Suzume

Suzume is an anime film animated by CoMix Wave Films that premiered in Japanese theaters in November 2022. Makoto Shinkai wrote the original story and directed the film. Storyboard work on the anime began in early 2020.

A 17-year-old high school student named Suzume Iwato lives with her aunt in a coastal town on the island of Kyushu. She meets a university student named Souta Munakata who travels around searching for abandoned locations with doors. Following him to a derelict bathhouse, Suzume opens a freestanding door and pulls a stone from the ground, inadvertently awakening a divine cat named Daijin. A supernatural entity known as the worm escapes from the doorway, forcing Suzume and Souta to lock portals across Japan to prevent catastrophic earthquakes.

Nanoka Hara voices Suzume, while Hokuto Matsumura voices Souta. Character designer Masayoshi Tanaka oversaw visual designs, and rock band Radwimps teamed with composer Kazuma Jinnouchi to produce the musical score. In Japan, theatrical release began on 379 cinema screens on November 11, 2022. The film earned 14.94 billion yen in Japan during its domestic theatrical run. Worldwide cinema ticket sales reached $323 million, with ticket revenue in China contributing over $114 million. The standalone theatrical story generated no subsequent anime television series or sequel films.

The English-dubbed version began showing in international movie theaters in April 2023. European festivals welcomed the film, marking the first Japanese anime in competition at the Berlin International Film Festival in two decades. The 73rd Berlin International Film Festival nominated the film for the Golden Bear in February 2023. At the 46th Japan Academy Film Prize in 2023, composers Radwimps and Kazuma Jinnouchi won Outstanding Achievement in Music. The film also received a nomination for Best Animated Feature Film at the 81st Golden Globe Awards in 2024.