Suzume no Tojimari, also known as Suzume's Door-Locking or simply Suzume outside of Japan, is an anime feature film by Makoto Shinkai. He’s the same creator of Your Name (Kimi no Na Wa) and Weathering with You.

The two-hour-long film, Suzume no Tojimari, arrived in Japan on November 11, 2022, and was released worldwide through March and April 2023.

Today I’ll share my opinion and would like to know what you think about it too!

What is Suzume About?

Before my review, let me quickly explain what Suzume no Tojimari is about, in case you haven’t watched it yet.

In Suzume no Tojimari, we are introduced to Suzume Iwato, an ordinary 17-year-old girl living in a small town. On her way to school, she comes across a handsome man, Souta Munakata, who is looking for a door.

The brief encounter intrigued Suzume, so she decided to look for the outsider. The search brings her to a place where she finds a door that connects her world to another. But this new world houses creatures capable of causing massive disasters.

As Suzume examines the door, she accidentally lets out a cat-like entity, Daijin, which grows so attached to her that it doesn’t want to return!

The issue is, when Souta, the guardian of those mystical doors, explains the implications of having Daijin roaming free, the kitty sees him as a rival and turns him into a chair. This is how Suzume and Souta’s journey across Japan begins!

It’s now up to Suzume to catch Daijin and find the other mystical doors!

Liz's Verdict!

As I expected after watching Your Name, Suzume is such a wholesome movie!

First, there is the beautiful art — the colors, the lighting, and the attention to detail were all so appealing, though I’m far from being an expert.

And what caught me off guard was the damage on all the doors. A movie about doors should give special attention to them, but the the overgrown plants and obvious wear made the doors extra cozy.

The CGI and 2D animation didn’t blend well, but that didn’t ruin my experience.

The OST is another lovely point. It was fun to recognize one of the insert songs, but I won't tell you which one or where it belongs! If you have watched the movie, guess which song I’m talking about!

Plot-wise, the story deserved a better introduction, but the development is lovely.

Suzume and Souta's journey feels truly special and heartwarming, especially the connections Suzume builds as they chase Daijin. And seeing a little chair with a strong sense of duty is adorable!

However, I felt the relationship between the main characters was slightly unnatural — maybe because I already knew how the author felt about creating another movie with a "boy meets girl" premise.

Nevertheless, Suzume and Souta are marvelous characters and work great as a team.

Overall, the movie brings a touching message about moving on and overcoming a painful past. Suzume No Tojimari deserves all the attention it has received since releasing last year.

Closing My Review

Suzume no Tojimari — or Suzume’s Door-Locking — is another movie I strongly recommend for those who are okay with little action, as this is not the point here.

There were moments I felt could have been presented differently. But I quickly forgot about them because of the other great aspects of the movie.

So, have you watched Suzume yet? Are you planning on doing so once it’s available on streaming platforms? We can talk more about this and other anime in my Otaku Community!

And if you’d like to enjoy more anime coverage, check the posts below, or send me your suggestions!

Images from IMDb