In a coming-of-age road trip experience, "Suzume" tackles themes of love and grief. Suzume, a 17-year-old girl, opens a portal to an alternate world, which sets off a series of events including a talking cat named Daijin and a large worm that poses a threat to trigger catastrophic earthquakes. Suzume is the main character of the story. "Suzume" is a worthy successor with brilliant animation and a focus on the beauty of everyday life, even though it is not as graphically gorgeous as some of Shinkai's earlier works. The movie also pays homage to Studio Ghibli's past and makes subtle parallels to science fiction dramas like "Stranger Things."