The next movie from acclaimed director Makoto Shinkai (Your Name, Weathering With You) finally has a release date.
Suzume no Tojimari, now simply renamed Suzume in the West, is set for release in the US and UK on April 14, 2023.
The movie, which released to critical and commercial acclaim in Japan in November, follows the story of 17-year-old Suzume, who is tasked with closing a series of doors across Japan that are causing devastation.
As per Crunchyroll’s synopsis, "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."
2023, then, is set to be a bumper year for fans of anime on both the big and small screen. Demon Slayer season 3, Attack on Titan’s Final Season, and Jujutsu Kaisen season 2 are all set to premiere next year.
Suzume, too, may follow in the recent success of anime’s cinematic successes. Demon Slayer: Mugen Train became the highest-grossing movie of 2020 after it took over $500m at the worldwide box office in a year that saw the industry disrupted by COVID shutdowns and delayed productions.
Find out what else is on the way with our complete guide to upcoming anime.