4 Reasons to Watch Suzume in a Theater

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Makoto Shinkai’s new film, Suzume, has been released in North America for a limited time. I was fortunate enough to catch a screening. I have loved his work since “5 cm per second.” Shinkai has always been great at showing the obstacles that teenagers go through when they are about to enter adulthood. Today I will give you 4 reasons to watch Suzume in a theater. 

The movie follows a 17-year-old girl named Suzume, who meets a young man named Sota. A gatekeeper who prevents natural catastrophes like earthquakes from occurring. When an unexpected incident turns Sota into a chair, Suzume travels across Japan to help Sota protect Japan from these earthquakes. The film is inspired by the Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami that happened in 2011.

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I was on the edge of my seat while watching this movie. The animation was top-notch and nothing short of spectacular. When I was a kid, I used to dream of seeing anime on the big screen, and I am glad we are finally in a place where that can happen. However, despite this, these studio film screenings in North America are relatively quiet. I hope more people will give these anime movies a shot in the future, as they are extraordinary. With that, here are 4 reasons to watch Suzume in a theater.

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1. Top Tier Animation

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In the past 14 years, all North American animated films have transitioned to CGI. Two-dimensional animation is now a lost art, which is a huge reason to watch this movie. The animation is top-tier and nearly lifelike. From the little details like GPS maps to the epic starry skies and sunsets, this film is beautiful from beginning to end. There were so many times. I was just astonished by how beautiful the scenery was in this film. If you choose to watch this film in a theater; it will be a unique experience, different from the superhero era we are now in.

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2. Relatable Characters

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The protagonist, Suzume, lost her mother to a tsunami and was raised by her aunt. I found this character extremely relatable, as I also lost a relative that I loved a lot. Back when I was a child. When you lose a loved one, it does not matter how much time passes; that pain never disappears. But you still have to move on and live your life. This is the message that viewers will get when watching this movie.

Tamaki, Suzume’s aunt, also has qualities that any single parent can relate to. She is put in a situation where she has to take care of her niece. Sacrificing many years of her life, she could have spent them getting married and starting her own family. If you can relate to either of these characters in the state of life they are in, then consider watching this movie.

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3. Learn about a new culture

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Like most of Makoto Shinkai’s movies, this one takes place in Japan, and you see plenty of the country in this film. As Suzume travels across the country to prevent these natural catastrophes from destroying local areas that citizens live in. Japan is such a beautiful country, and many of my friends have traveled there for their love of anime. I am thankful that I will finally visit Japan on a 3-week trip this year, traveling across the country much like Suzume.

Don’t get the notion that all anime takes place in Japan. There are many anime that take place in different parts of the world. For example, Vinland Saga takes place in England during ancient times. Another anime called The Bizarre Adventures of Jo-Jo takes place in several different parts of the world. If you do your research, you can bet that there is an anime for every type of culture.

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4. Similar to previous Shinkai films

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If you have watched a previous Shinkai film. You will agree that the man uses similar themes in his projects. Young lovers, starry skies, and a supernatural force. Shinkai has also mentioned that the classic Studio Ghibli film Kiki’s Delivery Service inspired him when making this film. 

Suzume is no exception to the formula that I have described above. However, despite that, I still felt like I was watching something completely new. I loved everything from the animation to the music and comedy used throughout the film. I was so engaged with this story. While Shinkai uses similar themes in his movies, I have never had a problem with this. I like the “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” mentality.

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Go watch Suzume now!

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So overall, those are my 4 reasons to watch Suzume in a theater. It is a unique experience that will make you happy when you leave the theater. Hopefully, we will not have to wait 3 years for another film, as I honestly don’t think I can. I hope you guys check this film out and enjoy it as much as I did.

Anime is such a unique form of art, and it’s great that North America is finally recognizing the inspiration it has given people worldwide. Any chance I get to see an anime film in theaters, I will gladly take it without hesitation.  What were your favourite anime movies growing up?  Let me know down in the comments. If you like this post check out my Boruto Chapter 80 recap. Hope you guys enjoyed this post. Thank you so much for reading, and until next time.

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