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Makoto Shinkai’s newest film, Suzume no Tojimari, was first announced in December 2021 and is expected to have a 2022 release date. Living up to expectations, the movie has released its first official teaser-trailer and has confirmed its release in Japan by the end of 2022.
Shinkai movies are iconic for the references and symbolism rampant throughout them, along with hyper-realistic animation and captivating soundtracks.
Makoto Shinkai's Suzume no Tojimari's official trailer and release date
Key visual and official trailer
The first key visual for Suzume no Tojimari was released on December 17, 2021, with a brief description of the premise of the movie. The second key visual, revealing the protagonist of the movie, was released on April 9, 2022, via the movie’s official Twitter account.
The artwork showed Suzume standing before the door with a small wooden chair and was accompanied by a single sentence, “ittekimasu,” translating to, “I’ll be off now.”
Now, with the trailer out, we get a clearer picture of Makoto Shinkai’s vision for this new movie. The trailer shows the movie’s protagonist Suzume, riding a bicycle down a hilly road overlooking the sea, when she crosses a long-haired individual, possibly the young man looking for a door. The scene transitions to the door already seen in the official posters, and then to a small cat with yellow and black eyes.
The small, wooden chair makes its appearance again and seems to have a special significance in the story. The importance of locks and keys is obvious from the trailer itself, and the trailer hints that while Suzume herself might be the key to opening these doors, a key in the boy’s possession might be the way to close the doors. Water is a recurring image in most movies by Makoto Shinkai and Suzume no Tojimari is no exception.
Produced by CoMix Wave Films, the animation is stunning in a way that is characteristic of Shinkai movies. The movie will feature character designs by Masayoshi Tanaka, art direction by Takumi Tanji, and animation direction by Kenichi Tsuchiya. The background music has RADWIMPS’ distinctive style, which perfectly complements the animation and content of the trailer.
Release date
The theatrical release date for Suzume no Tojimari in Japan has been confirmed to be November 11, 2022. There is no information yet regarding the international release of the movie.
Speculations about the movie
The last two anime movies written and directed by Makoto Shinkai, Your Name and Weathering With You, seemed to be part of the same universe, with both Mitsuha and Taki making cameos in the latter movie. Weathering With You also featured odd weather patterns, and ended with a major part of Tokyo being permanently submerged in water.
It has been revealed that the doors that the upcoming movie’s protagonist, Suzume is going around closing, are “Doors of Disaster,” which if left open will have drastic effects on the world. This makes us wonder if we might see another connection between this movie and Makoto Shinkai’s previous works, and if these three movies will function as a sort of trilogy.
