Film · 2023 · PG-13 · 2h 04m · Animation, Fantasy, Drama
The Boy and the Heron
Hayao Miyazaki
Where death comes to an end, life finds a new beginning.
Seen · Jan 9, 2024
Synopsis
While the Second World War rages, the teenage Mahito, haunted by his mother's tragic death, is relocated from Tokyo to the serene rural home of his new stepmother Natsuko, a woman who bears a striking resemblance to the boy's mother. As he tries to adjust, this strange new world grows even stranger following the appearance of a persistent gray heron, who perplexes and bedevils Mahito, dubbing him the "long-awaited one."
Reception
- Critics
- 96%
- Audience
- 88%
Critics welcomed Miyazaki's return from retirement and many placed the film among his best work. The hand-drawn animation drew the most praise, along with its fantasy about a boy entering a world between life and death. Reviewers also liked its weighty themes.
Sources: Rotten Tomatoes
Box office
- Domestic
- $47.3M
- Worldwide
- $295M
Source: Box Office Mojo, as of Sep 30
Cast
Soma SantokiMahito Maki (voice)
Masaki SudaGray Heron (voice)
Ko ShibasakiKiriko (voice)
AimyonLady Himi (voice)
Yoshino KimuraNatsuko (voice)
Takuya KimuraShoichi Maki (voice)
Keiko TakeshitaIzumi (voice)
Crew
Jan 9, 2024
I liked the freaky little birds and their freaky little bird hands.
