Watch The First Trailer For Shinkai's THE GARDEN OF WORDS

Japanese animator Shinkai Makoto has earned a loyal following around the world with his sensitive tales of love and loss. And while many fans felt somewhat disappointed by what felt like a deliberate - and only moderately effective - turn towards the Ghibli-style mainstream with his most recent effort, Children Who Chase Lost Voices From Deep Below, he seems to be operating back within his wheelhouse with the upcoming The Garden Of Words.

Takao, who is training to become a shoemaker, skipped school and is sketching shoes in a Japanese-style garden. He meets a mysterious woman, Yukino, who is older than him. Then, without arranging the times, the two start to see each other again and again, but only on rainy days. They deepen their relationship and open up to each other. But the end of the rainy season soon approaches...

A new Shinkai film is always something of an event to look forward to and that wait gets a little harder with the arrival of the first trailer - subtitles included - below.