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Weathering with You (2020) movie poster

Characters & Themes

Weathering with You (2020) Characters, Setting & Themes Explained

Release, runtime and language
2020 · 112 min · Japanese
Echo score 80
JustWatch #10,609 13
Directed by
Makoto Shinkai
Starring
Alison Brie, Riz Ahmed, Chieko Baisho, Kotaro Daigo, Mone Kamishiraishi, Yuki Kaji
Budget
$11.1M

Fleeing his home on a remote island, a high school freshman arrives in Tokyo, only to find the city shrouded in relentless rain. Struggling to adapt, he encounters Hina, a spirited young woman who possesses a unique ability—she can control the weather, summoning sunshine and clearing away the gloomy skies. Their connection brings hope to the city, but they soon discover that her power comes at a cost, and changing the weather has unforeseen consequences.

On this page (8)
  1. 1 Where to watch
  2. 2 Characters explained (3)
  3. 3 Where & when it takes place
  4. 4 Themes & meaning (3)
  5. 5 Character & meaning questions
  6. 6 Movie threads
  7. 7 Movies like Weathering with You
  8. 8 Every angle

Where to watch

Where to Watch Weathering with You (2020)

Where can you watch Weathering with You? Stream, rent or buy it in the US, including on HBO Max, Hoopla and Amazon Video: current JustWatch availability with up-to-date prices.

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3 main characters · contains spoilers

Weathering with You Characters Explained: Who Is Who

The main characters of Weathering with You (2020), heroes and villains: what drives them, how they change over the course of the story and what each of them reveals about the film's bigger ideas.

  • Hodaka Morishima

    played by Kotaro Daigo

    Hodaka is a high school freshman who escapes his troubled home life in Kozu-shima to seek a new beginning in Tokyo. He is determined, resourceful, and often finds himself in challenging situations, showcasing his growth throughout the story. His experiences shape his understanding of love and responsibility as he embarks on a journey of self-discovery.

    • 👦 Young Adult
    • 🌧️ Determined
  • Hina Amano

    played by Nana Mori

    Hina is a compassionate and strong-willed young woman who has the unusual ability to clear the weather through prayer. Despite her struggles with the responsibilities of caring for her younger brother, she remains hopeful and courageous. Her character embodies the theme of sacrifice, as she struggles to balance her powers with the burden they entail.

    • 👧 Magical
    • 🌈 Hopeful
  • Nagi Amano

    Nagi is Hina's younger brother who experiences the challenges of growing up without stable guardianship. Despite the hardships faced by him and his sister, Nagi exhibits resilience and a bond with Hodaka. His character serves as a reminder of the innocence of youth and the impact of adult responsibilities on young lives.

    • 👶 Innocent
    • 🏠 Family

Last updated: October 22, 2024 at 18:53

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Setting

Where and When Does Weathering with You Take Place?

The setting of Weathering with You (2020): the year and time period, the places and locations, and how they shape the characters, the mood and the tension of the story.

Time period

June 2021, Spring 2024

The events of the movie unfold in contemporary Japan, starting in June 2021. By Spring 2024, the repercussions of the past actions and the unusual weather patterns impact the city significantly, leading to a flooded Tokyo. This time period showcases themes of youth adversity and transformation.

Location

Kozu-shima, Tokyo

Tokyo is a bustling metropolis known for its blend of modern architecture and rich cultural history. It experiences unique weather phenomena, including prolonged rainfalls, which play a critical role in this story. Kozu-shima, on the other hand, serves as a representation of Hodaka's troubled home life, contrasting with the opportunities and challenges in the city.

  • 🏙️ City
  • 🌧️ Nature

Last updated: October 22, 2024 at 18:53

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3 major themes

Weathering with You Meaning: Themes & Message Explained

What is Weathering with You (2020) really about? The emotional, social and philosophical themes the film keeps returning to, its symbolism and the message beneath the surface.

  • Weather Manipulation

    The ability to control the weather symbolizes the characters' struggles with their circumstances. Hina's power to clear the skies brings both success and dire consequences, exploring the balance between personal sacrifice and overall well-being. This theme highlights how external circumstances can dictate the course of one’s life.

  • Love & Sacrifice

    The relationship between Hodaka and Hina evolves through trials and challenges, demonstrating the deep connection that forms through shared experiences and sacrifices. Their love drives them to take risks and make difficult choices, ultimately leading to personal growth and hope for the future.

  • Abandonment

    Both Hodaka and Hina navigate their lives without stable adult figures, expressing themes of abandonment and the search for familial bonds. Their determination to care for each other showcases the resilience developed through adversity, emphasizing the importance of chosen family.

Last updated: October 22, 2024 at 18:53

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Character & theme questions

Weathering with You Characters & Meaning: Your Questions Answered

The questions people ask about Weathering with You (2020): who the characters really are, their relationships, what the symbols mean, where it takes place and what the movie is really about. Each answer contains spoilers.

Q1

Where does the story take place?

The movie is set primarily in Tokyo, a modern metropolis known for its blend of contemporary architecture and rich cultural history. The story also begins on Kozu-shima, a remote island that represents the protagonist's troubled home life, contrasting with the opportunities and challenges he finds in the city.

  • tokyo
  • kozu-shima
  • setting
  • island
  • city
Q2

What time period is the movie set in?

The movie takes place in contemporary Japan, beginning in June 2021. The consequences of the characters' actions unfold by Spring 2024, when Tokyo experiences significant flooding due to unusual weather patterns.

  • june 2021
  • spring 2024
  • time period
  • contemporary
  • future
Q3

What does weather manipulation symbolize in the movie?

Weather manipulation symbolizes the characters' struggles with their circumstances. Hina's power to clear the skies brings both success and dire consequences, exploring the balance between personal sacrifice and overall well-being. The external weather reflects internal emotional states and the uncontrollable nature of life.

  • weather manipulation
  • sacrifice
  • power
  • consequences
  • symbolism
Q4

What is the theme of love and sacrifice in the story?

The relationship between Hodaka and Hina evolves through trials and challenges, demonstrating the deep connection that forms through shared experiences and sacrifices. Their love drives them to take risks and make difficult choices, ultimately leading to personal growth and hope for the future.

  • love
  • sacrifice
  • relationship
  • hodaka
  • hina
  • growth
Q5

How does the theme of abandonment play out in the movie?

Both Hodaka and Hina navigate their lives without stable adult figures, expressing themes of abandonment and the search for familial bonds. Their determination to care for each other showcases the resilience developed through adversity, emphasizing the importance of chosen family over biological ties.

  • abandonment
  • family
  • orphan
  • resilience
  • adversity
Q6

Who is Hodaka Morishima?

Hodaka is a high school freshman who escapes his troubled home life on Kozu-shima to seek a new beginning in Tokyo. He is determined and resourceful, often finding himself in challenging situations that showcase his growth throughout the story. His experiences shape his understanding of love and responsibility.

  • hodaka
  • protagonist
  • high school
  • runaway
  • tokyo
Q7

Who is Hina Amano?

Hina Amano is a compassionate and strong-willed young woman who has the unusual ability to clear the weather through prayer. Despite struggling with the responsibilities of caring for her younger brother, she remains hopeful and courageous. Her character embodies sacrifice as she balances her powers with the burden they entail.

  • hina
  • weather ability
  • power
  • sacrifice
  • brother
Q8

Who is Nagi Amano?

Nagi is Hina's younger brother who experiences the challenges of growing up without stable guardianship. Despite the hardships faced by him and his sister, Nagi exhibits resilience and forms a bond with Hodaka. His character serves as a reminder of the innocence of youth and the impact of adult responsibilities on young lives.

  • nagi
  • brother
  • innocence
  • youth
  • hardship
Q9

Why is Tokyo constantly raining in the movie?

Tokyo experiences relentless rain throughout the story, which serves as both a literal weather phenomenon and a metaphorical backdrop for the characters' emotional struggles. The perpetual rain creates the melancholic atmosphere that defines the film's visual and narrative tone.

  • tokyo rain
  • weather
  • atmosphere
  • melancholy
  • setting
Q10

What happens to Tokyo by Spring 2024?

By Spring 2024, the consequences of the characters' actions and the unusual weather patterns result in Tokyo becoming significantly flooded. This time-jumped conclusion shows the permanent impact of the weather manipulation on the city, creating a bittersweet ending where the couple's reunion comes at the cost of Tokyo's submersion.

  • tokyo
  • flooded
  • 2024
  • consequences
  • ending
Q11

What kind of world does the movie portray?

The movie portrays a contemporary Japan where unusual weather patterns have become the norm, creating a somewhat dystopian undercurrent despite the modern setting. This world explores themes of youth adversity, where teenagers must navigate adult responsibilities and make difficult choices in an unforgiving environment.

  • world
  • contemporary japan
  • dystopian
  • adversity
  • environment

Movie threads

More Movies Like Weathering with You, by Mood & Story

Curated lists built around what makes Weathering with You tick: the same mood, the same kind of story or the same emotional payoff. Each list explains why these movies belong together.

Magical Realism Teen Romance Movies like Weathering with You

Young love blossoms under extraordinary circumstances, leading to poignant sacrifices. Discover movies like Weathering with You, featuring young love stories set against a backdrop of gentle magic or supernatural phenomena. If you enjoyed the blend of heartfelt romance, personal sacrifice, and a touch of the extraordinary, you'll find similar emotional journeys here.

  • romantic
  • yearning
  • melancholic
  • hopeful
  • dreamlike
  • atmospheric
  • Tone: hopeful, bittersweet
  • Pacing: steady, character-driven
Why these movies?

The story pattern: These narratives typically follow young protagonists who discover a unique ability or encounter a magical being. Their romance develops alongside the challenges of managing this power, often culminating in a significant personal sacrifice that leaves the ending feeling poignant and hopeful rather than purely happy.

Why they belong together: Movies are grouped here for their core combination of a sincere teen romance and an element of magical realism. They share a tone that balances hopefulness with melancholy, a steady, character-driven pace, and a focus on the emotional weight of youthful decisions made for love.

Environmental Fantasy Movies with a Cost like Weathering with You

Humanity's interaction with nature leads to beautiful yet costly magical interventions. Explore fantasy movies similar to Weathering with You, where weather manipulation or environmental magic comes with a heavy price. These films blend stunning visuals with serious themes about responsibility and the impact of our choices on the world around us.

  • atmospheric
  • thought-provoking
  • melancholic
  • hopeful
  • dreamlike
  • emotional
  • Tone: hopeful, melancholic
  • Pacing: steady
Why these movies?

The story pattern: The plot revolves around characters who gain the ability to alter their environment, initially bringing joy or relief. The central conflict arises when the true cost of this power is revealed, forcing a moral dilemma between personal desire and the greater good, often resulting in a permanent change to the world.

Why they belong together: This thread unites films that use fantasy to explore ecological and ethical themes. They share a specific narrative structure of cause-and-effect, a medium emotional intensity from the weight of the choices presented, and a visually distinct, atmospheric setting that is integral to the story.

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Movies Like Weathering with You

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Every angle

Weathering with You (2020) Explained: Plot, Ending, Timeline & Characters

Everything about Weathering with You in one place: what happens in the plot summary, the timeline in chronological order, the characters and meaning, the ending explained and a spoiler-free summary. What's After the Movie adds the cast, box office and post-credit scenes.

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