The Boy and the Beast review: Heavy on heart. While there is a strong and engaging narrative that encompasses plenty of action and excitement.
The Boy and the Beast review
Mamoru Hosoda has gone from strength to strength in his career as an anime director. Starting on shows like Digimon and Samurai Champloo, he then exploded with a great trio of theatrical releases with The Girl Who Lept Through Time, Summer Wars, and of course Wolf Children. His fourth release comes in a time when masters of the form have retired and as Studio Ghibli reassess their business, Hosoda’s own Studio Chizu is just starting out. It’s with great pleasure then, that I can honestly say Hosoda remains on course for his domination of animation.
Set in a world of beasts and gods known as Jutengai, a young human boy who has run away from home, Kyuta (Aoi Miyazaki younger and Shota Sometani older), is taken in by a bear like warrior called Kumatetsu (Koji Yakusho). Kumatetsu is on course for becoming the new lord once the current lord resurrects as a god, but his rival has sons and apprentices while the less than friendly Kumatetsu has neither. Kyuta and Kumatetsu learn from one another over 9 years of training, but greater dangers await the pair.
The Boy and the Beast
Like Hosoda’s previous films, The Boy and the Beast is heavy on heart. While there is a strong and engaging narrative that encompasses plenty of action and excitement, the real joy is watching the growth of the protagonists. They are a difficult pair to connect with instantly, as each of them wears their flaws on their sleeves. They are mean and unapproachable, but their gruffness soon endears them to each other even if they don’t notice it themselves. This provides us with plenty of comedy, while also perfecting a run of cuteness that doesn’t become too sweet.
The animation is gorgeous and distinctive enough to set it apart from its competition. There’s a rough sketchiness to the edges that shines during the wondrous swordplay sequences. The colours are magnificent but not overbearing, while the movement of the characters have a fluidity that brings the sword fighting set-pieces to life in a way that even live action would fail to capture.
The Boy and the Beast review
The end of the film hurtles towards an unexpected and frantic climax that is reminiscent of Akira. As telekinetic powers are pushed to the forefront, things become slightly surreal, but there is no denying the majesty of seeing a shadowy whale explode from the tarmac in the real world and become a shining blue bringer of destruction. Hosoda delves deep in the psychology of his characters, bringing young adults to face their insecurities.
The Boy and the Beast doesn’t always have the power of its predecessors, but it is still an enjoyable and reflective masterclass in imaginative storytelling. The vocal work is moving and honest, while the music completes the overall package of quality filmmaking. WIth a series of unforgettable characters, you’ll be hoping that Hosoda revisits this world, while also await his next original tale.
The Boy and the Beast review by Luke Ryan Baldock, October, 2015.
The Boy and the Beast screened at the BFI London Film Festival.
