Hayao Miyazaki’s first film since 2013’s The Wind Rises has two distinct halves. The first half of The Boy and the Heron is wrapped in a gentle but ever-present Karensma of insecurity and mystery, as the film’s young protagonist struggles not only with his father’s remarriage but also with Unsolicited visits from a sinister, speaking gray. heron. By contrast, the second half feels like a “standard” Miyazaki fantasy adventure, one that is still enchanting and impressive, but a little less engaging than the build-up leading up to it.
The same goes for the second half. The main character’s development isn’t met, and the story developments it introduces at the end can leave you feeling almost overwhelmed. Most of the latter isn’t a big deal—this part of the movie feels like a pipe dream that encourages you to get carried away with the flow rather than trying to grasp every little thing. However, I wish the main character’s change was less abrupt, especially because of the personal reasons behind his journey.
The first half of The Boy and the Heron is dressed in a gentle but ever-present Karensma of insecurity and mystery.
Heron’s main character is Mahito (Souma Santoki), a young boy who lost his mother to a hospital fire during World War II. After his mother’s death, he moves from Tokyo to the mansion of his new stepmother, Natsko (Yoshino Kimura). Mahito struggles to settle into his new life, while also facing a mysterious tower and a heron (Masaki Suda), who claims that his mother is still alive.
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I was filled with a delightful sense of unease during the first half of The Boy and the Heron—not just because of my slightly awkward seating angle, but also because it was never clear to me what form the final film would take. Which direction? I enjoyed that uncertainty—wondering why the heron was so persistent in seducing Mahito, why Tsuko bore a striking resemblance to Mahito’s mother, what secrets the tower held, and why the presence of Mahito seems to be the catalyst for something. It’s a slow burn that kept me constantly wondering how things were going, with the sinister atmosphere of the heron and the tower adding some horror while the cool score kept me on my toes.
Mahito himself exists in a state of discomfort during this time, remaining polite but also keeping his distance from Tsuko. There’s a tender but captivating scene in which he secretly observes the late-night interaction between his father and Tsuko, his interiority feeling both clear and ambiguous. The scene ends with Mahito carefully returning to his room inverted and on all fours, his stern, unchanging expression making you wonder about the tangled thoughts that must be going on. covers his mind.
That alone cuts to Mahito’s stealthy retreating form like a small masterpiece, thanks to the character animation that kept me glued to his every move. Heron’s entire animation is amazing. There’s a raw feel to some of the drawings in the first half, especially in the surreal scene of Mahito racing through embers and crowds of people toward the hospital, where the animation embraces an almost chaotic fluidity. disorder on rigidly regulated forms. The moment when Natsko arrives to pick up Mahito at the station is interesting in its depiction of weight, not only in the physicality of the characters’ movements, but also in the swaying of the rickshaw as they get off and on the train.
Anything that moves in a movie is truly fascinating to watch — people of all shapes and sizes; the sails billowed violently; the fire is commanded by the brave Himi (Aimyon), a character I wish had more screen time; and the overflowing waters of the ocean. And then there are the birds: herons, pelicans that feast on innocent warawara souls, and the astonishing army of parakeets. The depiction of the heron’s transformation into a grumpy man with an annoyingly oversized nose is charming and humorous, and the scenes involving flocks of pelicans or swooping parakeets in uncontrolled movement that truly leaves a sense of awe at the scale and possibilities involved.
© 2023 Studio Ghibli
“Wonder” is a word that often comes to mind in the second half of the film, in which Mahito embarks on a mission with the heron as an unexpected companion. Longtime Ghibli producer Toshio Suzuki has said that the “push and pull” relationship between the two is one of the elements inspired by Miyazaki’s life, with Miyazaki as Mahito and the heron as Suzuki. I mentioned at the beginning of the review that this half felt like a “standard” Miyazaki fantasy adventure, and while I meant that as a mild indictment, it’s also a praise. I never cease to remember the darker and more disturbing tone of the first half, but the rest of Heron still impresses with its imagination. And the feeling of familiarity, when it arises, is often comforting — a reminder that I’m watching a Miyazaki film.
But despite Miyazaki’s impressive drawing, I found the second half of Heron lacking in its depiction of Mahito’s development. Mahito not only embarks on a physical journey but also a journey of acceptance—about the fate of his mother and his stepmother—but the latter feels like the “journey” part of the equation is missing. , instead came suddenly and unsatisfactorily. destination. There was a pivotal moment that should have been powerful, but instead my eyebrows kept furrowing as Mahito’s words felt hollow despite Santoki’s stellar performance. Heron’s main character is so stoic that he can’t express his thoughts and feelings for easy reference, which is perfectly fine, but I wish there were important stages or sparks to his evolution. It is described more clearly in a way that makes the emotions reach their peak.
However, I could never think of stopping someone from watching this movie.
Another thing that bothered me, although less severe, was that the film’s final stretch felt a bit overwhelming for its length. In a fairly short amount of time, a character whose motives drive him against Mahito is introduced, a new target appears, the lord of the tower makes various revelations, and then the movie begins. pack. It’s not impossible to follow these developments and revelations, but there just isn’t enough time to absorb and appreciate the interesting ideas involved before the film passes. The final act still proves to be interesting, but feels like a shortened version of something larger and more patient in the beginning. The condensed structure also means that characters like the aforementioned villain and Himi, who also enters the proceedings at a fairly late stage, fail to be as memorable as they could and deserve to be. so (Himi’s heavenly musical motif would never have been so memorable). but let me rest assured).
© 2023 Studio Ghibli
To be honest, I was a bit disappointed when I came across Heron’s introduction. I am fine. I wouldn’t mind a strong second half whose only crime is being a little less impressive than the excellent first half, but the problems that appear at the end, although few, have an extremely debilitating effect. weak for what should have been a high score.
However, I could never think of stopping someone from watching this movie. I can’t say I like Heron without adding a “but,” but overall I still find it a remarkable, impressive creation. Even though it left me feeling a bit dissatisfied, I’m really glad I got to experience something like that.
Staff
→ Director, screenwriter, creator: Hayao Miyazaki
→ Animation director: Takeshi Honda (Evangelion: 3.0+1.01, original character designer of Thrice Upon a Time, Millenium Goddess character designer)
© Composer: Joe Hisaishi (Spirited Away, My Neighbor Totoro)
Actor (Japanese)
à Souma Santoki as Mahito
à Yoshino Kimura as Natuko
à Jun Kunimura as the Macaw King
à Kaoru Kobayashi as the noble Pelican
permission
à Aimyon as Lady Himi
à Masaki Suda as Gray Heron
à Shouhei Hino as Uncle
Actor (English)
Luca Padovan as Mahito Maki
• Christian Bale as Shoichi Maki
Dave Bautista as the Macaw King
Gemma Chan as Narutoko
PORT
Karen Fukuhara as Lady Himi
Mark Hamill as Uncle
Robert Pattinson as Gray Heron
à Florence Pugh as Kiriko
Mamoudou Athie, Tony Revolori and > Dan Stevens Macaw shoulder
