Suzume, also known as Suzume no Tojimari, is about to hit the big screens on April 14th. The official website lists all available cinemas close to you that will play the feature. Here are more details about the movie and the records it broke in Asia during its opening weekend.
Suzume Breaks Records in China Opening
More than ten million people attended the premiere of Suzume in China during the first three days of the film’s release, contributing to a total box office income of 340 million yuan, which is close to $50M USD, Crunchyroll reports. This makes it the 9th highest-grossing anime film of all time after its first weekend in China.
Writer and director Makoto Shinkai took to Twitter to thank everyone for this amazing milestone. He commented “I’m just amazed at the momentum and love for works from other countries. Thank you from the bottom of my heart to everyone who came to the theater!”
中国での『すずめの戸締まり/铃芽之旅』は、公開からわずか3日間で動員1000万人以上、興収は3.4億元（約65億円）となりました。その勢いと、他国の作品への愛情に驚くばかりです。劇場に足を運んでくださった皆さまに、心より感謝です！ pic.twitter.com/zkVHtVxTZM
— 新海誠 (@shinkaimakoto) March 27, 2023
It probably came as a surprise to him as this is a significant increase above Suzume’s opening weekend revenue of 1.88 billion yen (US$13.51 million) in Japan, which was already the biggest opening weekend for a Shinkai picture in his native country. This is also the best opening for a Shinkai film in China.
Other Statistics From Other Asian Countries
In other Asian countries where Suzume has been released, the country of South Korea has brought in US$23.92 million, Taiwan has brought in US$5.91 million, Hong Kong has brought in US$2.49 million, and of course Japan has brought in US$106.38 million as of the week before last. This takes the total global gross for Suzume up to US$188.12 million as of March 27. This places it as the ninth highest-grossing anime film of all time worldwide and finally knocks Pokémon: The First Movie out of the top 10, where it has been for over twenty years.
What is Suzume About?
The official synopsis reads “On the other side of the door, was time in its entirety—
“Suzume no Tojimari” is a coming-of-age story for the 17-year-old protagonist, Suzume, set in various disaster-stricken locations across Japan, where she must close the doors causing devastation.
Suzume’s journey begins in a quiet town in Kyushu (located in southwestern Japan) 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 drawn 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, then sunset, and the morning sky.
Within that realm, it was as though all time had melted together in the sky…
Never-before-seen scenery, encounters and farewells… A myriad of challenges await her on her journey. Despite all the obstacles in her way, Suzume’s adventure shines a ray of hope upon our own struggles against the toughest roads of anxiety and constraints that make up everyday life. This story of closing doors that connect our past to the present and future will leave a lasting impression upon all of our hearts.
Drawn in by these mysterious doors, Suzume’s journey is about to begin.”
Makoto Shinkai directed and wrote the screenplay for Suzume. Masayoshi Tanaka designed the characters, Kenichi Tsuchiya was in charge of the animation, and Takumi Tanji was in charge of the art. The animation was made at CoMix Wave Films.
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