Makoto Shinkai

Japanese anime director

Makoto Shinkai (Japanese: 新海 誠, Hepburn: Shinkai Makoto), born as Makoto Niitsu (新津 誠, Niitsu Makoto, born 9 February 1973), is a Japanese movie director, writer, producer, animator, editor, cinematographer, voice actor, manga artist and former graphic designer. He directed the highest-earning anime movie Your Name.

Makoto Shinkai
Shinkai in 2013
Born
Makoto Niitsu

(1973-02-09) 9 February 1973 (age 51)
Occupation(s)Director, writer, producer, animator, editor, cinematographer, voice actor, manga artist
Known forVoices of a Distant Star
The Place Promised in Our Early Days
5 Centimeters per Second
Children Who Chase Lost Voices
The Garden of Words
Your Name
Weathering with You
SpouseMisaka Ikko
Signature

Biography change

Shinkai was born in Nagano Prefecture. He went to Chuo University where he studied Japanese literature. He was a part of the literature club there and he drew picture books there. He said that he liked creating because he had read manga, novels and had watched anime when he was young. After finishing university in 1994, he got a job at Falcom. It is a video game company. He worked there for 5 years by making video clips.[1]

In 1999, Shinkai released She and Her Cat. It is a five-minute short movie that is black and white. It won many awards. It won the grand prize at the 12th DoGA CG Animation contest (2000). The short movie is about the life of a cat. It is from the cat's point of view.[2] Shinkai quit his job at Falcom after winning the prize. He began making a new movie about a girl in space, which was called Voices of a Distant Star. After, he released his first full movie. It was called The Place Promised in Our Early Days and was released in Japan on November 20, 2004. His next movie was called 5 Centimeters per Second and was released on 3 March 2007. It consists of three short films called Cherry Blossom, Cosmonaut, and 5 Centimeters per Second.

In 2009, he started to work on his next movie. Shinkai said that the movie he was making would be his longest movie that he made and said the story was a "lively" animated movie that would have adventure, action, and romance.[3] He revealed that his next movie would be called Children Who Chase Lost Voices from Deep Below. The movie was released on 7 May 2011.[4][5] His next movie, The Garden of Words, was released on 31 May 2013. On 26 August 2016, he released Your Name, which was praised by audiences. It became the highest-grossing anime movie.[6] Shinkai directed the 2019 anime movie Weathering With You.[7][8]

Works change

Movies change

Title Year Credited as Role Notes
Director Writer Producer Other Actor
The World be Enclosed
(囲まれた世界 Kakomareta sekai)
1998 Yes Animator Short film
Other Worlds
(遠い世界 Tooi Sekai)
1998 Yes Animator Short film
She and Her Cat
(彼女と彼女の猫 Kanojo to Kanojo no Neko)
1999 Yes Yes Animator Yes Her cat (Voice over) Short film
Voices of a Distant Star
(ほしのこえ Hoshi no Koe)
2002 Yes Yes Yes Yes Noboru Terao (Voice over) Short film
Egao
(みんなのうた「笑顔」 Minna no Uta "Egao")
2003 Yes Short film
The Place Promised in Our Early Days
(雲のむこう、約束の場所 Kumo no Mukō, Yakusoku no Basho)
2004 Yes Yes Yes
  • Storyboards
  • Background art
  • Design
  • Theme song lyrics
5 Centimeters per Second
(秒速5センチメートル Byōsoku Go Senchimētoru)
2007 Yes Yes Yes
  • Storyboard
  • Art director
  • Color design
Children Who Chase Lost Voices
(星を追う子ども Hoshi o Ou Kodomo)
2011 Yes Yes Yes
Someone's Gaze
(だれかのまなざし Dareka no Manazashi)
2013 Yes Short film
The Garden of Words
(言の葉の庭 Kotonoha no Niwa)
2013 Yes Yes
  • Photography
  • Color design
  • Editing
Your Name
(君の名は Kimi no na wa.)
2016 Yes Yes
  • Photography
  • Color design
  • Editing
Weathering with You
(天気の子 Tenki no Ko.)
2019 Yes Yes
  • Photography
  • Color design
  • Editing
Suzume
(すずめの戸締まり Suzume no Tojimari)
2022 Yes Yes
  • Editing

Video games change

Title Year Credited as Notes
Director Animator Other
The Legend of Heroes V: A Cagesong of the Ocean 1999 Yes
(Opening)
As Makoto Niitsu
Ys 2 Eternal 2000 Yes
(Opening)
As Makoto Niitsu
Bittersweet Fools 2001 Yes
(Trailer & Opening)
Wind: A Breath of Heart 2002–04 Yes
(Trailer & Opening)
Yes
Haru no Ashioto 2004 Yes
(Trailer & Opening)
Ef: A Fairy Tale of the Two 2006

2008

Yes
(Trailer & Opening)

Books change

Title Year Publisher Notes
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

Manga change

Title Year Publisher(s) Notes
Beyond the Tower 2002
Voices from a Distant Star 2004 Kodansha
The Place Promised in Our Early Days 2006 Kodansha
5 Centimeters per Second 2010–11 Kodansha
Vertical, Inc. (English)
Children who Chase Lost Voices from Deep Below 2011 Media Factory
The Garden of Words 2013 Kodansha
Vertical, Inc. (English)
Your Name. 2016 Media Factory

References change

  1. Hanada, Ryosuke; Moriyasu, Ken (29 December 2016). "Makoto Shinkai brings a magic touch to anime". Nikkei Asian Review. Archived from the original on 21 March 2017. Retrieved 4 January 2018.
  2. Odell, Colin; Le Blanc, Michelle (2013). Anime. Oldcastle Books. ISBN 1-84243-588-4.
  3. "Distant Star's Shinkai Posts Images for Next Anime". AnimeNewsNetwork. 24 December 2009. Archived from the original on 24 July 2020. Retrieved 4 January 2018.
  4. "Paradise Kiss, Mardock Scramble, Gon Promos Streamed (Makoto Shinkai's latest work, Hoshi o Ou Kodomo, to have teaser on November 9)". AnimeNewsNetwork. 2 November 2010. Archived from the original on 7 April 2023. Retrieved 4 January 2018.
  5. "Makoto Shinkai's Hoshi o Ou Kodomo Teaser Posted in HD". AnimeNewsNetwork. 9 November 2010. Archived from the original on 7 April 2023. Retrieved 4 January 2018.
  6. "'Kimi no Na wa' (Your Name.) now hailed as highest grossing anime film". Inquirer.net. 18 January 2017. Archived from the original on 15 January 2018. Retrieved 4 January 2018.
  7. "Anime directors Mamoru Hosoda, Makoto Shinkai working on new films". 18 May 2017. Archived from the original on 26 November 2017. Retrieved 4 January 2018.
  8. Ferreira, Samantha (14 December 2018). "Makoto Shinkai working on Tenki no Ko: Weathering with You movie". Anime Herald. Archived from the original on 30 October 2020. Retrieved 16 December 2018.

Other websites change