From Spirited Away to My Neighbor Totoro, Studio Ghibli has developed into a legendary animation team that has produced a variety of classics over the years. Founded on June 15, 1985, Studio Ghibli has become a household name, bringing generations of magical and whimsical animations through the talented lens of Hayao Miyazaki.
A major force in the anime movie world, Studio Ghibli has continuously produced films over the years, but The Boy and the Heron marks the studio’s first film since Miyazaki’s retirement in 2013. The magical journey pieces together themes from various masterpieces from Miyazaki and beyond, taking viewers into an emotional rollercoaster defined by grief, change, acceptance, and letting go.
The Boy and The Heron: Synopsis & Themes
Synopsis
Like prior Studio Ghibli movies, The Boy and the Heron is set years ago—in 1944—and tells the story of a young boy named Mahito Maki, who loses his mother through an air raid in Tokyo and is forced to live with a new family. He struggles to assimilate in the new town, facing instances of bullying while dealing with grief from the loss of his mother. In his new estate, he meets a talking Grey Heron who tells him that his mother is still alive. Brimming with hope, Mahito follows the heron into an abandoned building, taking him into another world. There, he encounters his stepmother, Natsuko, which eventually leads to him going on an adventure to save her, her unborn child, and himself in the process.
At the end of the film, the powerful granduncle who rules the alternate world asks Mahito to stay to maintain its balance, but the boy refuses, choosing to return to his world. He also meets a young woman with magical powers named Himi, who he invites to live in his world, but she declines the offer as she reveals herself to be the younger version of his mother and must return to her own time to ensure that Mahito will be born.
Facing Conflict and Grief With The Boy and the Heron
The Boy and the Heron explores war and how it impacts children and the way they see the world.
In his new town, he fights with classmates and has a tense relationship with his maternal aunt, who is now his new mother. Due to bullying, he inflicts self-harm. He then enters a magical world to search for his mother, leaving his family behind. This shows his response to trauma and his struggle to process overwhelming emotions during a difficult time as an adolescent.
Throughout The Boy and the Heron, Mahito struggles to accept that his mother is gone, evident in his deliberate search for her existence in the fantastical world. He tries to cope with grief and the loss of the most important person in his life by searching for remnants of her in a world that isn’t real—until he can finally let go of what has been lost and live for the future. His experience in the alternate world shaped his path to acceptance, not only of his old mother’s death but also of his relation to his new mother, Natsuko.
Parallels Between “How Do You Live?” and The Boy and the Heron
At one point in the film, Mahito finds a copy of the novel “How Do You Live?” (君たちはどう生きるか) with his mother’s handwriting inside. This book is a real novel originally published in 1937 by Genzaburo Yoshino. It has significant parallels to The Boy and the Heron, particularly in addressing the struggles of adolescence. Furthermore, how support is incredibly important during this period. Both boys had lost a parent and were forced to live with an aunt or uncle. The uncle became an important figure in their lives. However, Mahito was distant from his aunt and new mother. Therefore, it was up to him to grow up through the presumed guidance left by his biological mother throughout the book. It is when he rebuild a relationship with his new family.
The Characters of The Boy and the Heron
The characters in The Boy and the Heron play important roles in shaping the emotional story of the film. Mahito Maki, the main character, is a young boy dealing with the loss of his mother during the war. His journey through grief and self-discovery is the heart of the movie. At first, he struggles to connect with his new family, but through his adventure, he learns to accept his stepmother, Natsuko, and begins to heal.
The mysterious Grey Heron is a key character, guiding Mahito into the magical world and representing his unresolved feelings of loss. The heron’s claim that Mahito’s mother is still alive pushes him into a world of fantasy, allowing him to face his emotions and come to terms with reality. Himi, a young woman Mahito meets in the magical world, turns out to be a younger version of his mother. Her decision to return to her own time, while Mahito returns to his world, shows the importance of accepting the past and moving forward.
The Historical Context of The Boy and the Heron
The Boy and the Heron is set in 1944, during World War II, a time of great hardship in Japan. The film begins with the bombing of Tokyo, an event that takes Mahito’s mother’s life. This historical background is key to understanding the film’s themes, like the impact of war on families, especially on children. Mahito’s journey reflects the emotional scars caused by war, as he faces the loss of his mother and the challenge of starting over in a new place.
Director Hayao Miyazaki often includes anti-war messages in his films, such as in Grave of the Fireflies and The Wind Rises. In The Boy and the Heron, he focuses on how war affects children like Mahito, who has to deal with the trauma of losing his family and home. The film explores how children experience war and how they cope with overwhelming emotions.
By setting the story in wartime Japan, The Boy and the Heron not only tells a personal story of grief. It is also about healing but also shows the lasting effects of war on the country and its people.
How to Watch The Boy and the Heron
Hayao Miyazaki’s final feature film, The Boy and the Heron, is an incredibly complex and fascinating narrative that delves into the complexities of trauma caused by war. Watching it once isn’t enough—we highly recommend watching The Boy and the Heron multiple times to fully understand the depth of Miyazaki’s masterpiece.
When does The Boy and the Heron come out: Showtimes, Theaters, and more
The Boy and the Heron was officially released in US theaters on December 8, 2023. It returned to theaters on March 22, 2024, with the addition of bonus content. Unfortunately, there are no more official The Boy and the Heron showtimes coming to theaters anytime soon.
You might be wondering how long is The Boy and the Heron. It runs for about two hours and four minutes, sharing a similar runtime to another Studio Ghibli movie, Castle in the Sky.
Where to Stream The Boy and the Heron?
The Boy and The Heron enjoyed a US-only release on HBO Max on September 6, 2024. If you live in the region, Max is the only platform where you legally stream the film. If you live anywhere else in the world (except Japan and the US), you can watch The Boy and the Heron on Netflix.
The Boy and the Heron English Voice Actors
If you’re a fan of voice actors, here are the amazing voices who portrayed the memorable cast of The Boy and the Heron. Do you recognize any of them?
Other Studio Ghibli Movies Similar to The Boy and the Heron
Studio Ghibli movies are known to share similar themes of adolescence, facing grief, entering fantastical worlds, and going on a journey to find oneself. Every Studio Ghibli film eludes a similar whimsical and emotional magic that will make you crave more of Miyazaki’s masterpieces. Here are some of our favorite options to watch after The Boy and the Heron.
Spirited Away
A strong theme in The Boy and the Heron is “losing oneself” in an unreal world and learning to be comfortable in an unfamiliar environment. If you want a Studio Ghibli movie that explores a similar theme, give Spirited Away a try.
As one of the most recognizable films in the studio, Spirited Away follows the story of Chihiro. She stumbles upon a mysterious amusement park that takes her into an otherworldly realm.
Spirited Away is considered the first isekai anime. Isekai anime are known for stories in which the protagonist is transported from the real world to a fantasy one. The real word often contains magical elements or mythical creatures. The term “Isekai” refers to “different world” in its true Japanese translation.
When Marnie Was There
When Marnie Was There centers around a sickly girl named Anna, who struggles with loneliness as she is kept isolated from the world. She meets a mysterious girl named Marnie who eventually changes her life.
Anna’s life shares some parallels to Mahito’s, and while her struggles manifested differently, they learned to cope with grief and love their new family through self-development and acceptance.
Kiki’s Delivery Service
Kiki’s Delivery Service is a great option if you’re looking for a Studio Ghibli film with a lighter narrative than The Boy and the Heron, but shares similar themes surrounding adolescence, leaving home, and learning about the challenges of growing up and facing failure.
Rather than an anime boy, the story centers around a young witch named Kiki, who leaves home to run her own delivery service.
