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Suzume (2022) – Review

Makoto Shinkai, who is well-known for his roles in Your Name (2016) and Weathering With You (2019), has returned to the big screen with his most recent Japanese animated movie, Suzume. As a result of the critical and commercial success of several of his earlier films, Shinkai has gained a following of admirers who eagerly anticipate his future work. Suzume is his first movie in three years, and fans have been eagerly awaiting more of that lovely animation combined with excellent content. Suzume is a fantasy adventure movie that follows a young high school girl as she embarks on a challenging quest to stop calamities from striking Japan, in case you are unfamiliar with anime and haven’t heard about this recent release. Since only a small portion of the plot was revealed in the trailers, none of us knew what to anticipate when I saw this movie in theaters with a group of friends. What I will say to you right now is that, regrettably, by the film’s conclusion, the bulk of us left the theater feeling rather let down.

[Please note their are spoilers in this review; read at your own discretion]

Regardless of whether I thought the story was any good, I want to start off by saying that Shinkai’s movies are known for their stunning graphics, which are made much more enjoyable when viewed on a large screen. The environment and geography actually catch my attention the most, even though the animation always enhances the narrative. Shinkai always succeeds in accurately capturing the feelings of a location through his artwork, whether it be a stunning starry night, a lively forest full of fauna, or the sparkling reflection of water. It’s a delight to watch him put so much effort into making stunning animations for his movies since the graphics are unmatched. I’ve come to truly appreciate how amazing his art is; in a strange way, it nearly makes me think of the old Disney classics, which were so enthralling to watch due to their exquisite hand-drawn animations.

Suzume’s use of 3D CGI on the wicked worms that hovered over the city (yep, they were the main adversaries of the movie) was one aspect of the animation that I didn’t particularly appreciate. They had a peculiar aspect that made it difficult for me to stay in the moment, and the overall stark contrast made the worms seem out of place. Just to put it mildly, these enormous worms didn’t fit in with the rest of the artwork. If you haven’t seen the movie, that statement could seem quite strange, but I promise you’ll get it if you do. However, other from that, I must add that everything else appeared to be as flawless and amazing as usual.

Now let’s address the question that has been hanging over everyone’s head: how was the Suzume storyline? I’ll be honest: it wasn’t very good. There were undoubtedly positives and negatives to the narrative, but overall, I felt that Suzume’s storytelling was quite faulty and underdeveloped. This movie would unquestionably be ranked much lower than Your Name (which continues to be unrivaled in terms of story and character development), but somewhat higher than Weathering With You if compared to Shinkai’s other successful theatrical productions. This ranking should help those of you who have seen those Shinkai movies and are unsure whether or not Suzume is worth watching in a theater.

But why did I find the movie to be so repulsive? For me, it was because I felt that the movie left me with far more questions than it did answers by the time I got to the finish. The majority of the movie seemed to skip over explanations that were necessary, and frequently it appeared as though things were carelessly thrown into the plot at random. For instance, why did Suzume initially turn around and flee to the ruins? From where did Sadaijin originate? Why did Daijin give Sota the keystone position? Suzume, however, was riddled with these plot holes. I’m never a fan of how movies occasionally force characters to perform things or solve problems without explanation only to advance the plot.

Sadly, with Suzume, it appeared like they really struggled to build characters you could connect with and fall in love with. Creating characters the audience can identify to and support is a significant effort for any movie. Suzume wasn’t a bad protagonist, but she also didn’t have anything that set her apart or made her remarkable. She had no ambitions or motivations, and I was saddened to discover that the only thing keeping her going was her (very irrational and strong) love for her new friend, Sota. Suzume and Sota’s flimsy love story just didn’t appeal to me, and it seemed to have been inserted primarily so that they could have a love interest so that Suzume could ultimately intervene and save Sota. Sota was a rather generic character and potential love interest in general. He didn’t have much, if any, character development, and his personality as a whole was stereotypical. In fact, I’d even venture to say that Daijin the movie’s cat was the most intriguing character.

Even while I agree with all of these criticisms of Suzume’s weak character development and convoluted plot, there were a few shining aspects that helped the film feel tolerably enjoyable. The inclusion of fanciful elements kept the movie lively and enjoyable, and I enjoyed not knowing what to expect next. This was one aspect of the movie that I did enjoy. The addition of magical spells and alternative realms allowed for some truly spectacular animations, and having a talking/moving chair as a companion undoubtedly created opportunities for hilarious situations. The tale became far more grandiose by incorporating this fantastical genre, which made it much more enjoyable to watch on a huge screen. I particularly loved how the movie included actual historical Japanese events, like the 2011 Tohoku earthquake and tsunami. Despite the movie’s fantastical elements, using this actual incident served to ground the narrative and give it a stronger sense of impact. Knowing that Suzume’s tragic past contributed to actual tragedies happening in the world made me feel the weight of her tragic past heavier.

One thing I’ve noticed about Shinkai’s movies is that, with Your Name being the obvious exception, he frequently fails to deliver a satisfying conclusion. Suzume’s denouement, in my opinion, was incredibly hurried and disappointing. The plot already felt inadequately described from the outset, so the last thing it needed was a hurried conclusion that didn’t wrap up the loose ends. I’d say that Suzume was generally a pretty good time. Although it wasn’t as amazing as I had hoped, I still had a good time and don’t regret going to the theater to see it. While it appears that Shinkai’s films’ writing and plot are in flux, I am reassured to know that there will always be fantastic animation and music. After considering everything, I’ve chosen to award Suzume a 7 out of 10. You might be startled because you were hoping for a lower score, but I think there was something great there that was just poorly implemented. Not to mention, the beautiful visuals will always raise my rating a little. Because the film is so much inferior to Your Name, I feel like I have a lot to complain and condemn about it. But I suppose I would say it’s a good experience as a stand-alone movie. I don’t think I’ll be watching this one again any time soon, but who knows? Maybe a second watch may change my mind.

Makoto Shinkai, who is well-known for his roles in Your Name (2016) and Weathering With You (2019), has returned to the big screen with his most recent Japanese animated movie, Suzume. As a result of the critical and commercial success of several of his earlier films, Shinkai has gained a…

Makoto Shinkai, who is well-known for his roles in Your Name (2016) and Weathering With You (2019), has returned to the big screen with his most recent Japanese animated movie, Suzume. As a result of the critical and commercial success of several of his earlier films, Shinkai has gained a…