Suzume (2022) Film Review
Film Title: Suzume / Suzume No Tojimari
English release date: 14 April 2023
Localised by: Crunchyroll
Original JP release date: 2022
Director: Makoto Shinkai
Age Rating: PG
Genre: Adventure, Fantasy, Action, Animation
Rating: 8.5/10
Suzume (2022), directed by Makoto Shinkai, is the latest animated Japanese film to be localised in cinemas with a global release. Makoto is renowned for illustrating stunning animation style and storytelling, as seen in films such as Your Name (2016), The Garden of Words (2013), and Weathering with You (2019).
I noticed a recurring theme of some stunning rain and nightscape visuals as well as climatic falling scenes within Makoto’s films. Therefore, I was looking forward to seeing the cinematography within Suzume.
The intricate visuals and soundtrack, cinematic rain and galaxy highlights & of course some flying and falling from sky action with complex but beautiful bonds are portrayed in Szume. The film really delivered in terms of art and sound with Makoto’s brilliant creativity.
Sound
The soundtrack was amazing too. I loved the ambient sound which immerses the audience in the Japanese setting of the waves of the sea and insects buzzing in summer within the countryside.
There’s a scene where Souta walks up the stairs in Suzume’s house when she nags him to provide first aid on his injured arm. During this scene, the attention to detail is evident in the realistic sound of his footsteps and the rustling within the surroundings makes the sound very realistic.
The soundtrack is beautiful, I was captivated by the humming of the ru-ruu-rururu-ru. With the realism depicted by the ambient sound combined with the beautiful soundtracks, this film delivers a spectacular audio experience.
Art
The character design is brilliant. Souta’s hair reminds me of Howl (Howl’s Moving Castle (2004). The fluidity in the animation is incredible. For example, the wispy locks of Souta’s hair dance and sway in perfect unison with the gentle breeze, creating a mesmerizing sight to behold.
I was excited about the rain scenes – as expected from a Makoto film – and I was not disappointed. The parade of glittering rain befalling the city after Suzume and Souta save the day was great. I loved it!
Also got to view a lovely starry sky within the Ever-After realm, taking us into the fantasy space of the story. The character designs for sub-characters were very good too. Overall the art style in Suzume is a 10/10 for its smooth animation and illuminated lighting along with incredible cinematography.
Plot
The plot mainly focuses on the adventure theme with underlying romance as a subplot later on which drives Suzume to her goal.
Suzume and Souta team up together going around Japan in order to find special doors to close; which lead to the Ever-After realm. Souta is a “Closer” and this role runs in his family for generations.
However, once he is cursed by a peculiar cat and his body is trapped in Suzume’s old chair, he needs her help to close the doors with the magical key.
I like the bond between Suzume and her aunt who raised her. There’s a scene where they both communicate through raw emotions they bottled in for years, but it was good to see them address it.
I feel like we could have seen more depth in Souta’s character and there were some plotholes. Also, there was one scene with the cat when Suzume is desperate to save Souta which was a bit meh for me (to say the least without spoiling).
There could have been more depth to Souta and the ending felt rushed or lacking in some way. There could have been more to the wrap-up at the end to portray the impact of the whole journey throughout the film and how Suzume grew from the experience in terms of personal development and her relationship with her Aunt.
Nevertheless, it was nice to see Suzume interact with people she encountered on her journey. We also see some warm scenes with Souta and Suzume at the end. I’d rate the plot 5.5/10
Would I recommend Suzume?
Yes. Although the plot was lacking in some areas compared to Makoto’s other great films like You Name, it was still very fun to watch and the cinematography was just incredible.
The soundtrack at the end “RADWIMP ft. Toaka – Suzume” had English subtitles too and I was captivated by the emotive lyrics. Overall I’d rate the film 8.5/10. If you enjoyed this review please like this post by clicking the heart emoji at the bottom 🙂 Thank you for reading!
