Starting off as a slow burn, I started questioning how this anime got so much talk on the net. But the pace lets you get to know and relate to the characters before the final act where things really spring forth. And I was sucked in (enjoyably) for the ride, holding my breath as I honestly did not know how it was going to end. Beautiful, gorgeous, etherial at times, there just arent enough words in the English language to describe appropriately just how stunning this is...nor how seamlessly the traditional and 3D animation blend together. The voice cast of both languages are great and the soundtrack and score are both great. After The Garden of Words and Your Name, Makoto Shinkai is proving to be a master of his craft in the same vein as Miyazaki. A classic.