Let¡¯s get this out of the way up front: If there was any doubt that Makoto Shinkai is the undisputed visual champion of the anime form, ¡°Suzume¡± provides the final knockout punch. Shinkai and team¡¯s eye-popping colors, detailed and fluid hand-drawn frames, lush background work, top-grade CG and seamless blending of all those elements are head and shoulders above anything else ¡ª every frame of ¡°Suzume¡± is practically a work of art.
But how does it stack up narratively?
Shinkai¡¯s second film since ¡°Your Name.,¡± which broke all kinds of box-office records in 2016, ¡°Suzume¡± is another work of fantastic realism with many of the tropes we¡¯ve come to expect from the director, including a meet-cute story, a quest to save Japan from doom, a preoccupation with natural disasters and some lovingly illustrated meals.
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