Makoto Shinkai's Underrated Film Leaving Netflix Soon; Fans Have One Month Left

Makoto Shinkai fans are on a tight clock. One of the director's key films is scheduled to drop off Netflix early next month, meaning viewers have a very limited window to catch what many consider his most overlooked work before streaming rights shift. This impending removal signals a change in accessibility for one of Shinkai's features, urging fans to prioritize a rewatch or first viewing now.

While 2016's Your Name remains the benchmark for Shinkai's massive success, the director has built a substantial catalog beyond that smash hit. His more introspective and grounded features often get buried beneath the box office numbers of his biggest titles, leaving certain gems unseen by a wider audience.

Shinkai’s career stretches from his 2004 debut, The Place Promised in Our Early Days, right up to his recent global success with 2022's Suzume. In between those points lies a collection of meticulously crafted stories showing his growth as a writer and director.

Even though Your Name broke records and Suzume pulled in over $314 million worldwide, his other projects deserve recognition. Streaming rights are always in flux; while the film will likely surface on another platform later, its current Netflix availability is ending in February. For established fans, this removal highlights how streaming rotation dictates viewing habits. For newcomers exploring Shinkai, it’s a prompt to look beyond the most obvious choices in his existing catalog.