Rating summary

Movie		5.0
Video		5.0
Audio		5.0
Extras		5.0
Overall		4.5

Weathering with You 4K Blu-ray Movie Review

A deluxe 4K collectors edition for fans.

A mega box-office hit in Japan, the internationally acclaimed filmmaker Makoto Shinkai (Your Name.) returns with his latest smash success: the science-fiction romantic-drama Weathering with You. Produced by Yoshihiro Furusawa (Psycho- Pass, Haikyuu!!) and Noritaka Kawaguchi (5 Centimeters Per Second, Children Who Chase Lost Voices), the unique combination of stunning animation and exquisite storytelling once again proves that director Shinkai is one to watch.

High-school teenager Hodoka Morishima (Kotaro Daigo) decides to move on to something bigger and better in his life: Tokyo. Yet a fast-paced life of fun and adventure seems to be at a standby: Hodoka can't even seem to find himself work or something fun to do in his summer interlude. Struggling to even get by in his new surroundings in Tokyo, Hodoka is pushed to his limits and must find a way to overcome the obstacles in his way. While he eventually finds himself writing for a magazine, Hodoka can't seem to overcome the dreary weather.

The weather has become disastrous over the past several weeks and has turned to a bleak day-to-day reality of non-stop rain. As if the weather was set to match Hodoka's gloomy new circumstances, a yearnful summer of fun turns to mush. Until... Hodoka meets the charming girl, Hina Amano (Nana Mori). Hina is unlike any other girl Hodoka has ever met. She even might have a special ability that could save the summer. The girl of Hodoka's dream's can stop the rain and bring out the beautiful rays of sunshine. Yet danger looms around the corner...

Featuring a must-see making-of documentary.

The most impressive element of Weathering with You is the exquisite animation. The art work is so intricate and well thought out that every scene seems to have a unique purpose in the course of the storytelling which unfolds from moment to moment. The art direction by Hiroshi Takiguchi (Ajin, Blame!) gives the film a distinctive flavor that is downright charming and exciting at the same time. The visuals are so thoughtfully composed by cinematographer Ryosuke Tsuda (My Bride is a Mermaid, Inari, Konkon, Koi Iroha) that it is easy to be pulled in to the intoxicating landscape of the filmmaking.

Another compelling component of the filmmaking is the original music score. Composed by Radwimps (Your Name.), the pitch- perfect music score elevates the material to even greater heights. The score has a way of giving the scenes an extra sense of depth. The tender score will pull at the heart-strings while giving the film an exciting pulse during the action sequences. There are so many moments during the film where the music made a huge impact (especially during the climatic final scenes).

Written and directed by the critically acclaimed filmmaker Makoto Shinkai (The Garden of Words, 5 Centimeters Per Second), Weathering with You is an amazing showcase for the talents of this often under-the-radar director. While Shinkai has made a name for himself with anime fans, the general population outside of Japan might be a little less familiar with his name and body of work. Yet it is clear that Shinkai remains a special filmmaker: a director who is well worth following with his unique visual aesthetics and storytelling sensibilities giving viewers a truly unique and special film-viewing experience.

Weathering with You is a special gem. An instant classic. Something about it grabs hold and the story never wants to let viewers go. This is a magical cinematic journey and one that is well worth discovery. For anime fans (and fans of great cinema regardless of the art form or genre), Weathering with You is must-see entertainment.

Weathering with You 4K Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Arriving on 4K UHD from GKids and Shout Factory, Weathering with You features a 2160p HEVC / H.265 encode in the original theatrical aspect ratio of 1.78:1 widescreen. The feature presentation is upscaled and is not a native 4K presentation. As a result, the first thing noticeable on the encode is that the presentation has little to no additional detail in the image. The disc seems no better resolution-wise in comparison to the standard Blu-ray. The encode does have an even healthier bit-rate at a massive 66.41 mbps. However, the encode quality on the standard Blu-ray was so strong that compression doesn't seem significantly better either.

As resolution is not significantly different on the release, the main draw for viewers would be the HDR application and the use of color depth on the disc. Unfortunately, the HDR on the 4K disc is somewhat modest and never showstopping. The colors don't seem significantly better or deeper than the standard Blu-ray. The HDR application seems minimalistic in approach and is often quite subtle: the light from gaps in the clouds and subtle flourishes in the falling rain have minor improvements. Yet the HDR is never that impressive on the whole.

Making matters more complicated is the fact that the 4K UHD disc seems to have unnecessary digital sharpening. The additional sharpening may have been a production decision in Japan so that the 4K presentation would appear to have more detail than the standard Blu-ray edition. Unfortunately, the application of additional sharpening actually detracts from the overall picture-quality and makes it somewhat unnatural looking. The presentation looks overly harsh at times and less pleasing on the eyes than the standard Blu-ray disc. On the whole, despite some modest improvements in some areas (such as the HDR grade), the 4K disc seems like a disappointment.

Weathering with You 4K Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The audio tracks included on the release remain the same as the standard Blu-ray. (There is no added Atmos track.)

The release has two lossless audio options: English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 and Japanese DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 (with English subtitles). The sound-stage on either audio track will leave viewers quite impressed: the audio track is immersive, dynamic, and compelling. The surround sounds are truly effective in implementation. Even the most subtle of sound effects can make a huge impression with this top-notch surround track. It is enormously enveloping, engaging, and beautiful to listen to – for sound effects, ambiance, and score. The track is so nuanced, clear, and detailed, that there is no doubt that this audio presentation deserves the highest of praise.

Optional English SDH subtitles (for the deaf and hard of hearing) are provided. In addition, lyric tracks for the Japanese music songs highlighted throughout the film are available on the English dub viewing option (and can be turned on/off via a selection in the menu). I found the song subtitles handy as there are several songs with lyrics that seem to tie in to the main storyline.

Weathering with You 4K Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

NEW to the Weathering with You collectors edition: 4K UHD, CD soundtrack, and a BONUS Blu-ray disc containing a feature-length documentary on the making of the film. The set also comes packaged in a deluxe collectible hard-box with a DigiPack style case and a booklet. Inside of the premium packaging, fans will also find a theatrical poster and a vinyl sticker/decal for the film.

The Weathering with You making-of documentary is the main draw of the package. The feature-length documentary explores every facet of the production. Audiences get an inside looking at the production as the filmmakers develop the storyline, tweak animation, and work with voice-actors on the recording stage. The music score and songs are even given a chance to shine behind-the-scenes. This extra was in-depth and entertaining from beginning to end. Fans of the film will undoubtedly wish to see this amazing documentary showcase.

The extras included on the standard Blu-ray disc remain the same (as follows):

Interview with Director Makoto Shinkai (HD, 11:14)

Talk Show: Makoto Shinkai and Yumiko Udo (HD, 1:10:02)

"Weather Front" Featurette (HD, 24:08)

Exploring Makato Shinkai's filmography (HD, 13:00)

Theatrical Trailers & TV Spots (HD, 10:35)

Weathering with You 4K Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Weathering with You is an outstanding achievement in animation which was was years in the making. The team that worked to create this gem gave every element of the production their upmost attention. The collectors edition comes with the same five-star Blu-ray disc (as available separately) in addition to an exclusive 4K UHD disc, CD soundtrack, and feature-length documentary (on its own Blu-ray bonus disc). While the 4K presentation disappoints (and shouldn't be considered the main selling point of the release), the feature-length documentary exploring the production process is essential. The set is a beautiful package for fans of the film (and the soundtrack is a nice bonus). Recommended.