Grab a Boba tea and settle in for a top-rated anime film to be shown here in Macon

Looking for something different this weekend?

Try catching the fourth-highest-grossing anime film of all time showing at 5:30 p.m. Sunday at Hello Boba Cafe, the downtown spot featuring bubble, or Boba, tea in various flavors, Boba-related drinks, bubble waffles, snacks and a hefty dose of Asian pop culture.

The animated film is “Suzume,” written and directed by Makoto Shinkai. Of the top four all-time, worldwide anime money-makers, he made the third and fourth-place films. Released in 2022, “Suzume” has earned $323.6 million as of four weeks ago.

With romance, fantasy and adventure leading the way, “Suzume” is the story of a 17-year-old girl caught in a journey to save her country by closing doors behind, in which natural disasters and monsters lurk. She does this while dealing with her own past trauma, insecurities and uncertainties about herself and her future.

“It’s so beautifully animated — and the story made me cry,” said Renee Tu, owner-operator of Hello Boba Café. Reviewers say the film is full of laughter and tears.

“One thing I really liked is it presents a different kind of family. Suzume’s mother has passed away and her aunt is raising her. There are a lot of emotional aspects in the movie and her being adopted enters into it. It’s nice they presented it as not a traditional family.”

Most critics agree, Shinkai’s visuals make “Suzume” a top-notch example of what’s good about anime and it’s a great first step into the genre.

If you love movies — and face it, Macon is a movie town — then you ought to at least dip your toe in the word of anime. If you’re of a certain age, you know all about anime. If you’re of a different ‘certain age’ then probably not so much.

It’s great Hello Boba has brought anime to town as local theaters bring first-run features, the Macon Film Festival brings the best in independent selections, the Museum of Arts and Sciences brings international fulldome films and now the Fire Starters Festival has brought Indigenous-driven works.

But be warned: I purposefully said “try to catch” “Suzume” because the café is limited to seating about 20 for the showing. They suggest making reservations ahead by contacting them through social media, calling or dropping by to secure a $5 ticket. Late in the week, 70 people on Facebook said they were interested with seven saying they were going.

Also, keep in mind no entry is allowed once the show starts to avoid disturbing viewers there on time. Tu said the PG-rated movie is positively family fare.

The good news is Tu will continue bringing anime features every couple of months. If you miss “Suzume,” you’ll have to stream it at the anime site Crunchyroll for a monthly subscription fee.

There’s plenty of anime to be seen all over the internet but there’s value in watching it with an audience, however small, and with an audience that’s largely anime and Asian pop culture fans.

Bobo tea and all the extras

Walking into Hello Boba Café, you’re going to hear K-pop music playing, see manga comic/graphic novels, anime and other figures and plushes and either anime-character or cherry-blossom-themed walls.

“K-pop is playing or there’s anime showing and while you’re here you’re welcome to grab a book from our manga library and read it,” Tu said. “We have an anime-related game night every First Friday with board and card-type games and there have been a lot of people come and make new friends here.

“I want this place to be where people can hang out, make friends and build community around a common interest. Sometimes the people from Macon K-pop on Ingleside Avenue come over and set up a booth during events. Growing up, I always wanted a place like this to go to.”

Tu was born and grew up in Boston after her parents moved there from Taiwan. Even if she didn’t find a place where other anime fans gathered there was plenty of Boba tea. Coming to Macon, she found none and heard of people going to Atlanta for it. She started making her own at home, one thing led to another and the café opened in 2022 at 359 Third St.

The café offers a variety of Boba teas with different flavors. I’d say traditional Boba tea is a milk tea. The café’s offerings start there and range to Boba lemonade and beyond. Originating in Taiwan, the drink’s popularity spread throughout the Far East and now the U.S.

The drink is served in a plastic cup with a large straw to suck up the tea and what Tu calls “little chewy balls of tapioca” at the bottom. Some drinks might have different Bobas, like harder-textured crystals, fruit jelly Bobas and juice-filled Bobas that pop with flavor in your mouth.

Asian snacks are sold and so are bubble waffles — almost regular waffles but with bubbles all over instead of little squares. I’m not a food reviewer but all this talk is key to the vibe of anime and Asian pop culture which is now just as much a part of Macon as anything.

I just experienced Hello Boba this week and had my first bubble tea. It was a delight. All the treats will be available Sunday evening. And listen, if Tu suggests you have a bubble waffle with chocolate ice cream, do yourself a favor and listen to her. She knows her sweets, treats and Asian eats.

Find Hello Boba at www.hellobobacafe.com and www.facebook.com/hellobobacafemacon. There’s an event page for “Suzume” on Facebook.

Contact writer Michael W. Pannell at mwpannell@gmail.com.