Summary
Makoto Shinkai, the renowned director ofSuzume,Your Name, and many other highly acclaimed anime films has just givenCrunchyroll’s newest romantic comedythe highest praise.Makeine: Too Many Losing Heroines!is without a doubt the biggest sleeper hit of Summer 2024 and is perfect for fans of Makoto Shinkai’s works, even according to him.
According to a post on X byMangaMoguraRE, Makoto Shinkai recently praisedToo Many Losing Heroines!at a recent 5th-anniversary screening event ofWeathering With You.Too Many Losing Heroines!has been likened to Makoto Shinkai’s works since its release owing to its beautiful visuals, character designs, and impressive attention to detail.
Apparently, Makoto Shinkai watched the series after hearing these rumors and comparisons and seems to be a fan of it. While praise from the likes of Makoto Shinkai is no small feat, simply comparing the series to his works is arguably a disservice toToo Many Losing Heroines!whicharguably holds its own in terms of animation and direction.
“Truly Magnificent” - Acclaimed Your Name & Suzume Director Share High Praise for New Anime Film
Makoto Shinkai is one of the biggest names in anime of the past decade, and he’s recently offered high praise to a new anime film coming out soon.
Makeine: Too Many Losing Heroines! Shares Many Traits With Makoto Shinkai’s Movies
Based on the Light Novels Written by Takibi Amamori and Illustrated by Imigimuru; Produced by A-1 Pictures
ThoughToo Many Losing Heroines!does not share any common staff with any ofMakoto Shinkai’s works, the anime instantly gained traction due to its similarities. Right off the bat, thecharacter designs do bear a slight resemblance to Shinkai’s,albeit with a slightly more muted color palette.Too Many Losing Heroines!also sets up a very similar atmosphere as Shinkai’s films, with light, sometimes quirky music and stunning establishing shots that paint a vibrant picture of the high school where the story takes place.
Another area whereMakeineexcels is its excellent composition and direction. The reason many of these establishing shots have thesame cinematic feel as a Makoto Shinkai workis because of how often the anime plays around with perspective and composition, which in turn makes the series all the more immersive.
That said, the attention to detail in terms of the animation is what makesMakeine’sworld feel so vibrant. From close-ups of the tears glistening as they leave Yanami’s eyes, the air bubbling up in Nukumizuku’s soda, or the chewed-up straw playing between Yanami’s fingers, the series is full of meticulously detailed scenes that transport viewers into the moment itself.
Overall,Too Many Losing Heroines!is certainly worthy of the praise afforded to it by Makoto Shinkai. That said, while it does bear some resemblance to the famous director’s work, it is still a masterfully animated series that is deserving of its own praise free of such comparison. While the series has only just made its debut, it is quickly but surely shaping up to be the underrated gem of the season and it will be interesting to see how the rest of its episodes live up to its spectacular prologue.
