The Boy and the Heron
December 6th, 2023
MOVIE: THE BOY AND THE HERON
STARRING: SOMA SANTOKI, MASAKI SUDA, TAKUYA KIMURA, KÔ SHIBASAKI
DIRECTED BY: HAYAO MIYAZAKI
AMovieGuy.com’s RATING: 3 ½ STARS (Out of 4)
The films of Hayao Miyazaki can never be taken for granted. The animation master of films such as Ponyo, Princess Mononoke, My Neighbor Totoro, and Spirited Away has already reached the highest peak of the mountain in his field, but for him to stop his mastery would be an absolute crime. For a while, it felt like Miyazaki was done. One could argue that he would go out on top with The Wind Rises but clearly, there is much left in the tank with The Boy and the Heron. The themes and the animation are just as gorgeous, but the impact, the beauty, and the grace that Miyazaki delivers are still a sight to behold. The Boy and the Heron will once again wisk audiences away, take us to a magical place, and have us contemplating the beauty of friendship and adventure. In short, it’s another marvelous film from Miyazaki.
The opening segment involves a raging fire, blazing multiple buildings in Tokyo, with a 12-year-old boy named Mahito Maki (Soma Santoki) racing to get to one of them, but it’s too strong, taking the life of his mother. Time passes and now his often busy father Shoichi has decided to move the family to a quiet village. When they arrive in town it’s revealed that Mahito’s aunt Natsuko (Yoshino Kimura), is now his mother, and she’s pregnant with what will soon be his sister. In their time of grief, life has rapidly changed, but the goal is for Mahito to connect with his new mother while finding himself a new place to escape the past. That is easier said than done as it becomes clear that Mahito has pent-up conflicts he must wrestle with to find happiness again.
Similar to many of Miyazaki’s other films, when Mahito arrives at his new home, he is timid but willing to inspect the surrounding area. Natsuko wants to relate but disappears to find the boy. We then notice a blue heron, soaring in the sky, passing by Mahito’s face, taunting him, and landing on a tree. Mahito follows the bird and comes upon a decrepit old tower. It is here where Mahito enters, as the bird itself morphs into a man with teeth, meeting a girl named Kiriko (Kô Shibasaki), and entering into a universe with talking parakeets, a group of little old ladies similar to Seven Dwarves, and talking fish. It’s all pure imaginative Miyazaki. We are whisked to a world that could only be conjured up by the creative mind of the brilliant animator.
With all of the imaginative animation comes the meaning of it all. Typically Miyazaki sends his characters on journeys to learn a lesson of life, discover a friendship, or overcome fears. The Boy and the Heron is more about fighting through loss and learning to grow through that experience. I read a film critic compare it to The Wizard of Oz, which is an excellent assessment because in a way Mahito must go away to a magical land to learn that his mother’s death will leave him feeling lost and on the other side will be those waiting to give him love.
The final result is that The Boy in the Heron is another Miyazaki classic. Not quite at the level of his greatest works but the reality is that he doesn’t miss. He’s a singular voice, a once-in-a-generation animator, who delivers stories that teach children the metaphors of life, imagination, and magic. We are incredibly lucky to have him working again. We can place the crown on top of his head.
THE BOY AND THE HERON IS IN THEATERS NOW IN BOTH ENGLISH DUBBED AND WITH SUBTITLES.
3 ½ STARS
Written by: Leo Brady
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