Deep Dive into The Boy and the Heron

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Hey guys, I hope you’re all doing well as we get closer to Christmas. For today, I thought we’d talk about The Boy and the Heron. A film released in North American theaters by the famous director Hayao Miyazaki. I was excited because this is the first Studio Ghibli film I’ve ever watched on the big screen. The experience was memorable, and I felt like a kid again. Miyazaki has created another classic masterpiece that will age well. Without further ado, here is my deep dive into The Boy and the Heron.

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Plot (Spoiler-Free)

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The film takes place in Japan during the 1940s, in the Pacific War era. A young boy named Mahito hears that his mother died in a fire. After several months passed, Mahito’s father married a woman named Natsuko, Mahito’s maternal aunt. As the father and son move into Natsuko’s sub-urban estate, Mahito notices a strange grey heron taking notice of him. The heron makes a proposal that Mahito can’t refuse.

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Together, Mahito and the heron embark on a journey, traveling to an alternate world where different points in time connect. Through this journey, Mahito finds a newfound love for life that he can take back with him to the real world.

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Characters that stand out

Mahito

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The film revolves around Mahito and his emotional recovery after losing his mother. Young performer Soma Santoki plays Mahito, and he does a fantastic job capturing the essence of the role. For most of the film, Mahito’s character is a heavy introvert. This makes sense, as I doubt anyone would want to be social after losing a loved one.

After this heavy loss, Mahito’s not ready to adjust to the new life set for him. He has difficulty with moving to a new town and going to a new school to meet new kids. He purposely isolates himself from his aunt, as he’s not ready for a new mother figure to come into his life.

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The first person Mahito shows genuine emotion towards is a fire maiden named Himi, whom he meets in the alternate world. The two have chemistry with one another, and you’ll know why by the time you finish the movie. After meeting Himi, Mahito’s personality begins to change. Despite seeing problems in the world, he also sees the beauty and decides to take a chance to live out his life in the real world. Complete 180 from where he was at the beginning of the film.

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The character of Mahito represents what Miyazaki had to experience in his own life. You see it through things like the experience of bombings, a mother’s death, or a distant relationship with Mahito’s dad. He most likely wants to make this film personal because it may be his last movie. I still find it incredible how much heartache Miyazaki had to endure, but he has lived his life to the fullest.

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Grey Heron

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While initially appearing to be an antagonist who just wanted to kidnap Mahito. Eventually, you’ll see that the Grey Heron is more of a mentor, helping the boy cope with his grievances. By giving Mahito the tools he needs to move on with his life.

Masaki Suda, an actor with a strong resume, plays the Grey Heron. He performed great in this role. The first exchange he had with Mahito is my favorite scene. I love this scene because of how unpredictable the Grey Heron was. The raw energy he gives off makes you frightened when you’re in his presence.

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The further I got along in the movie, the more I began to question whether or not the Grey Heron was a figment of Mahito’s imagination. You’ll understand why when you reach the end of the film. But with Miyazaki’s films, I choose not to spend a lot of time analyzing them and to sit back and enjoy them.

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Animation

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For the past five years, I’ve been watching anime films in theaters any chance I could get. Watching this film in a theater was surreal. It doesn’t feel like I was watching an anime movie in 2023. The hand-drawn animation style reminds me of 80s and 90s anime.

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The colors in this film are darker by choice to depict Mahito’s depression after his mother’s death. But that’s not to say there isn’t any beautiful scenery in this film, because there is. Scenes that stood out to me were the moonlit nights and the first time Mahito entered the alternate world, seeing a beautiful ocean and coastland. It made you feel as if you were looking at an actual landscape.

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When you look at Mahito, he resembles the protagonists of his predecessors in previous Studio Ghibli films. This is why I was obsessing about seeing this film on the big screen. It’s like I knew Mahito, but I actually didn’t.

So, in what format should you watch this movie? I watched the film in Ultra AVX, the second-best option after IMAX. But I felt it wasn’t necessary. The bigger screen didn’t boost the appearance of the already beautiful animation. It’ll just cost you more money in the end. You’ll be okay watching this film in standard format at a theater.

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What do I think of the story?

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After watching the film, I think the story was pretty original, and the development of the characters was well executed. I would say that if you’ve watched Miyazaki’s previous films, this one does fall into his typical formula for movies. Watching this movie reminds me of previous Studio Ghibli films like Spirited Away and Howl’s Moving Castle. That’s not a bad thing; I love those movies.

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In terms of pacing, the only thing that I didn’t like was the beginning of the film. It seemed very rushed, like I had just sat down in my seat, and Mahito’s mother was already dead. Then they moved to the suburbs to live with Natsuko. I wish they had spent at least 20 minutes on those events, as it would’ve been easier to digest for the viewers.

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Themes

Continuing on my deep dive into The Boy and the Heron. There are several themes that came to mind while I was watching this film. We’ll explore the biggest ones, which include the following:

Loss and Healing

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We start off on a serious note as Mahito’s mother passes away. The film is Mahito’s way of accepting the loss of his mother while moving on with his life. Showing how a death in the family can impact a young child and the struggles they have to endure. Mahito spends the first part of the movie isolating himself from others. It’s not until new friends enter his life that he begins to heal.

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Friendship

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The film shows the value of friendship and its importance. Having friends is critical for your mental health, and studies have shown that socializing with loved ones helps you live a longer life. Mahito comes into his own when he begins to accept friends into his life. The friends he makes include the Grey Heron, Himi, and Kiriko. Each of them plays a critical role in developing his character. While these friendships are momentary, the lessons he learns he’ll keep with him for the rest of his life.

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Coming of Age

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The film explores Mahito’s coming of age as he learns to become a man after his mother’s death. A loss that takes away his innocence and forces him to grow up sooner. This is often the case with kids who lose a parent at a young age. Mahito’s becoming a big brother also gave him the motivation needed to mature faster, as he would be a role model in that child’s life.

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You also see Mahito becoming a man in the film through the new skills he learns, like crafting his bow, fishing, and hunting. Also, because of his morals, he chose to be a man who was there for his family. A good example is when he refuses to return home until he finds his aunt, Natsuko. He’s not even a teenager yet and is already very responsible.

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Music

The final topic we’ll look at in this deep dive into The Boy and the Heron is music. I’m not a music expert, but I did give the film’s soundtrack a thorough listen. The album is by Joe Hisaishi, a talented composer and a good friend of Miyazaki. He has created music for several renowned Ghibli films.

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This soundtrack captures the essence of a Miyazaki film perfectly. The music perfectly portrays the innocence of a child and can sweep you off your feet to bring you into a fantasy world. All while having moments of intense classical music to depict rage. These were the tracks that I enjoyed listening to:

• Memories
• A Feather in the Dusk
• Ask Me Why (Mother’s Message)

Who should see this movie?

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I’d recommend this film to anyone who’s going through a rough time. Whether you lost a loved one, are unemployed, or are just down on your luck. The world is a scary place that’s filled with misery and disappointment if you let it. But if you’re optimistic, life can be a beautiful adventure.

I haven’t had a particularly great year. But I was excited to drive to a Cineplex on a Saturday morning to watch this film in an empty theater. I’ve always wanted to watch a Studio Ghibli film on the big screen, and I’m happy I did.

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Go watch it!

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So overall, that’s my deep dive into The Boy and the Heron. I hope that you guys watch this film on the big screen. This year has been pretty disappointing, with all the fatigue from reboots, spin-offs, and superheroes. But I can honestly say that the four anime films I watched in theaters this year were all incredible. I don’t regret seeing them on the big screen.

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If I don’t post again, I’d like to wish everyone a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. If you liked this article, check out my posts about other anime films released this year: The First Slam Dunk and Suzume. Thank you so much for reading, and as always, until next time.

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