Anime fans all over the world have been eagerly waiting for filmmaker Makoto Shinkai's upcoming project. The trailer of the film has provoked fans into spamming the comment sections and messages to PVR Cinemas, pleading for an Indian release.
Shinkai, the Otaku legend: Makoto Shinkai has been widely perceived as one of the greatest anime storytellers in history, for his magical-realistic romances complemented with breathtaking visual spectacles and gorgeous soundtracks. Shinkai is the stuff of legends among the otaku community (for non-otakus, that word refers to people who love anime).
Of his filmography, 2016’s Your Name or Kimi no Nawa has attained cult status among the community, and is considered one of the finest pieces of animated fiction to grace the big screen. as well as 2019’s Weathering With You or Tenki no Ko, both adding to the list of highest grossing anime films of all time.
Suzume's Locking-up: His latest, Suzume no Tojimari or Suzume’s Locking-up follows in the footsteps of its predecessors and is said to be part of the same shared universe as the two prior films. The story follows Suzume, a 17-year-old girl and her quest to close and lock all ‘Doors of Disaster’ across Japan.
Years after its release, Your Name serves as a pertinent reminder of the socio-political implications of Japan in the wake of the 2011 earthquake and has also garnered praise as a trans-allegory. In the likeness of its predecessor, Weathering With You attempted to explore the growing fears of global warming by grounding it in the story of an adolescent romance.
Music to look forward to: Both films also feature original music by Japanese group RADWIMPS, whose soft-piano renditions have brought many an otaku down to a pile of tears. All three films feature young women as their protagonists in narratives that blend coming-of-age themes with the looming dangers of climate change and its impact. With vivid animation styles and expansive scenic landscapes to marvel at, the seeming ‘Makoto Shinkai Cinematic Universe’ is all set to release its latest entry later this year.
Anyone else going crazy after watching trailer 2 of Suzume no Tojimari.
— Boy 69 N/A (@CringeTaku) July 14, 2022
It reeks of that amazing soundtrack reminiscent of your name and weathering with you, coupled with that gripping mystery plot.
Animation is a different ball game altogether.#suzumenotojimari pic.twitter.com/HnmXL1WCzR
Anime in India: Anime films have had a troubled history with releases in India. Indian otakus have had to resort to social media and petitioning to bring anime to the big screen. After a Change.org petition to bring the film to Indian screens received over 47,000 signatures, PVR Cinemas was motivated into bringing 2021’s Demon Slayer: Mugen Train to the big screen. The film went on to surpass Spirited Away as the highest grossing anime film of all time, with a global box office collection of $500 million.
Since the petitioning seemed to be doing the trick, fans in India have continued their faith in this tried and tested method, the latest success including this month’s Jujutsu Kiasen: 0, which earned ₹1.80 crore on its first day and a weekend total of ₹5.40 crore.
With Japanese anime Jujutsu Kaisen: 0’s Indian premier, anime fans talk about the film and how the community has evolved over the years.
— IndiaToday (@IndiaToday) July 8, 2022
(@ayaan_paul)https://t.co/WDqLPT8SSS
Within hours of the trailer’s release, otakus across the country took to Instagram and Twitter and began spamming PVR Cinemas in an attempt to secure a timely release for the film.
Please try to release #SuzumeNoTojimari simulataneously in India too.
— 𝑅𝑖𝑡𝒉𝑣𝑖𝑘 (@RithvikAADHF) July 15, 2022
I request @_PVRCinemas to look into this. You've already seen the ultra positive results with jujutsu Kaisen 0. Please consider this. People will storm into theatres. pic.twitter.com/9v2Rxa91sG
The film is set to release theatrically in Japan on November 11, 2022, followed by international releases shortly after.