I had the absolute pleasure of being treated to this movie in the cinema on a late-night date. Suzume was incredibly well-animated, and so beautiful visually and thematically. The fantastical world-building was still grounded at the same time, and the lore reminded me of stories that people have been telling each other for generations to make sense of the world, which I thought was such a sweet touch.

The characters were very interesting and fun to watch interact with each other. I loved getting to know everyone more and more as the movie went on. I also think the film captured travel really well. Suzume’s adventure unravels in a way that really reminds me of things that happened to me when I was in high school, and gives a good example of what solo travel can be like and the types of meaningful connections you make during the journey.

While it takes place in a fantastical, world-affecting plot, the clear theme of Suzume is about humanity and our connections with others. I was surprised to find that death was a prominent part of this film, particularly related to the natural disasters of the area. (Mild spoiler) In fact, the first time I cried during this movie was a montage flashback of tsunami victims all calling out “see you later” to their loved ones when they left that day.

Suzume as a character was so much fun to be with. She was so fully-formed and felt very realistic. She is tenacious and brave and caring, and it was a genuine pleasure to spend the 2 hour runtime with her. She and Souta played off each other in a very fun and pleasant way, contrasting each other just enough for growth, and you have the pleasure of watching their friendship grow throughout the adventure as they embark on their quest together, though forced by magical circumstance.

This movie was really special; the tone of it really resonated with me, and the themes of the story: love, death, self-sacrifice, connection, and courage really moved me. If I were to have a child, I would be very excited to show this to them because it’s fun and magical while it teaches about the human experience in a very touching way.

This is the third film of Makoto Shinkai’s that I’ve seen, and I haven’t been able to pick a favorite quite yet, because they’ve all been so impactful and gorgeous, but rewatches are coming and hopefully I’ll be able to rank them soon. Everytime I watch one for the first time, I become a little bit better, so I’m excited to see how Suzume changes me next.

Rating: 📀 I loved this movie.