Shinkai Makoto (02.09.1973 ~)

  His films are characterized for grafting 3D into his animations in order for it to be natural and also gaining popularity through realistic and beautiful portrayals. This is the biggest reasons for the success of his films. 

  Suzume, which hits the number at box offices for the third consecutive week and has attracted more than 4.4 million viewers, is an animation about Suzume accidentally opening the door that causes a series of disasters. She then proceed to travel around Japan with Sota to prevent disasters. This animation represents the deep subject, “disaster” with Japanese atmosphere being painted realistically and sensibly in the process.

  The main character Suzume, living at a sequestered village, Kyushu, meets Sota who is traveling to find a special door. Following his tracks she finds an old door located in the middle of a pond in the ruins of a mountain. After she opens the old door that looked mysteriously, a black object “mimiz,” immediately started creating pandemonium. The unfortune result is that a crisis of disaster approaches the village. She manages to close the door by helping Sota, who seals the door and prevents disaster beyond the door for generations.

  The relief of preventing the disaster only lasts for a moment though. A cat, Daijin,  related to the door, turns Sota into a chair. After that, the door starts opening again and many calamities threaten the ruin of Japan. Suzume shares the journey with Sota. The only method to lock the door, and prevent the disaster is to listen to the voices of the villagers living in the ruined area and recalling the villagers’ memories. Will they be able to prevent disasters that occur all over Japan, especially in Kyushu, Shikoku, Kobe, and Tokyo? When they arrived in Suzume’s hometown, She reminded her of a long-forgotten truth that she discovered in her younger days. However, what could this truth be?

  It is the line from the scene where Suzume, who didn’t understand the existence of the door, bravely led the way to prevent disasters that spread to the village. This is also an indication that while showing the face of a confident and strong character, the story continues through the element of disaster. 

  “From now on, a tremendous number of people will die.”

  It is the line from the aforementioned cat Daijin related to the door. This scene notices the beginning of a disaster and stimulates curiosity in the sudden change of Daijin at the same time. 

  In this animation, Sota says to the main character Suzume, who is struggling to close the door, “Close your eyes and remember the people who lived here.” This scene contains the director’s desire to mourn those who have disappeared due to the disaster. Seeing the increasing number of abandoned places without removing or fixing them over time, the lonely scenery of places gave strong inspiration to director, Shinkai Makoto. The director, who tried to convey “hope” through initiatives, such as the idea that the country would end in decline in the absence of further development, tried to solve the problem in the process of liberation and growth through Suzume.

  A CBT reporter recommends this movie to those who are interested in the genre, emotional fantasy adventure. It can be said that Suzume, who is frustrated by the subsequent lock-up disaster, achieves inner growth by overcoming hardships and adversity with Sota. Both revealing the truth of her childhood, and the material of disaster are all highly connected and hopeful aspects of the film. The fact that the story is not too light and that it makes the audiences to think about the “place lost in disaster” will make the movie more attractive.