Japanese Anime "Your Name" Released in China December 1

Japan's popular anime "Your Name" was released at the turn of the month, December 1, and Beijing's movie houses were sardine-packed with young Chinese anime fans.

Interestingly, "Your name" is a remote adaptation by name of a now historic radio drama - later made into a film in 1953-54 "What is Your Name?"- that reportedly turned all public baths out of business drawing housewives out of home.

In reality, however, its link to the legendary radio drama is too thin. Some critics correctly point out its link to a novel in the Heian period Torikaebaya Monogatari and others to Greg Egan's short story The Safe-Deposit Box.

Japanese anime/manga  enjoys huge popularity in China, and this "Yor Name" is nearly sold out at most movie houses in China. A young Chinese male had long awaited Director Shinkai's work since his high school days and said he was glad to view one in China at long last.

According to NHK, a young Chinese female said in excitement:

"You know, I was so overwhelmed that I could even cry. It was so splendid!"

Back in last May, another favorite anime "Doraemon"  landed in China for the first time in three years. "Doraemon" snatched a box office over 8 billion yen. "Your Name" is expected to outearn "Doraemon".

"Your Name" premiered in July 2016 at the 2016 Anime Expo Convention in LA, theatrically released in Japan the following month. It is scheduled to be released in some 85 countries including China where it has  just been released as above.

It's utterly amazing how Japanese anime and manga works are winning such an explosive acclaim the world over. Japanese anime has grown a lot mightier than "Mighty Atom" of Osamu Tezuka in mid-1960's. There is no knowing what follows in years from now. (Nathan Shiga)