There is little doubt that Suzume no Tojimari tells a unique love story. However, Makoto Shinkai also pointed out that his latest animated film also explores the effects of the 2011 Great Tohoku Earthquake.
Makoto Shinkai recently spoke to Crunchyroll to promote Suzume's theatrical release in North America. The filmmaker discussed what he considered the best way to explore the delicate topic.
"I had to ask myself if it was ethical for me to depict a factual tragedy like this in an entertainment film like Suzume," Shinkai said. "I discussed it a lot with the team as well. Being over 12 years ago, many people are starting to forget about that disaster."
He then confirmed that the younger generation does not remember the tragedy but is affected by its aftermath.
"My daughter is 12 and was born in the same year of the earthquake, so she doesn't remember the earthquake at all. But it was a huge disaster that changed Japan," Shinkai stated.
"By depicting it in an entertainment film, I thought it could connect the generation that knows it and the one that does not," he continued.
"Suzume was made with the idea of connecting the younger and older generations of Japan. If it could also bring together the audience in Japan and the world, I couldn't be happier," Shinkai concluded.
Makoto Shinkai's previous films Your Name and Weathering With You also dealt with natural disasters and the filmmaker confirmed that both were influenced by the 2011 Great Tohoku Earthquake. However, Suzume is the movie that tackles the tragedy firsthand.
Suzume no Tojimari has become Makoto Shinkai's most successful film and is currently the fourth-highest-grossing Japanese film of all time. The movie premiered in Japan in November 2022 and was released internationally in March 2023. It is currently screening in theaters across North America.
Related: Suzume Director on The Japanese Disaster That Inspired His 3 Most Successful Films
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