Suzume no Tojimari

On her way to school one day, Suzume Iwato stumbles upon Souta Munakata, a young man searching for abandoned areas. The high school girl directs Souta to a nearby ruin, but out of pure curiosity, she herself decides to head to the same destination.

Once there, Suzume discovers an isolated door with a dreamlike universe lying beyond it—a place that she can see and feel, but not enter. A strange stone rests on the ground nearby, but it turns into a cat-like creature and scurries away when Suzume lifts it. Suddenly afraid, she heads back toward her school, not realizing that her act of leaving the door open will have consequences.

With the "keystone" released, the evil within the other universe can now freely escape and wreak havoc throughout Japan. Intending to correct her dangerous mistake, Suzume joins Souta—whose true goal is to prevent evil from festering—in finding and locking all open doors before the country is destroyed.

[Written by MAL Rewrite]

Iwato, Suzume Main

Hara, Nanoka Japanese

Munakata, Souta Main

Matsumura, Hokuto Japanese

Daijin Supporting

Yamane, Ann Japanese

Serizawa, Tomoya Supporting

Kamiki, Ryunosuke Japanese

Sadaijin Supporting

Yamane, Ann Japanese

Iwato, Tamaki Supporting

Fukatsu, Eri Japanese

Iwato, Tsubame Supporting

Hanazawa, Kana Japanese

Okabe, Minoru Supporting

Sometani, Shouta Japanese

Amabe, Chika Supporting

Hanase, Kotone Japanese

Miki Supporting

Aimi Japanese

Itou, Kouichirou Producer

Okamura, Wakana Producer

Shinkai, Makoto Director, Storyboard, Original Creator, Editing, Screenplay

Yamada, Haru Sound Director

Reviews

Feb 20, 2025

jennisiaria

Recommended

Suzume is like a really good bowl of ramen: comforting, flavorful, and leaves you feeling warm and satisfied. The animation is absolutely stunning, with the signature beautiful, eye-catching visuals that make you feel like you’re in a dream. Seriously, it's so good that if you stare at it too long, you might end up drooling, but not in a weird way—just in awe of how pretty everything looks. The setting, the landscapes, the colors—all are so beautifully crafted that it feels like you're walking through a postcard, except it's a really emotional postcard with tons of supernatural doors involved.

The story itself? It’s a fun mix ... of mystery, adventure, and some solid emotional moments. Suzume’s journey to unlock the secrets behind these magical doors is engaging, and you quickly find yourself rooting for her as she discovers more about herself and the world around her. The balance of quirky humor and deeper emotional beats is done well, keeping you hooked without getting too heavy-handed or too lighthearted. It's like the perfect blend of cheese and sauce on a pizza—no one ever says, "That's too much cheese," in this movie.

Now, Suzume as a character is relatable—her struggles and personal growth are easy to connect with, and her determination keeps you invested in her story. The movie also gives us some truly emotional moments that tug at your heartstrings—like when you think everything is going great, and then you get hit with a surprise that makes you go, “Wait, I wasn’t ready for that!" But hey, that’s the emotional rollercoaster of life, right?

If I had to nitpick, I’d say there are a few parts where the pacing feels a little off—like when you’re walking at a brisk pace and then suddenly you trip over your own feet. Not enough to derail the experience, but just a tiny bit of a stumble here and there. Also, some plot points might seem a bit familiar if you're a fan of Shinkai's other work. But hey, when it’s this good, we can forgive a little deja vu.

In conclusion, Suzume is a good anime. It's visually stunning, emotionally resonant, and an enjoyable ride from start to finish. If you're looking for something that gives you both a sense of adventure and a dose of heart, this one is definitely worth checking out. Just don't forget to bring some tissues, just in case it sneaks up on you with some emotional punches when you least expect it!

Reviewer’s Rating: 7

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Jan 26, 2025

BALVEY

Mixed Feelings

Where do i even begin with this anime. The animations is beautiful but the story... what the hell is even that?
I was hoping for a better story but again this is a movie so lets cut them some slack.

The movie gets a 7 from me and that the highest i go i am not gonna go any higher.

So apparently there is a requirement on how much info you provide, personally this needed more it felt like it was lazy writing.

The story was predictable you could simply tell what is happening etc.


I tru ly don't know how much detail i need to providde but it ... looks like there is a limit on the detail i need to provide

Reviewer’s Rating: 7

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Dec 15, 2024

tofugf

Not Recommended

A movie that's trying so hard to fulfill so many expectations that it ends up meeting none of them.

(Very light spoiler warning for Suzume, Kimi no Na Wa and Tenki no Ko follows)

Shinkai-san's past blockbusters are both popular and generally well received, and I think because of their large scale narrative (natural disaster, natural events that concern a large group of people) he may have felt pressured to repeat something similar. And he does, but what ends up following is a story that feels largely nonsensical to me. From key plot points concerning the main character's (particularly Souta) involvement to the final ending, watching ... this movie just left me with a lot of question marks and an unsatisfying resolution. Interesting plot devices are neither continued nor explained. The connection between the two main characters feels much less natural and touching than Shinkai-san's past films, which also meant that I had trouble connecting and relating to them. Age gap aside, it's hard to see what drives Suzume's affection for him.

This movie's main merit lies in its striking visuals and aesthetic depiction. Like Shinkai-san's past films, the depiction of Japanese towns and cities are extremely well done, with my favourite visuals throughout the film being the ones of an abandoned amusement park. The sky, scenery and fantasy aspects are all very well drawn and designed. I appreciated the central motif of the free-standing door, which you can also see in this movie's poster. The cat character is cute. The other thing about Suzume that deserves appreciation is the music, which is by Radwimps, the same artist behind the OST of Kimi no Na Wa and Tenki no Ko. I find that I don't like the main leitmotif as much as some other viewers, but it definitely helps fill out the haunting aspect of the film. The ending theme is lovely and I still listen to it.

There are many aspects in this movie that recalls other famous anime works, namely Ghibli films. In doing so I was also repeatedly reflecting on how Suzume falls short of those other movies. I would say that if you are looking for a movie that elucidates on the horrors and beauty of nature, you are better off seeing Princess Mononoke, which I saw echoes of throughout Suzume. If you are looking for a fantasy love story that draws on the past and the future, Howl's Moving Castle is a much better - and more coherent option.

Aesthetics aside, it's really hard to recommend Suzume. It's okay to watch if you are just checking it out, but watching it after Shinkai-san's other famous works really doesn't leave a satisfying impression.

Reviewer’s Rating: 5

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	Poll: Suzume no Tojimari Episode 1 Discussion ( 1 2 3 4 5 ... Last Page ) Shikkakku - Nov 11, 2022	360 replies	by Carlete0310 »» Feb 6, 9:45 AM
	Next one coming soon? kingsley_017 - Oct 15, 2024	12 replies	by kingsley_017 »» Oct 20, 2024 7:28 PM
	Is Suzume not related to your name/weathering with you? BAKA0402 - Apr 27, 2023	27 replies	by Remlz_77 »» Sep 2, 2024 9:14 PM
	Feet and shoes in the film trvekvlt666 - May 19, 2024	22 replies	by Comander-07 »» Jul 12, 2024 2:42 PM
	Remake of weathering with you? ( 1 2 ) Hickykissy - May 1, 2024	52 replies	by SpiderMiles3523 »» Jun 7, 2024 3:15 AM