"Journey of Suzume", when the PV was released, I remember its translated name was "Suzume Hoshi", compared to the previous name, I still prefer the name "Journey of Suzume", it's more direct. Just by looking at the name, you know it's a story of a girl's journey, with elements of self-growth.
The story of "Journey of Suzume" is said to be based on some Japanese folklore and the 3.11 earthquake in Japan. This element is actually very obvious in the movie, the most typical being the "worm calamity". This is a disaster that has existed since ancient times, their appearance will trigger a huge earthquake, more like a metaphor for natural disasters in real life. Not everyone can see the worm calamity in the movie (only the closed-door teacher, Suzume, and Yōishi can see it), and the worm calamity is not everywhere, so people cannot predict the occurrence of disasters.
There are two interesting things in the movie:
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The worm calamity almost only appears in places that were once prosperous but are now ruins. This may be a reflection of Shinkai Makoto's lamentation about the decrease in the human population, just my personal guess.
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The incantation of Sota (the closed-door teacher).
Ponder and ponder again Pray to the god unseen by the sun Pray to the ancestral land god of generations This mountain, this river, has been blessed for a long time, I am grateful Sincerely fearful, sincerely fearful I will follow the will of the gods and return it
I deliberately searched for this incantation, and the meaning of the above passage translated a bit is:
O awe-inspiring gods
O ancient ancestral land
Please allow me to respectfully return this land and river bestowed upon me
Therefore, the movie expresses the need to maintain awe for nature while also remembering those who unfortunately lost their lives in disasters. However, Shinkai Makoto is not satisfied with simply expressing this. He also wants to convey warmth to people. At the end of the movie, when little Suzume asks the Suzume from the future: "Who are you?" Her answer is: "I am your tomorrow." Personally, I think this is the most admirable aspect of this movie. With just a few words, it gives people hope and longing. In fact, this is also a message to the survivors of the 3.11 earthquake: do not be deeply immersed in the pain of loss, but should seek hope in life, which is the best comfort for the departed loved ones.
Of course, there are also some aspects of this movie that I am not satisfied with.
I have watched several of Shinkai Makoto's movies, and I have also seen the first two parts of the disaster trilogy. "The Garden of Words" and "5 Centimeters Per Second" outside of the trilogy are also good. Many of Shinkai Makoto's movies are about youth and love, but this love always has some regrets.
In this "Journey of Suzume", the romantic storyline is greatly diluted, and the flaw lies in not overly simplifying the romantic storyline between the male and female leads. I feel that Shinkai Makoto wants it all in this film. The positioning of this film is a story of a girl's self-growth and redemption, so I find the development of the relationship between the male lead, Sota, and the female lead, Suzume, very inexplicable. It can even be said that it was handled somewhat hastily. I still can't understand why Suzume would be so dependent on Sota, even willing to risk her life for him. Is it just because she saw him in the afterlife when she was a child? It feels a bit far-fetched. So personally, I think it would be better to simplify the romantic storyline between the two and focus on the growth of the girl.
It is precisely because the strengths and weaknesses of this movie are very obvious that the online reviews of this movie are also polarized. Personally, as a movie for the general public, Shinkai Makoto wanted to express too much in this movie, but limited by the length, many plot points could not be fully developed. If you are watching a Shinkai Makoto movie for the first time, you may be more confused. If you listen to Shinkai Makoto's interviews, you will know that the director has a lot more to say. He even recently opened a Douban account to explain some of the plot points to the audience. It's no wonder some people joke that one-third of the story of "Journey of Suzume" is in the theater, one-third is in the novel, and the other third is in the director's interviews.
Overall, I can give this movie a score of 7 or 7.5 out of 10. Although the plot has some flaws, it is acceptable, and you don't have to worry about the music and visuals in Shinkai Makoto's movies, they are very powerful. The music of "Journey of Suzume" is the best in my opinion among the trilogy, and after leaving the theater, what stuck in my head was not only Sota's incantation but also the music in the movie.