Author: Newsroom
Culver City, California, January 12, 2024 – ASIFA-Hollywood announced nominations today for the 51st Annie Awards recognizing celebrated auteur filmmaker Makoto Shinkai’s “Suzume” with nominations across 7 categories, including “Best Feature.” The modern action adventure also earned nominations in the categories of “Best FX Feature” for Yoshitaka Takeuchi and Hiroyuki Seshita, “Best Character Animation Feature” for Kenichi Tsuchiya, “Best Music Feature” for Kazuma Jinnouchi and Radwimps, “Best Storyboarding Feature” for Makoto Shinkai, “Best Writing Feature” for Makoto Shinkai and “Best Voice Acting Feature” for Hokuto Matsumura who plays Souta Munakata.
“Suzume” had its international premiere in February 2023 at the Berlin International FIlm Festival (“Berlinale”), marking the first time that an anime feature film screened in the coveted competition section in over two decades. The film was met with critical acclaim and went on to gross over $300 million worldwide during its initial theatrical run, making it the fourth highest-grossing anime film of all time. The film also earned a 96% critics score and 98% audience score on RottenTomatoes.com making it “Certified Fresh.” “Suzume” has recently been nominated for the World Soundtrack Awards “Discovery of the Year” and the Asia Pacific Screen Awards “Best Animated Feature Film.” The film was also awarded Outstanding Achievement in Music at the 46th Japan Academy Awards and nominated for Best Animated Feature at the 2024 Golden Globes.
“Suzume” is the latest film from auteur Makoto Shinkai. Shinkai has been a visionary in the animation space for decades, with the most recent films being “Your Name.” (2016) and “Weathering With You” (2019), both of which have catapulted him as a leading animation filmmaker with international viewers. “Weathering With You” was selected as Japan’s entry for the best international feature film category of the 2020 Academy Awards.
Official Synopsis
On the other side of the door, was time in its entirety—
“Suzume” 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.
Full list of SUZUME’s Annie Award Nominations are below:
BEST FEATURE
CoMix Wave Films Inc. and Story Inc./Distributed by Crunchyroll/Sony Pictures
BEST FX FEATURE
Production Company: CoMix Wave Films Inc. and Story Inc./Distributed by Crunchyroll/Sony Pictures
FX Production Company: CoMix Wave Films Inc. and Story Inc.
Yoshitaka Takeuchi, Hiroyuki Seshita
BEST CHARACTER ANIMATION FEATURE
CoMix Wave Films Inc. and Story Inc./Distributed by Crunchyroll/Sony Pictures
Kenichi Tsuchiya
BEST MUSIC FEATURE
CoMix Wave Films Inc. and Story Inc./Distributed by Crunchyroll/Sony Pictures
Kazuma Jinnouchi, Radwimps
BEST STORYBOARDING FEATURE
CoMix Wave Films Inc. and Story Inc./Distributed by Crunchyroll/Sony Pictures
Makoto Shinkai
BEST WRITING FEATURE
CoMix Wave Films Inc. and Story Inc./Distributed by Crunchyroll/Sony Pictures
Makoto Shinkai
BEST VOICE ACTING FEATURE
CoMix Wave Films Inc. and Story Inc./Distributed by Crunchyroll/Sony Pictures
Hokuto Matsumura (Character: Souta Munakata)