I love Makoto Shinkai. I’ve seen all of his films, have manga and artbooks for his work, and even went to a Your Name pop-up cafe in Japan when that smash hit film first became an international sensation.
Like Hayao Miyazaki, his creativity and vision have the ability to cut through the mainstream and produce magical animes that become critical and commercial successes. He’s a defining director of the modern era of anime, and for good reason.
Shinkai’s massive worldwide success, however, has arguably overshadowed other directors who were breaking through at the same time, at least in the Western mainstream. A case in point is Mamoru Hosoda.
