Taki Tachibana
Taki Tachibana
| Kanji | 立花 瀧 |
|---|---|
| Rōmaji | Tachibana Taki |
| Information | |
| Gender | Male |
| Age | 14 (by2013) 17 (by2016) 22-23 (by2022) |
| Date of birth | December 1st, 1998 |
| Hair Color | Brown |
| Eye Color | Blue |
| Blood Type | AB |
| Personal Status | |
| Status | Alive |
| Family | Fumi Tachibana (Grandmother) Unnamed Grandfather† Unnamed Father Unnamed Mother Mitsuha Miyamizu(Wife)[3] (Father-in-law)Toshiki Miyamizu Futaba Miyamizu(Mother-in-law)† Yotsuha Miyamizu(Sister-in-law) Hitoha Miyamizu(Grandmother-in-law) |
| Occupation | Architect Student(Formerly) Waiter(Formerly) |
| Affiliations | Jingu High School(Formerly) Italian Restaurant(Formerly) |
| Voice Actors | |
| Japanese | Ryunosuke Kamiki |
| English | Michael Sinterniklaas |
| Debut | |
| Film | Kimi no Na wa. |
| Manga | Chapter 1 |
| Novel | Kimi no Na wa. (Novel) |
| “ | ” | |
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— Taki Tachibana
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Appearance
Tachibana Taki’s full appearance.
Taki Tachibana is characterized as a young man of average height and build, often described as handsome. He has spiky, nape-length brown hair that falls into bangs over his forehead and striking dark blue eyes. Taki’s impulsive nature sometimes leads him to sport band-aids, particularly on his cheek, adding to his rugged charm.
At the film’s outset, Taki is introduced in a simple outfit comprising a plain white t-shirt and blue shorts, with a white band-aid prominently placed on his left cheek. His typical school uniform features a white dress shirt paired with a striped green tie, a dark blue blazer, dark gray trousers, and black loafers adorned with a black belt.
When working at his part-time job, Taki dons a waiter’s ensemble consisting of a black vest over a long-sleeved dress shirt, complemented by a black bow tie and an apron that covers his pants.
During a pivotal date with Miki Okudera, he wears a dark jacket over a V-neck shirt adorned with stripes in orange, blue, and white, along with khaki pants and black sneakers featuring shoelaces. Taki often sports an orange wristband on his right arm, a good-luck charm gifted to him by Mitsuha Miyamizu.
As a 14-year-old, Taki was notably shorter and had a smaller build, though his facial features remained consistent as he matured. He is depicted in his standard middle school uniform, which consists of a white shirt, a green tie, and a pale yellow blazer.
In adulthood, Taki experiences a significant growth spurt, developing broad shoulders and a taller stature. He is frequently seen in a black suit with a blue tie, a look that draws playful comments from his high school friends.
Personality
Taki Tachibana is a generally kind and hardworking individual known for his caring nature. He is responsible, level-headed, and eager to help those around him. While Taki displays a strong organizational ability in his daily life, his creative passions, particularly in architecture and art, can occasionally lead to a more chaotic approach. This blend of creativity and busyness makes him both diligent and, at times, disorganized.
Despite his positive traits, Taki can be sensitive and quick to anger, often manifesting in impatience and stubbornness. His quick temper is highlighted when Mitsuha Miyamizu first wakes up in his body, revealing a bandage on his face that suggests he was involved in a fight.
Taki has a tendency to speak his mind without much filter, particularly when feeling nervous or stressed. This bluntness can lead to awkward moments, though he usually corrects himself almost immediately. While he remains polite, Taki’s straightforwardness means he doesn’t shy away from standing up for himself and others, contrasting sharply with Mitsuha, who often endures belittlement without a word. In her body, Taki becomes more assertive, helping Mitsuha find the courage to confront her father.
When inhabiting Mitsuha’s body, Taki’s carefree and tomboyish demeanor leads him to act without considering traditional boundaries, such as skirts and bras. He unintentionally becomes a source of attention for Mitsuha, garnering love letters from both boys and girls, which highlights his charismatic and sociable nature. However, Taki struggles with romance, often claiming to be single by choice. He finds himself at a loss during his date with Miki Okudera and struggles to acknowledge his feelings for Mitsuha, despite their obvious nature.
Taki’s determination shines through as he embarks on a journey to find Mitsuha, using only sketches of her town drawn from memory, unaware of its name. Even after discovering that she has passed away three years prior, his resolve to reconnect with her remains unwavering. Five years later, despite having forgotten her, his determination continues to linger.
In adulthood, Taki matures while retaining many aspects of his original personality. His fascination with architecture deepens, as he aspires to create heartwarming landscapes in Tokyo, driven by the fear that they, too, could vanish like Itomori. Beneath his ambitions, Taki grapples with a sense of emptiness, often mistaking his longing for connection with the stress of finding a job—until he ultimately reunites with Mitsuha.
In other media
Manga
In the manga adaptation of Kimi no Na wa., Taki’s job hunt is excluded to provide more focus on Mitsuha Miyamizu’s perspective in the epilogue. This shift allows readers to gain deeper insight into Mitsuha’s thoughts and experiences following the events of the film.
Tenki no Ko
On August 14, 2021, Taki is seen visiting his grandmother’s house to assist with the Obon ceremony for his late grandfather. During this visit, he encounters Hina Amano and Hodaka Morishima, offering advice to Hodaka on selecting a suitable gift for Hina’s upcoming birthday. At this point, Taki has not yet reunited with Mitsuha.
In a 2024 interview, director Makoto Shinkai confirmed that Taki and Mitsuha eventually get married, solidifying their connection beyond the events of Kimi no Na wa.
Relationships
Taki & Mitsuha.
Mitsuha Miyamizu
Taki first connects with Mitsuha when they begin switching bodies in their dreams. In an effort to navigate this unusual phenomenon, they establish rules to protect each other’s distinct lifestyles. Initially, their relationship is complex; Taki feels gratitude towards Mitsuha but also experiences frustration due to her actions. Conversely, Mitsuha is often annoyed with Taki’s behavior while in her body. This leads to bickering, name-calling, and lighthearted insults, such as “idiot,” exchanged between them. However, despite these conflicts, they develop a profound bond, coming to understand one another on a deeper level. Taki grows to care for Mitsuha, learning about her traditions, family, and the pressures she faces as a shrine maiden. He admires her resilience in dealing with societal criticism and the challenges posed by her father.
As their relationship evolves, Taki begins to develop romantic feelings for Mitsuha, though he awkwardly denies this when confronted. After their body-switching ceases, Taki becomes determined to meet Mitsuha in person, feeling an urgent need to reconnect with her. His heart shatters when he discovers the truth about her fate, plunging him into despair. Despite his memories of her fading, Taki’s desire to save Mitsuha never wavers. He goes to great lengths, including visiting the Miyamizu shrine and drinking her kuchikamizake in hopes of reversing time to save her. When Taki successfully wakes up in Mitsuha’s body, he is overwhelmed with joy, shedding tears of happiness.
Taki’s determination to prevent the disaster that befalls Mitsuha and her hometown is unwavering; he believes in her abilities to change the course of events. When he learns that Mitsuha traveled to Tokyo in search of him, he is deeply touched by her effort, especially since he didn’t know her at the time. He treasures the braided cord she gave him, symbolizing their connection through the “red string of fate.”
When Taki and Mitsuha finally meet at Kataware-doki, they are both overjoyed and nervous, their mutual romantic feelings evident. They feel comfortable with each other, reminiscent of their body-switching days, yet also blush with embarrassment. In a poignant moment, Taki confesses his love for Mitsuha by writing it on her hand instead of signing his name, signifying that while their memories may fade, his feelings for her remain intact. He promises to find her, no matter where she is in the world. However, as time passes, he begins to forget everything about her, leading to a lingering sense of emptiness and an unshakeable feeling that he is searching for someone important.
In the years that follow, Taki’s subconscious quest to find Mitsuha persists. He occasionally glances at his palm, where she wrote an incomplete message, sensing its emotional weight despite having no recollection of it. When Taki eventually encounters Mitsuha again, they instantly recognize each other, understanding that their paths have always been intertwined. Their reunion is filled with relief and joy, marking a significant moment after years of searching.
The connection between Taki and Mitsuha is cemented by the red string of fate, implying that they are destined lovers meant to meet despite the challenges posed by time and circumstance. According to theTenki no Kolight novel, Taki and Mitsuha marry by 2024.
Miki & Taki.
Miki Okudera
Taki works alongside Miki Okudera at an Italian restaurant, where he respects her as a senior and addresses her as “Okudera-senpai.” Initially, he harbors a crush on her, often mesmerized by her beauty and feeling nervous in her presence. Their relationship remains friendly until Taki and Mitsuha begin switching bodies. When Mitsuha, in Taki’s body, helps Okudera with a sewing mishap, Taki gains her admiration for displaying a “feminine” side, which surprises her.
As they spend more time together, Taki and Okudera develop a mutual crush, leading to occasional outings and a growing friendship. However, their budding romance leads to jealousy from other male co-workers. Mitsuha attempts to arrange a date for Taki and Okudera, but Taki deems it a disaster. Despite this, their friendship remains intact, with Okudera teasing Taki playfully.
As Taki embarks on his journey to find Mitsuha, Okudera supports him, even expressing confusion about his feelings. Their friendship endures into adulthood, with occasional meet-ups when Okudera is in town for work. Now married, Okudera reassures Taki that he will find happiness one day, reinforcing the strong bond they share despite the evolving dynamics in their lives.
Etymology
Trivia
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The red braided cord that Taki receives from Mitsuha Miyamizu references the Japanese myth known as the “red string of fate.” According to this belief, two people connected by the red thread are destined to be lovers, regardless of time, place, or circumstances. This magical cord may stretch or tangle but never breaks, symbolizing an unbreakable bond.
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This concept is closely associated with the theme of “Musubi,” which relates to time. Despite being separated by time, circumstances, and memory, Taki and Mitsuha’s feelings remain interconnected until they finally reunite.
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When Taki inhabits Mitsuha’s body, he wears her hair in a ponytail because he is unfamiliar with her hairstyle. Interestingly, on their first day of switching bodies, he wore her hair down.
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Taki often touches Mitsuha’s chest during their body-switching episodes, a fact Yotsuha Miyamizu witnesses at least three times.
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When Taki asks Mitsuha to write her name on his hand during their meeting at Twilight (Kataware-doki), it mirrors the first time they switched bodies, when Mitsuha had also written her name on her hand while in Taki’s body.
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Their meeting at Kataware-doki is significant as it marks the only moment they are the same age; this occurs because one experiences something otherworldly during this time.
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Taki has a tendency to clench his fists when he feels embarrassed or nervous, highlighting his expressive personality.