The highly anticipated Makoto Shinkai film Suzume no Tojimari has officially premiered in Japanese theaters, with other fans worldwide wondering when they can expect to watch the anime.
The film is written and directed by Shinkai, the mastermind behind Your Name and Weathering with You. Both of those animated films are visually stunning fantasy adventures, with romantic themes mixed into the story. From the looks of the trailers for Suzume no Tojimari, this film falls along the same lines, so viewers can expect an enchanting tale full of mystery that will leave viewers completely fascinated.
The animated movie is about a 17-year-old girl named Suzume Iwato (Nanoka Hara), who happens to meet a mysterious young man named Soto Munakata (Hokuto Matsurmura). Soto is looking for magical doors that are releasing disasters all over Japan. He makes it his mission to close all the doors to stop the calamities, and Suzume joins him for the adventure. The story takes a turn when a demonic cat turns Soto into a chair, so Suzume now has to figure out how to close all the doors and save her new friend.
Music for the film was performed by Japanese rock band Radwimps, who also produced the soundtrack for Your Name and Weathering with You. TikTok singer Toaka recorded the first single off the soundtrack titled Suzume.
Suzume no Tojimari premiered in Japan on Nov. 11, beating out Black Panther: Wakanda Forever in Japanese theaters. Like Shinkai’s other films, it is produced by CoMix Wave Films and distributed by Toho. Sony Pictures and Crunchyroll will distribute the movie in North America. Sony Pictures and Wild Bunch will distribute the film in Europe.
The film is expected to be released worldwide in early 2023, so there isn’t much longer to wait. It is also expected to stream on HBO Max with a monthly subscription.