"The Journey of Suzume" was the title I remember when the PV was released. Compared to the previous name, I prefer the name "The Journey of Suzume" as it is more direct. Just by looking at the name, you can tell that it is a story about a girl's journey and personal growth.
The story of "The Journey of Suzume" is said to be based on some Japanese folklore and the 3.11 earthquake in Japan. These elements are clearly reflected in the film, especially the "worm calamity." This is a disaster that has existed since ancient times and its birth triggers massive earthquakes, resembling a metaphor for natural disasters in real life. Not everyone in the film can see the worm calamity (only the closed-door master, Suzume, and Yōishi can see it), and it is not everywhere, so people cannot predict when the disaster will occur.
There are two interesting aspects in the film:
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The worm calamity almost only appears in places that were once prosperous but are now ruins. This may be director Makoto Shinkai's reflection on the decrease in human population, just my personal speculation.
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The incantation of Kusata (the closed-door master).
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, and I am grateful
Sincerely fearful, sincerely fearful
I will follow the will of the gods and return it
I specifically searched for this incantation, and the meaning of the above passage translated is:
O awe-inspiring gods
O ancient ancestral land
Please allow me to respectfully return this land and river that you have bestowed upon me
Therefore, the film expresses the need to maintain reverence for nature while also commemorating those who tragically lost their lives in disasters. However, Makoto Shinkai is not satisfied with simply expressing this. He also wants to convey warmth to people. At the end of the film, 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 film. In 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 dwell in the pain of loss, but seek hope in life, which is the best comfort for the departed loved ones.
Of course, there are also some aspects of this film that I am dissatisfied with.
I have watched several of Makoto Shinkai's films, and I have 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 Makoto Shinkai's films depict youth and love, but there is always some regret in this love.
However, in "The Journey of Suzume," the romantic storyline is greatly diluted, and the downside is that the development of the main characters' relationship is not well elaborated. It feels like Makoto Shinkai wants it both ways. This film is positioned as a story of a girl's self-growth and redemption, so I find the romantic development between the male lead, Kusata, and the female lead, Suzume, quite inexplicable and somewhat rushed. I still can't figure out why Suzume is so dependent on Kusata, 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 forced. So personally, I think it would have been better to simplify the romantic storyline between the two and focus more on the girl's growth.
It is because the strengths and weaknesses of this film are so apparent that the online reviews of this film are quite polarized. Personally, as a film for the general audience, Makoto Shinkai wanted to express too much in this film, but due to the length, many plot points could not be fully developed. If you are watching a Makoto Shinkai film for the first time, you might find it more confusing. Just by listening to Makoto Shinkai's interviews, you can tell that the director has a lot more to say. He even recently created a Douban account to explain some of the film's plot points to the audience. It's no wonder some people joke that one-third of "The Journey of Suzume" is in the cinema, one-third is in the novel, and the remaining one-third is in the director's interviews.
Overall, I would give this film a score of 7 or 7.5 out of 10. Although the plot has some flaws, they are acceptable, and you don't have to worry about the music and visuals in Makoto Shinkai's films. The music in "The Journey of Suzume" is, in my opinion, the best among the trilogy. After leaving the cinema, what stuck with me was not only Kusata's incantation but also the music in the film.