Fans of Makoto Shinkai can finally rejoice worldwide. According to The Hollywood Reporter, his newest animated feature film Suzume (full name Suzume no Tojimari), is coming West and will officially debut in North America as well as several countries in Europe on April 14th, 2023.
An official trailer for the film can be viewed below.
The film is a light-hearted and mesmerizing coming-of-age story about a 17-year-old girl named Suzume who lives in the southwestern Kyushu region of Japan. One day she comes across a strange, alluring young man named Satou who says he is looking for naught but a “door.” She embarks on a journey with him into the mountains outside her hometown, and along the way, they come across a severely dilapidated house. Much of its foundation is gone, save for a door standing upright on its own. A mysterious force draws Suzume to the door, and as soon as she opens it, a violent chain reaction is set off across all of Japan. She and Satou discover they have simultaneously opened various “Doors of Disaster” that the two of them must find and close to avoid the impending threats of devastation caused by each door.
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Intertwined within the film’s main plot is Suzume’s journey into adulthood and the many emotional hurdles that come with aspiring for maturity, freedom, and love. The official synopsis reads:
“Never-before-seen scenery, encounters and farewells… A myriad of challenges await her on her journey. Despite all the obstacles in her way, Suzume’s adventure shines a ray of hope upon our own struggles against the toughest roads of anxiety and constraints that make up everyday life. This story of closing doors that connect our past to the present and future will leave a lasting impression upon all of our hearts."
Shinkai’s Films Help Bring More International Focus to Japanese Animation
Suzume no Tojimari
Suzume is the latest masterpiece in Makoto Shinkai’s repertoire and an exceptional follow-up to his previous film, Weathering With You (2019), which was both a box office success and Japan’s official submission in the International Film Category at last year’s Oscars. In addition, his incredibly moving breakthrough film Your Name (2016) garnered international acclaim and became the third-highest-grossing anime film of all time. His success has not only earned Shinkai a pedestal alongside fellow greats like Hayao Miyazaki (Spirited Away) and Mamoru Hosoda (Mirai), but it has also helped further expand the lens of Japanese animated films on the international stage.
Suzume no Tojimari will be collectively distributed worldwide by Crunchyroll, Sony Pictures Entertainment, Wildbunch International, and Eurozoom. It officially debuts in theaters across North America and several countries in Europe on April 14th, 2023. It also releases in Mexico, Australia, and New Zealand a day earlier on April 13th. The complete list can be viewed here.
