Makoto Shinkai

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"

Main article: 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 fifth-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.

Works

Films

Short films

Video games

Commercials

Literary works

Manga

Illustrations

• I Dream to Protect You — 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".

Notes

References

References

1. Schilling, Mark. (2023-02-20). "'Suzume' Director Shinkai Makoto on Hand-Drawn Animation and the Importance of Original Stories".
2. Desowitz, Bill. (2023-04-13). "Makoto Shinkai Gets Personal in Completing His Anime Disaster Trilogy with 'Suzume'".
3. Shepherd, Jack. (2017-01-17). "'Your Name' beats 'Spirited Away' to become highest-grossing anime ever". [[The Independent]].
4. (2016-05-05). "Makoto Shinkai – 'Distant Star' creator now in view".
5. Brzeski, Patrick. (2023-03-27). "China Box Office: Makoto Shinkai's Anime Hit 'Suzume' Soars With $50M Opening".
6. (August 4, 2016). "新海誠 監督 最新作のご紹介". 株式会社新津組.
7. "新海誠監督×川田十夢氏、母校で対談 {{!}} 中央大学グローバル人材育成推進事業".
8. Manry, Gia. (2011-08-17). "Interview: Makoto Shinkai". [[Anime News Network]].
9. "Project Team DoGA".
10. "Makoto Shinkai". Japan Speaker Bureau.
11. Shannon, Jeff. (2005-06-17). "Glowing visuals, sweetly emotional tale mark strong anime feature debut". [[The Seattle Times Company.
12. Scheib, Ronnie. (2008-03-06). "Five Centimeters Per Second".
13. Loo, Egan. (2009-12-24). "Distant Star's Shinkai Posts Images for Next Anime". Anime News Network.
14. Loo, Egan. (2010-11-02). "Paradise Kiss, Mardock Scramble, Gon Promos Streamed (Makoto Shinkai's latest work, Hoshi o Ou Kodomo, to have teaser on November 9)". Anime News Network.
15. Loo, Egan. (2010-11-09). "Makoto Shinkai's Hoshi o Ou Kodomo Teaser Posted in HD". Anime News Network.
16. (2013-05-12). "Video: Japanese anime movie 'Garden of Words' 5-min preview". Digital Journal.
17. "'Your Name.' Reviews". [[Metacritic]].
18. Blair, Gavin J.. (2017-01-27). "How Anime 'Your Name' Became an Unlikely Phenomenon".
19. Bayle, Alfred. (2017-05-18). "Anime directors Mamoru Hosoda, Makoto Shinkai working on new films". [[Philippine Daily Inquirer.
20. Schilling, Mark. (2018-12-18). "'Your Name' Director Makoto Shinkai Readies 'Weathering'".
21. "Weathering with You (天気の子) (2019) - Financial Information".
22. "Weathering with You".
23. (December 15, 2021). "新海誠監督の最新作「すずめの戸締まり」2022年秋に全国公開！ 主人公は災いの元となる"扉"を閉めていく少女". Eiga.com.
24. Malhotra, Rahul. (2021-12-15). "'Your Name' Director Makoto Shinkai Announces New Film".
25. "Suzume (すずめの戸締まり) (2022) - Financial Information".
26. (2016-10-15). "君の名は。」新海誠監督の妻は女優・三坂知絵子だった".
27. Sherman, Jennifer. (2018-06-24). "Anime Director Makoto Shinkai's Daughter Chise Niitsu Gets 1st Starring Film Role".
28. (2001-09-12). "JPL Small-Body Database Browser — 55222 Makotoshinkai (2001 RP63)". [[NASA]].
29. Osmond, Andrew. (2012-05-26). "'Children Who Chase Lose Voices' Renamed 'Journey to Agartha'". Anime News Network.
30. Blair, Gavin J.. (2018-12-14). "'Your Name' Director Makoto Shinkai Announces New Anime Feature".
31. "Other voices-遠い声- » 大成建設テレビCM". Makoto Shinkai / CoMix Wave Films.
32. "Other voices-遠い声- » 大成建設テレビCM「スリランカ高速道路」篇". Makoto Shinkai / CoMix Wave Films.
33. "Other voices-遠い声- » 大成建設テレビCM「ベトナム・ノイバイ空港」篇". Makoto Shinkai / CoMix Wave Films.
34. "Other voices-遠い声- » Z会「クロスロード」". Makoto Shinkai / CoMix Wave Films.
35. Lam, Lydia. (2018-05-07). "Acclaimed 'Your Name' director Makoto Shinkai directs TV ad on Thomson-East Coast Line".
36. Freakpool. (2020-03-21). "Makoto Shinkai highlights Myanmar in new ad for Taisei Corporation". [[Anime Festival Asia]].
37. Rose, Steve. (2016-11-09). "Makoto Shinkai: Could the anime director be cinema's 'new Miyazaki'?". [[The Guardian]].
38. Rich, Motoko. (2016-12-04). "The Anime Master of Missed Connections Makes Strong Contact in Japan". [[The New York Times]].
39. (2005-09-27). "Makoto Shinkai - 'The Place Promised in Our Early Days' Director". Active Anime.
40. (2003-02-05). "Digital Contents of the Year '02／第8回 AMD アワード".
41. Schilling, Mark. (2016-11-03). "'Yesterday' Takes Top Prize at Tokyo Film Festival".
42. "報知映画賞ノミネート歴代受賞結果まとめ". Pick Scene.
43. Coggan, Devan. (2016-02-07). "Annie Awards 2016 winners list: 'Inside Out' takes top prizes".
44. (2017-01-26). "Blue Ribbon Awards Crowns "Shin Godzilla" Best Japanese Film of 2016". [[Crunchyroll]].
45. (2017-01-12). "11th Asian Film Awards – Nominees 2017". Asian Film Festivals.
46. Schilling, Mark. (2016-01-18). "Kore'eda's 'Our Little Sister' Scores Record Nominations For Japanese Awards".
47. Loo, Egan. (2017-02-23). "Yuri!!! on Ice, A Silent Voice Win Tokyo Anime Award Festival's Top Prizes". [[Anime News Network]].
48. link. (2017-05-16)
49. (2018-02-24). "Your Name. Named Anime of the Year at the Crunchyroll Anime Awards".
50. (2020-01-25). "2020 Annie Award Winners {{!}} Complete List".
51. Harding, Daryl. (2020-02-05). "Weathering With You, Demon Slayer Win Anime of the Year at Tokyo Anime Awards Festival 2020". [[Crunchyroll]].
52. Thompson, Jaden. (November 13, 2023). "America Ferrera, Colman Domingo and Greta Lee Among Critics Choice Association Honorees for Black, Latino and AAPI Achievements".
53. Flores, Terry. (January 11, 2024). "Netflix's ''Nimona'' Leads Annie Awards 2024 Nominations".
54. Peters, Jay. (2024-03-02). "Jujutsu Kaisen wins Anime of the Year at Crunchyroll's 2024 Anime Awards".