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Japanese anime has taken over the globe with its creative and unique concepts in various projects. Over the years, several anime movies have shattered box office records, cementing their place as cinematic masterpieces.Your Nameis arguably one of the most successful anime films, introducing many Western fans to the little-known world of anime.
The fantasy drama film is a masterpiece of its director, Makoto Shinkai, that celebrates love, determination, and kindness. BesidesYour Name, Makoto Shinkai is famous for his other box office hit,Suzume, which became an instant hit in 2023 because of its excellent visuals. Just two weeks after its Netflix release,Suzumebecame the eighth-most-watched non-English film, and the only anime to rank that high.
Makoto Shinkai enhancesSuzume‘s aesthetics by weaving in Japanese mythology, traditions, and landscapes. Interestingly, the legendary mangaka once unveiled the creative inspiration and concept behind the terrifying monster inspired by Japanese mythology.
The Legendary Anime Filmmaker onSuzume’s Inspiration from Japanese Mythology
Even though it’s been one year sinceSuzumewas first released, its enduring popularity is clearly justified. Makoto Shinkai is globally recognized for his cinematic movies, which are also widely praised and loved by fans.
Indeed, bothHayao MiyazakiandMakoto Shinkaihave garnered widespread attention from international audiences and are renowned as legendary filmmakers.Suzume‘s ranking so highly on Netflix fully cements it as a global hit, and its success is nothing but a good sign for Netflix’s future involvement with anime.
The movie is a coming-of-age story that follows our eponymous heroine and the male protagonist on a journey acrossJapan to save the people from a series of catastrophic events. In an interview, Shinkai talked about the old Japanese mythologies thatfueled his creativitybehindSuzume. He said:
Japan is a very earthquake-prone region in the world. So ancient Japanese people imagined there must have been some kind of gigantic creature that dwelled beneath the islands of Japan. And depending on the era, it took the shape of a long, skinny dragon or a giant catfish that stretched amongst the isle of Japan. And in this instance, for Suzume, I believe the earthworm represents the earth itself; it eats dirt and spits out dirt, almost like the existence of land itself.
The legendary mangaka shares his fascination with long-forgotten mythologies that inspired him to enrich his work and bring them to the big screen. He even expressed his desire to be distinct from iconic Hollywood monsters like Godzilla by drawing inspiration from ancient Japanese myths. He added:
And the worm moves similarly to an earthquake; it doesn’t act with any logic, rhyme, or reason. One thing I was careful about, though, was making sure it didn’t appear too monster-like; I didn’t want it to look like Godzilla.
Suzume Director Makoto Shinkai Has Only 1 Request That Involves Hayao Miyazaki: ‘A part of me is almost a little exhausted’
Despite some great original and licensed content, Netflix has always had a bad reputation as an anime streaming service due to a lack of content, bad advertising, and poorly timed release dates. Regardless,Suzume‘s success on Netflix shows that anime can be a big market for Netflix.
Explore Makoto Shinkai’s Favorite Title BeyondYour NameandSuzume
Makoto Shinkai’sYour Nameis a brilliant and vibrant piece of art that leaves viewers yearning for more. The Japanese moviebroke several recordsback in 2016, instantly becoming a global sensation and box office hit.
Despite being the most popular Japanese movie,Shinkai once disclosedhis thoughts on all his films, with one being his most beloved creation. In aninterview, he named ‘The Garden of Words‘ as his masterpiece, which sadly is underappreciated. Shinkai narrates the story of a lonely teenager who prefers sitting in a lovely garden and missing his morning lessons.
Hayao Miyazaki May Be Wrong About Anime and Makoto Shinkai Proved That With Suzume: ‘I needed to make this film’
The Garden of Wordsfeatures Takao Akizuki, an aspiring 15-year-old shoemaker, and Yukari Yukino, a mysterious 27-year-old woman. Besides the two lovely characters, Shinkai’s masterful use of rain and intricate scenes drew fans in,making the movie’s aesthetics unforgettable.
Moreover,The Garden of Wordshighlights the key concept of finding someone in the midst of solitude. Despite being released in 2013,The Garden of Wordsis outshined by popular titles such asYour NameandSuzume; however, fans who have witnessed this masterpiece consider it Shinkai’s best work of all time.
SuzumeandThe Garden of Wordsare availablefor streaming on Netflix.
Mehul Rolta
Articles Published :510
Mehul Rolta is a seasoned journalist with over 3 years in esports and soccer journalism. Transitioning to anime writing at Fandom Wire, Mehul shares his lifelong passion for anime about integrates professionalism. Dedicated to connecting the world of anime globally, Mehul shares thoughts and insights, communicating personal passion with professional insight.
