Synopsis:
Following the death of his mother in the firebombing of Tokyo during WWII, young Mahito and his father relocate to his late mother’s family home in the countryside. There, Mahito’s father plans to marry his deceased wife’s sister, who is pregnant with his child. Struggling with grief and the upheaval in his life, Mahito encounters a mystical heron who offers to help him connect with his mother. This leads Mahito on a surreal journey of self-discovery and reflection on how to live his life.
Review:
Hayao Miyazaki’s 2023 film The Boy and the Heron resonates with a profound sense of melancholy. The film feels like a meditation on loss, not just personal but also universal—a reflection on aging, the passing of childhood, and the inevitability of change. It serves as both a personal farewell and a broader commentary on how we navigate transformations in our lives and the world.
The story centers on Mahito, a young boy in Japan during World War II. After losing his mother in a firebombing raid on Tokyo, Mahito and his father move to the countryside to live with his mother’s sister, who is now pregnant by Mahito’s father. Mahito grapples with his grief and the changes around him, displaying a stoic facade while struggling internally. The film poignantly captures his emotional turmoil through a series of visual and narrative moments.
A great blue heron, which appears in the garden of their new home, becomes a pivotal figure in Mahito’s life. The heron speaks to him and guides him to a fantastical tower built by a distant relative. This tower, linked to Mahito’s mother’s mysterious past, introduces him to a magical realm where he confronts the choice between staying in this new world or returning to his reality.
The film draws inspiration from two books: Genzaburō Yoshino’s How Do You Live? and John Connolly’s The Book of Lost Things. Yoshino’s novel, which appears as a gift from Mahito’s mother, poses philosophical questions about personal conduct and world-building that resonate throughout the film. Connolly’s work, though darker, parallels the journey Mahito undergoes, blending elements of fantasy and reality in a way that feels cohesive and organic.
The Boy and the Heron also reflects Miyazaki’s personal experiences and his studio’s past works. Elements of his other films—such as the war-time setting akin to Grave of the Fireflies, the architectural parallels to Howl’s Moving Castle, and thematic echoes of My Neighbor Totoro—are woven into the narrative. These references create a rich tapestry that both celebrates and reflects on Studio Ghibli’s legacy.
GKIDS’ release offers various formats, including a steelbook, 4K Ultra HD/BD combo, and a standard BD/DVD set. The release includes a range of extras such as interviews with Joe Hisaishi, Toshio Suzuki, and Takeshi Honda, along with storyboards and a booklet featuring Miyazaki’s notes. The film’s visual and audio quality is exceptional, and the English dub, featuring Robert Pattinson as the heron, adds an engaging layer to the film’s presentation.
Supervising animator Takeshi Honda describes the film’s first half as profoundly lonely, capturing the quiet sorrow found in other Studio Ghibli films like The Secret World of Arrietty and When Marnie Was There. This sense of loss—both of childhood and through childhood—imbues The Boy and the Heron with a reflective quality that makes it a fitting, if bittersweet, addition to Miyazaki’s storied career.
