhaya was back in her timeline (2013) she would be alive with Taki in her timeline (the Taki who didn’t know she exist by the time) . And on the other hand the Taki we see on the top of the mountain was back in his timeline (2016) where he no longer have mutsuhaya as his counterpart Coz in that timeline mitsuhaya died.

    So the Taki and mitsuhaya we saw in the ending(stair scene) is the Taki and mitsuhaya of 2013 . So in this timeline we have a saved mitsuhaya while on the other we don’t.

  26. I was very hooked in the plot of the story and I find it very interesting but the ending is lacking for me. ?I really want to read or watch their happy ending/ their reunion. Can I have a copy?

  27. If Taki and Mitsuha were 3 years apart,how did they communicate to each other while switching bodies through notes,phone diaries and when they write on their skins asking their names?

  28. Can you explain what was meant when the grandma said to taki(in mitsuhas body) “you’re dreaming”. i didn’t understand this part.

  29. I don’t think it’s timeline for forgetting each other….
    Your think that mitsuha alive and therefore timeline changes… it’s wrong bcz if the timeline why he go to the itomori Village….
    He go to itomori but he didn’t remember why..???

    According you saying the timeline changes….
    I assume ur theory then I think if it’s timeline changed then he didn’t go to itomori Village…..

    The reason why they forget each bcz it’s like a dream they don’t remember…..
    Her grandmother also said …that too that she also switches but she also don’t remember…

  30. When they switch, they would both put notes in the person’s phone. Which means, If Taki switches with Mitsuha, he is in her body. His way of communicating with her is by writing some notes on her diary since he knows she will check up on it. When they switch back, Mitsuha is back on her body. She will go to her diary and see what he left on their or check on other places where he could have written it like notebook, arm, face, etc.

    They couldn’t communicate by calling each other’s phones (shown that it fails when Taki was trying to call Mitsuha) because they are in different universes so their numbers will be unregistered or will be someone else’s phone. So the only communication is writing on each other’s phones when they switch. Its just like switching notebooks with your classmate and you write a note for your classmate to see. When you switch back, your classmate will see it and they will write back.

    Sorry if I’m repetitive.

  31. This website was… how do you say it? Relevant!!
    Finally I have found something that helped me. Thank you!

  32. is taki change the past because of what he drink at the shrine?

  33. My only question here is, is there any particular reason why Mitsuha’s time travel is 3 years to the future?

  34. How did Taki and Mitsuha meet in 2021? Their time frame doesn’t match the same

  35. Thanks . Can anyone explain me what happened to mitsuha when she was in taki body first time ? I’m so confused about why mitsuha noticed body switching in second time after seeing ‘who are you?’ that taki asked in first time.

  36. I agree! Honestly, I understood the story’s concept on the Musubi part. I mean, that word alone can explain a lot of the strange events happening to the both of them. Japanese language is truly amazing.

  37. Please tell me this, do they remember what all they have been through at the end when they re unite on the starcase.

    • no they don’t remember everything. They just know that there is a weird connection between them. Taki recognises Mitsuha’s hair tie (the red thread) and feels the connection he has with her through it. He finally says something to her at the end on the stairs because of this connection and she feels the same. Their past isn’t remembered by either of them, however.

  38. Ohk.. I understood everything abt the 3 years gap
    from the movie itself.. But the thing that triggers me is was there really an alternate timeline.. I mean this could have also happened( mitsuha exchanges Taki’s body,goes to tokyo but is unrecognized by taki,comet hits then she dies.. Leaving the taki of same 2013 witnessing the comet.. Then after 3 years taki exchanges body of the same mitsuha that died on Oct 4 2013.. But since he exchanged her body in the time before she was killed.. He was able to experience the same mitsuha’s body who was going to be killed.. Then in this case, why would we need an alternate timeline

  39. Makoto shinkai is really amazing he had remained the story at thier main points so that we can develop our on Theories

  40. I think the most certain point of the story is that Taki associated with mitsuha to save itomori from the past.

  41. in the part where taki and his friends searching for itomori like in his dream
    i dont remember what is called
    like dreaming a past event that happened and then trying to find it and then its already gone like in itomori town

    • Loved the film! Finished watching it 2 nights ago and everything about it is brilliant. From the story, the animation, the art, the love and comedy!
      Thankful I found this site because reading through this post and the comments definitely helped answer a couple of questions I had.

      It would be good to think that after they finally meet at the end of the film and ask for each other’s name that their memories come back. But at least if not, they can continue forward with each other starting with a strong connection.
      When they lost their memories first time I didn’t think too much of it but losing the memory the secone time I was confused as to why. I can accept that leaving the shrine meant their memories were also taken due to stepping into the underworld and also Taki returning the red strand. When Taki wakes up at the crater, it is now an alternate time line where Mitsuha survives, but I think I missed the part where her age was next to her name.

      Losing memories is one thing but their messages from their phones disappearing I am not sure if that should have happened, maybe it should. But how could they both lose memories the first time when only one went to the shrine, perhaps because half of Mitsuha was left behind technically, or due to Taki losing his, she also lost her due to the connection.

      Lots and lots of themes in this anime film.
      I never did catch that they were 3years apart. This element really added to the film. They switched bodies at the same age but I wonder how their relationship would unfold now that they met and are not just 3yrs apart, but one is a working adult and one just finished college looking for work.

      Truly a masterpiece and great time travel film.

  42. Hi. I have 4 questions regarding Your Name.

    Why did Taki suddenly forget Mitsuha’s name while researching about her town, but remembered it later when he went into the shrine?

    Why did Taki forget Mitsuha and the fact that she was the person who gave him the red braided string when he met her 3 years ago?

    They say, they forget memories of the switch after waking up, but there are instances where they remember. For instance, Mitsuha remembers that she set up a date for Taki when she swaps back to her own body. Another instance is that Taki retains his memories of the day he visited the shrine in Mitsuha’s body.
    I assume here they retain the memories because it was their final switch or because Taki swapped back in twilight?

    What are the conditions for swapping and swapping back? I know they wake up in each other’s bodies but Taki switched back into his body when he was awake in Mitsuha’s body.

    • Hi Rick! My responses:

      1. It seems that Taki is slowly forgetting Mitsuha’s name the longer she has been dead. So he needs to keep reminding himself of her name. But as time passes, it gets harder and harder. That’s why we see it come and go.

      2. That is funny. My guess is that the memory was just a fleeting one. He remembers that he received the string more than he remembers her exact face.

      3. Do they retain the memories in full? They write down everything for each other. So we’re not always seeing them retaining memories, but instead hearing them speak the words they wrote down in a voiceover. I admit, though, it’s kinda confusing. I’m not sure there’s a clearcut answer.

      4. Did Taki switch back while he was in Mitsuha’s body? I honestly don’t remember that. Anyway, it just seems like they switch randomly, right? I’m not sure there’s a clear reason or pattern when it comes to the switching.

      Hope that helps!

      • To add on, it is entirely possible to not remember how one received a gift and somehow regard it as a “lucky charm”.

        Taki may not have thought much of it after receiving, and put it aside until 1-2 years later. He could have found it again in his belongings, thought it’s nice and kept it as his lucky charm.

        I say this, because I recently found a very nice token gift when I was going through my stuff, but I really couldn’t remember how or who I got it from. So yea.

        Anw thanks Travis! I like your analysis of the movie and appreciate that you took the time to share your thoughts!

  43. Bro I never watched and read their story explanation like this …but I had one question when taki went searching for mitsuha he didn’t remember her name but when he saw her name in the book of death people how he remembers and finds mitsuha name in the book. How?

    • He doesn’t remember he jst got this feeling of grief…. He doesn’t really understand y tho

    • To be honest I don’t remember this moment in exact detail. But I think he starts to forget her name, then looks through every name in the book, then when he notices her name he suddenly remembers it. Right? It’s like when Taki had to write his name down for her. They need to see the names to remember each other after a while.

      • “But I think he starts to forget her name, then looks through every name in the book, then when he notices her name he suddenly remembers it. Right?”

        Well Travis Bean, there are many reasons why people might forget things. Some common causes of forgetfulness include:

        Lack of attention: If you didn’t pay much attention to something when you first learned it, it’s more likely that you’ll forget it later.

        Interference: Sometimes, new information can interfere with your ability to remember something that you learned previously. This is known as “interference.”

        Absentmindedness: People are more likely to forget things when they are distracted or preoccupied with something else.

        Stress and anxiety: Stress and anxiety can interfere with your ability to remember things.

        Aging: As we get older, our brains naturally become less efficient at forming new memories and retrieving old ones.

        Sleep deprivation: Not getting enough sleep can affect your memory.

        Substance abuse: Alcohol and certain drugs can impair memory function.

        Medical conditions: Some medical conditions, such as depression, anxiety, and certain neurological disorders, can affect memory.

        Medications: Some medications, such as benzodiazepines and antihistamines, can cause memory problems as a side effect.

        Remembering things can be a complex process, and there are many factors that can influence it. If you’re having trouble remembering things, it’s important to talk to a doctor or other healthcare professional for help.

  44. If mitsuha died in taki’s time 3 years ago and then taki return to itomori and travels back to mitsuha’s body the day before the comet strikes and save the people. Why did taki go in itomori 5 years ago as said in the near ending when he’s talking to ms. Okudera and said to sleep in the mountain if mitsuha never died in that timeline?
    Does this mean that all of the people change their memories regarding to the comet strikes that killed all the people to miraculously nobody died because they are practicing an emergency evacuation in school

  45. Hi

  46. Thanks for unraveling this complex plotline. Appreciate the art of the movie much more after your explanation. One suggestion though, please delete “Just like how celebrating Thanksgiving allows us to connect with Pilgrims who happened upon America”. Remembering the Pilgrims and the beginning of genocide against native Americans isn’t the analogy you are looking for.

  47. Wow so much to take in what a great story. I may have felt my Spidey senses couple times there. I’m happy to have read it.
    Thanks

  48. Bonjour
    Mais a la fin , elle est censé être morte . (3 ans dans le passé). Pourtant elle est toujours en vie puisqu’elle croise Taki .
    Merci pour toutes vos explications.

  49. I watched this movie this morning. I thought I was just not paying attention to the movie but turns out it was very hard to follow. After I rewinded and watch part of the movie again I realized Taki was 3 years ahead of Mitzuha. This article helped me confirm that. Thanks for your help!

    • You are very welcome! Thanks for reading!!

      • When Mitsuha and Taki would switch bodies how did they not notice which year they are in. As later we learn that Taki was 3 years ahead of Mitsuha.

        • Hey Dynamo! Not Travis but the other person on this site. You ask a very good question lol. That’s what we call a logic gap. It’s not necessarily a plot hole as a plot hole is an absolute impossibility given the rules of the world. But a logic gap is when something could have a reason but we’re just never told what it is. Some logic gaps are completely fine and we don’t worry about them. Others, like this, can be kind of gamebreaking. I’m guessing the filmmakers just hoped that people wouldn’t think too much about it. You can also explain it as they’re both so caught up by how strange all of it is that they never notice? Another theory could be that it’s part of the “spell”. The same way that Mitsuha and Taki eventually forget one another because of how the spell works, it’s possible that details like the exact year are foggy or something they forget. That’s the blessing and the curse of logic gap issues. You can usually find some kind of reason to give the story the benefit of the doubt, or it can just sound absurd lol.

  50. I have watched the movie at least 6 or 7 times, each time I catch something I hadn´t before.
    After reading this I am ready to watch it again with a much deeper understanding.
    Thank you for the hours invested in writing!

  51. I did not read through all of the comments but I wanted to mention how the text messages had disappeared. One reasoning I cam to was how the grandmother had said that the thread comes apart and is put back together. You might look for her saying this when she is weaving, but I think she talked about how fates intertwine and unravel and intertwine again when they were walking up the mountain to leave the rice wine.
    This is my theory anyway. Thank you for sharing all of your insights I look forward to watching it again.

    • That is beautifully put! I love that. It modernizes a very ancient and traditional idea. Makes the connection between past and present feel eternal. So cool.

    • That’s a good theory!

  52. Did Taki change the past when he switched bodies again later to warn about the comet and did everyone from year 2016 or smth forgot that in year 2013 the comet killed 500 people I’m so confused about that. And was 2016 the present or the future

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