(Originally posted on Dreamwidth)

Suzume (Suzume no Tojimari) is a movie directed by Makoto Shinkai, released on 11 November 2022 in Japan.

MILD SPOILERS ALERT.

Synopsis

The story follows Suzume, a 17-year-old girl from a quiet Kyushu town who meets a young man looking for a door. They find a door within ruins in the mountain, and Suzume opens it. Soon, more doors begin to open around Japan, bringing disasters from the other side. The film depicts Suzume's liberation and growth, as she closes the doors that are causing disaster.

Review

It's been a long time since I last wrote a review! Writing reviews are hard, so I don't do it a lot. But sometimes, I still want to do it anyway. I tried my best. Actually, before this one, I reviewed a certain manga in AniList (but private), but I still feel like it needs more polish, so I'll post it here later.

The format is different from my previous reviews. A lot has changed.

Anyway, onto the movie.

I know very well how Makoto Shinkai's movies from "Your Name" exploded in popularity, becoming almost mainstream. As a result, his next movie, "Weathering With You", also became greatly popular. However, I never watched them because I'm not really interested - I don't think they suit my tastes. Likewise, I would've never watched this movie as well if my friend didn't invite me and if I didn't need a change of pace.

"Suzume" is the very first movie by Makoto Shinkai that I watched. How does it hold up to its popularity?

Story

The movie quickly shoves the watchers and the protagonist, Suzume, into the heat of the spectacular action, leaving you in awe and asking questions.

I'd say that the story is, at its core, pretty simple. It's a journey of the titular Suzume to save Japan from earthquakes caused by supernatural entities by sealing gates with Souta, to overcome her trauma of loss along the way, and for the two to develop a very close relationship with each other.

While there are some twists and turns that surprised me in a good way, some parts are predictable. That predictability takes away some of the movie's emotional impact. Still, it doesn't take away the fun as it's all executed in a confident and spectacular way.

Honestly, I'm not 100% sold on Suzume's and Souta's romance, as it feels way too quick. But such is a movie, I suppose, there's only so much time to show them organically falling in love.

I absolutely love the themes presented in the story. Yes, it is a story about overcoming the trauma of loss and bonding with other people. That's a mature, wonderful theme. But what stood out the most for me is the 2 key elements in the worldbuilding - namely earthquake and abandoned ruins.

There's no need to question Japan and its relationship with earthquakes. However, there's something even deeper about it in this movie.

In "Suzume", the earthquakes are caused by supernatural entities simply called "worms". They came from a real Japanese mythology, Namazu. While there are a few differences, it's clear where the inspiration for earthquake-inducing worms and a stone to keep them at bay come from. I love this kind of reference.

As for abandoned ruins, Japan is infamous for the massive number of abandoned ruins scattered all over the country. These abandoned ruins are called haikyo (廃墟). Haikyo is such a big thing that there is an English website dedicated to it. A lot of people find fascination in it - in the reasons for its abandonment, the past of these buildings, the visage of the current ruins, and to explore them (as dangerous they might be). That includes me.

For me, the world of "Suzume" is a metaphor for earthquakes and abandoned ruins, 2 of Japan's problems. They're presented in such a wonderful way. Fantastical, yet also reflects the harsh reality. In a way, I think it's a movie that reflects Japan as a country.

On another note, I absolutely love the chants, they really got me.

Characters

Suzume is surprisingly quite a complicated character with some depth you might not be able to dissect at first glance. She looks like a typical, happy teenager, but beneath that lies years of unaddressed trauma, which causes her to keep people at an arm's length. She also has quite the bravery that can reach stubborn or even reckless levels, for better or worse.

Souta is handsome, both in voice and appearance. I can understand why Suzume fell hard for him, I would too (laughs). Personality-wise, I'd say he is pretty ordinary, but still charming, especially in his quest to do his job. The conflict presented for him is pretty good as well.

Daijin the cat is both cute and creepy, quite a feat to behold. It's actually quite heartbreaking for me to see them sad. While I love them, I think their character and motivation lack depth.

Suzume's aunt is exactly as one might expect from someone in her position in a realistic setting (but take it more positively, I suppose) and I like her for it. I love how other than romance, her relationship with Suzume is also explored a bit here.

The side characters are quite unexpectedly very colorful and fun - from a hostess to a college student aspiring to be a teacher despite his appearance. Though of course, due to their limited screen time, they can feel too two-dimensional or gimmicky. My favorite is Ryunosuke Kamiki, he's handsome and fun.

Animation/Visual

There's no need to question it. As expected from Makoto Shinkai's works I heard a lot, the visuals are simply breathtaking. There is a lot of scenery porn that makes you want to visit Japan. Even the action scenes are very well-animated. There is plenty of character animation as well. I didn't know a moving chair can be so full of character.

I especially love the usage of moving a single camera (I forgot what this technique is called again) at the beginning of the movie. It shows the vast space the characters are in and immediately draws you into the scene.

Music/Sound

I love the mystical, orchestral, and haunting music, it's absolutely my jam. They fit the otherworldly mood of the movie very well.

Conclusion

Suzume is a great movie beyond what I could ever expect. The characters are great to follow. The story can be predictable, but it's hard to not get caught up in the spectacle and emotions with the great visuals and music. I especially love the themes presented in the movie, from overcoming the trauma of loss to earthquakes and abandoned ruins.

Overall rating: 8.5/10