Suzume

Suzume is modern Shinkai's third work after Your Name and Weathering with You. A common criticism shared by other reviewers is that Suzume's plot is a rehash of the previous two. I think this interpretation has validity, but to write off this movie because of that would be tragic. If you've enjoyed modern Shinkai's other works, you'll enjoy this one too. I think Suzume is best interpreted as Shinkai exploring the themes raised in his older works, The Place Promised in our Early Days, 5 Centimeters per Second and Garden of Words. Without spoilers, these films had a heavy emphasis on the ubiquitous struggle andstagnation faced by those who've lost a loved one. A common criticism of Shinkai's older films before the commercial success of Your Name is that the plots are incomplete, and the emotional aspects too subtle to resonate. At it's core, Suzume is about coming to terms with the randomness of death and the importance of loving the people around you. You never know when they might go, so we must "live" the time we're given to its fullest. These universally emotional messages are packaged in a relatable, but not melodramatic story about growing up. Shinkai wants us to understand that as long as we are alive, "we already have everything we need." The movie is a Shinkai's tribute to the victims of the 2011 Tōhoku Earthquake. People who love Shinkai's older works will find that Suzume is a maturation of Shinkai's thoughts on loss. While his previous films conveyed grief and distance, Suzume conveys liberation and gratitude. Shinkai stated in an interview that Suzume is the highlight of his career so far, and I personally couldn't agree more. Those who are on the fence about this movie, do yourself a favour and go see it. Those who came here because they're upset by the negative reviews, me too. Suzume lives too far beyond the horizon to be touched by those who refuse to see its beauty.

I've been kind of worried about Makoto Shinkai's works since Tenki no ko as it's apparent in which direction he aims at with each new movie. Same concepts, new setting. They're becoming repetitive. So if you're really looking for something completely new and fresh you won't find it here but if you're okay with knowing what's going to await you and are just here because you're a huge fan of his or want to immerse yourself in a beautiful world that has a touch of Shinkai's charme, you're good! While still extremely beautiful visually with awesome direction, I just can‘t fully enjoy his movies as I alwaysthought something was missing in his movies which are missing explanations to why these supernatural things happen and where they come from. It‘s about cause and effect for me. It especially shows in this one and feels like there are huge plotholes because the movie was cut short. You're thrown into event after event but don't really know why or what to make out of it. Maybe it's just me but I find it hard to just accept it like it is. It might also be because I don't have any knowledge of Japanese mythology but it shouldn't really be required when it was aiming for an international release anyway. Makoto Shinkai did say in the Q&A afterwards that he took inspiration from the mythology Uzume and another one that is mentioned in the movie, so you might wanna look into that as it clears up a few things about the movie. Other than that, the movie has a great balance between lighthearted and cute scenes which will definitely make you laugh and more serious, dramatic ones. Also the romance between the main leads feels kind of awkward. I just can't grasp my mind around how they even fell in love with each other, let alone their age gap which does get touched on but is just... dropped at the end? 10/10 for music tho. I expected no less from Radwimps. It really elevated certain scenes and made them more touching. Needless to say, I still really enjoyed this movie and cried a lot knowing what the inspiration was behind this movie and will definitely rewatch it when it's officially released internationally in two months.

***SPOILER FREE*** Suzume no Tojimari is a soothing yet mysterious story. A young country girl is on an adventure of self-discovery, exploring urban cities of Japan for the first time to lock these so-called 'doors' - a journey that tests her bravery, love and willpower in order to achieve her goal. The animation immediately immerses you into its incredible world: from delipidated yet exquisite ruins to the mythical luminous land behind the magical 'doors'... Each scene is so incredibly detailed that it has its own story to tell! Almost feels like a trip that you can look back in years and still reminisce. All the interactions betweenSuzume and the characters felt genuinely real, making it incredibly wholesome and heartwarming to watch as she grows as a person. The music really helped enhance this experience, as well as bringing the hype during the action scenes too. Spirited Away vibes. Overall, no major complaints besides being slightly boring to watch during some scenes, but that's probably because I have a short attention span... Probably the anime movie of the year! :)

Revolutionary animation with a great story that takes us through south Japan to the north! Makoto Shinkai makes another stunning anime, but this time the story felt way more fulfilling than his previous works. Absolutely stunning animation, but I still can't put my finger on what they did, but the smoothness felt way nicer. You might not notice it or even care about it for all that matters but it did feel different, and in my opinion, in a good way! How come the story is more fulfilling? The story starts off with a flashback that gets explained, the character development is great, and you feel like you learna lot about the protagonists and antagonists. (I realized half-through writing this part that I don't want to spoil anything from this movie, and it's almost impossible to not spoil) It has a start and an end, and nothing feels left out between those two. There's not a dull moment in the movie, you have multiple scenes that has action, and they are well planned and long lasting. The characters are all well-made and feels very real, they don't seem artificial, and everything just flows very well in their conversation. So, why is the rating a 9 out of 10, I made it sound as if it's the perfect anime. Well, it might be. BUT! I want to rewatch it again and rethink my rating. But because of the lack of reviews + spoilers I thought I'd write this one out. I'll probably delete this review when the movie is released globally. I would personally rate this 9.5/10, close to perfection for a movie. If you liked the previous movies from Makoto Shinkai, then you'll most likely like this one, it's in my opinion his best work. He has perfected what his previous works couldn't do. BRAVO! Makoto Shinkai's next movie (2025) waiting room.