The Boy and the Heron

Original title: Kimitachi wa dô ikiru ka

2023
PG-13
2h 4m

IMDb RATING

7.4/10

77K

YOUR RATING

POPULARITY

153

A young boy named Mahito yearning for his mother ventures into a world shared by the living and the dead. There, death comes to an end, and life finds a new beginning. A semi-autobiographical fantasy from the mind of Hayao Miyazaki.

Play trailer1:21

6 Videos

99+ Photos

Anime Fantasy Epic Hand-Drawn Animation Isekai Adventure Animation Drama Fantasy

In the wake of his mother's death and his father's remarriage, a headstrong boy named Mahito ventures into a dreamlike world shared by both the living and the dead.In the wake of his mother's death and his father's remarriage, a headstrong boy named Mahito ventures into a dreamlike world shared by both the living and the dead.In the wake of his mother's death and his father's remarriage, a headstrong boy named Mahito ventures into a dreamlike world shared by both the living and the dead.

See production info at IMDbPro

IMDb RATING

7.4/10

77K

YOUR RATING

POPULARITY

153

See production info at IMDbPro

Won 1 Oscar
- 35 wins & 84 nominations total

Kiriko
(voice)
(as Kou Shibasaki)

Aimyon

Himi
(voice)

Yoshino Kimura

Natsuko
(voice)

Takuya Kimura

Shoichi Maki
(voice)

Keiko Takeshita

Maid #1
(voice)

Jun Fubuki

Maid #2
(voice)

Sawako Agawa

Maid #3
(voice)

Karen Takizawa

Wara Wara
(voice)

Shinobu Ôtake

Maid #4
(voice)

Jun Kunimura

The Parakeet King
(voice)

Kaoru Kobayashi

Old Pelican
(voice)

Shohei Hino

Great-Uncle
(voice)
(as Shôhei Hino)

Nami Uehara

Additional Voice
(voice)

Kiyoko Nishimura

Additional Voice
(voice)

Ryûnosuke Watanuki

Additional Voice
(voice)

Takuya Yagyu

Additional Voice
(voice)

Storyline

Edit

Did you know

Edit

Trivia
In December 2019, the film was announced to be 15% complete after three-and-a-half years of work. Producer Toshio Suzuki explained that Hayao Miyazaki, in the past, would be able to direct seven to ten minutes of animation per month, and they had scheduled five minutes of animation per month or about one hour per year on the film. However, Miyazaki was directing only about one minute of animation per month.

Goofs
When a knife is being honed on a steel the knife blade is facing up, it should be facing down. Whilst you can hone in either direction, up the steel away from you, or down the steel towards you, the blade should be facing towards the handle of the steel.

Quotes
The Grey Heron: I'll be your guide.

Connections
Featured in AniMat's Crazy Cartoon Cast: End of the Year Embarrassments (2020)

Soundtracks
Chikyûgi (Spinning Globe)
Performed by Kenshi Yonezu
Courtesy of Sony Music Labels Inc

User reviews344

Review

Featured review

6/10

Is it bad that I just didn't get it?

I have been recently getting into Studio Ghibli films and I've been impressed. I was highly looking forward to this movie strictly because it was the first time I got the opportunity to see a Miyazaki film on the big screen. And the English dub is studded with talent.

I must say... I feel let down. I almost fell asleep halfway through, and the ending didn't make sense. There was so much happening and things weren't explained. I understand that there was probably deep symbolism attached to certain writing choices, but what's the point if the viewer has no idea what they're trying to say?

There were some good scenes and some good humor, but overall I feel a little empty.