Suzume – Friday 9th May 2025

I FINALLY got around to watching Suzume!

I’m a big fan of Makoto Shinkai (who isn’t?), but he’ll probably forever live under the shadow of ‘Your Name’, and this film, although good, isn’t going to change that.

I liked the story, and the characters. It goes without saying that the artwork was amazing, and getting a kind of whistle-stop tour of different Japanese towns and cities, as the characters race to save lives, was a lot of fun.

The film very much felt like an anime version of a Hollywood action movie, driven more by plot points and set-pieces, than by character, and because of that plot-driven narrative, it seemed to lack character progression.

I wanted more ‘heart’ and ‘emotion’; quieter, more thoughtful moments, a bit of stillness and introspection regarding the girl’s relationship with her mother and her aunt.

You can clearly see how the filmmaker’s scope has grown, and I applaud the ambition. Making a heart-warming, emotional, blockbuster action film, especially with hand drawn animation, is a monumental effort!

It’s a good film, and definitely worth watching, but temper your expectations.