Suzume

It’s been ages since I last watched an anime, but the Karlovy Vary Festival convinced me to give Suzume a shot, and I’m glad I did. I'm not a hardcore anime fan; I know who Hayao Miyazaki is, and I’ve seen some cyberpunk stuff, but this was something different. The beautiful animation pulls you into modern-day Japan, blending mythology with action, emotion, and suspense. And boy, do the Japanese know how to crank up the emotions! It's a mix of beautiful, sometimes adorable moments with an emotional rollercoaster that leaves you reeling. Suzume is a wonderfully crafted anime. If it weren't for the over-the-top romantic subplot, I’d easily give it a five-star rating. (05/07/2023)

Taking place across the Japanese countryside and major metropolises, Suzume is a visually impressive and slightly romantic fantasy road-movie in which a mythological storyline packed with magical ideas and inspired by actual Japanese natural disasters is combined with a subtle and emotionally charged story about growing up, devoted platonic love, feelings of guilt and parenthood. Makoto Shinkai still adheres to his trademarks without giving the impression that he is repeating himself. Authentically written characters and a number of charming details and subtle humour add surprising depth to the fantasy narrative. There are also demons that awaken repressed thoughts in us, mischievous cats that delight in destruction, the funniest cabriolet with a broken top and the best three-legged chair in the history of cinema. (18/07/2023)

An anime road movie about a journey through Japan from the south to the north and about meeting people and the adolescent self-discovery of a girl who doesn't quite know what to do with herself, her emotions and her loved ones. And by the way, in the second mythological plane, it's about fighting earthquake-causing giant tentacles, and that is the biggest problem with the film. On one level, it is melancholically intimate and relies on characters and emotions. On on the other, it's overwrought, especially during the monumental finale, which, however, doesn't clash with the rest of the film in style and delivery at all. And so, rather than the fight over the fiery plains, the most impressive thing in the finale is the emotional “passing of the wooden chair”. (28/07/2023)

I'll be brief, as much has already been said. At first, I couldn't take my eyes off the screen; seeing the work of Makoto Shinkai on the big screen was amazing. All those details, panoramas, and colors stood out beautifully. The music was also fantastic, whether it was the great central theme or the accompanying tracks. I enjoyed even the songs that Serizawa played in the car. The humor also worked for me; the characters seemed interesting and likable enough. The story might not be the strongest one that Makoto Shinkai has produced. I had more intense experiences with Your Name, but Suzume is still one of his best films. Although I found the ending a bit awkward, it was still relatively satisfying. However, what I enjoyed the most were the journeys across Japan and all those exciting but abandoned places. Unlike Suzume, I wanted to adopt that "restless white cat"... 8.5/10. (19/07/2023)

A riveting spectacle. Action-packed, but also sensitive, unexpectedly impressive and moving in the end. And always entertaining. The kind of film that almost makes you forget it's "just" animation. (21/04/2024)