On November 22, 2023, audiences in New York and Los Angeles could see an early showing of one of the most anticipated anime movies of the year, The Boy and the Heron. This new film by world-renowned anime studio, Studio Ghibli, directed by the legendary Hayao Miyazaki, has been shrouded in mystery since it was first announced. Now, general audiences in the West would finally be able to see it for the first time. As NYC was on the list, I had to go. For some personal background, this is my first Studio Ghibli movie ever. I've seen people talk about how good Studio Ghibli movies are, but I've never taken the time to sit down and watch one until now. With the hype that follows a Ghibli movie, it's needless to say I was excited.
Before The Boy and the Heron's release, it was rumored that this was supposedly Miyazaki's last film, but as we know from the past few times he's "retired," this is most likely not true. During an interview on the red carpet at the Toronto International Film Festival, Studio Ghibli executive Junichi Nishioka told CBC that the famed director doesn't seem to be retiring any time soon. "Other people say that this might be his last film, but he doesn't feel that way at all," said Nishioka. "He is currently working on ideas for a new film. He comes into his office every day and does that. This time, he's not going to announce his retirement at all. He's continuing working just as he has always done."
The Boy and the Heron was set up to be an unorthodox movie from its inception. Its lack of promotion was purposeful, an idea credited to producer Toshio Suzuki, who wanted to bring in an element of his movie-going experience as a child. So, as the movie inched towards its debut at the Toronto Film Festival, the most promotion we got was fourteen stills with no synopsis or explanation. The press release for the stills read, "No images, trailers, synopses, advertisements, or other information about the film have been made available to the public prior to the release in theaters in Japan." For those of us unable to attend either of the two film festivals where the movie was shown, we had to live off the rumors of beautiful animation and storytelling that Miyazaki is known for. As someone unfamiliar with Ghibli or Miyazaki movies, shared experiences and rumors prepared me to bawl my eyes out watching this film. That didn't quite happen, but I enjoyed it thoroughly, and I think you will, too.
This movie will be a delightful watch whether you choose dubbed or subbed. The dubbed cast is filled with some of Hollywood's biggest stars, such as Christian Bale, Robert Pattinson, Dave Bautista, and more. Personally, I watched it with subtitles and found that some voice actors have returned, such as Kimura Takuya, who voices Howl in Howl's Moving Castle. The music includes the theme song "Spinning Globe" by Kenshi Yonezu and a soundtrack by Joe Hisashi, who has worked on many of Miyazaki's previous movies. Even with little to no promotion, The Boy and The Heron grossed over 2.14 billion Yen (14.5 million USD) in four days after it was released, beating the studio’s previous record holder, 2001's Spirited Away. Needless to say, Miyazaki's movies are definitely missed, and fans are looking forward to his newest work.
The Boy and the Heron Review (Spoilers ahead!)
The Boy and the Heron deals with Mahito, a 12-year-old boy who loses his mother tragically in a hospital fire at the beginning of the movie. He, with his dad, move in with his pregnant stepmother, Natsuko, so his father could work in a nearby factory. To preface, this story takes place during a period of war and industrialization in Japan, as the contrast between old and new is prevalent. (More into that later.) Mahito, who seems to dislike his new mother, takes it upon himself to explore the abandoned tower near the home, attempting to follow a gray heron. The heron appears to bother Mahito after he arrives at the house, eventually telling him that he knows where his (dead) mother is after days of harassment. Later, when Natsuko goes missing, Mahito, gullible and desperate, follows the heron into the tower, only to be transported to another world, setting off on a journey to find Natsuko, his birth mother, and, unknowingly, himself.
The animation was beautiful. Nothing could compare to how fluid each detail was, from Mahito drinking water and it slipping down his chin to the crumble of wood and fluttering of discarded heron feathers falling to the ground. It was vibrant and colorful, with an element of comedy as the heron and oba-sans provided quite the entertainment. The movie featured “warawara,” which look almost like the ghosts from Super Mario without the scary face and ten times cuter. The audience erupted in “aws” at the warawara, and it was definitely a highlight of the movie. There was a bunch of them; I'm telling you, it's the most adorable thing. All in all, the animation alone is enough for me to watch it again. Honestly, 100/10.
Some themes I picked up on were the usage of fire, which was beautifully animated, the life cycle, and change (in particular, since Mahito underwent a lot of it throughout the movie). On the first theme of change, given it was wartime, resources like sugar and tobacco were scarce, and the industrialization boom consumed Japan. Mahito's father is shown wearing a suit and top hat, similar to how people in the West dressed in the early 1900s. On the other hand, Natsuko and the ladies who work on the farm are in traditional Japanese garb, wearing kimonos and tabis. Mahito, unlike Natsuko, wears clothes similar to his father's, and I found this contrast interesting as it shows how different his life has become even though he’s still grounded in the past.
Inside the tower, Mahito faces the cycle of life and death, witnessing both during his journey, sometimes within minutes. This theme of rebirth stood out, as I felt it represented Mahito's internal dialogue as he shed his skin after each challenge he encountered.
Regarding the theme of fire, it reminds him of his mother and likely the anger he feels by not being able to save her. Since fire can symbolically mean life, it cycles back to the concept of being reborn, as you'll see at the end of the movie. The overall message seems to be him coming to terms with his mother's passing and accepting his new life. The other world in the tower was a means of letting Mahito go through the stages of grief, forcing him to confront his conflicting feelings with obstacles ranging from the environment, to people to... cannibalistic parakeets?
The Boy in the Heron is a must-recommend, and everyone should watch it when it comes out in theaters on December 8, 2023. If you are a fan of Miyazaki, I guarantee you'll love his newest work, full of feels and the occasional laugh. It definitely deserves a rewatch, or two, as time flies by with this stunning film.
