Studio Ghibli’s latest is a surreal Oscar-winner
Nearly a decade after announcing his retirement, celebrated filmmaker Hayao Miyazaki and Studio Ghibli released “The Boy and the Heron” in Japan in July 2023 and in the United States in Dec. 2023. The film was written and directed by Miyazaki, who earned his second Oscar after “The Boy and the Heron” won the 2023 Academy Award for Best Animated Feature.
“The Boy and the Heron” is a sprawling tale in complicated worlds – both real and fantastical – featuring a young boy named Mahito (voiced in English by Luca Padovan) who moves with his father Shoichi (Christian Bale) to the Japanese countryside in World War II after his mother dies. Shoichi remarries his late wife’s sister, Natsuko (Gemma Chan), who disappears into the forest, prompting Mahito to begin an epic quest for her – all the while accompanied by a magical Grey Heron (Robert Pattinson).
While just as fantastical as Ghibli’s usual fare, “The Boy and the Heron” is perhaps one of the most unsettling films by the studio. The first quarter of the film is slow-moving and melancholy as Mahito adapts to his new life in the countryside, avoiding his newly-pregnant stepmother and purposefully injuring himself with a rock to escape school. All the while, he’s taunted by the Grey Heron in brief, eerie bursts. On rewatches, the slower pace of the beginning makes the film drag, but on a first watch with little known about the film, it forces audiences to the edge of their seats in anticipation of what’s to come.
In the quest for his stepmother, Mahito embarks on a journey into a surreal, dream-like world. Since Mahito’s goal of retrieval is simple, the film instead builds wonder through its incredible world-building in the strange place where Mahito finds himself. The rules and logic of the world are unclear, and Mahito’s journey is filled with moments of joy and respite as quickly as it is with overwhelming despair and violence – and parakeets. The lack of logic leaves space for a strong, emotional thematic base, as Mahito comes of age and grapples with mortality, loss, the horrors of war and the possibility to build a better future on his otherworldly journey.
The film’s strange, ethereal nature is perfectly complemented by longtime Ghibli composer Joe Hisaishi’s subtle score, often featuring only a chorus and piano. Hisaishi’s musical cues create further depth and emphasis for many of the film’s more unsettling moments, including many of the Heron’s early appearances, along with creating a sorrowful and beautiful theme for Mahito and his mother that builds as the film progresses.
Beautiful landscapes and rich, colorful characters and creations are the standard for Studio Ghibli, and “The Boy and the Heron” does not disappoint on that front. There’s something new to notice on every watch, and the plentiful details immerse the audience into the surreal story. It’s also supported by the rest of a star-studded English voice cast, including Dave Bautista, Florence Pugh, Mark Hamill, Karen Fukuhara and Willem Dafoe.
The story’s resolution may not make the most sense – Miyazaki’s remarks were read after an early preview of the film, saying, “Perhaps you didn’t understand it. I myself don’t understand it” – but it’s certainly something satiating to chew on. The inexplicable nature of the film only enhances the layered and complicated themes that it presents, ultimately culminating in a bizarre, heart-wrenching story full of the same Ghibli magic that has captivated audiences for decades – and hopefully will for many more.
“The Boy and the Heron” returned to North American theaters on March 22 following its Oscar win on March 10. Its release on streaming services will be announced later this year.
