The rainy season is upon us again! When you think of rain in anime, which scene or character comes to mind first?
1. Weathering With You
The film opens with an unrelenting downpour in Tokyo—almost like a foreshadowing of the struggles awaiting Hodaka Morishima, the runaway teenager trying to make a living in the city. In the midst of this wet and bustling urban sprawl, he encounters a mysterious girl, Hina, who lives with her younger brother.
“The rain’s going to clear up soon.”
Hina says this with a smile—and just as she promises, the clouds part, revealing a sudden beam of golden sunlight.
As it turns out, Hina possesses the power to change the weather. Director Makoto Shinkai was inspired by gazing at the sky and wondering if peace could be found above the storm clouds. This dream became the seed for a story deeply intertwined with the sky and weather.
The film’s visuals are, as always with Shinkai’s work, stunning—every frame practically desktop wallpaper-worthy. But it’s not just eye candy. The story was inspired by Japan’s increasingly erratic climate: intense summer rainstorms and frequent flooding. The narrative is a poetic meditation on our relationship with nature, emotion, and power. Hina’s weather-altering gift symbolizes humanity’s eternal hope and reverence for nature—and the helplessness we feel when faced with its fury.
2. The Garden of Words
Another Shinkai masterpiece featuring unforgettable rainy scenes. The protagonists repeatedly meet in a quiet, almost sacred garden tucked away in the heart of Tokyo—always on rainy days. As the rainy season progresses, so do their feelings for each other.
Eventually, the rain ends, sunshine returns, and the garden is left empty. The beauty of the connection lingers, even in their parting.
3. After the Rain
A tender story of 17-year-old Akira Tachibana, who falls for her 45-year-old restaurant manager, Mr. Kondo. Despite the vast age gap and her confession being turned down, Akira stays by his side, hoping one day her long rainy crush will find its own clear sky.
This anime scored a strong 8.8 on Douban and takes thematic cues from Ryunosuke Akutagawa’s Rashomon, especially in its symbolic use of rain—ambiguous, cleansing, and reflective.
The nostalgic art style, the delicate emotions, and the metaphor of rain make this anime an emotional slow burn. Each episode is titled after a different kind of rain, matching the evolving moods of the characters. Life, like weather, is a cycle of gloom and sunshine.
“The story is only beginning. The rain hasn’t stopped.”
It’s about love, but not just romantic love—friendship, dreams, and promises.
4. The World is Still Beautiful
This romantic fantasy centers on Nike, the fourth princess of the Rain Kingdom who can summon rain through song, and Livius, a young ruler of the Sun Kingdom who’s already conquered the world.
It’s a textbook shoujo anime: an idealistic princess with a just heart, and a mysterious, brooding young king. When “rain” meets “sunshine,” magic happens—literally. Plus, the theme songs and Nike’s rain-invoking melody are unforgettable:
“Clouds, come hither! Raindrops, fall! Quench the fire, and deliver this message—to the yearning king… Even so, the world is still beautiful.”
5. My Neighbor Totoro
Miyazaki’s iconic film needs no introduction. In one of its most memorable scenes, Totoro stands in the rain holding a leaf like an umbrella, delighting in the sounds of raindrops hitting it.
Totoro can be a fluffy bed, a mysterious creature, a magical companion… Through every interaction with nature, the film reminds us of the childlike wonder we should never lose.
Everyone has a Totoro in their heart. As long as we remember that, childhood never truly ends.
6. Psycho-Pass
Set in a dystopian future where the Sybil System monitors citizens’ mental states, this anime is thick with rain—dark, oppressive, almost suffocating.
From the moment new inspector Akane Tsunemori joins the force on a rainy day, gloom seems ever-present. The downpour reflects the moral ambiguity and heavy atmosphere that hang over each investigation.
7. Gintama
This long-running series is packed with rainy scenes, but one stands out:
During a soggy stretch of the rainy season, Kagura admires the colorful umbrellas other girls carry. She glances down at her own dull gray one and silently puts it away.
Gintoki, grumbling as always, secretly buys her a bright new umbrella.
From that day on, rain or shine—even typhoons—Kagura proudly twirls her vibrant umbrella, beaming.
Creator Hideaki Sorachi once said this scene made him love rainy days a little more. Because even in the mud and drizzle, the image of a joyful Kagura dancing with her umbrella stays with you.
8. Monthly Girls’ Nozaki-kun
An iconic comedic moment: it starts to rain, and our beloved “idiot duo” Chiyo and Mikoshiba realize neither brought an umbrella.
Mikoshiba tries to act cool and shields Chiyo with the most ridiculous pose imaginable. Needless to say, it fails.
Later, Yuzuki lends Chiyo a parasol in a heroic gesture. But while they walk together under it, Mikoshiba hogs the center and Chiyo ends up soaked. So much for “protecting you from the rain”!
The rain might be gloomy—but anime always finds a way to make it shine.