Suzume (2022)

The anime film 'Suzume' tells the story of Suzume, a high school junior living with the aunt who raised her in southern Japan. One day while biking to school Suzume meets a handsome stranger looking for a near by abandoned villiage. It turns out that he is a "closer", a kind of wizard priest who ceremonialy returns once peopled places to the ancient gods and seals doorways to "the ever after" to keep out a giant demon worm who causes earthquakes. 

Suzume unwittingly interferes releasing a cat guardian spirit who transforms the closer into a walking, talking childrens chair missing a leg. The two embark on a cross country journey north, chasing the cat towards Tokyo, closing portals and making friends along the way, and that's only about the first 60% of the film.

This very Japanese kind of story is adapted from a book and very loosely inspired by some Shinto myths. It's director Makato Shinkai has made a number of films including 'Your Name' which came out back in 2016 and which I also rather liked. Makato may well be the new Miyazaki, he is very skilled with both world building and crafting engaging characters. I will try and seek out his stuff in the future.

This movie has done extremly well, 96% on Rotten Tomatos, a 7.8 on Imdb and is now the 4th biggest domestic hit in the history of the Japanses box office. The film is very engaging, visually, character and story wise, boasts some strong poignant moments and a soundtrack featuring Japanese pop hits of the 70's to 90's. That the films principle love interests are a 16 year old girl and a grad student, well at least it dosen't go beyound kissing. Still I really enjoyed this and the film does a good job of telling a character wrap up epilogue story in the closing credits. ****