Nagi Amano in Weathering with You is voiced by Sakura Kiryu in the Japanese version and Emeka Guindo in the English dub. Nagi is a precocious 10-year-old boy who serves as both comic relief and a quietly tragic figure in the film, and both performances capture his unusual mix of childlike energy and emotionally mature detachment.
Sakura Kiryu (Japanese Voice Actor)
Date of Birth
April 22, 2004
About Sakura
Sakura Kiryu (吉柳咲良) is a Japanese actress and voice actress born in Tochigi Prefecture, Japan. Having begun her career at a remarkably young age, she was still a teenager when she delivered her voice performance as Nagi Amano in Weathering with You (2019), directed by Makoto Shinkai. Her ability to convey a layered, emotionally complex character in one of Japan’s highest-profile animated films of that year brought her significant early recognition.
Beyond voice work, Kiryu has built a substantial live-action career in Japanese film and television, demonstrating a versatility that spans drama, youth series, and genre projects. Commenters on platforms like AsianWiki have praised her performances, with one noting she is “a legit acting genius” based on her live-action work. Her stage name is written in Japanese as 吉柳咲良, and she is also known by the alternate name 柳田 咲良.
Her casting as Nagi in Weathering with You was a strong fit given the character’s need to feel simultaneously childlike and world-weary. Nagi, though only ten years old, has been forced into emotional maturity by the loss of his mother and the responsibility of supporting his teenage sister, and Kiryu’s performance reflects that quiet depth beneath the character’s comic surface.
Hometown
Tochigi Prefecture, Japan
Career Highlights
- Nagi Amano – Weathering with You (2019)
- Akiko Inoue – Lonely Castle in the Mirror (2022)
Full Current Filmography
The following list reflects documented credits and may not be exhaustive.
Anime (Selected, Chronological Highlights)
- Nagi Amano – Weathering with You (2019)
- Akiko Inoue – Lonely Castle in the Mirror (2022)
Critical Reception
Weathering with You was a major critical and commercial success in Japan, earning the Animation of the Year award at the 43rd Japan Academy Prize and serving as Japan’s submission for Best International Feature Film at the 92nd Academy Awards. Kiryu’s portrayal of Nagi was part of an ensemble that contributed to the film’s emotional resonance, with the character’s understated performance style noted as a highlight of his scenes.
Emeka Guindo (English Voice Actor)
About Emeka
Emeka Guindo is the English dub voice of Nagi Amano in Weathering with You, as confirmed by the official GKIDS cast announcement and credits listed at Behind the Voice Actors. The English dub was produced by NYAV Post and directed by Michael Sinterniklaas and Stephanie Sheh, the same team behind the acclaimed English dub of Your Name.
The English dub of Weathering with You featured a high-profile cast that included Lee Pace, Alison Brie, and Riz Ahmed in supporting adult roles. Guindo’s performance as Nagi was part of this carefully assembled production, tasked with conveying the character’s signature blend of boyish bravado and emotional guardedness.
Nagi’s role as the self-styled “master of romance” who offers unsolicited dating advice to the socially awkward Hodaka requires a voice performance that walks a careful line between comedic timing and sincere warmth, and Guindo’s casting brought that balance to the English-language version of the film.
Career Highlights
- Nagi Amano – Weathering with You (English dub, 2020)
Critical Reception
The English dub of Weathering with You was released theatrically in the United States beginning January 15, 2020, following Fathom Events fan preview screenings. The production was handled by NYAV Post under official GKIDS supervision, lending the dub a level of craft consistent with the studio’s other prestige anime releases. The film itself holds a strong critical reputation, and the ensemble dub cast received generally positive notice for maintaining the emotional tone of the original Japanese version.
