The newest movie from Studio Ghibli, “The Boy and the Heron,” was released in theaters in December of 2023. It earned a rating of 7.6 on IMDb and rated 97% on Rotten Tomatoes. In addition, the film also won the Golden Globe Award for best Motion Picture Animated Movie.
The movie was a fun watch, but it was not as good as some other Hayao Miyazaki movies. The storyline was unclear because some scenes felt like they were not needed, while others were flat out confusing. The animation was beautiful though, as it always is.
The story starts off with a boy named Mahito. The audience quickly learns that Mahito’s mother died in a hospital fire when he was younger. Two years later, he now lives in a new house with his new step-mom and dad.
At the beginning of the movie, he does not want to try and accept his new mother. At the same time, a gray heron that lives in the mansion gardens keeps on disturbing Mahito by flying near him or attacking him.
He learns about the mansions’ secret tower and slowly learns about the history of his family and new house. Soon enough, he follows the heron into the tower and falls into a different world where his past and present become intertwined.
The movie was created by Hayao Miyazaki, the director of Studio Ghibli. You may have heard of Studio Ghibli before, creating amazing and remarkable animated movies such as “Spirited Away,” “My Neighbor Totoro,” and now, “The Boy and the Heron.”
Miyazaki claimed that “The Boy and the Heron” would be his last film, but he has said that about previous films before and still continued to make new movies. It’s likely he will continue to create new stories that are unique to Studio Ghibli.
This movie was really interesting as it makes viewers really contemplate life, loss and those we care about. It was based on the book, “How Do You Live?” by Genzaburo Yoshino, and has some of the same themes as the book.
While the plot was a bit confusing, I think people should focus more on the meaning of the movie and overall message. Miyazaki’s movies always have a special meaning to them that people should pay attention to, and this one explores mourning and handling the loss of a loved one.
The themes of the movie work great with the story and how it is told; with Mahito handling the loss of his mother and embracing his new one. The animation also helps tell the themes beautifully.
Overall, I would rate this movie an 8.5/10 because the atmosphere of the movie was really fun even if the story was a bit hard to understand. Whether or not you are a Studio Ghibli fan, I recommend you see “The Boy and the Heron” before it leaves the theaters!
