Suzume
Written by Andreas Babiolakis
If you are a fan of anime (or just animated films in general), you likely are quite familiar with Makoto Shinkai, best known for his acclaimed features Your Name and Weathering with You. He has an unparalleled ability to connect real-world issues and relationships with the sensations of the fantastical beyond as if our realities are actually the alternative dimensions for others (in a sense). His works help us appreciate our own lives as if we are protagonists in this incredible experience. His latest film, Suzume, aims to take on something a bit larger in scale: the earthquakes and tsunamis that Japan is known for, and the lives affected by this destruction. In the film, these disasters are caused by a paranormal worm (based on the Namazu in Japanese mythology). We follow teenage Suzume, who quickly finds a strange man early on in the film. He is Souta, and he is what is known as a “closer”: someone who opens and closes doors throughout the country, as to prevent the worm from gaining access. It doesn’t quite make sense on paper, but Shinkai makes this feel like established lore when you watch the film.
Suzume is full of ultraviolet animation brilliance (as is expected by Shinkai’s films by now), uplifting music, and a ton of shapeshifting (with Souta remaining as a three-legged chair for a good portion of the film; trust me, it somehow works). It also feels a bit too large for its own good sometimes, which is a problem I haven’t seen in a Shinkai film yet. Living within this film is such a wonderland, but the story itself feels like it runs in circles and never resolves quite as ambitiously as the rest of the film feels with its artistry and devotion. The story reads more like a quaint fairy tale, but the film feels like the animation epic of the year. A proper bridge between both sides of Suzume’s identity would have made this feature feel a little more cohesive, as opposed to a film with multiple personalities. Do I get whisked away by what I see and feel, or do I hone in on the story between Souta and Suzume (and others)? It’s easy to say “do both”, but I don’t always feel like that’s an option in Suzume. As a result, the disaster commentary almost feels like a different film to what Suzume is experiencing personally, even though she is, of course, directly affected by the earthquakes.
Suzume is yet another dazzling effort from Makoto Shinkai and CoMix Wave Films.
This isn’t as big of an issue as I’m making it out to be, mind you. Suzume still had my jaw dropped to the floor for most of its duration. This is a visual feast for anyone who is into animation (again, no surprise given it’s a Shinkai film). The relationship between Suzume and Souta is quite strong, so at least they pull you past the slight tonal confusion the film has. Suzume is a dazzling film through and through; even if its narrative elements don’t line up perfectly with what we see and hear, the aesthetic and artistic aspects of Suzume are marvellous. Yes, Suzume doesn’t rank up there with Makoto Shinkai’s finest achievements, but it is a good film for the most part that will still please his biggest fans. Those who are unfamiliar with his work can still give Suzume a watch, but see it as an entryway (pun intended) to even greater films. Suzume is a lovely, emotional film that still deserves your time, regardless of your affiliation (or lack thereof) with its director. Even if my mind was aching to figure out what felt off about Suzume, my heart was enriched by it the entire time.
Andreas Babiolakis has a Masters degree in Film and Photography Preservation and Collections Management from Ryerson University, as well as a Bachelors degree in Cinema Studies from York University. His favourite times of year are the Criterion Collection flash sales and the annual Toronto International Film Festival.