, known as , is a Japanese filmmaker and novelist. A founder of CoMix Wave Films, he is known for his anime feature films enriched with visually-appealing animation and romantic stories depicting teenagers and high school students.
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, followed by 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. His three most recent films Your Name (2016), Weathering with You (2019), and Suzume (2022), collectively known as "Disaster trilogy", are all among the highest-grossing Japanese films of all time, both in Japan and worldwide at the time of their release.
Early life Makoto Shinkai was born in Koumi, Nagano. His family runs a construction company. Shinkai studied Japanese literature at Chuo University, where he was a member of the juvenile literature club and drew picture books. Shinkai traces his passion for creation to the manga, anime and novels he was exposed to in middle school.
Career 1996–2000: Early career After graduating from Chuo University Faculty of Literature in March 1996, Shinkai got a job at Nihon Falcom, a video game company. He worked there for 5 years, making video clips for games and graphic design, including web content. During this time Shinkai 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). The short details the life of a cat, entirely from the cat's perspective, as it passes time with its owner, a young woman.
2000–2016: Rise 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 working on Voices of a Distant Star by drawing a picture of a girl in a cockpit grasping a mobile phone. Sometime 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, Shinkai quit his job at Falcom and began to work on Voices of a Distant Star. In an interview, Shinkai noted that production took around seven months of "real work".
Voices of a Distant Star was followed by the 90-minute The Place Promised in Our Early Days, which was released in Japan on November 20, 2004. It was critically acclaimed, winning many honors. Shinkai's next project was 5 Centimeters per Second, which premiered on March 3, 2007 and consists of three short films: Cherry Blossom, Cosmonaut, and 5 Centimeters per Second. In September 2007, Nagano's leading newspaper, Shinano Mainichi Shinbun, released a TV commercial animated by Shinkai.
Shinkai spent 2008 in London, resting after 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". 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.
His next feature, The Garden of Words, was released on May 31, 2013.
2016–2022: "Disaster trilogy"
On August 26, 2016, Shinkai released Your Name. The film received widespread acclaim from audiences and critics, 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 sixth-highest-grossing film of all time in Japan. By 2019, the film became the highest-grossing anime film of all time, overtaking Hayao Miyazaki's Spirited Away.
Shinkai's next film, Weathering with You, was released in Japan on July 19, 2019. The film was also a commercial success, grossing worldwide and becoming the tenth-highest-grossing Japanese film of all time.
Suzume, Shinkai's seventh feature-length film, was released in Japan on November 11, 2022. The film was a further critical and commercial success, grossing over worldwide.
Personal life Shinkai is married to retired actress and producer , who is best known for starring in Versus; the couple has a daughter, child actress , who was born in 2010.
His favorite anime films are Castle in the Sky, Nausicaä and The Castle of Cagliostro by Hayao Miyazaki, The End of Evangelion by Hideaki Anno, and Patlabor 2: The Movie by Mamoru Oshii.
An asteroid, 55222 Makotoshinkai, is named after him.
Filmography Films Title Year Credited as Writer Producer Actor Other The Place Promised in Our Early Days(雲のむこう、約束の場所 Kumo no Mukō, Yakusoku no Basho) 2004 5 Centimeters per Second(秒速5センチメートル Byōsoku Go-Senchimētoru) 2007 Children Who Chase Lost Voices(星を追う子ども Hoshi o Ou Kodomo) 2011 The Garden of Words(言の葉の庭 Kotonoha no Niwa) 2013 Your Name(君の名は。 Kimi no Na wa) 2016 Weathering with You(天気の子 Tenki no Ko) 2019 Suzume(すずめの戸締まり Suzume no Tojimari) 2022
Short films Title Year Credited as Notes Writer Producer Actor Other The World Be Enclosed(囲まれた世界 Kakomareta Sekai) 1998 Other Worlds(遠い世界 Tōi Sekai) 1998 She and Her Cat(彼女と彼女の猫 Kanojo to Kanojo no Neko) 1999 Her cat (Voice over) Voices of a Distant Star(ほしのこえ Hoshi no Koe) 2002 Noboru Terao (Voice over) Minna no Uta: "Egao"(みんなのうた「笑顔」) 2003 Someone's Gaze(だれかのまなざし Dareka no Manazashi) 2013
Video games TitleYearCredited asNotes Director Animator The Legend of Heroes III: Song of the Ocean 1999 As Makoto Niitsu Ys II Eternal 2000 As Makoto Niitsu Ys I Complete 2001 As Makoto Niitsu Bittersweet Fools 2001 Wind: A Breath of Heart 2002 Haru no Ashioto 2004 Ef: A Fairy Tale of the Two 20062008
Commercials TitleYearCredited asNotes Director Editor Other 2011 TV commercial released by Taisei Corporation 2013 TV commercial released by Taisei Corporation, featuring the theme song by Anri Kumaki 2014 TV commercial released by Taisei Corporation 2014 TV commercial released by Z-Kai 2018 TV commercial released by Taisei Corporation 2020 TV commercial released by Taisei Corporation
Literary works TitleYearPublisherNotes Slug 1994 Picture-book 5 Centimeters per Second 2007 Media Factory Novel The Garden of Words 2014 Kadokawa Shoten Novel Your Name 2016 Kadokawa Novel Your Name. Another Side: Earthbound 2016 Kadokawa Light novel; co-written with Arato Kanou. Weathering with You 2019 Kadokawa Novel Suzume 2022 Kadokawa Novel
Manga TitleYearPublisher(s)Notes Beyond the Tower 2002 Voices of a Distant Star 2004 Kodansha Illustrated by Mizu Sahara The Place Promised in Our Early Days 2005–06 Kodansha Illustrated by Mizu Sahara 5 Centimeters per Second 2010–11 Kodansha Vertical, Inc. Illustrated by Yukiko Seike Children Who Chase Lost Voices from Deep Below 2011 Media Factory The Garden of Words 2013 Kodansha Vertical, Inc. Illustrated by Midori Motohashi Your Name 2016 Media Factory Illustrated by Ranmaru Kotone Weathering with You 2019–20 Illustrated by Watari Kubota Suzume 2022–23 Kodansha Illustrated by Denki Amashima
Illustrations — Illustrator (2003–2011)
Accolades Shinkai has been called "The New Miyazaki" in several reviews, including those by Anime Advocates and ActiveAnime—comparisons that Shinkai brushed off as "overestimation". Year Award Category Work/Nominee Result 2003 8th AMD Award Best Director Voices of a Distant Star rowspan="2" 2016 29th Tokyo International Film Festival Arigatō Award Your Name 41st Hochi Film Award Best Director 29th Nikkan Sports Film Award Best Director 2017 44th Annie Awards Outstanding Achievement for Directing in an Animated Feature Production rowspan="4" 59th Blue Ribbon Awards Best Director 11th Asian Film Awards Best Screenplay 40th Japan Academy Prize Director of the Year Tokyo Anime Award Festival 2017 Best Director rowspan="3" 26th Japan Movie Critics Awards Best Animation Director 2018 2nd Crunchyroll Anime Awards Anime of the Year (Best Film) 2020 47th Annie Awards Outstanding Achievement for Directing in an Animated Feature Production Weathering with You rowspan="2" Outstanding Achievement for Writing in an Animated Feature Production Tokyo Anime Award Festival 2020 Best Director rowspan="2" 2023 Celebration of Cinema and Television International Animation Award Suzume 2024 51st Annie Awards Outstanding Achievement for Storyboarding in a Feature Production rowspan="2" Outstanding Achievement for Writing in an Animated Feature Production 8th Crunchyroll Anime Awards Best Film
Notes
References
External links
Makoto Shinkai's Website Makoto Shinkai's Official Portal
Entry in The Encyclopedia of Science Fiction