Review of Suzume

Suzume No Tojimari further confirmed what I had already believed about Makoto Shinkai: he is not a perfect writer, but every failing he has in the writing department is made up tenfold in creative flair and direction. Plot: 7.5/10 The story isn't bad, by any stretch, just not particularly exceptional. It's not as gripping as Your Name, but definitely has it's emotional moments and also has a lot more heart-pounding action. Suzume is a likeable protagonist, Souta is just mysterious enough to be cool without just being frustating, and Daijin does a good job of driving the story forwards. The film also mixes it's fantasy-like elements withmuch more real problems, like coping with grief and overcoming ones past, giving it an extra emotional punch. It's a tad formulaic, and there are some elements that aren't explored enough, but it's more than good enough to keep one's attention and make you wanna root for the main characters.

Visuals:
10/10
It's a Shinkai film, what do you expect? Every frame is wallpaper-worthy. Shinkai's signature blend of both digital 2d and 3DCG continues to be a blessing on the eyes, and a setting like this gives him free reign to just put the most stunning animation possible in front of you. Landscapes and skies that look like they could be photographs, characters designed with painstaking detail, even things like the movement of water are done masterfully. The whole movie is a masterclass in animation cinematography

Music and sound:
9/10
Call me a RADSIMP, I don't care, RADWIMPS can do no wrong. The main theme, appropriately titled "Suzume," is absolutely beautiful, and the accompanying vocals by Toaka are better than I could have ever asked for. Not to continually compare this movie to it's admittedly superior predecessor, but the soundtrack was nearly on the level of the godly music in Your Name. Every track fits the mood of it's respective scene perfectly, and just proved that RADWIMPS + Shinkai is a near-unbeatable combo.

The voice acting was also top notch, with Hara Nanoka providing a stellar performance in the lead role, with her costars Matsumura Hokuto and Ann Yamane matching her in their roles as Souta and Daijin respectively. Between the three lead roles, the suprisingly solid secondary voice actors and a cameo from seiyuu legend herself KanaHana, there are really no holes to pick on this front.

And, of course, the sound was directly almost as masterfully as the visuals. Everything sounds exactly as you would expect it to, and when blended with the phenomenal soundtrack it's an eargasm to listen to.

Overall: It's a 9, but it's a very good 9. A 9.5 to 9.6. It's less-than-perfect story (and the fact that this is the third time Shinkai has made this movie) stops it from being a 10, but that doesn't change that it's a fantastic watch and a credit to the animation world