On Sunday, Tokyo animation studio CoMix Wave Films, STORY Inc and Toho Co., Ltd. unlocked the first teaser trailer and new key art for Makoto Shinkai’s highly anticipated feature Suzume no Tojimari (working title; “Suzume’s Locking-Up”). The preview debuted exclusively on Toho’s MOVIE Channel on YouTube, accompanied by a sneak peek frame from the film, key art and an official release date set for November 11 in Japan.
“We must think about how to close the many doors we left open,” Shinkai said in the announcement. “I’ve bestowed that responsibility upon Suzume as she travels across Japan closing various doors. It is my sincere hope that this film leaves its audiences with big smiles and excitement as they walk out of the theater.”
Synopsis: On the other side of the door, was time in its entirety — 17-year-old Suzume’s journey begins in a quiet town in Kyushu when she encounters a young man who tells her, “I’m looking for a door.” What Suzume finds is a single weathered door standing upright in the midst of ruins as though it was shielded from whatever catastrophe struck. Seemingly mesmerized by its power, Suzume reaches for the knob… Doors begin to open one after another all across Japan, unleashing destruction upon any who are near. Suzume must close these portals to prevent further disaster.
The stars. The sunset. The morning sky. Within that realm, it was as though all time had melted together in the sky — Drawn in by this mysterious door, Suzume’s journey is about to begin.
Ahead of the trailer’s debut, the production partners unveiled a first-look still from the movie. In it, a small and forgotten hot springs town can be seen. A ryokan-style inn lies derelict and abandoned, the rooms overrun with curling ivy, signs pitted and rusted… Suzume walks through this desolate scene in what Shinkai describes as “a story about closure.”
Accompanied only by the phrase “I’ll see you later,” the newly revealed key art features Suzume with her hair up in a ponytail, standing in front of a door holding a small wooden chair with both hands, about to depart on her journey. The water ripples ever so slightly at her feet as the door is cracked open.
Produced by CoMix Wave, Suzume no Tojimari is written, directed and based on an original story from Shinkai. The upcoming film follows Shinkai’s previous blockbusters Your Name. (2016) and Weathering with You (2019), which garnered unprecedented international acclaim. The key creative crew also includes character designer Masayoshi Tanaka (Weathering with You, Toradora!), animation director Kenichi Tsuchiya (Your Name., Teen Titans: The Judas Contract) and art director Takumi Tanji (Your Name., Children Who Chase Lost Voices).
