Suzume no Tojimari

I finally watched new Shinkai's anime and I got very disappointed. The story wasn't interesting and got TOO boring in the middle! Plus the chair part was so stupid tbh. I believe if it wasn't one of shinkai's anime, the point was around 6 or 7, not 8. And I was wondering why they didn't use that famous ost properly? They use is very very short in the beginning of the movie and that was it :/ I was ready to hear it more at the end when everything got settled but there was nothing. It was disappointing too. Like waste of a wonderful ost to use it nowhere but only in youtube videos!! The only things I liked was the attention they made to put communication between women or What happens when a girl get away from home and what people and events she can face? (in positive way ofc), the art was beautiful as always and I liked the meaning of the movie which was the only person who can save you, is you.

The themes of loss and trauma (and the depiction of Japan's natural disasters and it's effect on the survivors) were brilliant and wonderfully articulated. The instinct latch on to something and the fear of losing it when the character had already lost so much, is a stellar demonstration of Skinkai's ability to show his emotional intelligence through his scripts and storytelling. His films are all about the connections we keep, try to keep, and those we lose without warning. This felt more refined in that way, the themes permeated the whole film in a very naturalistic way. The characters aren't massively complex, but somehow still feel grounded and honest. Shinkai uses his beautiful environments and background art to show us not just how someone lives, but bits about who they are. The film also benefits from it's main character. Shinkai chose a female protagonist, who's strength is in her ability to be empathetic and open (despite what she's been though). It's always appreciated to have female protagonists who's defining trait is something other than simply being "as tough as the guys".

Certainly, I am the least adequate person to talk about this movie and the lore of Shinkai since it's the second movie of his I watch after Your Name, and that's where most of the people who already watched his stuff might complain. Rather than spotting the similarities to his previous works, focus only on this "new" story. But it's easier said than done. Not gonna lie, both at the start and the end I was thinking "is this Your Name 2?", but it can probably be defined as a spiritual successor. HOWEVER, forget romance. A problem with Suzume (making it go from 10 to a solid 9) is how this theme was clearly evident but wasn't developed properly, making the finale feel not entirely satisfying. Think of it as more a platonic love. The movie is about family, losing loved ones, and especially on the unfortunate natural disasters that occur in Japan. And also, forget the romance because the math wasn't mathing, but no spoilers here. Furthermore (part 2), for the Italians, the dub is great (only some unusual word choices at the start) and Daijin's VA is fantastic. Other than this, the rest of the movie is perfect. The best advice is to watch it. If you didn't like it you only lost 2 hours of your life. Thank you for reading.

Saw the movie yesterday at my city's theaters, and it was an all around enjoyable experience. Prior to this movie I had already watched all Shinkai's movies and animation shorts, and after watching Suzume no Tojimari I can safely say 5 Centimeters per Second it's still his best movie. For like the 6th time Shinkai presents the same type of story we got to see in all his other movies, every time with some different elements, but of course the main themes of disaster and impossible love are still present. This time the movie uses the earthquake, a theme that's really important to Japanese people, to convey its message, especially having central to the story the earthquake of Kanto in 1923 and the recent disaster of Fukushima (most of those who didn't study Japanese history won't probably understand it's Kanto's earthquake when it will be slightly mentioned, not that it's that important to the plot itself). The first three quarters of the movie are really slow, while having some good scenes, and kind of light hearted, not that it's a bad thing on its own, especially after the emotional burdens that were forcefully placed throughout Kimi no na Wa and Tenki no Ko. The plot itself becomes relevant in the last part of the movie that, I have to say, is actually really good, while I still think that the supporting main character Souta could have been flashed out in a better way. Apart from him and Suzume herself there's also a cat in those characters worth mentioning, yet it's character is kind of misterious throughout the entire movie, and also by the credits roll it's not really clear what was its objective, I have my theories but I'll let the watcher think for himself. In the end, the plot is nothing incredible, but it's enough to support the movie. I noticed, like in his past work Children Who Chase Lost Voices, that Shinkai took some inspiration from some of Miyazaki's works, this time mostly visually rather than movie structure wise. The production quality is incredible as the other movies, with a great music score, even though not as good as Kimi no na Wa and Tenki no Ko, and even better animations than his previous movies, with also a really good use of CGI, present in those classic visually breathtaking Shinkai's action scenes. All around it's still the same exact movie we have seen multiple times, there is really nothing new to the formula, but it's still worth watching, because it's really enjoyable. The most I can give it is a 8/10, I hope Shinkai will try to spice things up in the next movie

I loved watching Suzume in the cinema, the message it conveys is great. And there are others like understanding feelings and things we can do at the time even if it seems wrong , suzume has grown up.questioned the moment you opened the first door and understood what she is like, how she feels, and what she wants. This is the main message. The author has made it clear that the girl I had a childhood Sad, even if her mother who likes her taught her how good it is when you understand. She, from a young adventurer, became a woman who even with shame Embraces her feelings. I'm waiting for the next shinkai, another masterpiece after your name , time with you is good but I didn't like it much, now this one I love everything . The art is the best.

Makoto Shinkai's newest work, "Suzume", is the one where he yet again excels at what he is renowned for, and more than that, tries to improve upon his well-known areas of expertise and his areas of shortfalls, with mostly success, and a few setbacks. For anyone in the anime-sphere, Shinkai's works need no further introduction, and personally, "Your Name" is still a movie I keep very close to my heart as it was one of the first anime movies that I watched. As such, I had good expectations going in, and I was overall very happy with my experience. Summary:- The movie follows the adventure of Suzume Iwato, a junior high school girl, whom finds herself suddenly sucked into an adventure to save Japan from disasters by closing certain doors, with talking kids chair as her sole comrade on this life-changing journey, and a cat hell-bent on chaos as the nemesis. We see her adventure play out through-out the film, going from one point of Japan to another, during which, we see her find new friends, develops new relationships and confront her past. Characters(8/10):- It is nice to see the characters find each other through circumstance organically, and develop relationships which feel genuine, and this aspect of the film is a success. But this is where an avenue of my critique of this film shall open, regarding how the characters are handled. I feel, apart from the main duo, the other characters aren't nearly as fleshed out as they should've been, and this becomes more evident in the second part of the film with the introduction of a certain side-character. This resulted me in liking the side-characters, and they certainly are memorable and fun, but at the same time, feel rather under-utilized in retrospect, however luckily this is not something which completely ruined the film experience, and the story remains on the foot throughout its length. Story(7/10):- As for the story, at its core, it is a simple coming-of-age tale and has themes of dealing with grief, the past, abandonment of the various places important to us, and the traditional Makoto Shinkai themes of love, and its power to overcome boundaries. In short, the story is simple and entertaining, and takes you on a journey of visual spectacle across Japan, although those who do not like Shinkai-style of stories will not be too pleased given the similar story beats it has to his previous works, but for the fans of his work and the general audience, it is enjoyable throughout its runtime. There were a few plot twists and serious character moments which were particularly well-handled and memorable, and the film in general had a more serious and emotional tone, but was filled with fun and cute romantic moments which kept the film from being too dark. It is nearly not as romance-oriented as Your Name was, and in an interview that Shinkai gave, he stated that is tired of boy-meets-girl stories but was advised by the producer to have it included in the film. As such, the movie dwells more on the friendship over the romantic aspect of the lead duo, something that I am happy with and was a nice change, albeit the romance does feel a bit shoe-horned at the end, but it is not dwelled upon and nothing really to be offended over. Animation and Audio(10/10):- The movie utilizes the excellent mix of traditional animation and CG, to deliver a visual spectacle only a few anime can deliver. The cinematography was something I was particularly impressed by. The dynamic shots, screen composition, coupled with beautiful backgrounds and smooth animation, made watching this in IMAX felt like that I was genuinely inside the film at times. The audio work was also top-notch and added a lot to the immersion. The soundtrack complimented to the movie well, and certainly was memorable and Radwimps hit it out with yet another good song to boot. Mr. Shinkai and his team deserve a round of applause for the visual, audio and technical aspect of this film. Genuinely no complaints here, I was blown away. Overall, to sum it up, I would recommend this movie. A fun adventure filled with action, adventure, comedy, sadness, nostalgia and relationships with the people we find, Suzume will manage to entertain. This is a must watch if you can get a hold of it to watch it in cinemas/IMAX, and even people who are not the biggest Shinkai fans will be entertained overall. A solid 8/10, and I await what Mr. Shinkai and his team will put together for us in the future.

Overall I enjoy Makoto Shinkai's work, and this movie is no exception. The animation is once again top notch, and I personally love his art direction and style. Especially when he has scenes of capturing every-day Japan from commuting around an area, the train stations, the food, or even a simple car ride. To me I always enjoy those simple moments that showcase everyday life in another country where you see similarities and differences. I digress, but Makoto does rely on some signature elements of super natural fantasy, a love story, humorous moments, and themes that relate to modern day Japan. The notable difference between Suzume and his last couple of films is the bigger focus on supernatural elements, and having more action related to it. You can argue it is constant in Your Name with how they switch bodies often, but this time it's more action heavy with how they have basically close these gates with a mystical creature about to cause earthquakes. Also the story does a good job conversing around Japan, and as I mentioned earlier I love how he captures everyday life. In fact, when it feels like the story reaches the climax, you realize you're only at the halfway point. Unlike your name the climax was evacuating the town, then a conclusion arc with Taki trying to remember something important and why he has a connection to a destroyed town. That was literally the last 10 minutes or so, while what at first feels like a climax in Suzume is only a little halfway through the story. The journey actually continues for Suzume trying to find a way to change things despite how she could walk away at that point. Honestly that is a strength with this movie. It's intense and an emotional ride throughout that doesn't let up until the very end. Similar to his past movies which I think is Makoto's greatest strength. You rarely feel like the story's pacing is off, or the story gets too sidetracked or bogged down. I say that for most of his films, and there are several moments throughout the film that make you emotional between the characters. One of the main themes in the movie is related to earthquakes as I have mentioned before. It has become common in his films to have a theme related to a natural disaster, or something that is truly relevant to almost everyone in Japan. It makes sense since Your Name has a natural disaster with the meteor destroying a town. Aka a nod towards Fukushima with it being all gone afterwards. Weathering With You tackles the effects of climate change. Suzume is back to natural disasters, but a bigger focus how all of Japan has to live in a volatile region with earthquakes. It's an effective way to tackle a cultural theme directly tied to Japan. The only issue I have with this film, and why it's not a 10/10 for me, is the love story feels rushed. Granted, it's not like they are getting married by the end, but the development of deep love was within a few days. It's a chaotic three days where it didn't have room to build the relationship unlike Your Name or Garden of Words for example. I feel like a bond was building, but the love element was too fast for my tastes and compared to his past films. Otherwise, another great that will keep you entertained through an emotional thrill ride.

"It might be tough moving forward, but at the end of a seemingly endless dark night, there will be morning." The Story [6/10]: While the story was intriguing, it felt disjointed in terms of following the supernatural plot and romance. The romance, though seemingly present, didn't actually exist in the film. Nonetheless, it conveys a beautiful message that no matter how low one falls, they can always rise back up with the help of their loved ones. Music [8/10]: Radwimps always creates beautiful music, but in this film, compared to Weathering With You, the music didn't hit as hard in terms of its placement. The music lacked the emotional impact of songs like "Grand Escape," which had a powerful message of Hodaka catching Hina or Your Name's ending song that panned up with the credits. However, while the music was still good and it was interesting to see other Japanese artists on the car journey, the fact that Spotify was a sponsor may have affected the usual formula with Radwimps instrumental/vocal tracks in this dynamic. Visuals / Artstyle [10/10]: As always, the visuals and art style were stunning. This anime will undoubtedly be featured in social media edits of visuals synced with music all over Instagram, TikTok, and Twitter. Character Development [4/10]: Unfortunately, the anime's character development was lacking. While the protagonist's message was well-built, the romance was unconvincing, as there was hardly any interaction between the two characters. Though it was nice to see new characters introduced along the journey, it would have been more effective to focus on the dynamic between the two leads to evoke a stronger emotional response. Conclusion [7/10]: Despite seeing the film on the big screen, which is always an incredible experience, I was not as engrossed in the story as I was with Your Name and Weathering With You, where I could feel the characters' dynamic relationships. There were moments that nearly moved me to tears, but the lack of character development did not justify my emotions for the characters' relationships, only for the characters themselves. This is still a good watch but I will likely not rewatch this as much as Weathering With You and Your Name. Leading me to give this a high 6

The movie did begin like a normal one but the OST , the plot, the characters made everything come to life . Makoto Shinkai has woven an intricate and mesmerizing web. This movie is not for people who enjoy fights and stuff. A truly thought provoking and a masterpiece of a movie. The characters were really well set up especially Suzumes past. This movie declares chair as an official gender so thats a W. A very good mix of all genres and in a subtly enjoyable manner. This movie is like 80% unpredictable.A must watch movie irrespective of whether you are a Makoto Shinkai fan or not.

If I had to describe this movie with one word it'll have to be stunning; I've watched all of Makoto's movies and they are all magical in their own way. Honestly, the balance this masterpiece has between comedy, sad moments and romance is really enjoyable. The animation is just so satisfactory, the details and colours were beautiful. What I love the most about this three recent movies is the music, because I love the emotions the RADWIMPS are capable of transmitting, like the songs truly help you connect with what is happening. About the characters, I can only say it was a rollercoaster, I had moments were I hated and loved them, which is good because that makes more human, we are not perfect so there is no need to always agree with some decisions; in addition to this, they had a character development that was really significant, even thought this is just a 2h movie. So I know it's not for everyone, but it's definitely a wholesome story that is worth watching.

Makoto Shinkai never disappoints. This must be the best movie I have ever watched in my life. It's one of those films that you carry with you, stays in your head until bedtime. It gives you a new feeling, that mixture of happiness for having watched something so good and sadness for it being over. It's complicated to describe, but it's a very good feeling that I would even venture to say makes you a better person. After 2 years as an immigrant, alone in a country on the other side of the Atlantic, finally coming back home and being able to watch this movie on a Monday afternoon (paying half price!) touched me in a different way. Going back home is always good, and there are always doors that should be closed, while new ones should be opened. Going back home always brings back new memories. Sitting at the bus stop, I remembered that about 7 years ago, I was in the same place, waiting for the bus to go to some anime convention with my friends. How time flies! It flies so fast that, before you even realize it, you'll find yourself looking back at a past that is getting farther away. Last month, last year, two or eight years ago... It was a great experience. I totally recommend it. Every time I saw Daijin, especially after (spoiler that I won't give), I remembered of my cats. Both looked very similar to the ones in the movie. I gave them many hugs and kisses. I missed them.

I watched Suzume no Tojimari in theaters and I have to say I thoroughly enjoyed it. If I were to compare it to the other two Makoto Shinkai films I've seen, I would put it significantly higher than Tenki no Ko but slightly below Kimi no Na wa. The art and music were fantastic but I believe the writing kept Suzume no Tojimari from reaching its full potential. [Story 7/10] Suzume no Tojimari excels in every category except, arguably the most important, the plot. Some strong ideas were present but, consistent with the other Shinkai films I've watched, the writing was lacking in a few places. To me, it felt like there was an imbalance of ideas with some stretching on for too long and some not being explored enough. One example of this, without getting into spoilers, is a partial flashback that I felt was a missed opportunity to better explore a character's past and allow the audience to make a stronger connection to them. In terms of positives, there was some light humor sprinkled throughout the film which was refreshing and I found all the characters to be likable. There was also a heightened connection to the real world with some references to global events and pop culture which I thought added to the story. [Art 10/10] As expected, the artwork and animation in this movie are top-notch. Shinkai's films remain some of my favorites in terms of art and Suzume no Tojimari did not disappoint. You could pause the movie at almost any frame and it would make an excellent wallpaper. [Sound 9/10] The soundtrack was quite good, but nothing crazy. I thought the music complemented all the scenes, from the emotional to the energetic, quite well. The opening song gave off a mysterious vibe that I thought perfectly suited the movie. [Overall 9/10] If you enjoyed Kimi no Na wa or any of Shinkai's other films, Suzume no Tojimari is definitely worth giving a watch. Although the story could be improved upon, the art and music are superb and I believe the movie is worth experiencing.

A movie which put me right in the feels. A simple story with standard plot beats, cliche story lines and made for a casual audience. But are these exactly bad things. In this day and age simpler movies like Suzume no Tojimari feels like a breath of fresh air. Yes the story is straightforward enough, the characters are genuine good characters with commonplace motivations but it all felt real, such that even a child could relate with the themes. I felt a lot of similarities to how I felt when I watched Tangled. A simple story made for pre-teens which even adults can appreciate. A character's journey through the world discovering the real and the fantastical at the same time, forming relationships, maturing. And all the themes, story beats were executed wonderfully, just perfect. At no point in the movie was I bored or felt distracted or thrown off the main plot. Every side thread was connected with the main plot whether it is a helpful person helping Suzume grow as a character or revealing more about the mystery. The reason I was engrossed for the whole 2 hours was the animation and the music. The plot was the meat and potatoes, but the music, oh mama, was just the perfect flavoring, elevating the movie to levels never reached before. It was just perfectly synced with the mood of the scene and its definitely the best part of the movie experience, especially in the theatre. The animation was world class as expected. If anyone can pull of 3-D animation on the big screen its Comix Wave with their standard high quality animation. The characterization was really good infact the plot is just a side story. This movie is really a story of the growth of a character discovering worlds, meeting new people and having new experiences and confronting a childhood trauma. However she is the only with a complete character growth. I did feel the characterisation of Souta, her aunt and Daijin to be a bit unfinished, more could have been done with them. But its not bad enough to put me off from enjoying everything about the movie. Story - 7/10 Really good. Solid stuff, engaging throughout with great pacing, and all the plot beats are well executed. But its nothing new, just fresh and pure. Characters - 8/10 Could have done more, but very good in general. Best to treat the movie as Suzume's story. Art - 10/10 As expected. Music - 10/10 The real deal of the movie. Enjoyment - 10/10 Highly recommended to watch in the theaters. I can assure the experience is worth it.

Hmmm I hope I’m not the only one seeing that Souta looks like Howl. Makoto-sama is back with another highly anticipated fantasy. Your Name was a masterpiece, and Weathering With You was solid although flawed. I had high hopes for Suzume from the look of the trailer and the hypnotic score. Let’s get the obvious out of the way. The animation was god-tier level. Whenever I saw those purple sky, I held my breath. It was magical and the gate literally brought me into another worldly experience. There were also other scenes that awed me. The world building here was interesting and complex. I kinda get the lore that the story was trying to go for about the origins of earthquakes. Suzume’s character journey of acceptance and moving on was also solid. However, the whole time I couldn’t find the factor that would make the story stick with me. For me the movie was just another amazingly animated flick with an interesting storyline that I probably would forget soon. Your Name and Weathering (more for Your Name) both had something in the premise and characters that stayed with me. Overall, it’s another well-made movie, but I don’t know if I would remember it. 7.5/10

Suzume review *Spoiler Free* PS: I will refer to Another one of Shinkais work, Your Name. Your Name is my favorite movie of all time for many reasons and since it’s one of his other works I will compare it. Genre: Supernatural Anime I have been waiting to watch this movie for over 6 months after it released in Japan. Now I know that Shinkai likes to release in Japan first but at the same time it was still annoying to wait a half a year to get it in the United States. Other than that I enjoyed the movie. Not close to Your Name levels but it was better than weathering with you since it had some more emotional connection. The Story: The story starts out with Suzume who is a high school girl. She comes across this man who is a “Closer” who basically closes doors to stop worms from appearing in the world and causing massive earthquakes. The Closer names Soto turns into a chair and as a chair he has to close these doors that appear in abandoned places with a lot of emotions. A big worm is appearing in Japan. I will stop it here because it is a spoiler free review but the ending was satisfying. The Music: There is nothing to say. Radwimps made the music and they knocked it out of the park. I really liked the theme song of Suzume. It was reminiscing of Your Names music but it had its own twist so that it would be independent of Your Name which is good. While waiting for this movie Suzumes music sat in my playlist and it was really good. One of the reasons I watched the movie even apart from the Shinkai name. 10/10 music! The Animation: This is the most beautiful anime piece I have ever seen. Like no joke the fluid dynamics and the sheer euphoria is actually amazing. The scenery is animated beautifully. I will talk about characters in another section. Some movements remind me of rotoscoping but I don’t think they rotoscoped anything. I think the sheer talent of the animator’s is just amazing. I did notice they did some CGI on the Tokyo worm but at the same time it was on screen for like 2 minutes so not that big a deal. But holy crap Shinkai just goes all out for animation huh. If anything it is just a beautiful movie. First ever 11/10 for Animation this movie just stepped up animation for the rest of the industry no joke. Watching it in Theatres was a good decision. The Characters: -Design: Okay the boy has long hair. And he turns into a goddamn chair it’s different yes. But Shinkai needs to find a way to differentiate between characters. Getting the same VA as Mitsuha from Your Name makes it hard to differentiate between the characters. In the next movie I am hoping to find better character design. I mean they are animated beautifully their motions are fluid and smooth. They are animated amazingly and expressions are there so it’s good but I do want to see different character design for the next one. It is hard to differentiate with anime but I am hoping Shinkai can pull it off. -Emotions: Okay so it’s kinda weird but even as a chair Soto had some good emotions. I felt it through his voice. Prefacing I watched the dub so sub people I can’t relate too. Suzume had some good emotions as well. I did see some. The cats VA was also good. Overall the VA did a nice job for a dub. My Gripes: My only gripe with this movie and the reason I’m giving it a 8.5/10 is because I felt like a lot of the movie was filler. In Your Name they made an amazing job portraying the body switching and introducing amazing humour elements into the story. But Suzume I didn’t feel *as* entertained as Your Name for the filler. To be fair the supernatural plot of Suzume was a bit more wilder than Your Name but still. In the end, I enjoyed it. If you have not watched it on the big screen that’s one of the reasons I’m rating it this high. It is just such a beautiful movie. Final Score: 8.5/10 Thanks! -CyanCheetah

Suzume is everything you’d come to expect from Makoto Shinkai. To be brief, if you liked Your Name and Weathering with You, you probably will enjoy Suzume. There is an obvious blue print he likes to follow, which can be especially good if you’re experiencing it for the first time, but may, or may not, grow repetitive by the third one you see. Personally, I enjoyed Suzume greatly, but there were just some predictable elements and loosely built character arcs that didn’t quite resonate with me, like they did with Shinkai’s other films. One advantage that Suzume has over Your Name and Weathering with You, is it’s world building. The movie wasted no time in establishing the world and it’s lore. As a rough overview, this is a story about Suzume as she’s thrust into the world of a Closer, an individual who assists in closing gates that connect to the “afterlife”. Suzume meets a young man on her way to school who mentions he’s looking for a ruin, and a door (the gate). She points him in the direction of an abandoned town and continues on her way, but is unable to shake the feeling she knows the man and knows what door he might be looking for. Inevitably her curiosity gets the better of her and she goes on a journey to uncover the truth of what’s going on. I really liked this storyline. It’s more lore heavy than anything else I’ve seen from Shinkai and is undoubtedly a feat to watch, particularly in theaters. The visuals and sound are just impressive, and the world design are equivalent to that of Your Name and Weathering with You. Speaking of Your Name and Weathering with You, it’s difficult to separate the art from the artist when there’s a general format Shinkai apparently likes to stick to, so I apologize ahead of time for my inevitable comparisons to his previous work. To be honest, Suzume is like Pepsi, and Your Name and Weathering with you are like Pepsi Cherry or Lemon. What I mean by this is, Suzume is definitely a Shinkai film, but for some reason was missing something his other films had. I am obsessed with Your Name and struggled to keep it together when watching it. It was similar for Weathering with You. The characters felt so profound and real. With how they’re introduced, I couldn’t help but empathize with them. There was a mystery behind each one and I couldn’t wait to see it unfold in a surreal and beautiful way. I would be on the edge of my seat waiting to see just how the ending would resolve itself, and to see if anything would be lost in the timeline of the film. Suzume’s main characters, for some reason, didn’t grab me in the same way. I still enjoyed their presence, but I felt everything else had more depth and entertainment value. I will say, the interactions between Suzume and the man she interacts with at the beginning were sweet though, and I do still like them as characters, just would’ve liked to have seen more. All the side charcters were spectacular though. She lives with her Aunt at the start of the film, whom I had relegated to just a background character and a way to fill down time at the start. But the aunt inserts herself in a pretty meaningful way and ends up creating what I found to be one of the most interesting points in the film. Same goes for people Suzume meets along her journey and makes friends with. All were unique and were a pleasure to see. Lastly, there are two cats she comes across that also help move the story forward, and they ended up my favorite characters overall. One is maniacal and chaotic, but has good motivations ultimately. The other is quiet and assertive, carrying an err of mystery and a strong presence (but unfortunately doesn’t get much screen time). I will say that Suzume is slightly more positive than the other two films I mentioned. Typically, there is a happy overall message, but something is lost along the way, like time. This isn’t the case for Suzume though, it’s generally a stress free watch. Yes at times I had concern for the main characters but since I didn’t connect with their back stories as well, it ultimately felt shallow. It’s very hard for me to say that though, because I really loved Your Name and Weathering with You. I can’t really put my finger on what exactly was missing between Suzume and the other two films though. It’s a great movie, just didn’t quite meet the same level. It’s possible I may just be overly familiar with the premise, and it felt repetitive maybe? I imagine someone coming into this blindly will have a significantly different viewing, but in a good way. Ultimately I enjoyed Suzume, it didn’t necessarily have me on the edge of my seat, BUT it was a spectacle to watch. I loved the side characters, and enjoyed the main characters enough. It was a sweet film overall, with mystery and some really unique action elements. There was a meteor moment (Your Name), or a water whale moment (Weathering with You), and it was exciting to see! The cat’s dark presence throughout the film gave something unique as well. I really did like Suzume, but just might be a victim of my own expectations.

Before going to see this movie, a part of me was hoping that Shinkai, an artist who broke through the anime industry as an indie outsider, and who has enjoyed so much commercial and critical success over the last few years, would finally offer us a more nuanced or unconventional approach to his thematic obsessions, even if it came wrapped up in the usual aesthetically pleasant presentation we're already used to. And in a way, I feel like I got that; besides the beautiful animation and impressive background, storyboarding, editing and 2D/CG blending, Suzume felt to me like a much more realized experience than Your Name in terms of scope and entertainment value. I like the "road movie" aspect of the journey, and how that ties to the plot. The bits of humor sprinkled around make for some really good light-hearted moments. The way it integrates the internet and cellphones into the story without these taking center stage is something that I very much appreciate, given how many other creators either decide to omit them or don't handle them very well (yes, I'm looking at you, Hosoda). And the fact that the male lead and ikemen for the ocassion spends most of the runtime as a chair is utterly hilarious (the light novel titles and Pickle Rick jokes write themselves). Unfortunately, that last bit is as far as this movie deviates from anything remotely noteworthy. Because much to my disappointment, at the end of the day, Suzume, fails in a similar fashion to its predecessors: the characters are uninteresting. For most of its almost two-hour runtime, the plot seems to be way more focused on moving from one big set piece to the other, rather than spending any time getting to know its protagonists beyond the surface. The few moments we get are mediated by the same old melodramatic clichés we've seen before in Shinkai's earlier works. And in a film that is ostensibly about personal and collective trauma, lacking a solid emotional core makes everything feel incredibly contrived, especially considering the real life tragedy the movie tackles. As much as I can appreciate what it's trying to say, I think that Shinkai would benefit from working along another writer, or even just let someone else write the script the same way he eventually delegated character design. In the end, most fans and casual viewers will probably enjoy the film. For me, though, I'll have to keep on hoping.

Suzume was good! It's a very weird film in a lot of ways, and has a lot going on. But it's also super entertaining and a delight to watch. It's hard to recommend. But I'll probably be seeing it again, so take that as you will! I'm happy that it improved on all the things I thought were bad about Weathering With You. The best parts of Weathering With You were some of the best I had ever seen, but the worst parts were some of the worst I'd ever seen. It felt like a bad Hollywood blockbuster. By contrast, Suzume is much more balanced. It never hits those highs from something like Your Name, but also never fumbles, and sticks its landing in style. It's a little long. It feels like the film gets caught up in trying to say too much at once. But it communicates well too. I also love the themes the film explores. It touches on a lot of topics: loss, grief, and acceptance of the past; finding friends and loved ones wherever you go; natural disasters and the immense loss they cause; forging your own path; selflessness vs selfishness. That was a lot of themes, you might say. But the film seems to explore them all sufficiently throughout. The film feels cluttered with themes, in that way. But again, it only struggles with the quantity of things it's trying to do and say; the quality is on point, the whole way. That's important, because this film is very focused on theme. Like many of Shinkai's films, it's aesthetic first, storytelling second. But their narrative team was able to weave a story that is meaningful throughout, even when it's getting distracted. It's wonderful to see Suzume making friends everywhere she goes in a world that doesn't seem like it should care; in the face of extremely difficult jobs, it always felt like there was support in the larger community. Additionally, it's wonderful to see the explorations of loss and grief. As this is one of the central themes, they really needed to nail it. And what's nice about the way it was constructed is that it never relies on a "sob story" that's trying to "get you." The grief of the situation feels rough and earned, and the characters trying to tackle that grief through their own agency also felt very empowering and nice. I could ramble about the absolutely stunning animation and art from the Comix Wave films. But let's be honest, these films are ALWAYS going to be the leaders in absolutely stunning animation, visual effects, sakuga, and absolutely enthralling presentation. A+, no notes whatsoever, basically perfect. The same can be said about RADWIMPS. It's always nice to hear them again, and all their compositions are great. They capture these awesome orchestral highs, while their pop-rock songs capture that distinct style that Shinkai is clearly obsessed with. The main theme is beautiful and a tiny bit haunting. Also, there's this emphasis on classic city-pop featured throughout the film, and honestly, I'm here for it. Again, no notes, A+. My favorite part was a neat exchange between the main characters. "My family has upheld this job for many generations. I'll continue that. But it's not a profitable job." "But it's still an important job, even if it doesn't pay?" "Most people don't see the important job." TRUE BESTIE. To sum up, Suzume is just neat. Is it good? I think so. It's memorable, entertaining, and enheartening. Is it as stunning as Shinkai's other work? Maybe not, but that's holding him up to unfair expectations. Suzume is its own thing, and that's okay, because it's a good thing. While Shinkai is a fantastic director, one who really made something truly special that basically none of us will forget, it's important to watch him change and develop his craft with the teams he puts together as time goes forward. And Suzume is well crafted.

I've loved Kimi no na wa a lot, so when Tenki no ko came out, I was thrilled to watch it. But it was a huge disappointment. I didn't have many hopes for Suzume, as the trailer already looked so similar to his previous movies and I've heard critics say, "can Makoto Shinkai write only one movie?". I'd say this is pretty much him in a nutshell. While I understand that sometimes you can't let go of your previous works and it's not necessarily a bad thing do use similar build-ups of previous movies, there's a bit of a difference between using it as an inspiration and wanting to make the exact same thing because that's what'll hit the market. Do big filmmakers still care about original stories or do they only want the money nowadays? Now, most of the movie (Suzume) is actually original. The doors, the worm that wants to escape and the thing with the chair. No spoilers here, but how often do you have a chair as a main character? While the setting itself is original, the execution is not. Boy and Girl find each other, but fate doesn't want to make it easy for them, so a huge world catastrophe happens, and they're the only ones who can stop it. And they will, because they wanna be together. Be it a meteorite, heavy rain and flooding, or worms coming out of doors that causes massive earthquakes. However bad it is, the pair will overcome it, because their love is so strong. However, what love? Do you really risk your life and the lives of countless other people, just to be with someone you've met a day ago? The build-up works in Kimi no na wa, because they've known each other for a while, or, well, each other's lives. It wasn't just that they're fighting for each other. When Taki saw the book of all the people who died, he recognized Mitsuha's sister and grandmother too. And her two classmates/friends. He went back in time to not only save her, but her family and friends too. In the end, he saved the the whole town. Sure, Suzume also saved lots of people and even whole Tokyo. But after her crush sacrificed himself for Tokyo, she couldn't live without him. Yes, I get it's her crush, but these two've known each other for a few days. And she acted as if her husband of 30 years died. It was just ridiculous at that point. Seeing how she was willing to end her own life or put whole Japan in danger, just so her crush could live. What now? Is this some late april fool's joke? I really can't tell anymore whether Makoto was being serious here or not. And the thing is, it could've been so easily changed. By making them childhood friends for example. Yes, that'd be kinda cliché but it would make more sense on why they fight for each other so much. And it wasn't even him fighting for her, just Suzume. He kept telling her to go home. Which is logical, since he didn't want to put her in any danger. Suzume was just a random girl from the street, who gave him directions. Nothing more. Even at the end, he didn't seem like he would've done the same for her. So it's not only ridiculous how "obsessed" Suzume was over him, but also the fact how unbalanced their "love" for each other is, that makes this whole thing so pathetic. And yes, I know how sad it is that it's only the "love story" that ruined the whole movie for me. If people didn't enjoy the love story in Kimi no na wa, that would've been fine even, because it was more about saving a town in that movie and the whole time-travel aspect. However, in this movie, the "love" story was part of the main plot. It's what got the plot started even, with Suzume's crush on the stranger who passed her on a random day on her way to school. The way she got the crush was realistic, okay, but everything else afterwards just got more and more ridiculous. Also, Suzume's aunt was a tad too dramatic for my taste and her whole personality just seems to have consisted of "I can't date and it's Suzume's fault", which was pretty annoying. Really hate it when people make women all about love, dating and relationships. So, how come it gets a 6? * Animation: 10/10. Very beautiful, even more so than in KNNW and TNK. * Music: 8/10. That one song from Radwimps. I don't remember much of the other songs, but this song is very beautiful. * Characters: 6/10. - The cats were cute, although creepy sometimes (I almost got a heart attack, twice). 9/10. - The other characters (humans) were nice, especially the people Suzume met on her travels. (Which also was kind of wasted potential; I feel like they could've added to the plot, something along the lines of, "all the people I've met until now were so kind to me, even though they had no reason to be. Why would I let them just die? I can't give up now, I have to save them". Could've been a good monologue for Suzume, but she just pretty much took their kindness for granted. In a world where kindness is rare, I think this should've been put to the front a bit more. (Then again, maybe Makoto wants to show that kindness should be something obvious and not rare at all.)) * Story/Plot: 6/10. - "Love" story: 2/10 - Everything else: 7/10 * Enjoyment: 5/10. I teared up only once, and that was when something happened to the cats. It had very funny bits tho.

The movie is entertaining, wholesome, art style is visually appealing as a Shinkai movie is expected to be, but with tons of adventure, thrills, fun, despair, a journey into a fantastical world woven by the master director. The main characters are memorable, and although the sidekicks do not get too much of screentime, they add to the story. The story is a bit predictable at the end though, in mu opinion. Comparisons with any other earlier work is pointless, and especially with Your Name. Watch it in the big screen to appreciate the sound and visual design. A unique modern masterpiece.