I definitely need to watch the anime. 😭

🚪 Pretty artwork. I like how simple yet theoughful the illustration is. Everything comes together nicely, and the character's expressions are telling.

🚪 Magic door, magic cat, cursed chair. I'm a sucker for magical realism, and I squealed when Suzume discovered the magical door in the middle of the ruined spring. The moment she plucked the cat away, I knew trouble would be underway, too. The curse was clever, as it was placed on something Suzume treasures.

🚪 Dreams hold memories. Suzume's recurring dream is intriguing, and I can't help but wonder how much it is connected to her current reality or how many of the images she sees are reflections of her past in riddles.

🚪 Helping hands, friendship stands. Suzume is always ready to help out, and she's not scared of putting herself in danger if it means she is able to save someone else. I loved how positively she impacted the people she met and how easy it was for her to make new friends.

🚪 Japanese stories just hit different. The writers just have a way with words, and everything usually sounds so poetically metaphoric.

Thank you to Netgalley for the ARC.

Suzume is a series i can already tell is going to catch the eyes and hearts of so many others out there. One volume in and I'm already connecting with the main characters. The story starts pretty quick. There isn't a whole lot of fluff or filler. It feels like every choice really does count towards the story.

The MMC the "closer" has an unfortunate curse cast upon him, making it well ... difficult to travel alone and complete his task. The FMC is very soft hearted and just wants to help. He is reluctant at first then finally gives in. You can see that during this curse they both grow and start to understand each other a bit more.

They meet some unlikely friends along the way, that really bring the two of them closer and grow on their own as well.

Im really excited to start voulume two as well as the other volumes going forward.

Just be aware when you do try to explain the plot of this to some one, they may look at you a little odd, but youll end it with "trust me its great", and it really is!


Thank you NetGalley and Kodansha Comics for providing me with this copy for an honest review.
#Suzume #NetGalley

this was visually stunning and entertaining. thank you netgalley and makoto shinkai for the advanced reader copy!

You need this in your life! I saw the m0vie and i loved it so of course i had to read the light novel and when i saw this i knew it would not disappoint!

So cute and lovely manga. I really loved the characters and the illustrations. Would love to continue with the series. Thanks for the arc!

This is a stunning manga that I absolutely loved. The art style is gorgeous. As soon as I finished reading I asked to watch the movie.

Highly recommend for those looking for an artistic story with an interesting plotline.

First thank you NetGalley, the Author and the Publisher for this ARC.

The art here is just gorgeous. 💗
The story is lovely and really sucks you in and spits you out at the end longing for more.
It's obvious from the start that Suzume is special. She is headstrong and has a huge heart.
Souta is more the brooding type but starts caring for Suzume really quick.
I don't really know, but I did feel some chemistry there. And I would love to see Suzume's friendships and relations bloom.

So now I'm waiting on vol.2

5 / 5 stars

Thank you to Kodansha Comics and NetGalley for the ebook ARC. I'm very grateful to review this book.

This review is from the perspective of someone who HAS NOT SEEN THE MOVIE. I plan to watch the movie, but I’m enjoying this adaptation so much that I want to read it all, or what I can, first (maybe I don’t know haha).

This review will also be a little lackluster, as I have nothing but positive things to say. The facial expressions, the characters, and the fluidity in the art make you feel like you are watching a manga - or maybe even the movie. It’s truly a magical ride. The story is addictive and you really zoom through it as you unravel this mystery of doors and beasts coming from the worlds locked behind them.

If you have not seen the movie yet, I will say try to read this first. Again, I haven’t seen the movie but I think reading this first and then watching the movie would be an EXPERIENCE. Also, be prepared for crazy twists. It took turns I didn’t expect nor would ever think it would take.

Such an amazing ride and story. I loved every second of it.

Please read it, whether you have seen the movie or not.

★★★★ // On her way to school one day, high-schooler Suzume meets a mysterious, handsome stranger looking for ruins within the town. She points Souta in the direction of the local abandoned hot springs resort. Out of concern for Souta, Suzume finds herself at the ruins, enthralled by a strange door leading to another world beyond time and space, and to her own great adventure.

As much as I loved the movie, I was a bit hesitant to start reading this manga. I wasn't sure how closely it would follow the source material (it is natural for adaptations to cut certain things out) and how the story itself would translate into another medium, especially considering how central the music/score is to this film experience (I still get chills when I hear that breathy beginning of the theme song).

While my first concern was dismissed as I read through the volume (it does follow the source material quite closely, from what I can remember of the film), the second was validated: the animation had really brought out the personalities of chair-Souta and the mischievous Daijin through their movements, which was challenging to see in the manga. This is more of a personal preference, but the art style looked a little different than the animation and I wasn't feeling it.

Nonetheless, the story is still exceptional and I can't wait to read more about Suzume's adventure in future volumes! 🚪🌌✨

An incredible adaptation of the hit film that captures the spirit and energy that made the movie so amazing. Paired with the soundtrack to the movie makes this a reading experience that goes unrivaled by any other.

I thoroughly enjoyed this first volume. The artwork was stunning, but that's not surprising. Can't wait to continue on!

Suzume and Souta are an odd pair working together, much to Soutas disagreement. After Souta is turned into a chair Suzume takes it upon herself to help him out on his journey. I'm excited to read further volumes and see where their journeys take them.

The story line was at a good pace, left me wanting more so I can't wait for the next volume. The illustrations were very will done, didn't have to move closer to the screen to see what I 'am reading. I didn't like that I was left on a cliff hanger but that's just me.

Suzume, is high school junior living with her aunt. One day she bumps into a young man looking for some ruins. This encounter leads her into a fantasy world filled with runaway cats and doors from another world.

I loved the illustrations and the panels, they were really well done and animated. The fantasy elements were quite interesting and unique.
However, the story was overall not very engaging for me. It was an easy and straightforward read but I felt that the main characters were not especially fleshed out which meant that i wasn’t especially attached to them and I couldn’t commit to the stakes of their mission. While I understood the overall purpose of the journey they’re on, at some points it felt too fast-paced and all over the place that I had to make sure I hadn’t skipped a page or panel.
Overall, while I probably won’t read volume 2, I think this would be great for fans of the movie and for people who like magical, fantasy elements in their manga with a calmer and less gruesome story.
[e-ARC courtesy of Netgalley

Schoolgirl Suzume helps a stranger find ruins. In her attempt to "help" she releases an unknown supernatural that appears as a cat and traps Souta in a chair. Suzume is way too trusting and makes me worry for her safety. She may be falling for a chair, umm, Souta. Their journey leads them all over following the social media sightings of this cat that must be put back for humanity's safety.

I have always been a fan of Makoto Shinkai work and the manga was one of my favourite. I had the movie as well in the past and fell in love with the story and the idea of it. There is something beautiful about how Makoto spins everything and the ending is as beautiful as the story is. Absolutely in love with this .

I liked the first manga volume a lot, but I also have seen the movie before reading it.

I feel like if you are not already familiar with the story some details are missing, which is usually the opposite way around for manga and anime, but if I'm not mistaken, this manga was made after the movie, which might explain why. Personally, I already knew I would like the story, I liked the art style as well and I would read the next volumes as well, but for someone who didn't see the movie, might not be as appealing

I loved this! It's such a unique fantasy manga and the characters are incredible.

It was a really enjoyable read and the story is exciting so it keeps you engrossed.

My only issue is that I have watched the movie before reading and preferred the artsyle from the film, this is just personal preference though.

Thanks to Kodansha Comics and NetGalley for providing me with this arc.

Suzume is a delight. The art is fun and the story is fast paced. The characters are great and the story is surprisingly sweet about friendship, opening up to others, accepting help, with maybe a tiny touch of romance, and an interesting take off accepting grief. Suzume is a bright, helpful young lady who has lost her parents and lives with her aunt. She seems a bit on the naive and clumsy side, but is quick witted and kindhearted. When she gives directions to a handsome stranger and accidentally puts him in harms way, she rushes to the rescue without a second thought and gets drawn into a crazy adventure where her possible beau is transformed into an oddly expressive and adorable chair and she must rush to find a keystone which has been transformers into a mischievous cat in order to save her home from Monsterous natural disasters. Is quite cheerful, amusing and endearing with a rapid pace to keep young readers focused and lots of exciting and distinctive faces.

Just like the movie, Suzume hits home with themes of natural disasters, self-discovery, love/loss and fear of the future. There's an abundance of imaginative story telling, as well as emotional depth. However! What I liked most about reading the novel version of this beloved movie was the insight into Suzume's thoughts. She was incredibly delightful, humorous and relatable all wrapped up in a little package that almost had me adoring the novel more than the move, which I wasn't expecting.

Suzume’s character development was critical and nuanced. Her emotional growth throughout the novel was handled with sincerity and depth that I couldn't help but feel connected to her inner struggles and triumphs. Similar to the movie, Souta was a highlight! The mere fact that he was a chair and still carried 50% of the plot is sheer mastery within storytelling. Not only that, Shinkai’s ability to weave intricate, heartfelt emotions into the fabric of the story created a powerful and moving reading experience. I really loved reading the tender bond that formed between Suzume and Souta.

Not only was the plot itself evocative, the pictures' ability to build on each other into something insurmountable was exquisite. It was fast paced, and easily digestible, but still held depth with every interaction. For anyone looking for a novel that combines magical realism with heartfelt storytelling, Suzume is an absolute must-read. :)