T5W#362-Top 5 Thoughts on the Suzume no Tojimari Trailer

Jeez Makoto Shinkai has been on a freaking roll these last few years.  After a time where his films were either seen as unimpressive or just ok, the man blew the world away with the global blockbuster Your Name in 2016, which became the highest grossing movie of that year, beating out Shin Godzilla for the top spot.  And how did he follow up one of the best Anime films of all time?  In 2019, Shinkai gave us Weathering With You and proved he wasn’t just a one hit wonder.  It’s been a long wait for new about his next magnum opus and while we’ve gotten a title and a cryptic poster of a door in water, last week we got a full length trailer for Suzume no Tojimari.  Now that is has a confirmed release date in Japan for November 11, 2022, this basically just became THE most anticipated Anime film of the year (Sorry Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero or One Piece Red).  With a few months to go until it arrives and actual footage to speculate with, todays Top 5 Wednesday will be looking at my Top 5 Thoughts on the Suzume no Tojimari Trailer.  PS. According to Wiki, the title translates to English as Suzume’s Locking Up.  Not sure if that will be the official English title or if the movie will keep its Japanese title in full, we’ll just have to wait and see.

 
#5-We Wont Have to Wait Long For it in the US

Anime has become more mainstream than one might think in the US.  Sure it’s not on the level of Marvel or Star Wars but the US market has seen way more Anime intake thanks to the continued popularity of Dragon Ball Super and the emergence of popular new gateway titles like My Hero Academia, Demon Slayer and Jujutsu Kaisen.  Each of these franchises have seen their most recent film entries arrive in the US a couple of months after their Japanese debut.  Suzume no Tojimari looks to continue that trend with Crunchyroll and Sony partnering to bring the movie to US theaters in Early 2023 (hopefully by February if I want to review if in time for a special event).  Suzume might not be part of a big franchise like those aforementioned Shonen Anime.  But Makoto Shinkai’s success with Your Name and Weathering with You guarantees it might make a splash at the US Box Office just like Demon Slayer: Mugen Train and Jujutsu Kaisen 0 did during their US runs.
 

#4-Big Eyed Cats and Walking Chairs

Like it’s two predecessors Suzume no Tojimari looks to be adding more fantastical elements to its crazy tale of doors, alternate realities and an all important romance.  An adorable big eyed cat and a walking (and presumably talking) chair, permeate the trailer and look like they’ll be traveling companions for Suzume on whatever crazy adventure she’ll be undertaking.  I should note that this is kind of a first for one of Shinkai’s more recent films as I cant think of anything in Your Name or Weathering With You that had this kind of Miyazaki esque fantastical whimsy to it.  Heck while lead character Suzume looks a bit like Your Name’s Mitsuha and the guy looks like Shinkai’s take on Howl from Howl’s Moving Castle.  That cant be accidental right?  Maybe part of Suzume’s journey will be helping this white coat sporting bachelor find his heart again.

 
#3-A More Serious Tone

Both Your Name and Weathering With You centered on young romances between two pairs of adorable leads.  While both films had their serious moments when the main plot kicked in, they were pretty lighthearted, feel good movies.  I’m not saying Suzume no Tojimari wont be just as fun but there’s a definite air about that makes it feel different.  There’s a somberness to the two main characters in the trailer, a lot of tears, a lot of bombastic images, lots of screaming and lots of deadly dark red swirls that look pretty threatening.  Your Name and Weathering With You had their own larger than life perils that the main characters had to contend with but I get the feeling there’s more life and death stakes at play here (I say that knowing how the third act of Your Name plays out).  Point is, bring the tissues, this looks intense.

 
#2-No More Radwimps?

Thanks to their amazing work with Your Name and Weathering With You, the JRock Band Radwimps has become to Makoto Shinkai films what The Pillows are to FLCL, an integral element.  Their guitar laden tunes elevated two fantastic romantic fantasy films into something truly awesome and I still cant watch the beginning of the last act of Your Name without tearing up when “Sparkle” starts playing.  Now, I say all of this not knowing if what I’m gonna say next is true or not.  But are Radwimps coming back to score Suzume no Tojimari?  I only ask because the haunting and amazing track that plays through the entire trailer is called Suzume (Sparrow) by Nanoka Hara.  It’s a beautiful track and it got me hooked on the trailer the moment the first tunes started playing.  However, the lack of news about the Radwimps taking part is a bit strange.  Maybe Shinkai’s trying something new music wise with his latest entry.  It’d be interesting to see him branch out in that regard.  If Radwimps aren’t coming back, that’ll be sad.  But bring on more tracks like Suzume, I’m ready for it.
 

#1-Nods to the…ShinkaiVerse? (Spoilers for Weathering With You)

Arguably the biggest surprise no one saw coming in Weathering With You was the surprise cameos from Your Name’s loveable protaganists Taki and Mitsuha.  And yes, they were the same characters from Your Name, not similar models with new names.  It gave a nice bit of connective tissue between the two movies and it looks like Suzume no Tojimari will be a third tale in this…ShinkaiVerse? (idk I’m just spit balling names here).  The setting for the film looks to be the same Japan we last saw largely submerged underwater at the conclusion of Weathering With You.  Suzume also looks like she has a hair tie like Mistuha had in Your Name and is wrapping her hair in it like she’s ready for action.  Could this mean that we could see Taki and Mitsuha again?  And what about Hadoka and Hina from Weathering With You, might they pop in to say hi as well?  Honestly I like this bit of connectivity between Shinkai’s last projects and I hope Suzume no Tojimari and each subsequent film he works on continues to build on it because this is becoming something really special.