Suzume Blu-ray Review – A Loving Tribute to One of the Most Moving Anime Films in Recent Memory

Makoto Shinkai’s Suzume was one of 2023’s biggest anime movies, and now the acclaimed film comes to Blu-ray thanks to Crunchyroll. Shinkai is well known for his emotional stories that focus on themes of coming to terms with the trauma that comes from living through natural disasters. Suzume tackles similar themes in an emotionally heart-wrenching story. With a gorgeous rerelease of the film alongside special features that give fans more insight into the creative process behind Suzume, this is one Blu-ray release worth checking out.

Available on Crunchyroll’s store for an MSRP of $64.98, Suzume’s Limited Edition Blu-ray release comes with the Blu-ray, a DVD copy, a special features Blu-ray, 4 high-quality art cards, and a 60-page art book. The release features both the original Japanese and the English dub. The special features alone are interesting in their own right, coming with director commentary, an interview with Radwimps the musicians behind much of Suzume’s soundtrack, a making-of documentary, and more.

Suzume follows the titular heroine who inadvertently sets off a chain of events across Japan that could lead to a massive disaster. Along with the help of a man named Souta who has been transformed into a chair and a mysterious guardian spirit named Daijin, Suzume travels around Japan trying to close special doors to a dangerous world.

Suzume’s Blu-ray Release is a Gorgeous Tribute to One of 2023’s Best Anime Films

With the art book, the cards, and the special features disc, Suzume’s Blu-ray release provides a good bit extra for fans of Makoto Shinkai’s latest masterpiece. The art book and cards are fine additions, and do look quite nice, but don’t offer a ton beyond that. It’s certainly a good inclusion, but the art book in particular contains a few handwritten notes from Shinkai himself on various pieces that are left untranslated. That’s far from a dealbreaker, but it is worth noting.

For fans of Suzume though, the real value is in the bonus features that come packaged with the Limited Edition, and these certainly don’t disappoint. Shinkai is a true visionary and has become one of the biggest anime directors for good reason, so seeing his process in action is thrilling. In addition to that, all of the moments with the cast are great too. There’s a moment in the first special feature, Behind the Door, where Suzume’s voice actress, Nanoka Hara, learns that she was cast in the title role and breaks down in tears of joy.

Another particular standout of the special features is the interview with Shinkai. Shinkai details how he never set out to make Suzume a movie about disaster, and that his original intention for the movie was to create a thrilling adventure story set in modern-day Japan. However, when trying to craft a story set in present-day Japan, Shinkai couldn’t stop thinking about how natural disasters have affected and displaced people. Disaster plays a big role in Suzume as confirmed in the movie’s ending, so hearing Shinkai’s thoughts about that element is fascinating.

Why Suzume More Than Earned its Title As One of 2023’s Best Anime Movies

Regardless of the special features though, Suzume is a fantastic movie that every anime fan should watch. Shinkai is a master of creating films that are both emotionally fulfilling and crowd-pleasing in equal measure. With Suzume, Shinkai has struck a perfect balance as the story manages to delve deep into themes of processing grief while still being entertaining.

One of the best parts of the film are the many stellar performances from both Suzume’s original Japanese cast and the English dub cast. As made clear by the behind-the-scenes features, Nanoka Hara put her all into the title role, delivering a performance that feels completely authentic to the character. On the other side, Nichole Sakura’s version of Suzume in the English dub captures a wide range of difficult emotions, making her performance just as compelling as Hara’s. Regardless of which version of the movie fans watch, the cast does an incredible job.

Grounding the whole movie is Shinkai’s consistently gorgeous direction. Shinkai’s best anime movies always look beautiful in motion, and Suzume might feature his most lavish direction to date. Of particular note is Shinkai’s use of color. In Suzume, green is given particular importance as evidenced by the title character’s school uniform as well as the lush fields of grass. All of it pops in a way that is eye-catching. This Blu-ray release in particular looks phenomenal on the proper TV.

Why Fans Should Support Blu-ray Releases of Their Favorite Anime

Blu-rays Help Support Anime Creators in a More Direct Way

In the age of streaming, it’s easy for fans to only take interest in what anime series or movies are available on streaming. While this is completely valid, especially with the high cost of physical media, fans who can afford special Blu-ray releases should show support for their favorite shows and movies. Films like Suzume may have earned quite a bit of money at the box office, but buying physical releases is an even more direct way of letting anime production committees know what fans want to see more of.

In addition to the idea of voting monetarily, it’s also important to note that licensing deals for anime are notoriously fickle, meaning that owning a physical copy of an anime is one of the few ways to guarantee access.

What makes Suzume an especially enticing offer for fans is just how much those special features add. Hearing Shinkai and the cast of Suzume talk about the movie is moving and will certainly give fans a greater appreciation for the already incredible movie. Suzume is one of the best anime movies in recent memory, so fans won’t want to miss out on Crunchyroll’s release of the hit film.