The Boy and the Heron - Miyazaki's Farewell

[BHelmet]

I just saw Miyazaki's the Boy and the Heron. If you are into Miyazaki, it is the last parting shot of a modern master and a tour de force mind-boggler. So many great themes: Time Loops; Alternate Reality portals; Family; Cosmic Destiny vs Choice; Generational Relationships; Magic; Mystery and enough comic relief and Japanese goofiness so it isn't too heavy. Of course the visuals are par excellence so far beyond your garden variety anime in quantum leaps and bounds. See it on the big screen if at all possible. ("warning" - NO gratuitous sex and NO woke agenda!)

 

[3DStudent]

I saw it at the end of December. I was introduced to the Miyazaki films through the forum. I didn't see Arrietty or The Wind Rises, so wanted to see at least one of his films in theaters. I thought it was good but not as good as I had expected it would be.

I had trouble understanding some of the interdimensional relationships, but a lot is explained in various youtube videos like this one here:

THE BOY AND THE HERON Every Detail Explained｜Hayao Miyazaki｜*Spoiler*

Someone had whispered a spoiler in the theater at one point but I was still a bit confused. Particularly it was about how Himi was his mom. But apparently it was Japanese custom to marry the widow's sister. So they were sisters but from different dimensions. Worth a second watch for sure, and the hand painted scenery was great as usual. I thought Robert Pattinson played the Grey Heron well.

Someone said that Miyazaki was writing us a love letter with this film. And that when at the end the boy Mahito takes back an untainted stone block to his universe, it was a message to create something beautiful.