Makoto Shinkai is jealous of Naoko Yamada

Last month, renowned "A Silent Voice" director Naoko Yamada unveiled her latest animated work titled "The Colors Within" (Kimi no Iro), an original project that has captured critical attention. Following its premiere in Japan, Makoto Shinkai, the famous director behind hits such as "Your Name" and "Suzume no Tojimari," praised Yamada's talent and expressed his deep admiration for his work.

"The Colors Within" tells the story of three high school students who decide to form a band, a premise that brings back memories of Yamada's previous work on "K-On!". The film focuses on Totsuko Higurashi, the protagonist, who has a unique ability: she perceives colors that surround people, which attracts her to those around her.

In a recent joint interview, Shinkai and Yamada discussed the film's release. Yamada commented that he feels Shinkai's cinematic legacy as "a wall that he must overcome." For his part, Shinkai admitted that while he deeply admires his work, he also experiences a sense of "jealousy" when viewing Yamada's works. "My first contact with Yamada's work was through 'K-On!'. The freshness and enjoyment that emanated from the animation impacted me so much that I wished it would be made by someone far from me, with a different background," Shinkai commented. This feeling of jealousy stems from Yamada's enormous talent, which he says is hard to ignore.

One of the highlights of "The Colors Within" for Shinkai is the way the characters interact. "There were many moments that I enjoyed, but my favorite was the scene just before the school festival, when Kimi-chan doubts if she is ready to perform. Totsuko, with a motivating tone, responds 'What are you talking about? You look very motivated.' The handling of that scene, with Kimi-chan rising in a completely 'rock' style, was wonderful," Shinkai noted.

Shinkai, who has been an influential figure in the anime industry since the release of "The Place Promised in Our Early Days" in 2004, commented on Yamada's impact on his own style. In fact, he revealed that he has taken inspiration from his technique: "I remember seeing a scene where the character's feet were shown instead of his face while they were talking. I was told that this choice allowed me to express a unique emotion, and I did not hesitate to imitate it in my own work."

One of the traits that distinguishes Yamada is his focus on treating characters with dignity. In a previous interview, you mentioned the importance of understanding characters without controlling them arbitrarily. This ability to capture the emotional reality of the characters is something Shinkai also admires, confessing that he often feels unsure about whether his expression will reach the audience, opting to make less risky decisions.

Source: Eiga Natalie