Despite earthquakes being a common occurrence in Japan, the Japanese people have grown accustomed enough to natural disasters to make jokes about them instead of being afraid. Nevertheless, watching an anime that predicts where the next earthquake will strike can still evoke a sense of unease.
Not long after the release of Makoto Shinkai’s 2022 film Suzume on April 5, two cities that were prominently shown in the movie were hit by an earthquake. A tweet, along with pictures of the earthquake’s epicenter maps, brought attention to this interesting occurrence.
Since the first terrestrial broadcast of “Sparrow’s Door Lock,” earthquakes have occurred in the order that the sparrows went around, pic.twitter.com/0OkYuHcYlS
— Rui (@Rui_tsum24) April 17, 2024
Despite the situation, fans were fully aware of its seriousness. The fact that the epicenters matched those in the movie was not seen as entertaining, but rather a reason for genuine worry. The public’s responses varied from feeling disturbed by the coincidence to experiencing a sense of unease.
It is hoped that this is simply a coincidence, as otherwise, Kobe City may experience another earthquake soon. It has been almost a month since Suzume’s release, suggesting that the Kobe residents can expect everything to be back to normal.
After seeing Suzume locking her door, today’s earthquake is no laughing matter ඉ_ඉ (The photo on the left is a scene of Suzume locking her door, and the photo on the right is the actual earthquake intensity reported) #Miyazaki #Intensity 5 lowerpic.twitter.com/s3eNsnDgZr
— Yuu Miyazaki Information Summary (@miyazaki_writer) April 8, 2024
Despite the anticipation, fans continue to wait for updates on a potential earthquake in Kobe. In the event of its occurrence, Makoto Shinkai’s reputation could skyrocket, potentially leading to a surge in views as people seek to interpret his work as a prediction of the future.
About Suzume no Tojimari
Makoto Shinkai directed the anime film Suzume no Tojimari, which debuted on November 11, 2022.
The central theme of the movie centers on Suzume, a 17-year-old girl who encounters a young man searching for a door. While exploring, Suzume stumbles upon a mysterious door amidst the ruins and decides to open it. However, this action triggers the opening of numerous doors throughout Japan, resulting in catastrophic events. As a result, Suzume must work to close all the doors in order to rescue Japan.
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