Your Name Creator Makoto Shinkai’s Acknowledgment Fills the Void of Too Many Losing Heroines

During the 5th anniversary celebration of Grand Cinema Sunshine Ikebukuro on July 20, 2024, Makoto Shinkai, the creator of Your Name, spoke highly of Too Many Losing Heroines during a panel. The anime series has been receiving comparisons to Shinkai’s own film projects since its first episode, and a fan eventually asked for his opinion on how the anime captures the same emotions as his works.

Despite not being an exact representation of the author’s work, the anime received praise for its ‘unique’ fan service. The director, who includes fan service in all of his projects, deemed it necessary and was pleased with the series. Additionally, the director’s distinct direction and animation style were highly praised by fans on the internet.

Please note that all opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the author.

Makoto Shinkai, Director of Your Name, Praises the Uniqueness of Too Many Losing Heroines

Anna as seen in the anime (Image via A-1 Pictures)

To commemorate its fifth anniversary, Grand Cinema Sunshine Ikebukuro featured a week-long screening of the film Weathering With You. The premiere of the film coincided with the theater’s fifth anniversary. During this special event, the director of the film was interviewed about his works, including a highly anticipated anime airing in the Summer of 2024.

During an interview, a fan asked director Makoto Shinkai about a specific scene in the first episode of the anime Too Many Losing Heroines. The fan pointed out the scene where the female protagonist, Anna, shares a drink with her childhood friend, whom she has a crush on, through the same straw. They mentioned that this scene seemed very typical of Shinkai’s style, implying that the director enjoys incorporating such moments into his works.

Mitsuha as seen in the anime film (Image via Comic Wave Studios)

The director responded to the question with a laugh and admitted that he was unsure if the scene in Too Many Losing Heroines was in line with Shinkai’s style, but he did agree that it was impressive. The author added that scenes depicting f*tishism are essential in anime, and despite some fans’ disapproval, the director still enjoys including them.

The director referenced a specific scene from his most recent film, Weathering With You, in which Suzume is seen sitting on Souta’s lap, emphasizing the recurring theme of fetishism in his movies. Similarly, in Your Name, there is a scene where the male protagonist, Taki, consumes a pint of sake, which is revealed to be a blend of rice and Mitsuha’s saliva.

Fandom’s reaction to new book release

A background visual as seen in the anime (Image via A-1 Pictures)

Despite the author’s focus being on a different aspect, the fandom latched onto another aspect of Too Many Losing Heroines, which shared similarities with the anime director’s movies – the animation. The fandom argued that the visuals in the anime gave the impression that the director had a hand in the series, despite not being involved.

Additionally, a fan also noted that the creators behind the anime were the same team behind the popular romantic comedy anime Kaguya-sama: Love is War. Another fan pointed out that while the first episode of Too Many Losing Heroines resembled Shinkai Makoto’s work, the second episode lacked the same level of visual quality.

“The backgrounds are so high quality that they really could be in one of his movies”one fan said

“Yeah, the first episode is really special animation-wise. Second episode not as much, but still very nice.”another fan said

“The Kaguya sama staff never disappoints.”another fan claimed

“This one is really good bro”another one said

Final thoughts

Additionally, the inclusion of fanservice played a significant role in making this anime comparable to the works of the renowned director.

Despite initially starting off with low popularity this season, the anime’s prospects may improve after receiving recognition from a renowned animation director for its exceptional quality.