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This time, let’s talk about whether there’s a connection between Suzume no Tojimari, Your Name, and Weathering with You. I’ve seen Suzume no Tojimari three times already!
Currently, Suzume no Tojimari is a major hit in theaters, and rumors are spreading online about a possible connection to director Makoto Shinkai’s past films, Your Name and Weathering with You.
In this article, I’ll dive into the validity of these rumors and discuss any hidden details or shared universe possibilities in Shinkai’s works.
Now, let’s start exploring the possible connections, hidden details, and the question of a shared world between Suzume no Tojimari, Your Name, and Weathering with You!
Contents
- Is Suzume no Tojimari Connected to Past Works?
- There’s a Connection Between Weathering with You and Your Name
- Your Name’s Characters Appear in Weathering with You
- Past Shinkai Characters in Your Name
- What About Suzume no Tojimari?
- Hidden Details in Suzume no Tojimari
- The Theory That Suzume Was Dead All Along
- Daijin Was Once Human
- The Earthquake Triggered by the Worm
- Suzume no Tojimari as a Response to Evangelion
- Summary
- Is Suzume no Tojimari Connected to Past Works?
So, Is Suzume no Tojimari Connected to Past Works?
When asked about it, director Makoto Shinkai denied any direct connections.
Shinkai’s work often deals with themes of disaster. In Your Name, he depicted a comet crashing into Earth, and in Weathering with You, he explored themes of weather and the sky.
When asked if his latest work, Suzume no Tojimari, was connected to his previous films, Shinkai humorously acknowledged that fans might hope for an Avengers-like universe, but clarified: “The three films aren’t directly connected.
Whether characters from past works appear or not… I’d like to keep that vague, but no, it’s a new story with its own world.”
In the end, past characters don’t actually appear, suggesting that Suzume no Tojimari does not have any direct connection to Shinkai’s previous works.
Weathering with You and Your Name Have Connections
Shinkai’s previous works, Your Name and Weathering with You, contain clear connections, evidence of a shared world that fans can notice.
Rather than a Marvel-like universe, these connections seem more like a tribute or fan service to those familiar with his films.
Your Name’s Characters in Weathering with You
Released in 2019, Weathering with You became a huge hit, and for those who watched closely, characters from Your Name appear in the story, hinting at their lives afterward.
For example, the main character, Hina, offers a “sunshine-delivery service” using her power to control the weather.
One of her clients is none other than Taki, the protagonist of Your Name. Later, when Hodaka, the protagonist of Weathering with You, buys a gift for Hina, he visits an accessory shop where Mitsuha, the heroine of Your Name, works as a clerk.
In this way, characters from Your Name make a cameo in Weathering with You, as a tribute to fans.
Past Shinkai Characters in Your Name
In Your Name, there’s also a cameo appearance by characters from Shinkai’s previous works.
In the beginning of Your Name, Mitsuha takes a classical Japanese literature class.
Her teacher is a woman with the same name as Yukino Yukari, the heroine from Shinkai’s previous film, The Garden of Words.
Although Shinkai didn’t explicitly confirm it, he hinted that this teacher might be the same Yukino.
Additionally, Takao Akizuki, Yukino’s student in The Garden of Words, also appears as an older version of himself. Thus, Your Name may share the same world as The Garden of Words.
However, there’s debate about whether this is truly the same Yukino, as The Garden of Words shows that Yukino quit teaching due to bullying.
Did she return to teaching, or is this a version of her from a different universe?
What About Suzume no Tojimari?
So, what about Suzume no Tojimari?
Unfortunately, no characters from past works appear in Suzume no Tojimari.
Furthermore, while actor Ryunosuke Kamiki, who voiced Taki in Your Name, appears in Suzume no Tojimari, he plays a completely different role, suggesting that Suzume no Tojimari does not share the same world.
Hidden Details in Suzume no Tojimari
Suzume no Tojimari contains several hidden details and speculative theories that have circulated among fans. Let’s explore each one in depth.
Suzume Was Dead All Along Theory
There’s a theory that Suzume, the protagonist, may have actually been dead the entire time.
In the film, Suzume enters an otherworldly realm called “Tokoyo,” which ordinary people shouldn’t be able to access, raising the question of whether Suzume,
who lost her mother during the 2011 earthquake, has been a spirit wandering the earth since she was four years old.
While this remains an urban legend rather than an official hidden detail, it is an intriguing interpretation of her character.
Daijin Was Once Human
The character Daijin, a mascot-like creature, is theorized to have once been human.
Originally a “Keystone” that Suzume releases, Daijin emerges into the world and later nominates Souta to be the new Keystone, seeking freedom for himself.
Some fans believe Daijin was once a “Closer” like Souta but was transformed into a Keystone.
Souta’s grandfather, who reacts with pride rather than dismay when Souta takes on the Keystone role, further supports the idea that Daijin might have been a Closer in his former life.
The Earthquake Was Triggered by the Worm
Suzume lost her mother in the earthquake that occurred on March 11, 2011. In the film, it’s hinted that “the Worm,” a giant creature, is responsible for causing earthquakes in Japan.
Although the movie doesn’t directly address this, a diary entry dated March 11, 2011, when Suzume lost her mother, coupled with scenes where earthquakes happen wherever the Worm appears, implies this to be the case.
Shinkai also mentioned that the underlying theme of the film is “recovery from 3.11,” which strengthens this connection.
Suzume no Tojimari as a Response to Evangelion
Some fans believe Suzume no Tojimari serves as a response to Evangelion.
The Worm in Suzume no Tojimari closely resembles the “Angels” in Evangelion. Particularly, its watery explosion upon defeat closely mirrors the Angels’ destruction in Evangelion’s “Rebuild” series.
This, along with Evangelion director Hideaki Anno’s comment that “For Shinkai or a Jump anime to break 10 billion yen is only natural,” suggests that Suzume no Tojimari could be seen as Shinkai’s challenge or response to Anno.
In Evangelion, the protagonist ultimately chooses to leave behind the world he helped devastate, while in Suzume no Tojimari, Suzume and others choose to live on within their troubled world.
This contrast in conclusions might indicate that Suzume no Tojimari is a subtle commentary on Evangelion.
Summary
So, to recap, here’s what we’ve discussed about Suzume no Tojimari and its possible connections to Your Name and Weathering with You.
- Suzume no Tojimari is not directly connected to Shinkai’s past works.
- Weathering with You and Your Name do include cameos from past characters, while Suzume no Tojimari does not.
- There is speculation that Suzume may have been dead all along, but this remains a theory.
- Daijin may have been human, supported by hints within the story.
- In the movie, the 2011 earthquake is implied to have been caused by the Worm.
- Suzume no Tojimari may have been created as a response to Evangelion.
That wraps up our discussion of Suzume no Tojimari and its potential connections to Your Name and Weathering with You!
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