With over 180,000 admissions in its first week of release in France, Suzume proves the full potential of anime in French cinemas and director Makoto Shinkai’s cultural impact on Japanese animation in general.
Let us remind you that the feature film will take us on a road trip to the abandoned places of Japan, together with a brave teenager and a young man transformed into a three-legged chair. their goal? Close the mysterious doors at the risk of seeing evil in the form of an earthquake in the land.
After many critically acclaimed projects and a well-known universe, the creator of Children of Your Name and Time is often compared to other great masters of the field, and especially to Hayao Miyazaki, animator and co-founder of Studio Ghibli. .
Makoto Shinkai does not want to reproduce the successes of his boss, preferring to focus on pure entertainment rather than deep thoughts. That doesn’t stop the director from having a lot of respect for Miyazaki and his work, which he did a little bit of in Suzume.
Indeed, if you listen carefully, during the car ride scene, you can hear a song well known to Ghibli fans: Red not Dangon Yumi Matsutoya, the theme music for Kiki’s Delivery Service, Miyazaki’s fifth feature film, was released in 1989.
Primarily wanting to pay homage to the film that inspired and influenced him as a director, it was also a way for Shinkai to reach a Hayao Miyazaki-savvy audience and create a connection between Suzume’s fictional world and our very real one.
A connection that adds to the story’s many earthquakes, sadly inspired by the 2011 Tohoku Pacific Coast earthquake.
Suzume is currently in theaters on VOSTFR and VF.
Source: Allocine
Rose James is a Gossipify movie and series reviewer known for her in-depth analysis and unique perspective on the latest releases. With a background in film studies, she provides engaging and informative reviews, and keeps readers up to date with industry trends and emerging talents.
