Suzume” (2022)
Directed by Makoto Shinkai
(Yes — the same genius behind Your Name and Weathering With You)
Where are my anime lovers 🤗, If you watched it loved Your Name or Spirited Away, (I'm going to be doing a review on that soon in case of you haven't watched it) this movie is a blast! It will stick with you long after it ends.
I won’t lie, I was feeling a little numb that day. Life has been repetitive, work, school, life, etc🤦🏼. Grey skies outside, quiet evenings, too many thoughts. I wanted to watch something that could divert my mind away a little bit. Something that would feed my mind with something different.
I remembered how Your Name shattered me in the best way, so when I saw that “Suzume” was trending, and it was by the same director — I was eager to watch so I clicked play.
From the very first scene, I was hooked, excited and calm ☺️.
The colors were so vibrant — deep orange skies, lush green hills, crumbling abandoned buildings filled with forgotten memories. I could almost smell the rain, feel the wind on my skin as Suzume ran through fields and cities, chasing unseen forces.
Suzume is a modern action adventure road story (not like the Witches Road movie) where a 17-year-old girl named Suzume helps a mysterious young man close doors from the other side that are releasing disasters all over Japan.
One morning on her way to school, she meets a mysterious young man named Souta, who is searching for strange, magical doors hidden across Japan — doors that lead to a mysterious, chaotic world filled with destruction. I was on my toes when Suzume met this man, I wished Suzume knew his plan but if course I wasn't an actor in the movie 😁, so I continued to eat my popcorn 🍿 and watch what was going on. Or maybe I was wrong! 🤔
Together, they travel across Japan, closing these mysterious doors to stop destruction.
When she opened the first door and stepped into that glowing, surreal world beyond, I literally held my breath. It felt like I was there with her, walking into the room.
But here's the twist, the journey isn’t just about saving the world — it becomes a personal quest for Suzume. She must face the grief she buried, the pain she ignored, and the love she never expected.
Suzume accidentally opens one of these doors, setting off a chain of supernatural events. A dark force escapes, threatening to bring disaster. And in the middle of it all, Souta is cursed and turned into a tiny, three-legged wooden chair. (Yes — it’s weird, but trust me, it works.)
But what hit me most wasn’t just the fantasy, it was her grief she felt in the houtny.
That quiet, aching feeling of loneliness, and pain. The way she looked at empty spaces. The way memories came back in flashes, soft, painful, raw. I thought about the people I’ve lost too. The memories I’ve hidden deep, buried and forgotten. And somehow, as she faced hers, I felt like I was facing mine too.
And then Souta turned into a tiny chair. I laughed hard but it wasn't funny though. Then I cried. And I laughed again. The movie danced between sadness and sweetness so perfectly.
The movie was really magical. It's heartbreaking. And it's beautiful.
Suzume” wasn’t just a movie about closing doors. It was about opening up. To memories. To heal. To love.
And most of all — to yourself.
It reminded me that no matter how broken or lost we feel, there’s always a way forward. Even if it’s slow. Even if you have to carry pain with you. You’re still moving. You’re still alive. And that’s enough.
If you ever feel stuck — in grief, in confusion, or just in the weight of being human — watch Suzume. Let yourself feel. Let the visuals wrap around you, let the music fill your chest, and let the story remind you that you’re not alone.
Sometimes, we all need a chair with three legs and a stubborn girl with a soft heart to show us the way.
I recommend watching and pls don't forget to tell me your experience, what you felt ☺️
Poetic Quote from Suzume
"I’ll be okay. Even if you’re not here, I’ll keep moving forward… because I was loved."
— Suzume Iwato
