Makoto Shinkai's 'Your Name' Gets American Release Date, Soundtrack's English Version Available Soon

The anime film that has taken Japan by storm will finally reach North America this coming April 7. Makoto Shinkai's "Your Name" will be released by Funimation Films all over the United States and Canada, both with English subtitles and an English dub.

Makoto Shinkai, whose previous works such as "5 Centimeters Per Second" and "Garden of Words" have garnered acclaim, has proven that he has what it takes to be the next Hayao Miyazaki. Miyazaki's film "Spirited Away" has, for 15 years been the highest-grossing anime film every, but just this week "Kimi No Nawa" or "Your Name" has dethroned the Miyazaki film, as reported by Independent UK.

Since its release all over the world, the film has now earned a total of $331 million dollars, surpassing "Spirited Away", which earned $289 million in its release. In Japan, it is the third highest-grossing film in the country, only surpassed by the "Spirited Away", "Titanic," and "Frozen."

"Your Name" which The Guardian calls a "beautiful out-of-body experience" is the story of two teenagers, Mitsuha and Taki, who swap bodies back and forth throughout the film. The two, despite not meeting, begin a star-crossed love story as their lives become even more intertwined. The film is set during an impending disaster that the main characters try to resolve.

Since its release in Japan last August, "Your Name" has been garnering acclaim not only in the country but all over the world as well. According to The Hollywood Reporter, the film was awarded as the best animation feature in the Los Angeles Film Critics Award. The film is also an Oscar hopeful and if it wins, will be the second anime to win the prestigious award.

Anime News Network reveals that in the release of an English dub of the film, RADWIMPS, the band which composed the soundtrack for "Your Name", will also be releasing English versions of their songs. This won't prove to be too difficult as Yojiro Noda, lead singer of the band, lived in the US when he was younger.