Warning: This review might contain spoilers.

MAKOTO Shinkai has since established his name in the Japanese animation industry since the release of the top-grossing 2016 anime film Your Name.

He is widely known for his phenomenal use of natural disasters, parallel worlds, supernatural creatures, and mythical beliefs in crafting stories that not only leave people with substantial life lessons but also break their hearts.

His latest anime flick Suzume no Tojimari (or Suzume’s Locking Up) is no exception. This delightful and vibrant visual masterwork walks the fine line between fantasy and reality as it takes its viewers on a rollercoaster of emotions.

Photo courtesy: CoMix Wave Films 

‘Suzume no Tojimari’ at a glance

This modern action adventure follows the story of a high school girl named Suzume in her mission of saving the world with a mysterious long-haired ikemen (handsome man) Souta.

In the film, Suzume and Souta travel to different parts of Japan to close doors from the outer side and prevent natural disasters like earthquakes and tsunamis from destroying the country.

Suzume’s adventure is accompanied by talking neko (cat) and three-legged chairs, massive and disastrous worms, and other bizarre elements that are a Shinkai signature.

Photo courtesy: CoMix Wave Films 

Loss and longing

In Suzume, Souta serves as a “closer” or a human being tasked to keep doors from the other side closed to stop worms from landing and causing chaos on the earth. 

But because of a cat named Daijin, Souta was cursed to possess Suzume’s old three-legged chair, which limits him from accomplishing his duties.

Photo courtesy: CoMix Wave Films 

As Suzume and Souta attempt to close the doors and bring the latter back to his original form, Souta eventually realized that he is forever stuck in being a chair as the Daijin has made him a keystone used to wind up the worms from escaping the doors.

Because of this, Souta is now stuck in the ever-after, and the devastated Suzume is set to find a way to reverse the curse and save Souta.

Plagued by the grief and longing that comes along with loss, Suzume would even risk her life just to help Souta come back to the world he inherently belongs to.

Photo courtesy: CoMix Wave Films 

The sun will rise

Unlike Shinkai’s previous films Weathering With You (2019) and Your Name (2016), the film did not provide much progression regarding Suzume and Souta’s romantic connection. Instead, it gave its audience a life-changing takeaway.

Suzume teaches its viewers the value of life– that even the flimsiest things mean as much as the consequential ones. The film helps people understand how crucial it is to value each moment that passes down one’s life because no matter how insignificant it might seem, it makes life worth living.

One of the tear-jerking moments of the film was when Souta pronounced his desire to continue living. Transforming into a keystone, although a noble deed, meant Souta’s ultimate end.

This Makoto Shinkai film is a reminder that in between life’s tragedies and misfortunes, after every torrential rain that torments the earth, the sun will shine brightly when the new morning comes.

Photo courtesy: CoMix Wave Films