Shirts will be in stores just before the opening of Shinkai’s newest anime movie, Weathering with You.
Just yesterday we found out that Uniqlo is bringing out a lineup of beautiful Sailor Moon-themed T-shirts. But while the news had us clapping our hands in joy, the release date had us scratching our heads.
See, the Sailor Moon shirts are scheduled to start arriving in Uniqlo branches in late August. We can understand the chain wanting to give its now-in-stores Pokémon shirts some time with the spotlight all to themselves, but those went on sale in June. Was Uniqlo planning to leave July as a blank spot on its new-release calendar, with no new anime-themed apparel?
Nope. It turns out the company was actually sitting on a big secret: it’s first-ever collaboration with Makato Shinkai, director of smash-hit anime film Your Name, as well as upcoming theatrical anime Weathering with You.
There’s a 4-3 shirt split between Shinkai’s last and upcoming works. In addition to the emotional moment between Your Name’s Taki and Mitsuha shown above, there’s also a subtle design featuring the fate-entwining red string that metaphorically connects them (and runs right across the wearer’s heart)…
…a memo asking “Who are you?”, just like in the body-swapping film…
…and finally this dramatic, monochromatic moment.
Shinkai has always loved crating breathtaking skyscapes, and that’s something he’s going to be able to do to his heart’s content in the aerial-related narrative of Weathering with You.
The new anime’s artistic tee bears the towering cloud masses and mysterious dragon-like silhouettes from the movie’s poster.
And last, if you prefer your anime T-shirts to be cute instead of dramatic, this understated black-and-white design has Weathering with You’s presently name-unknown stray cat peeking out from its pocket.
The shirts are priced at 1,500 yen (US$14) each and go on sale July 15, four days before Weathering with You’s July 19 premiere.
Source: Uniqlo via Livedoor News/MdN Design Interactive via Otakomu
Images: Uniqlo
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Follow Casey on Twitter, where he says Shinkai’s stint as an artist for Falcom proves that they employ some of the most talented color designers in the video game industry.