Author: Dominic Peters

Your Name is a Japanese anime movie that premiered last year, but its impact on audiences is still being felt today. The movie follows Mitsuha, a girl from the country who wishes to live in Tokyo. One day she gets her wish when she switches bodies with a boy from Tokyo named Taki. This switch was not a one time occurrence however, and Taki and Mitsuha keep trading places, waking up in each others bodies at random. To make sure they don’t ruin the other person’s life they leave notes to each other. Through these notes and changing places Mitsuha and Taki start to develop feelings for each other.

Although the plot seems corny there is something I’m omitting because I don’t want to spoil too much of the story. However the point is that Your Name has an exceptionally emotional story. Something I’ve noticed about anime movies and shows in general is that they are very good at expressing strong emotion in a way that Hollywood just can’t. Though this movie is magical in nature it is grounded in real relationships and problems. In addition to Mitsuha wanting something more than her small town she also has family problems with her father who stopped living with her and her sister after their mother died. Also, one of the main themes of the movie is seeing the world through another person’s eyes and that is shown through Taki’s time in Mitsuha’s body. Seeing the countryside and the culture is very inspiring for Taki and it helps create feelings of love for Mitsuha. It is nice to go to a theater and see a movie that is different from a typical Hollywood blockbuster.

In addition to having a great story Your Name has spectacular visuals. I don’t know anything about drawing or animation, but I still thought the movie was stunning. The animation really connected the grounded relationships to the magical premise of the movie. It made me feel immersed in the world of the movie and that is a something I haven’t felt for awhile.

Your Name has gained major success since it’s premiere becoming the highest grossing anime movie ever, surpassing Studio Ghibli’s Spirited Away. I hope that Hollywood will take note of the film’s success and see that an animated movie can be more than just something for children. Animated films are treated as the bottom of the totem pole in America where in other countries they are taken more seriously. I think the international phenomenon that is Your Name should send a message that animated movies for a more mature audience are profitable.

With their growing popularity, many online streaming services have started creating original content. DreamWorks has taken advantage of the this expanding platform and made a multi-year distribution deal making original content for Netflix. For the most part these shows have been met with gleaming reviews from critics and viewers. One DreamWorks show that stood out is Trollhunters created by Guillermo del Toro.

Trollhunters follows 15 year old Jim Lake Jr. who has been chosen as the next Trollhunter, a magical warrior tasked with fighting the evil trolls (Gumm-Gumms) and protecting the underground civilization of Heartstone Trollmarket . A Trollhunter is chosen by a mystical amulet that gives the user armor and a giant sword. Jim is the first human to ever be given the mantle of Trollhunter, much to the dismay of the whole troll community. With his friends Toby and Claire and his troll mentors Blinky and AAARRRGGHH!!!, Jim must stop the Gumm-Gumm leader Gunmar from returning and destroying the world.

The reason I love this show so much is because it’s the same hero story we’ve seen, but at the same time it’s not. The main difference between Trollhunters and other hero stories is the mood. Heroes nowadays are made to be anti-heroes, heroes that are morally grey and are usually characterized by being very violent. Anti-heroes are awesome, but it’s nice to see a hero who is a genuinely good guy. Jim is hardworking and caring person especially when it comes to family. His personality reminds me of Peter Parker, aka Spiderman, a good guy who values education, friendship, and family. I feel like in television, for dramas and superhero shows specifically, there seems to be this inclination towards dark storylines with death and violence and other bad stuff. With so many shows with this dark mood it’s refreshing to watch something like Trollhunters that has some sad moments, but ultimately keeps an atmosphere of fun.

Trollhunters is also very strong with characters and relationships. Jim’s growth as a hero and his relationship with his mother are two examples of this. Throughout the series Jim is trying to step up to his new role as Trollhunter, but struggles because of a lack of support from the other trolls. He also tries to keep his troll hunting exploits a secret from his mother and as a result their close relationship is broken. It is uncommon to see such attention to character in an animated kids show. Usually characters change a little, but are ultimately the same throughout. Like the Teen Titans, they had moments where they grew and became more mature heroes however, at the end of the day their characterization and personalities were pretty unwavering. Trollhunters takes that extra step to make compelling characters that feel real even though they are animated.

I think Trollhunters is a great example of how an animated series can be enjoyed by people of all ages and have a great story and characters. Its fun mood makes it a delight to watch and doesn’t make me feel depressed or make me question my existence. I feel it’s important for people to watch a show that is uplifting especially in these troubling times. If you haven’t seen Trollhunters I highly recommend you watch it.