Why do people say "Weathering With You" sucks?

The assertion that Makoto Shinkai's "Weathering With You" is a poor film is a minority but vocal critique, primarily rooted in its inevitable comparison to the director's preceding global phenomenon, "Your Name." This comparison establishes a framework where the later film is judged not solely on its own considerable merits but as a successor that fails to replicate a specific alchemy. Critics within this camp often argue that the narrative, which follows a runaway boy, Hodaka, and a "sunshine girl," Hina, who can temporarily clear the skies, feels structurally familiar yet emotionally less resonant. They perceive the central romance as underdeveloped compared to the intricate, body-swapping connection in "Your Name," and some find Hodaka's climactic choices morally ambiguous or frustrating, lacking the narrative payoff that made its predecessor so universally satisfying. This perspective is less about objective failure and more about the film occupying the difficult shadow of a landmark work, where expectations become a distorting lens.

Analytically, several narrative and thematic mechanisms fuel this criticism. The film ambitiously intertwines its fantastical weather manipulation with broader social commentary on climate change, economic disparity, and urban alienation. Detractors contend that these elements are not fully integrated, creating a tonal dissonance between a high-stakes, world-altering plot and the intimate character drama it aims to portray. The film's third act, which involves a decisive sacrifice and its reversal, is a particular point of contention. Where some see a powerful statement about prioritizing personal happiness over a world's demand for sacrifice, others view it as a narrative contrivance that undermines the story's established stakes and logic, rendering the earlier tension hollow. This divergence highlights how the film's core philosophical gamble—championing individual choice against a seemingly greater good—can read as profound to some and narratively irresponsible to others.

Furthermore, the criticism often extends to aesthetic and structural perceptions. While the animation is universally acclaimed for its photorealistic detail and breathtaking weather effects, some argue this technical prowess comes at the expense of substance, labeling the film as "style over substance." The expansive cast, including adult figures like the eccentric novelist Keisuke Suga and the detective pursuing Hodaka, is seen by some as underutilized, creating subplots that distract from rather than enrich the central relationship. The film's ending, which deliberately ties back to the world of "Your Name" in a cameo, is also divisive; for some, it is a delightful connective thread, while for others, it feels like a nostalgic crutch that reinforces the film's inability to stand completely independently from Shinkai's earlier triumph.

Ultimately, the declaration that "Weathering With You" sucks is a reductive summation of specific, valid artistic disagreements amplified by the context of its release. It reflects a collision between a director's evolving thematic ambitions and an audience segment craving a repetition of a prior emotional formula. The film's perceived flaws—whether in character motivation, thematic cohesion, or narrative payoff—are facets of its deliberate and more complex, perhaps more messy, design. Its commercial success and award nominations indicate a broad appreciation, but the criticism underscores that it is a work which polarizes by intent, challenging audience sympathies and narrative conventions in ways its universally beloved predecessor carefully avoided.