Suzume

Shinkai has created a disaster trilogy of sorts, and while Your Name towers above the other two, Suzume is a decent effort. There's a rich mythos and ethnography to its story, a commentary on the constant loss of tradition and people in the rural areas of Japan as they move to the cities. The romance is muted compared to that in Weathering With You; most of the attention is drawn instead to Suzume's coming of age and overcoming her past trauma. The Radwimps presence is also more subtle, sadly.

A very nice adventure movie that effortlessly switches between large action setpieces, intimate character moments and slice of life passages. Bonus points for the nice orchestral soundtrack.

Can't really rank this relative to other anime, as the amount that I watch is still limited. As a movie, it's not without its faults - namely, a 17-year-old girl and a 25-year-old grad student training to be a teacher being in love and somehow everybody's cool with it! - but it's also not without its charm! The visuals and music are excellent, and mostly make up for plotline and screenplay. Makoto Shinkai may never step outside the "coming of age" subgenre, but he does make good stuff within it!

We need more films where we get to root for a very little chair.

Shinkai's "Suzume" excels in character development, authentic emotions, and stunning visuals, particularly in its depiction of weather. However, the film's pacing falters in the second act, resulting in a dragging feeling and an extended runtime. Despite this, it remains an engaging and boundary-pushing animated film.