"I wonder why it feels so awful to be powerless on your own, that you have to rely on other people to protect you..."

★★★★☆

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book as an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for honest review.

Suzume is one of my fav Shinkai Makoto's work and reading the manga is bringing back the same feeling as watching the anime back in the day. I love the adventure, the way Suzume met a lot of good people in her journey, and some of the nostalgic feeling that certain people feel when they see the ruins. Also i love how in this one they portrayed an older male main character, moreover that gorgeus long hair. Knowing the whole story from the anime, this one brought so much complex emotion to each character and now some of them collided because of the spirit raging down there. I'm excited to revisit the story in the next volume!

l like this one a lot. The translation is easy to read and the plot is just magical! I love it and really look forward for the next volumes!

3.25

I adored the film adaptation of Suzume when I saw it in theaters, so I was really excited to see this volume of manga up on NetGalley. While I liked the art style here, especially the color pages at the beginning, I think if I hadn't seen the film I wouldn't have enjoyed this very much.

In this volume Suzume meets Souta, discovers a door to a new world and begins her adventure finding the keystone. Generally with adaptations, I find the screen version glosses over details from the book, but in this case I think the manga and movie follow each other pretty faithfully, which left me a little disappointed because I was hoping for more depth in the manga. I do think this was a gorgeous read and will likely pick up Vol. 2 when it's released, but until then I recommend watching the film!

If you have seen Suzume as a movie, the manga beautifully captures its essence with captivating illustrations and essential plot points. The characters are likeable, interesting, and relatable, and it reminds me of what I like about the film - creativity, intensity, and brevity.

Thanks to NetGalley for providing a free ARC for review!

First and foremost, thank you NetGalley, the author and publisher for the opportunity to read this ARC, in exchange for an honest review.

I absolutely adore “Your name” so I didn’t hesitate to request Suzume once I saw it was available. And, oh, it did not disappoint one bit! I love the art and the color pages were essencial to grasp a little more of the story. To be honest, I haven’t watched the movie yet, so this was a total new story for me, which I think it added more to the fact that I truly loved this one! It’s a magical story, filled with excitement and cute and cozy moments.

It’s always interesting to see how the story differs between media formats. I loved the movie Suzume (すずめの戸締まり), a story about a young girl in Japan who is a victim of natural disasters and has a supernatural sense to see the life in old abandoned places. The story has strong references to the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami, so the movie was very emotional for me to watch.

It was exciting to see that Suzume is also available as a manga, and the illustrations were true to the style of the movie. I think the music, sounds, and beautiful landscapes is part of what made the movie so moving to me, so I felt this emotion was a bit lost in the manga format. While the illustrations were beautifully done, it didn't quite capture the scenes and emotion in the same way as a film with color and music can.

The story in the manga also seemed a bit jumpy, and I think I would have had some trouble understanding the premise and plot if I hadn't seen the movie first. However, this was only the first book in the series, so I think the emotions and storyline will continue to build throughout the series. I would still definitely recommend this, the story is truly moving and memorable.

I am familiar with Your Name and Weathering With You as I've already watched them, but I haven't seen Suzume yet prior to reading this. This was fun and cute even though some parts were a bit slow for me. The manga style was cool. It definitely has the same feels as the other movies mentioned. Definitely makes me want to watch it as well.

I watched the movie of Suzume before I read this! It's a lovely and beautiful story. Coming across the story in a manga may not be the same, but volume 1 was nice. It had a good flow and I do like the characters as well. Since I did watch the movie, it does affect my perception of the story while reading. I think I had a slightly harder time connecting with the emotions for the manga versus the experience when I watched it. However, I'm rating it based on enjoyment of reading and how much I was captivated into the story, with emotions playing a part. The story itself is pretty good!

I had seen this movie when it came out in theaters, so when I saw this manga, I was super excited! I loved the movie, and I loved the graphic novel even more. It was so well written, the graphics were gorgeous, and the characters were super relatable. I loved the characters' interactions with one another and the way each of the relationships developed throughout Volume 1. Having seen the movie, I know what will come in volume 2, and I can't wait to read it!

Thank you to NetGalley and Kodansha for the e-arc copy!

Suzume is one of the top 10 best movies I've watched this year so far so I was excited to see it would have a manga adaptation. The story of Suzume follows the titular character as she has a strange encounter with a stranger which leads her on a whimsical journey to save the world. This volume was only part of the story and I think so far the pacing is good compared to the movie. You can kind of sit with the details more and be able to look forward to the conclusion. I highly recommend checking this out and the movie both are well done in my opinion.

There's so many elements to this manga that actually make me love it a little more than the movie, I would be here all day if I went into detail about them. Since the movie in on a time crunch, of course the pacing has to move quickly. However, with the manga, we can slow things down and enjoy bits of the story that we couldn't otherwise. I think my favorite part of the manga is that there's far more humor in the writing than their was in the move. For a first volume, I found myself laugh out loud quite often.

Thank you Netgalley and Kodansha Comics for providing me with an arc for review.

I am a Makoto Shinkai girly. Give me the anime. Give me the light novel. Give me the manga. I will eat it up. Suzume is no exception -- though out of all of the adaptations I've read, this doesn't sparkle quite as much as the others. While still stunning, and staying true to the story in the anime, there's something of a lack of urgency that was in the film. The film has so, so much forward motion and almost franticness at times, that this felt like it was verging on a slow burn.
That being said, I think that anyone who enjoys manga adaptations of their favorite films will enjoy this one.

Suzume was so good! I will say I have not finished the entire movie, but the manga is so so pretty, so if you liked the movie, you should read this! The art style is really dynamic and fun, I think a lot of people will enjoy studying all these meticulous brushstrokes. I can’t wait for volume 2!

**Suzume** is an exhilarating new adaptation of the Golden Globes-nominated film directed by Makoto Shinkai, the visionary behind *Your Name* and *Weathering With You*. This novelization offers a captivating expansion of the cinematic experience, bringing Shinkai’s imaginative storytelling and breathtaking visuals to life through richly detailed prose.

The story follows Suzume, a high school junior whose mundane life takes a dramatic turn when she encounters a mysterious stranger named Souta. Intrigued by Souta’s quest to find a particular door among the ruins of an abandoned resort, Suzume is initially unsure about his intentions. However, her decision to intervene and stop him leads her to inadvertently open a long-forgotten door that bridges the gap between reality and a fantastical realm beyond time and space.

The narrative brilliantly captures the essence of Shinkai’s film with its blend of magic, mystery, and emotional depth. Suzume’s journey from a normal teenager to an unwitting heroine is portrayed with nuance and vibrancy, allowing readers to fully immerse themselves in her transformative adventure. The novel’s pacing mirrors the film’s dynamic rhythm, weaving together moments of introspection and heart-pounding excitement with skill.

The adaptation excels in translating the visual splendor of the film into evocative descriptions that engage the imagination. The world Suzume stumbles into is rendered with a vivid sense of wonder, filled with mystical elements and a sense of boundless possibility. The novel’s ability to convey the scale and emotional weight of the story enhances the reader’s connection to the characters and their extraordinary experiences.

Character development is another highlight. Suzume’s growth throughout the story is both compelling and relatable, as she grapples with the enormity of her newfound role and the challenges that come with it. Souta’s enigmatic presence adds an additional layer of intrigue and tension, driving the plot forward and deepening the narrative’s emotional impact.

**Suzume** is a must-read for fans of Shinkai’s films and newcomers alike. It captures the magic and emotional resonance of the original movie while offering a new dimension to the story through its rich and immersive prose. This adaptation is a testament to Shinkai’s storytelling prowess, providing readers with a thrilling and heartfelt adventure that lingers long after the final page.

Netgalley Review

Star Rating: ★★★★☆

I saw the show advertise. Still haven't watched it. Saw this pop up on NetGalley and thought what the heck. I enjoyed reading this, definitely plan to know more, because I think I know where some parts of the story are going to go and am going to have to read more and find out if I'm correct in my assumptions!

If you want a relatively short read, with an interesting plot line, nice artwork, and will be exactly what you have been needing to read to temporarily quench that reading thirst then this is the book for you!

Like always though, read it and decide for yourself

I love this movie! This manga is a very faithful adaptation of it. I feel like in a way it's too faithful, because part of what makes the movie great is its motion, physicality, and sound effects. The manga tries to copy these faithfully, and it ends up just feeling confusing and cluttered in the attempt. I wish that the manga had leaned in instead to some of the strengths of its own medium.

Thanks to Netgalley and Vertical Comics for a copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

This was an interesting and wholesome Manga. It has a mysterious stranger who gets turned into a chair, doors that lead to other world and talking cat in it. What more can you want? It's surprisingly funny at times too and the art style is adorable.

I really enjoyed this volume. I like that their mysterious situation is easy to follow so far and doesn’t feel overly explained or complicated. I was really invested in Suzume as a character. I felt that I learned a good amount about her personality and want to learn more.

Souta is super mysterious and the choice for his journey in this book is definitely a bold choice, which I mean in a good way. Not that invested in him as character so far but I’m interested in his journey and what we will learn about him in the next volumes.

The art was good, nothing spectacular like that of the anime movie, but I think it suits the story. I think this was a good introduction to this story.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to read an advance copy of this manga in exchange for my honest opinion!

I really enjoyed this one and would definitely read Volume 2! Thank you for the early read, I can't wait to pick up the rest.

i love the premise and the storyline, it’s very magical and somehow dark with the monster coming out without break, but sadly i didn’t felt any connection with the characters maybe because everything move so fast and i didn’t have the time to fully grasp the characters’ traits. the illustration is so pretty, especially the colorful ones in the beginning.