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| Japanese director Makoto Shinkai, left, and actress Nanoka Hara, pose during a press conference for the animated film, "Suzume," at Megabox Seongsu theater in Seoul, Wednesday. |
By Kwak Yeon-soo
Makoto Shinkai, the filmmaker behind fantasy-adventure anime films such as "Your Name" (2016) and "Weathering with You" (2019), said Japan and Korea share cultural commonalities and that is why Japanese animated films are huge in Korea.
"Japan and Korea have similar landscapes and culture, and I think these factors contributed to my film's success here. I think a cityscape reflects the needs and desires of its citizens. In that sense, Seoul reminds me of Tokyo. Although Japan-Korea political relations have had their ups and downs, I hope the two countries keep moving toward deepening cultural ties," he told Korean reporters during a press conference for his new film, "Suzume," in Seoul, Wednesday.
"Suzume" tells the story of a 17-year-old high school girl named Suzume who helps a mysterious young man named Souta to prevent a series of deadly natural disasters.
Shinkai talked about bringing themes of disaster into his works, including the latest one, and translating them into animation.
"After 'Your Name' became a massive hit, I felt more responsible for my work. I didn't want to make a film that is merely fun-filled entertainment, so I thought of addressing the 2011 earthquake that hit the east side of Japan. By opening up about the traumatic event, I wanted to share with memory with the entire audience, especially young people who don't remember the disaster," he said.
He continued, "I'm aware of some criticisms that my works are somewhat similar to one another. For my next project, although I don't have any specific plans, I will make stories that are different from my earlier ones."
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| A scene from the film, "Suzume" / Courtesy of Media Castle |
Shinkai also discussed the use of mysterious metaphysical doors as a motif in "Suzume."
"I actually drew inspiration from the Korean drama 'Guardian: The Lonely and Great God' (2016-2017) in which doors are used as a metaphor. In my film, doors are a symbol of everyday life. Every day, we go out, opening the door and come back, closing the door. A disaster is what prevents us from continuing our daily lives," he explained.
Actress Nanoka Hara, who voiced the main protagonist in "Suzume," talked about competing for the role with over 1,700 other applicants at the audition.
"Since this was my first voice-acting role, I took voice training lessons to express Suzume. Director Shinkai gave very detailed directions, which was super helpful," she said. "I think Suzume is a fearless character who keeps running forward. She is not hesitant in facing reality and coping with a sense of loss following the natural disaster."
The director expressed his wish that the film would console audiences and give them hope.
"Even if there are no major earthquakes in Korea, I think there may be other kinds of catastrophes like wars and accidents that can suddenly disrupt our lives. I want audiences to think about how people cope with grief and recover from tragedy," he said.
"Suzume" is currently playing in theaters.
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