RADWIMPS to Score New Makoto Shinkai Anime Film “Suzume”

Rock band RADWIMPS recently announced their involvement in scoring the music for the new Makoto Shinkai anime movie "Suzume", which is set to hit theatres in Japan on November 11th.

The band has teamed up with film music composer Kazuma Jinnouchi to create the soundtrack and score for the film. This is the third project of Shinkai's to feature RADWIMPS and the follow-up to the hit anime movies "Your Name." (2016) and "Weathering with You" (2019).

The first feature film by Shinkai in three years, "Suzume" takes place in various ruins around Japan as a girl named Suzume, goes on a journey to close the "Doors of Disasters." At the film’s initial press conference, Shinkai stated, "I want to make a movie that brings people into theatres. To do that, I’m going to maximize the audience’s ability to immerse themselves into the story with the ultimate visual and musical compositions." To help accomplish this, Shinkai brought on board Seattle-based Hollywood film composer, Kazuma Jinnouchi, whose credits span American and Japanese projects, to work with RADWIMPS.

Furthermore, for the first time in the history of Shinkai's works, the recordings took place overseas, at the historical Abbey Road Studios in London.

RADWIMPS frontman Yojiro Noda commented:

"I first received the offer back in spring of 2020, right as Japan and the rest of the world was about to enter two years of uncertainty and restriction. Reading the screenplay gave me the opportunity to expand my imagination and think about what I can do with the medium of music.

Kazuma and I met recently at London’s Abbey Road Studios to record the orchestra. A collaboration with someone of Kazuma’s calibre, having worked on both films and video games, has given me an experience I cannot describe in words. It has broadened my horizons. It would be an honour to work with him again, and I am personally excited to see how the film’s score turns out."

Kazuma Jinnouchi commented:

"The process of developing a sound that can coexist with RADWIMPS’ amazing mood and energy was simultaneously exciting and nerve-wracking for me, but ultimately I believe we’ve stuck the landing on one of the answers of how that might sound."

Director Makoto Shinkai commented:

"Almost as soon as I finished the first draft of ‘Suzume’s’ screenplay, I shared it with Yojiro without a second thought. I knew the musical demands of ‘Suzume’ would be quite different from the previous two films, giving the audience a striking musical experience. RADWIMPS was one of the few musical talents that I could count on to help me make that discovery.

I am confident we have achieved something worthy of calling a ‘theatrical music experience’ and hope that everyone gets the chance to experience the film in theatres."

A trailer for "Suzume" can be viewed below.