Review of Suzume

The themes of loss and trauma (and the depiction of Japan's natural disasters and it's effect on the survivors) were brilliant and wonderfully articulated. The instinct latch on to something and the fear of losing it when the character had already lost so much, is a stellar demonstration of Skinkai's ability to show his emotional intelligence through his scripts and storytelling. His films are all about the connections we keep, try to keep, and those we lose without warning. This felt more refined in that way, the themes permeated the whole film in a very naturalistic way. The characters aren't massively complex, but somehow still feel groundedand honest. Shinkai uses his beautiful environments and background art to show us not just how someone lives, but bits about who they are.

The film also benefits from it's main character. Shinkai chose a female protagonist, who's strength is in her ability to be empathetic and open (despite what she's been though). It's always appreciated to have female protagonists who's defining trait is something other than simply being "as tough as the guys".