Is Suzume The New Simpsons? Earthquakes Hit Cities Visited By Movie's Protagonist Following TV Broadcast In Japan
Following the recent earthquakes in Japan, Shinkai’s Suzume no Tojimari anime film has managed to spark comparisons to the long-running American animated series, The Simpsons, which has gained cult following for its supposed ability to predict future events.
In the movie, Suzume, the titular character, begins her journey from Kyushu Island before visiting Ehime prefecture, as she chased a mischievous Daijin along with Souta, who had turned into a chair.
The peculiar coincidence was brought to light by a Twitter user who noticed a striking correlation between the seismic activity and the protagonist’s journey in the film. Posting two earthquake epicentral maps alongside screenshots from the movie, the user pointed out how the earthquakes occurred in the same order as the protagonist’s visit to the two cities.
“Since the first terrestrial broadcast of ‘Suzume No Tojimari,’ earthquakes have occurred in the order that the sparrows went around,” the Twitter user remarked.
The images shared depicted the eerily synchronized sequence of seismic events, which led many fans to speculate on the coincidence and a possible connection between the movie and the earthquakes. However, the user was quick to clarify that their intention was not to cause alarm or discomfort among fans but merely to highlight an intriguing coincidence.
“I love Suzume and thought this was a great coincidence so I just posted it, with no other intention. I apologize to anyone who was offended. However, it’s a really good movie, so I hope you’ll watch it.“
Kyushu is an area in Japan which is prone to earthquakes whereas Ehime Prefecture too can’t be categorized as very safe. So, these cities getting struck by the earthquake itself may not be the surprising factor, instead it was the order in which they were struck.
9 people sustained minor injuries, whereas damages were caused to the water pipes due to the earthquakes. Some areas witnessed landslides in the aftermath of the disaster, however, a tsunami has been ruled out.
Some speculated whether the next city mentioned in the Suzume’s journey within the movie, Kobe, would be next in line.
The anime film released in theatres across Japan on Nov 11, 2022.
The film premiered internationally in competition at the 73rd Berlin International Film Festival on Feb 23, 2023, marking the first time an anime film competed in the festival since Spirited Away in 2002.
The film debuted at number one at the Japanese box office, and grossed ¥1.88 billion ($13.49 million) from the advance IMAX screening and during its first three days. It surpassed Weathering with You to become the biggest three-day opening for a Shinkai film. In Japan, it is the fourth-highest-grossing film of 2022, the ninth-highest-grossing anime film of all time, and the 15th-overall highest-grossing film of all time.
Suzume has grossed over $323.3 million worldwide, including ¥14.86 billion in Japan.
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