Hello film fans! Slick Dungeon here, back to review another Oscar nominated film. This time we are diving into the latest animated film by the always absolutely brilliant animation company Studio Ghibli. The Boy and the Heron is nominated for Best Animated Feature Film this year. Before you read on, do be warned there will be spoilers. If you don’t enjoy that, take yourself to the mystical world where you can watch animated films, maybe stack some wooden blocks, and then come on back here to read the review!

What’s it About?

It is World War II and a young boy named, Mahito Maki, loses his mother Hisako in a fire at a hospital. Mahito’s father, Soichi marries Natsuko, HIsako’s sister. Soichi owns a munitions factory so he decides to move his little family to his rural estate. At first, Mahito is fairly cold to his aunt, both missing his mother, and overwhelmed by the major change in his life. At the new home, there is a mysterious tower. Some years ago, Natsuko’s granduncle was the architect who built the tower but he disappeared long ago.

One day, while Mahito is recovering from an injury, he spots a heron who leads him to the tower. The heron turns out to be more than he seems as he starts to speak and transform into a half-man half-bird creature. Mahito is nearly taken by a swarm of of toads but he is saved by Natsuko who fires an arrow at the frogs. Mahito takes this arrow, and a feather he gets from the heron, and makes his own arrow with that feather. This arrow gains true aim, meaning it cannot miss its target.

Later, an ill Natsuko disappears into the forest. Mahito and an elderly maid named Kiriko go to find Natsuko and end up at the strange tower. Mahito is beckoned inside and sees what he thinks is a vision of his mother. This was a trick designed by the heron. Mahito figures this out and shoots an arrow at the heron, breaking a part of its beak and further revealing the bird-man. A wizard comes out of nowhere and instructs the heron to take Mahito and guide him. Mahito, the heron, and Kiriko sink through the floor into another world.

In this world, Mahito sees wonders, faces dangers, and confronts strange creatures he could never have imagined. Strangely, he is rescued by Kiriko, who is years younger than she was in our world. The pair try to survive and they meet a woman named Himi who protects Mahito from a dangerous group of pelicans who are trying to eat small, strange creatures called Warawara.

More strange and magical incidents continue in the film until Mahito ends up meeting the wizard who turns out to be Natsuko’s grand uncle and he realizes that Himi is his birth mother, just much younger. Mahito is given the chance to reshape this magical world with a set of wooden blocks. But Mahito decides not to because the blocks are infused with malice. He is then offered his own set of blocks to create a world from scratch. He also declines to do this, saying he has malice in his own heart and must embrace those who love him first.

Eventually, he is able to get back to our own reality where he is surrounded by Natsuko, his father and Kiriko, all who love and care for him, even though his birth mother has passed away.

Even writing down the plot as I did above leaves a lot out of the story. It’s a tale of magical realism that has shades of The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe and Alice in Wonderland. At the same time, it is paced and animated in the way only Studio Ghibli under the direction of the brilliant Hayao Miyazaki can achieve. In other words, as with most of Miyazaki’s films, it is an utter masterpiece.

It’s very slow by American animation standards and the plot can be hard to grasp even as you are watching it. This is more of a difference in animated culture than any kind of criticism of the film.

There are achingly adorable creatures in this movie and lots of mystical storytelling. And as usual it begins in reality but transports characters to another world where they can learn something about themselves before being returned a changed, and usually better person.

The soundtrack is composed by Miyazaki’s long time collaborator Joe Hisaishi who is uniquely qualified to pair the mystical vision of what we see on film with a score just as capable of transporting the imagination.

Once again, Studio Ghibli has truly delivered a masterpiece that reaches across cultural bounds to both Japanes and American audiences in the way only they can.

The Awards

On any other year, if Miyazaki was making this film, I would say The Boy and the Heron was an absolute lock for Best Animated Feature. He may still earn the award since this is likely to be his last animated film of his lifetime. The animation is incredible, with the hand drawn look but still using CGI in some scenes and backgrounds to make the storytelling work. I don’t think this is necessarily the best animated film by Studio Ghibli but that’s like saying you don’t know which is the most stylish slam dunk of Michael Jordan’s. In other words, they are all too amazing to really pick favorites.

However, there was another animated film out this year which was the most innovative animated film I have seen perhaps since I first saw a Studio Ghible film. Spider-Man: Across the Spiderverse has innovation in every second of it, if not in every frame of it.

If Spider-man does not win here, I guarantee you this award will go to The Boy and the Heron, if not to acknowledge the work of this film, then simply to acknowledge the body of work by Miyazaki with Studio Ghibli. (Guarantee not a real guarantee, please don’t make bets based on my predictions)

On most years I am hoping for the Studio Ghibli film to win. And while I would be perfectly fine with it winning this year, I don’t think it is actually the best animated feature length film of the year, despite it still being an actual masterpiece.

In Conclusion

If you have not seen The Boy and the Heron, do so as soon as you can. It’s a unique film made by a storytelling master who has already caught the imaginations of millions of people. Because Miyazaki was a creator with such brilliance, you can expect more brilliance in animation as those who come up after him try to emulate and surpass him. Do be warned that the pacing is slow for American audiences but don’t let that stop you from watching the film. If nothing else this film has significance because it is quite likely to be the last of Miyazaki animated films.

Animatedly yours,

Slick Dungeon