A review by saramarie08
Suzume 2 by Makoto Shinkai

adventurous fast-paced

4.75

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Suzume and Daijin connect from across the bar where Suzume is temporarily staying in Kobe, and Daijin playfully leads Suzume out to the next breach: a worm escaping from an abandoned amusement park high in the hills above the city. Souta and Suzume give chase, hoping to catch the keystone but also stop the worm from damaging the region. Through the open gate, Suzume glimpses a place Souta explains is the Ever After, a parallel to their world and a space where souls go to when they’ve passed on. Daijin is next on his way to Tokyo, which leads the two back to Souta’s apartment and old journals from generations of Closers that may give clues as to what the menacing cat could be up to.  

As the pressure to figure out Daijin’s plan ramps up, the suspense builds in this story, and the emotional stakes are very high. This volume gets intense and leaves on a gut-wrenching moment, particularly for those who haven’t seen the movie and know what all of this is leading up to. Some of the conflict brewing in Souta is lost in this format compared to the movie version, but there’s still plenty to grapple with in the manga. This story has the distinction of being one of the few that actually brings me to tears.
 
Sara's Rating: 9/10
Suitability Level: Grades 7-12