Suzume (2023) - Makoto Shinkai Anime Review

April 05, 2023

"An unopened door is a happy door..." - Maurice Moss

Welcome to Sensei Sensibility! You are the hungry mind yearning to devour quality Asian cinema; I am the (questionably) knowledgeable Sensei, more than happy to satiate your cinematic appetite.

For those concerned about who will gift the world with spellbinding, epic anime once Studio Ghibli's Hayao Miyazaki finally travels on The Great Cat Bus to the Sky, fear not. Makoto Shinkai is here.

Suzume is the latest release from the award-winning director, and like his recent popular works Your Name and Weathering With You, Suzume is an, action-packed coming-of-age fantasy, with Ghibli-esque aesthetics and jaw-dropping animation.

And, forgive the cheesy cliché, a lotta heart.

"Strangers on a hill, exchanging eye contact..."

I had the privilege of watching a special preview screening of Suzume at Lighthouse Cinema, Dublin with thanks to Japanese Film Festival Ireland (in collaboration with Crunchyroll and Sony Pictures), and not for the first time, I left a Makoto Shinkai movie with my mascara streaming and feelz activated.

Motherless teenager Suzume Iwata is fed up with her humdrum life on gorgeous Kyushu with her aunt. The only excitement is the occasional harrowing nightmare revolving around her unresolved childhood trauma.

However, this mundane, rural existence is one day shaken up (and then some) by a chance encounter with mystical dreamboat Souta Munakata. (Move over Howl from Howl's Moving Castle, there's a new cartoon hunk in town.) As per his ancient family tradition, Souta is a "Closer."

"Because he's worth it..."

The best way to describe what a Closer is: all of Japan is located on a Hell Mouth, and Souta is Buffy Summers.

A nomadic guardian, Souta traverses around Japan through enchanted doorways to whatever real-world location a leviathan mythical worm has appeared; the worm spelling doom, despair, and a natural disaster of devastating proportions.

Earthquakes, tsunamis, you name it - when the worm "falls", humanity will fall.

A mysterious half-grin to break hearts...

Suzume and Souta's fates then become inextricably linked (during an incident not dissimilar to Whisper of the Heart or The Cat's Return) and both go on a hair-raising, and oftentimes genuinely hilarious, journey around Japan to literally save the day. Occasionally joined by a furious aunt, deadbeat pal, kawaii kitten and... a chair?! (I'll say no more...)

Along the way, Suzume and Souta come face-to-face not only with cosmic life-and-death ordeals, but must confront difficult emotions, work through deep-seated family issues, have assorted poignant epiphanies about all manner of heart-warming life lessons, and experience first hand the kindness of strangers.

Awww ❤

True to form, this is overall a mind-tripping, plot twist-a-rific story only Makoto Shinkai could conceive.

Get ready to fall in love with a chair, by the way. For reals.

The cinematography and visual effects of the fantasy scenes, along with the photorealistic Ghibli-esque detailing in the slice-of-life backgrounds were exceedingly well done. Both animated leads are warm and likeable, with a great supporting cast who perfectly complement the character balance. As much as there's action and emotion, there are ample laughs and excellent use of comic timing. The Radwimps once again provide an enchanting score.

I did feel that the film could have done with a little more lead in to the action, and Suzume's immediate, unquestioning acceptance that the world she thought she knew was really at the mercy of esoteric galactic worms etc. - was most unbelievable. But, considering the 122 run time, a brisk pace was probably the better choice.

Also, not to sound presumptuous, but I do already know who your favourite character is going to be. Daijin: the adorable social media star neko.

(I'm not going to explain what "neko" is, because chances are if you're reading a review for an anime movie, you already know what "neko" means, and litter it into your daily conversation along with "nani", "arigato", and "omae wa mo shindeiru".)

Neko Mirai

For whatever reason, Your Name will always be my favourite Shinkai offering, but Suzume is definitely equal to it, if not perhaps greater than.

But I'll let you nerds be the judge of that.

Suzume drops in Irish cinemas on April 14th, and the 14th edition of the Japanese Film Festival will be kicking off across Ireland from April 8th - 28th. This year's festival programme looks to be one of the strongest, and features, I kid you not, a Shin Ultraman reboot. *squeal!*