Souta Munakata
Souta Munakata
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Souta Munakata
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| Personal Description | |
| Japanese | 宗像 草太 |
| Rōmaji | Munakata Sōta |
| Vital Information | |
| Gender | Male |
| Age | 22 (as of 2024) |
| Family | Hitsujirou Munakata (grandfather) |
| Occupation | Student, Closer |
| Voice Actor | |
| Japanese Voice | Hokuto Matsumura |
| English Voice | Josh Keaton |
Souta Munakata (宗像 草太, Munakata Sōta) is the male protagonist in Suzume no Tojimari. A stoic and determined young man, Souta plays a crucial role in the story as Suzume’s partner in the mission to close the mysterious doors causing calamities across Japan. His connection to ancient traditions and his sacrifices shape the emotional core of the film.
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Émile Durkheim
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| Born |
David Émile Durkheim
15 April 1858 Épinal, France
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| Died | 15 November 1917(aged 59)
Paris,France
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| Nationality | French |
| Alma mater | École Normale Supérieure |
| Known for | Sacred–profane dichotomy Collective consciousness Social fact Social integration Anomie Collective effervescence |
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | Philosophy, sociology, education, anthropology, religious studies |
| Institutions | University of Paris, University of Bordeaux |
| Influences | Immanuel Kant, René Descartes,Plato, Herbert Spencer,Aristotle, Montesquieu, Jean-Jacques Rousseau, Auguste Comte. William James, John Dewey, Fustel de Coulanges, Jean-Marie Guyau, Charles Bernard Renouvier, John Stuart Mill |
| Influenced | Marcel Mauss,Claude Lévi-Strauss, Talcott Parsons, Maurice Halbwachs, Jonathan Haidt, Lucien Lévy-Bruhl,Bronisław Malinowski, Fernand Braudel, Pierre Bourdieu, Charles Taylor, Henri Bergson, Emmanuel Levinas, Steven Lukes, Alfred Radcliffe-Brown, E. E. Evans-Pritchard, Mary Douglas, Paul Fauconnet, Robert N. Bellah, Ziya Gökalp, David Bloor, Randall Collins, Neil Smelser[1] |
Appearance
Souta is a tall and lean young man with an athletic build. He has short, slightly wavy black hair and deep brown eyes that reflect his serious and resolute personality. Souta typicallydresses in casual yet functional clothing, suited for travel and his duties as a closer.
When Souta is transformed into a chair early in the story, his consciousness inhabits Suzume’s old childhood chair, which has a distinct red-and-yellow design and three legs. This form adds a humorous yet poignant element to his character as he navigates his journey with Suzume in this unconventional state.
Souta Munakata maintaining a calm and composed demeanor, reflecting his steady and thoughtful nature
Personality
Souta is calm, composed, and deeply committed to his responsibilities as a tojimori (closer). He takes his duty of closing doors and preventing calamities seriously, often putting the needs of others before his own. Despite his stoic exterior, Souta has a caring and selfless nature, evident in his willingness to protect Suzume and the people of Japan at great personal cost.
He also has a witty and sarcastic side, which is highlighted in his banter with Suzume, particularly after his transformation into the chair. This contrast in personality traits makes Souta a well-rounded and relatable character.
Role in the Story
Souta is introduced as a closer, a person tasked with sealing mystical doors that act as gateways for destructive forces known as the worms. While pursuing one such door in Suzume’s hometown, he encounters her, and their lives become intertwined.
After being cursed and transformed into a chair by Daijin, Souta continues his mission alongside Suzume. His transformation symbolizes his vulnerability and the sacrifices closers often endure for their duties. Throughout their journey, Souta becomes Suzume’s guide and protector while developing a deeper bond with her.
As the story progresses, Souta’s fate becomes tied to the spiritual keystone required to seal the worm. His role underscores themes of duty, sacrifice, and the struggle between personal desires and the greater good.
Story Overview
Souta Munakata is a young man dedicated to preventing disasters by traveling across Japan and sealing mystical doors that lead to the Ever-After—a realm of souls from which a destructive entity called the worm tries to escape. His journey intertwines with Suzume Iwato, leading to an emotional and fantastical adventure that s his sense of duty, humanity, and connection to others.
Encounter with Suzume
Souta first meets Suzume while investigating a door in a remote ruin. The two work together to seal the door, but their partnership truly begins when Suzume invites him to her home to bandage his injuries. Souta reveals his role as a “Closer” tasked with locking doors to the Ever-After to prevent earthquakes caused by the worm. He explains that the worm’s escape was likely due to the absence of a keystone, prompting Suzume to confess that she accidentally released the keystone. Though initially frustrated, Souta calms down, realizing her distress.
Their partnership grows deeper when a mysterious cat, Daijin, appears. Daijin, revealed to be the missing keystone, curses Souta by transforming him into Suzume’s childhood chair. Despite this, Souta remains focused on his mission and chases Daijin, leading to an unexpected journey across Japan.
The Journey Across Japan
In his transformed state, Souta teams up with Suzume to track down Daijin and seal the doors reopened by the mischievous keystone. Along the way, they meet various kind strangers, form meaningful bonds, and learn more about each other. Souta’s stoic nature begins to soften as he opens up to Suzume, sharing his aspirations of becoming a teacher and mentioning his friend Tomoya Serizawa, who humorously reminds Souta of a 20,000-yen debt.
Souta also experiences dreams hinting at his transformation into the keystone, symbolizing his growing detachment from humanity and foreshadowing his eventual sacrifice.
Suzume’s Rescue Mission
Refusing to accept Souta’s fate, Suzume ventures into the Ever-After to save him. With help from Daijin and the second keystone, Sadaijin, Suzume battles the worm, successfully freeing Souta from his role as a keystone. Souta watches in awe as Suzume confronts her past, giving her younger self the three-legged chair that once belonged to her mother.
Return to Reality
After leaving the Ever-After, Souta reunites with Suzume and expresses surprise at finding Tomoya Serizawa there to help. Their journey ends with Souta free of his curse and a new understanding of the bond he shares with Suzume.
Themes and Significance
Souta’s character represents the balance between duty and humanity. His transformation into the chair symbolizes the weight of responsibility and the sacrifices closers make to protect the world. Through his relationship with Suzume, Souta learns to rely on others and embrace his humanity, culminating in a story that emphasizes trust, resilience, and the power of connection.
Trivia
- Name Meaning: “Souta” (草太) can mean “grass” (草) and “big, grand” (太), possibly reflecting his connection to nature and growth, “Munakata” (宗像) is a surname historically associated with shrines and spiritual guardianship, aligning with Souta’s role as a closer.
- Souta’s transformation into a chair is both a comedic and symbolic element, representing how his burden changes the course of his life.
- His bond with Suzume is central to the story’s emotional arc, blending themes of love, trust, and mutual growth.