Suzume

Suzume (Japanese: すずめの戸締まり, Hepburn: Suzume no Tojimari; lit. 'Suzume's Locking Up') is a 2022 Japanese animated coming-of-age fantasy adventure film written and directed by Makoto Shinkai. The third and final installment of Shinkai's Disaster trilogy, following Your Name (2016) and Weathering with You (2019), the film follows seventeen-year-old high school girl Suzume Iwato and young stranger Souta Munakata, who team up to prevent a series of disasters across Japan by sealing doors from the colossal, supernatural worm that causes earthquakes after being released. Produced by CoMix Wave Films and Story Inc., it features the voices of Nanoka Hara and Hokuto Matsumura, with character designs by Masayoshi Tanaka, animation direction by Kenichi Tsuchiya, and art direction by Takumi Tanji. The musical score was composed by Radwimps and Kazuma Jinnouchi. The film began production in early 2020, eventually being announced as completed by October 2022. Its themes were inspired by the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami. A novel adaptation, also written by Shinkai, and a manga series illustrated by Denki Amashima both debuted prior to the film's release. Suzume first premiered in IMAX in Japan on November 7, 2022, followed by a theatrical release by Toho on November 11. It received largely positive reviews from critics, with praise directed towards the characters, animation, visuals, music, and emotional weight. The film grossed US$315 million worldwide, becoming the fourth-highest-grossing anime film at the time and the fourth-highest-grossing film of 2022 in Japan. Among its numerous accolades, the film was nominated for Best Animated Feature at the 81st Golden Globe Awards and received seven nominations at the 51st Annie Awards.