Makoto Shinkai Photo: VCG

Japanese animated fantasy adventure film Suzume became the top scorer at the Chinese mainland box office, bagging 341 million yuan ($49.65 million) over the weekend after its Friday's premiere.  

The movie, directed by Makoto Shinkai, depicts a high school girl and a mysterious young man trying to prevent a series of earthquakes across Japan. It has earned a 7.5/10 on Chinese review site Douban. Domestic movies The Best Is Yet to Come and Post Truth rounded up the top-three box office list. 

"The initial thought of creating this movie originated from the Great East ­Japan Earthquake," Shinkai told the Global Times in an interview on Sunday, referring to the March 11, 2011 earthquake that resulted in over nearly 20,000 dead and over 2,500 missing.

"There will always be imperfections after creation. I hope I can improve in my next creation." 

Suzume, which was released on November 11, 2022 in Japan, became the first Japanese animated film in 21 years to enter the competition section at the Berlin International Film Festival earlier in February, after Hayao Miyazaki's Spirited Away clinched the Golden Bear award in 2002. 

The director said Miyazaki's win boosted his motivation for animation.

"After the news of Mr Miyazaki's win at the Berlinale hit 21 years ago, I then realized that animated movies could reach such a high level of achievement," Shinkai told the Global Times. "Though I didn't win the award this year, being nominated has given me motivation to continue exploring."

At the Berlinale, Shinkai mentioned that China could eventually leapfrog animation powerhouse Japan on the global stage, as he feels China is more "energetic." "I feel China is very energetic even though there is an aging problem. But Japan's aging problem is more severe than China, as there are a decreasing number of young people," he told the Global Times. 

"The young people are vital in making animation. That's why I believe ­China has the advantage when talking about healthy competition between Chinese and Japanese animation production."

Known for his exquisite cinematography in animation production, Shinkai, however, believes content remains his core strength. "Visuals can catch people's attention but it is superficial if the information being conveyed is not good enough," he said.

Disaster has become a prominent symbol in Shinkai's movies, as shown in his 2016 movie Your Name and 2019 film Weathering with You, both popular in China. However, the 50-year-old said he might change the motif for his next production. 

"I do hope to make a change. Maybe I will blend more social elements into my next production," he said. "Hopefully it can give the audience something unexpected."