Makoto Shinkai’s Next Film Will Be A Fantastical Japanese Road Movie

Makoto Shinkai, one of the most successful directors in anime history, unveiled his next feature during a live-streamed press conference yesterday (watch it with English subtitles below).

Suzume no Tojimari, which literally translates as Suzume’s Door-Locking, will be released in Japanese theaters in fall 2022. The plot has elements in common with other works by the director, such as portals between worlds and the spectre of cataclysm in contemporary Japan.

The film follows 17-year-old Suzume, who lives in a quiet town on the island of Kyushu. One day, she meets a young man who says he is looking for a door. Following him, she finds one standing isolated in a ruined landscape. Suddenly, doors are appearing all over Japan and spilling disasters out into the world. Suzume sets out to shut them again.

Its official website describes Suzume no Tojimari as a “road movie” that “depicts the growth and emancipation” of Suzume. It promises that her story will “shed a ray of light on our journey as we live alongside anxiety and difficulty.”

Shinkai is behind the story and screenplay. Toho will release the film. It is produced by Comix Wave Films, the animation studio behind several of Shinkai’s works, and Story Inc., which was involved with his last film Weathering with You.

The director’s last two features, Your Name and Weathering with You, rank third and sixth in the list of the highest-grossing anime films globally. Both were critically acclaimed, each landing a nomination for best independent animated feature at the Annie Awards.

Does animation news like this matter to you? Become a Cartoon Brew Member to help us continue to publish the stories that are important to you. Members also receive an exclusive newsletter twice per month, with exclusive members-only site content starting in January 2022.