Why the soundtrack of Your Name made it a masterpiece

Why the soundtrack of Your Name made it a Masterpiece By Olivia Yeung

The popular anime movie ‘Your Name’ is one of my favourite anime of all time. Most people enjoyed it because of the aesthetically pleasing visuals and the captivating plot line. However, I loved this movie because of the soundtrack and songs. The people to thank for this is the soft rock band RADWIMPS whom the director, Makoto Sinkai, deliberately asked for. He believed that they would make this movie different and unique compared to the creator of Spirited Away, Hayao Miyazaki, who Makoto was often compared to. The soundtrack for this anime was one of the rare ones in that it matched perfectly with the story and mood and made the film better as it heightened the emotions portrayed perfectly.

First you have the four songs: Dream Lantern, Zenzenzense, Sparkle and Nandemonaiya. Dream Lantern was the opening song for the movie, and it was a very basic anime opening rock song. The catchy melody immediately allowed the audience to immerse into the movie. The next three songs were played as the film progressed and each time it blended seamlessly with the plot and the characters’ feelings. Zenzenzense was an upbeat song which expressed the humour and light-hearted feeling of the characters. The other two songs were slower and more tranquil, but they were the ones that left the biggest impact. Sparkle was played at the climax of the movie, and I felt that it exactly which part of the anime it was and rewatch it in my head (or maybe I am just too obsessed with this movie).

Not only were the songs amazing but the background music and pieces also brought the movie to its full potential. The piece made for Mitsuha when she travelled to Tokyo left the greatest impression. It starts off very slow, almost repetitive with the same few notes. But as the piece goes on, more chords are added and the violin is also added. This highlights the more sorrowful side of the scene. Then at the peak of the piece, the mood shifts and is followed by a pause. This fitted flawlessly with the storyline and only served to enhance the tension and hope that the character was feeling. The piece then returned to the main melody but then developed into another music theme. It did not end on a satisfying note, leaving the audience to wonder what was going to happen next. Just listening to it gives me chills.

In my opinion, Your Name is one of the best animes ever made and one very crucial reason was the music. The soundtrack connected the audience with the plot, it emphasised the characters’ personalities and emotions and made the film completely unforgettable.

Joe Hisaishi a Japanese composer and musical director known for over 100 film scores and solo albums dating back to 1981.