Taki Tachibana


 * Warning: content in this article contains spoilers from the movie. Read at your own risk!

Taki Tachibana (立花 瀧) is a high school boy who lives in the city side of Tokyo. In his daily life, he spends fun times with friends and works part time at an Italian restaurant. He held a secret affection toward his co-worker Miki Okudera and switched bodies with a teenage girl named Mitsuha Miyamizu who lived in a small rural town, in contrast to his lively life is Tokyo. He is the male protagonist of the film.

Appearance
Taki is a teenager who appears to be quite tall. He is noted to be handsome since Mitsuha ended switching bodies with Taki after she wished to become a handsome Tokyo boy in her next life.

Taki has spiky, brown hair and dark blue eyes. At times, he is seen wearing band aids because of, as Okudera noted, Taki's stubborn personality. When he was first properly introduced towards the audience, he was shown wearing a plain white t-shirt and blue shorts. He was also shown having a white band aid on his left cheek. On his way to school, he wore a white dress shirt, dark gray pants, a belt, dark blue loafers, and a striped green tie.

While working at his part-time job, he wears a waiter's outfit that consists of a black vest, a long-sleeved dress shirt, a black bow tie, and a black apron that covers his pants.

During his date with Miki Okudera, he generally wore a dark jacket, a V-neck shirt striped with the colors orange, blue, and white, khaki pants, and black sneakers with shoelaces. At times, he wears an orange wristband on his right which he got from Mitsuha, as a good-luck charm.

As an adult, he grows much taller and develops broad shoulders. He wears a black suit and a blue tie, to which his two friends from high school like to comment on.

Personality
Taki is a kind, hardworking and caring individual, but he can sometimes be persistent. He is a very helpful and busy young man as well, and may even be called quite sensitive towards others. He is also quick to anger, which can cause him to be impatient and stubborn. He is noted by Okudera to be quite "weak" but quick-tempered. Taki sometimes accidentally blurts out the first thing on his mind without restraint or tact when he is nervous or stressed, whether it may be wrong or right, which he however quickly fixes by saying what he really wants the second after. He is also interested in architecture and art and is shown to have artistic abilities.

When he inhabits Mitsuha's body, he sometimes touches her chest, to which Mitsuha would call him a pervert later on. He is also very straightforward and Taki in Mitsuha's body is considered a tomboy, as he doesn't take much consideration about skirts according to Mitsuha. Taki noted that Mitsuha is more popular when he is in her body, with both boys and girls sending love letters to her, indicating that Taki is very sociable as well. He seems to be not so honest with his feelings, as he denied his feelings for Mitsuha although they were very obvious.

As an adult, Taki has matured, but still, has his former personality. When going to job interviews for a career in architecture, he is very polite and optimistic, as he claims that he wants to leave good memories of Tokyo, as they wouldn't know if Tokyo disappeared someday just like Itomori. He seems to be rather serious to find something, as he always feels like he is searching for someone or something. But he thinks he mixes up this feeling with stress to find a job.

Plot
There is not much known about Taki's background, but he lives with his father in an apartment. His father seems to be a busy individual as well, as he isn't seen being home very often. According to the film's producer Makoto Shinkai, Taki's parents are divorced before the beginning of the story.

Itomori Incident (2013)
By the time of 2013, Taki is fourteen years old and probably in his last year in middle school (ninth grade). Somewhere around autumn, Mitsuha started switching bodies with Taki, though it was him three years in the future when he was seventeen, the same age as Mitsuha at the time. As such, Taki didn't experience this until later, and didn't know who Mitsuha was.

One day, when Mitsuha had gone to Tokyo to find Taki, she found him on the train on her way back home just as she thought she would never meet him. On the train, Taki was supposedly reading through some flash cards, paying no attention to Mitsuha just in front of him. When Mitsuha called out to him and asked if he remembered her, he bluntly asked who she was. Mitsuha became very disappointed and embarrassed but just knew that it was the Taki she switched bodies with, but in Taki's case, he just thought Mitsuha was a strange girl. However, he seemed to be interested to get know her, as he asked for her name when she was about to get off her station. Mitsuha gave Taki both her name and her braided cord that she was wearing, something that Taki would often wear as a good-luck charm for the following years.

The next night, Taki watched the TV and heard about the comet. He went out to his balcony and saw "the stars falling", which he thought was nothing but a beautiful view. It is presumed that Taki didn't know about the comet hitting Itomori, as he wouldn't learn this until 3 years later.

Main Story (2016)
In 2016, Taki is seventeen years old and probably in his third year in high school. Somewhere in late August/early September, Taki experienced the body switching with Mitsuha, though he switched with her before in the incident. Taki would first realize that they were switching places when he saw memos on his phone (which were written by Mitsuha) and her name written on his hand, surprising him. At last, he realized that he was indeed switching bodies with Mitsuha after reactions from people around him. They got to know each other and laid down rules to protect their very different lifestyles, family, and friends. Even though Mitsuha helped Taki out with his relationship with Okudera and Mitsuha got more popular because of Taki, they also experienced annoyment and bickering, often leaving messages like "fool" or "idiot" on each other's bodies, and even telling each other that they were single because they wanted to be.

One day, Taki woke up in Mitsuha's body and went to their body of the Miyamizu Shrine's god, along with Yotsuha and their grandmother Hitoha. They went to the "underworld", the shrine. But returning to the shrine means that someone needs to leave the most important thing belonging to yourself, the "kuchikamizake", (a sake both Mitsuha and Yotsuha made by chewing rice to intake yeast for fermentation), which is half of Mitsuha and something to offer to the gods in the shrine, in exchange. At the way back home, Taki was confused about some old Itomori expressions and about the comet, to which Hitoha noted that Taki was probably dreaming. At that time, Taki woke up in his body and started crying. Right after, he got a message from Okudera.

Turns out, Mitsuha arranged a date with Okudera for him. Taki hurried to Okudera and they went on their date. They enjoyed themselves, but Taki was quite hopeless in terms of dates, but Mitsuha had given him some advice, though Taki noted that she was mocking him. When they were watching an exhibition, Taki saw a picture of Itomori and looked at it in awe. After the date, Okudera noted that Taki had previously a crush on her, but now liked someone else, to which Taki nervously and embarrassingly tried to deny. After the date, Taki was reading through the memos Mitsuha wrote and wondered what she meant by saying that the comet would be visible after the date. He then proceeded to call her, but with no reply. At the same time in Mitsuha's timeline (2013), the comet struck with the residents perishing. After this, Taki didn't switch bodies with Mitsuha anymore.

Because of this, Taki started drawing a picture of Itomori in hopes of finding Mitsuha for the following days and presumably weeks. Since he didn't know the town's name, Taki relied solely on his memory of Itomori's sceneries to draw the various picture. After completing his drawings, he went on a trip with Tsukasa and Okudera to look for her. When passing by a restaurant, an older man that lived in Itomori before was impressed by his drawing. When Taki excitedly asked if the town was near, the man replied that a comet hit Itomori three years ago and killed most of the residents, shocking Taki as he didn't know about this. When they arrived at Itomori, Taki was explained by Tsukasa that this accident took many lives. Taki thought it was some kind of misunderstanding and proceeded to prove it with the memos Mitsuha left behind on his phone, but they disappeared from his phone. They then went to a library and studied the events of the comet, and when Taki saw Mitsuha's name as one of the victims of the comet, he became absolutely devastated.

Taki, Tsukasa and Okudera then went to an inn to spend the night. Taki started questioning things like what actually happened to Mitsuha and how he switched bodies with her, and slowly, his memory of her started to fade away. However, the word braided cord sparkled Taki's interest as he was wearing one, someone had given one to him in the past. At night, Taki was looking at a map of Itomori and when he fell asleep, he heard Mitsuha's voice, asking if he didn't remember her, which made him remember about her. As such, Taki went out to go to the "underworld" the following day, where Mitsuha and Yotsuha's "other half" was, their kuchikamizake. When he arrived at the cave where the kuchikamizakes were, Taki realized that their timelines weren't in step to begin with.

He then proceeded to drink Mitsuha's sake and wished to travel back in time to prevent Mitsuha's, as well as the other Itomori residents', death. The plan seemed unsuccessful until Taki fell and saw a comet. Taki then went through a dream sequence with Mitsuha's braided cord as a connection. He saw her past and the time when Mitsuha switched bodies with himself and when she announced that she would go to Tokyo, and later the festival to watch the comet. Before seeing the comet strike in the dream where Mitsuha would perish, Taki woke up in Mitsuha's body the day the comet would strike. Mitsuha was alive and well, making Taki in her body, overjoyed.

Taki then tried to inform Mitsuha's grandmother of the situation, but she didn't believe him. But this didn't stop Taki, as he mentioned that he absolutely wouldn't let anyone die. He then started making a plan with Sayaka and Tessie so they could evacuate all the citizens. Taki tried to convince Mitsuha's father and other small children, but with no success. Taki thought that Mitsuha should've been able to complete the mission. Because of that, he realized that since he had fallen asleep in the Miyamizu shrine in the "underworld", Mitsuha should be in his body there since they are switching places, so Taki started to make his way there. When Taki got to the mountains, the entrance to the "underworld", he called out to her, with Mitsuha doing the same. They heard each other and knew they were there, but they couldn't see each other, because of their different timelines. However, they started searching for each other and when they felt like they had passed by each other, they tried to reach out to each other but failing. Hopelessly, as they saw how the sun went down, both Mitsuha and Taki, now in their original bodies and the same timeline, commented on how it was Twilight - "Kataware-doki", shocking them both deeply upon seeing one another.

They both were extremely happy to finally see each other. Taki explained the lengths he had to go through to save her, for example drinking her kuchikamizake, to which Mitsuha commented on Taki being a pervert which made him clueless but he apologized. Mitsuha then saw that Taki had her braided cord as an armband. Taki explained that he had kept it for three years and gave it back to Mitsuha to wear. After conversing and enjoying each others company, Taki explained to Mitsuha that she had things to do, since the comet was already visible, with Kataware-doki almost coming to an end. Taki suggested that they should write their name on each other's hand so they wouldn't forget each other's name, to which Mitsuha happily agreed to. At first, Taki wrote his name (though it was later revealed that he wrote "I love you"), but before Mitsuha could do the same, she and Taki were separated by their timelines once again, with Mitsuha being sent back to 2013, leaving Taki alone in the mountains. He tried to look around for any traces from Mitsuha, but with no success. Taki then commented on the horizontal line Mitsuha had written at the start of her name, that no matter where she was in the world, he would definitely go find her. Taki repeatedly said Mitsuha's name so he wouldn't forget her name and about her, but in the end, he did. The feeling of forgetting someone dear to him, made Taki cry while shouting out for "her" name.

After Mitsuha had saved everyone in her town back in 2013, Taki woke up in the original timeline (2016), still in the mountains. However, he had forgotten everything that happened the previous day and asked himself what he was doing in such a place.

Epilogue (2021)
8 years after the comet struck, Taki is 22 years old. He has completed both completed high school and university and is now searching for a job to become an architect.

One day, Taki was seen on a train. Glancing at his hand, he looks out the door and sees a woman with a red ribbon, that catches his attention. Taki is speechless and tries to get off the train as fast as possible, but is disappointed as he couldn't fully understand why he was doing it. He always felt like he is searching for someone or something, which he has felt like since five years ago.

He then went to various job interviews and explained his reasons for applying for the job; to build a city's landscape. While meeting up with his high school friends, he got a message from Okudera; she suggested that they should meet up for a bit, especially since she's nearby for work. They talked about how they went to Itomori once, and how they didn't remember much from back then. However, at one point, Taki mentioned that he was inexplicably drawn to the events surrounding Itomori, and though half of the town disappeared, the citizens survived. He read those articles intently on the net, and he still wonders what had caught his attention, especially since he never knew someone in that town. Before parting ways, Okudera tells him that he'll be happy someday too, to which Taki glances at his hand once again. On one rainy day, Taki heard a couple behind him in a cafe talking about their upcoming wedding. When the young woman called out to the man; "Tessie", Taki got surprised (since he actually knew them when he was in Mitsuha's body). However, they went out before Taki could say anything. Another snowy day, Taki passed a young woman on the street, where her red ribbon caught his attention. He looked back at her, only to see her continue walking. Thinking that he was misunderstood, he continued walking as well.

Several months later, Taki glanced at his hand for the third time before going out to work. When he was on the train, he saw a young woman with the ribbon, staring at him in shock and awe in another train in front of him, with Taki making a similar reaction upon seeing her. At this moment, both knew they were always, for the past years, searching for each other. After getting off of the trains, they ran and tried to find each other. After a hasty search, they found each other at a staircase; Taki at the bottom and Mitsuha at the top. Mitsuha was still lost for words and stood still. In Taki's case, despite being shocked, he didn't say anything or react and instead went up while Mitsuha made her way down. This made them both regretful and sad, but when Taki reached the top, he called out to Mitsuha, and noted that they had met before. When Mitsuha replied that she also thought so, both of them started to cry out of joy. The movie ends with them asking for each others' names.

Mitsuha Miyamizu
When Taki and Mitsuha first started switching bodies, they were very confused but agreed to help each other to solve the mystery of the body switching. They had very different lifestyles which, so they laid down rules to protect each other lifestyles, however, bickering still occurred between the two due to various reasons. At times, Taki was very grateful towards Mitsuha for helping him with his relationship with Okudera, but at other times he became irritated at her for changing his relationship with other people. This resulted with both of them leaving insults like "idiot" at each other bodies. Despite their complex relationship, they developed a very deep and friendly connection, as Taki learned a lot about Mitsuha, her lifestyle, traditions, family, and friends.

As time passed, Taki started to develop romantic feelings for Mitsuha, which was first noted by Okudera, who was ironically Taki's previous crush. Taki embarrassingly denied this while blushing, but his feelings for Mitsuha were very obvious. When he stopped switching bodies with Mitsuha, he became very shocked and tried to contact her. When it redeemed impossible, he decided to meet her in person instead. During the time Taki drew Itomori, he continued with his normal day-to-day life, but thought about Mitsuha the whole time and had a very strong will to find her no matter what. When he finally learned about her true status, Taki was absolutely devastated and couldn't make sense of anything, which left him in a state of hopelessness and confusion. Though his memory of her slowly started to fade away, Taki still had a very strong desire and motivation to save Mitsuha, which is why he had gone to great lengths to do so; going to the underworld and drinking her kuchikamizake in hopes of reversing time to save her. Okudera noted the person Taki was trying to save, was someone important to him that he was changed by.

When his plan did become successful and Taki woke up in Mitsuha's body, he was so overjoyed that he started crying. In hopes of Mitsuha and her friends surviving, Taki worked really hard convince everyone to evacuate and made a plan, but stated that he couldn't do so and thought that Mitsuha should be able to do it. This means that Taki believes in Mitsuha's and her abilities completely. When Taki found out that Mitsuha had gone to Tokyo to find him before he even got to know her, he was shocked and hesitant. But he later remembered about it, as Mitsuha had given him her braided cord (which makes the two of them connected by the red string of fate), and even though not knowing her at the time, he was seemingly interested to get to know her. When he realized this, he was very happy and at the same time very touched by her actions as she had come to search for him, even when he didn't even know her at the time. When they finally met each other for real at Kataware-doki, they were very happy and at the same time, nervous. Because, at this time, their romantic feelings were mutual. They very comfortable and casual, but also nervous in each other's presence and occasionally blushed. Before being separated because of the timelines, Taki confessed by writing that he loved Mitsuha on her hand instead of writing his name. It is said that Taki did this because even though Mitsuha would possibly forget about him, she would still know that someone out there, loved her. This message would be a driving factor for Mitsuha to save Itomori as well. When they became separated, Taki reassured himself that he wouldn't forget her name, but when he did, he became so hopeless and sad that he started crying out for her. He didn't want to, and felt like he shouldn't, forget about Mitsuha, who had become so precious and dear to him. Despite this, Taki completely forgot about everything that had happened, but would still have lingering feelings about the horizontal line Mitsuha wrote on his right hand before being separated for the following years.

In adulthood, he always feels like he has forgotten someone important, and is always searching for something or someone. He says that the feeling had possessed him for a while and theorizes that it must be something from a dream he could never recall. He constantly looks at his hand where Mitsuha had written at the start of her name, and even though he doesn't remember anything about it, he knows that it has some deep feelings behind it. When Okudera said that he would also be happy someday, Taki looked at his hand, meaning that the feelings behind this "message" from the person who wrote it, is Taki's source of happiness (Mitsuha). When they saw each other at last at the trains in front of each other, they instantly recognized each other, despite not uttering a word. They then realized that they had always been, for the past years, searching for each other. Taki was determined, stressed and hurried to find this woman he didn't know when he got off the trains. But when they just passed each other without saying anything, it made them feel regretful and sad, until Taki noted that they had met before. When Mitsuha said she felt the same, both of them started crying out of joy. As so, their relationship will start anew from this moment.

Due to their connection with the red string of fate, Taki and Mitsuha are indeed fated lovers who were destined to eventually meet, despite time, circumstances, or place. So it is therefore heavily implied ― to completely confirmed ― that they will eventually get together.

Miki Okudera
Taki worked at the same restaurant as her and addresses her as "Okudera-senpai". It is stated that Taki had a crush on her for a while, as Mitsuha in Taki's body saw that he had a few pictures of her. He would also blush and become a bit nervous in her presence. However, their relationship didn't go any further until Taki and Mitsuha started switching bodies. When Mitsuha in Taki's body helped sew her skirt as a customer had cut it, Taki gained the admiration from Okudera, as she didn't know he had a "feminine" side even though he was a bit stubborn. After this, they started to spend more time and went out to cafes and such, which made Taki grateful towards Mitsuha. But this also led to jealousy from other male co-workers at the restaurant, much to Taki's confusion.

One day, Mitsuha arranged a real date for Taki and Okudera, which made Taki very surprised. Even though Mitsuha thought that they would get together, Okudera noted after the date that Taki previously had a crush on her, but now liked someone else (Mitsuha), to which Taki embarrassingly tried to deny.

After this, they still remain, good friends, as Okudera followed Taki on his trip to find Mitsuha. However, Taki saw Tsukasa and Okudera as "irritating" as they really didn't help him look for Mitsuha. After finding out about Itomori's state and Mitsuha's status, Okudera admitted to Tsukasa that she did like him and that even though she couldn't make sense of Taki was saying, she was sure that the person Taki was searching for changed him. Their friendship is steady even in adulthood, as they sometimes meet when Okudera is nearby for work. Okudera, like Taki's high school friends, like to tease him in a friendly way. And now when Okudera is married, she reassures him that he will be happy one day, too.

Trivia

 * His name, Taki (瀧) means "waterfall" or "rapids".
 * Taki is three years younger than Mitsuha.
 * When Mitsuha and Taki met at Kataware-doki, it was the only time they were the same age, as one would experience something "not human" at Twilight (Kataware-doki).
 * The red braided cord Taki got from Mitsuha is a reference to a Japanese myth: "The red string of fate". The two people connected by the red thread are destined lovers, regardless of time, place or circumstances. This magical cord may stretch or tangle, but never break.
 * This is also associated with the concept of the movie: "Musubi"; knotting, which has a similar description. Mitsuha and Taki were separated by time, circumstances and memory, but they still met at the end with their hearts connected, despite completely forgetting about each other.
 * When he inhabits Mitsuha's body, he wears a ponytail since he doesn't know how Mitsuha does her hairstyle.
 * When embarrassed or nervous, Taki tends to clench his fist.
 * When he switched bodies with Mitsuha, Taki touched her chest quite a lot, as Yotsuha saw it happening at least three times.
 * When Taki told Mitsuha to write her name on his hand at "Kataware-doki", it's actually a reference to the first time they started switching bodies, as Mitsuha wrote her name on her hand when she was in Taki's body.