Many anime fans are likely familiar with CoMix Wave Films as the production company of Makoto Shinkai’s blockbuster hits: Your Name, and Weathering With You.
However, most people don’t know that the company has produced more great anime films, aside from Shinkai’s most recent films.
In this article, we’ll introduce five of the best films developed and/or distributed by CoMix Wave, including both non-Shinkai works, and a couple of lesser-known Shinkai films that every fan should check out.
Nekketsu Jinmenken LIFE IS MOVIE - 熱血人面犬 LIFE IS MOVIE
One of the most over-the-top anime from Comix Wave Films, Nekketsu Jinmenken LIFE IS MOVIE is a sci-fi action anime film starring a spunky female university student named Ai and a dog with a human face. In fact, Nekketsu Jinmenken means Hot-Blooded-Human-Faced Dog.
On Earth, a strange extraterrestrial disease ravages the planet.
This disease, known as the Cold Heart Syndrome doesn’t attack the physical health of humans the way normal diseases do. Instead, it fills people with negative thoughts and feelings.
Only Ai and the human-faced dog from space can save the world from an impending apocalypse.
This sc-fi comedy is sure to put a smile on anyone's face.
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Someone’s Gaze - だれかのまなざし
Despite being one of the shortest anime films out there, Someone’s Gaze leaves a long-lasting impact.
With a runtime of just around 6 to 7 minutes, this powerful work of art just may be one of the best films by Comix Wave and Makoto Shinkai.
Longer isn’t always better, and Someone’s Gaze proves that sometimes a 7-minute film can evoke more emotion than a 9-hour trilogy.
Released alongside Shinkai’s Garden of Words, Someone’s Gaze is about a young woman learning to make it on her own in Tokyo and coming to terms with the aging of her parents and childhood pet.
For any young adult living away from home who has parents or pets they love, this anime will hit you with all the feels in less than 7 minutes.
With such a short time commitment, you should definitely add Someone’s Gaze to your watchlist.
Flavors of Youth - 詩季織々
Flavors of Youth is a Chinese anime film developed by ComixWave and is made up of short stories set in China.
With a 75-minute runtime, the directors manage to pack in three short and sweet stories about youth.
The first story is about a young boy’s favorite noodles and the memories he associates with them. The second is about an aging model who is past her prime. The final story is a tragic case of childhood friends and “the one that got away”.
With much of the same team behind Shinkai’s greatest works, Flavors of Youth has beautiful graphics and an art style akin to Your Name.
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Peeping Life - ピーピングライフ
Don’t let the name fool you into thinking this is some weird hentai.
Peeping Life is one of the most unique and innovative anime series out there.
The concept of the series is to give people a glimpse into the lives of others through short comedy sketches via CGI animation.
The concept itself isn't too out there but the execution of Peeping Life will have you giggling within the first 40 seconds. Different seasons have different themes.
The sketches featuring the “typical Japanese couple”, and those who are or have been in a relationship, have the awkwardness and relatability on a level reminiscent of series such as Seinfeld, made even more amuzing by the sometimes clunky animation.
The lack of a laugh track adds even further to the awkwardness of some of the scenarios the characters are placed in. THis series is definitely worth a watch.
The light humor and simple animation style, along with the fact that many of the scenes were ad-libbed by the voice actors who were just given the situation and starting lines to run with, gives the series an eerily realistic and relatable feeling that is quite unlike works with a fully functioning script.
It is a good idea to brush up on your Japanese as it will help you to understand the humor of the show. Japanese textbooks are quite affordable in Japan so feel free to check them out here.
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Voices of a Distant Star - ほしのこえ
With a runtime of around 30 minutes, Voices of a Distant Star attempts to cram a lot into a short timespan.
However, it is definitely another one of Makoto Shinkai’s best works and a hidden gem in its own right. If you’re a fan of 5 Centimeters Per Second, you’ll definitely like Voices of a Distant Star.
The film puts a sci-fi twist on stories about lovers torn apart by distance and time.
Many reviewers have said that Shinkai has a serious “the one that got away” complex, and if that is true it only makes his films about loss more powerful.
Set in an alternate future, Voices of a Distant Star is about Mikako and Nogoro. The two are junior high school students who have had feelings for each other for a long time, but haven’t mustered up the courage to say it out loud.
Things take a turn for the worst, when one day the Earth is attacked by mysterious alien beings.
Mikako becomes a talented pilot of the UN Space Army, while Nogoro remains on Earth, and the two can only communicate via text message. The farther Mikako gets from Earth, the longer it takes for their text messages to reach each other.
While the graphics may seem a bit dated, Voices of a Distant Star is a real tear-jerker is certainly a one of the most beautiful works of Shinkai’s career.
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Did you find out about any anime you hadn't heard about? Please note that Your Name, Weathering With You, and other Shinkai blockbusters, as most people already know about them.
If you’re looking for an article about some of Shinkai’s more well-known works, check out ZenMarket's blog on Makoto Shinkai's Best Movies.
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