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Makoto Shinkai’s Suzume No Tojimari’s Heroine Gets Nanoka Hara As VA

Suzume No Tojimari is the first movie of Makoto Shinkai in past three years.

The official website for Suzume No Tojimari revealed that the heroine of the movie Suzume Iwato will get Nanoko Hara as her voice actress. This will be Hara’s first anime voice acting job for an anime. She was chosen for the role amidst 1700 other applicants.

Hara exclaims that she hasn’t shaken away the feeling of receiving this job and believes this is still a dream. She also added, that during her first year in middle school she saw a Shinkai movie in theater and the experience was unforgettable.

The official website of the movie also posted Hara’s message on their page. Check it out here:

Even now, I’m not sure if I’m still dreaming. I can’t imagine that I will be on the side to deliver the unforgettable, heart-shaking sensation I felt when I saw director Shinkai’s film for the first time in a movie theater in the summer of my first year of junior high school. But now I see a sparkle in front of my eyes with the feeling that something great has begun to happen.

I think “Suzume no Tojimari” is a story that makes us realize the connection and warmth between people, something that has gradually faded away in today’s world, and what is truly important. It is a wonderful film that makes you want to cherish the people around you and yourself, as if everything you see shines more vividly than before when you leave the movie theater.

As a big fan of director Shinkai’s works, I am anxious and under a lot of pressure, but I hope to grow as Suzume Iwato together with the director and all the staff and cast members, through joy, anger, sadness, fun, and a lot of worries and thoughts.

The distribution studio of the movie, TOHO animation, also posted a video on their YouTube channel where it catches the 18 year old actress’ emotional reaction to Makoto Shinkai breaking the news of her acceptance as the voice of Suzume for the film.

Check out the video here:

Makoto Shinkai describes the movie in 3 points. They are:

  1. The movie is about a story about road trip around Japan.
  2. It is a story of “closing doors” rather than opening them.
  3. A reason to visit movie theaters.

Shinkai further elaborated on “closing doors” saying that it means to acknowledging the past and tying loose ends.

Suzume No Tojimari is the first movie of Makoto Shinkai in past three years since Covid. He will also be releasing a novel based on the movie which will ship in Aug 24.

The movie is slated to release on Nov 11, 2022, in Japan. Crunchyroll, Sony Pictures Entertainment and Wild Bunch will be releasing it globally except Asia in 2023.

Sony Pictures Entertainment in association with Crunchyroll will distribute the movie in Latin America, South America, Australia, New Zealand, Middle East, Africa and parts of Europe. Whereas the distribution of the movie in North America will be overlooked by Crunchyroll.

The film will distributed by Crunchyroll, Sony Pictures Entertainment and Wild Bunch International to French and German speaking Europe.

Makoto Shinkai will be directing the film along with writing the screenplay and the original story. The character designs will be overlooked by Masayoshi Tanaka. While Kenichi Tsuchiya will be the animation director and Takumi Tanji will be the art director.

The movie is produced by CoMix Wave Films and Story Inc.

CoMix Wave Films describes the story:

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.

Source: Anime News Network.