Miyazaki Ruffles some Feathers
After coming out of retirement yet again to make another Studio Ghibli film, acclaimed director Hayao Miyazaki left fans confused yet intrigued by “The Boy and the Heron.” Released on Dec. 8, 2023, the tale follows 12-year-old Mahito’s journey with grief after losing his mother in a hospital fire in Japan during World War II, a scene Miyazaki witnessed in his own childhood. The whole film stays true to Miyazaki’s animation style with its simplicity, yet intricacy in seemingly insignificant scenes. The entirety of the film serves as a metaphorical autobiography of his life, with many of the metaphors and ideas coming from books he has read. One of the most notable influences is the novel titled “The Book of Lost Things,” which has a similar plotline of a boy losing his mother, remarrying and hearing beckoning voices that lead him into another world in search of his mother.
The reason Miyazaki’s films are so highly acclaimed is his masterful storytelling ability and vast imagination that make his movies feel like a fever dream one has as a child, rather than the writing of a man who is in his 80s. Miyazaki gets his creativity across using hand-drawn paintings and animations which also play a very big part in the traditional aesthetic of Studio Ghibli films, especially as most anime studios have recently moved towards a reliance on computer-generated imaging. This imagery holds a special place in the hearts of many, including junior and longtime fan Ella Cano.
“The animations in [‘The Boy and the Heron’] hold the classic style of Studio Ghibli films,” Cano said. “I enjoyed it because it holds nostalgia for me; I have watched his movies since I was young. His son took over when Hayao Mizyazaki retired, but without [him], the animation does not hold that same feeling, so I am glad to see the original animation back again.”
The movie delves into a lot of heavy topics like trauma, grief, self harm and death, but displays them in a colorful and adventurous way that helps lighten them. A fan-favorite scene is when Mahito is in the land of life, death and reincarnation and sees the Warawara — a marshmallow-resembling flying spirit — getting sent from this fantasy world to the real world. Miyazaki intended for the Warawara to represent the souls of people who have passed who are now going back up into the world delivering souls to people as a form of reincarnation. This occurs while Mahito is on a quest to find his dead mother, connecting to the theme of death and letting go of those who have passed.
Many argue that it is not his best work, with most of the criticism surrounding the confusing storyline that seems to bombard viewers with many different characters and worlds. Not only are fans frustrated by the confusing direction of the film, but also the fact that the parts that are easy to follow have a very surface-level story. Many claimed that the characters were hard to relate to due to the depth and personality they lacked. Junior Luc Armamento, an artist and avid anime watcher, agrees with the criticisms.
“The visuals, to be expected, are gorgeous, surreal and impressionistic,” Armamento said. “The plot, however, does not bring anything new to the table; in my opinion, it is just another anti-escapism and coming-of-age story, with new allegories but no new substance. Even the symbolism and allegories used are rather convoluted, kafkaesque and at worst, underdeveloped.”
Despite these criticisms, not all of the fans are truly disappointed and still love the film. Even less popular Miyazaki films are more captivating than most animation films today, due to his entrancing characters and storylines. The film may be difficult to fully appreciate after the first viewing, so it is important to rewatch it to completely analyze what is going on. People point this out as a way to criticize the film further, arguing that no movie should have to be watched twice to be understood; many people also think that that is part of the artistry. The storyline is doubtlessly hard to follow, but with further research, Miyazaki’s intentions become clearer, allowing for viewers to have a more personal connection with the film. For instance, it becomes clear that the ruler of the magical world represents himself. In the film, his world is about to crumble away and he attempts to pass it off to Mahito, who declines. This scenario sums up the entire message of the plot, symbolizing the fact that this is Miyazaki’s final film and that there is no successor to pass Studio Ghibli off to. Graphic design and animation teacher, Brendan Karg, offers a different perspective on the criticisms.“The central message to ‘The Boy and the Heron’ is about the idea that to leave childhood, [one] has to let go of the selfishness that all children exhibit,” Karg said. “The idea that one has to understand that they owe more to other people, and they do not just owe it to themself. It addresses a more mature topic than other Studio Ghibli films, without the same other fun storylines. It is aimed at an older anime watcher, someone in their 20s or 30s, not at a kid. I loved it and thought it was great, but I am coming from a mature standpoint.”
