How many times has Hayao Miyazaki retired? I forgot to count. But I’m sure glad he did. I went to see the new Ghibli movie The Boy and the Heron this past weekend in Japan. Do you remember your first Ghibli movie? Mine was Kiki’s Delivery Service in third grade. I don’t remember much about how much I liked it, but it stayed with me for many years until I rediscovered it and the rest of the Ghibli catalog in high school. As my first Ghibli film, it remains high on my list of favorites from the studio and now has a new addition with The Boy and the Heron.
Editor’s note: There will be no spoilers about The Boy and Heron below.
Although The Boy and the Heron is not scheduled for release in the West until December 2023, I can’t wait for you all to see it. It resembles Miyazaki’s previous films, while also bringing new energy. Just over two hours long, it introduces an unusually large cast of characters. Of course, the main characters are… the boy and the heron. The film shares many themes and ideas from Miyazaki’s previous films but spins them in a fresh and new way.
Ghibli films often deal with the difficulties and adventures of learning about the world as a child. Miyazaki seems to have made it his life’s work to get children to dream and imagine a world both different and similar to our own. The Boy and the Heron deals with similar themes, but in different ways than before, and I believe achieves it quite well. It perfectly captures what it’s like to be a child in a world that you feel powerless to change or understand.
Images via Studio Ghibli and GKids
This move, in ways I can’t quite explain without going into spoilers, is also a requirement for the viewers (especially children) who might watch it. The Japanese version of the film is titled “How Do You Live,” which is shared with a book by Yoshino Genzaburo. Although the stories don’t seem to have much overlap, the themes and ideas they want to express seem similar. So if you’re having a hard time waiting for the English release, the book can give you at least a little taste of what the movie is about.
The same goes for the images in The Boy and The Heron. Exactly what you would expect from a Studio Ghibli film. The characters are all extremely believable in their facial expressions and all the backgrounds are beautiful and could be paintings hanging in an art museum. While most of the film is typical (and not bad) Ghibli, the opening sequence is completely different. It was something I didn’t expect but it really blew me away.
It’s difficult for me to give a full spoiler-free review, but suffice it to say that The Boy and The Heron was a film worth seeing in theaters when it came out and has skyrocketed to the top. High on my list of favorite Ghibli movies. Make sure and set aside a day in your calendar to see this movie in theaters in December! So cool!
The Boy and The Heron will air in theaters outside Japan on December 8, 2023. It is currently airing in Japan as How Do You Live.
