Many thought Hayao Miyazaki had retired after his previous film, but he’s back with a new animated feature, The Boy and the Heron, which will delight audiences worldwide especially those who love Studio Ghibli.
As one of the co-founders of the renowned Japanese animation studio Studio Ghibli, Miyazaki has become a cinematic icon because of the company’s beautiful animation technique and magical storylines.
Films from the studio have also been well-regarded; for example, Spirited Away, directed by Hayao Miyazaki, garnered an Oscar for Best Animated Feature, and the director was nominated for two additional Oscars—Howl’s Moving Castle and The Wind Rises—for his work.
Having said that, in terms of new movies coming out in 2023, the debut of a Miyazaki film is a major occasion. All the information you need on The Boy and the Heron is presented here.
Where to watch The Boy and the Heron?
The Boy and the Heron didn’t have its theatrical premiere in the United States on July 14, 2023, even though it was released in Japan on July 14, 2023. After its Japanese debut, the film was shown at festivals across the globe, but it won’t get broad distribution in the United States until December 8, 2023.
After a preview event and limited theatrical distribution that began on November 22, here is what happened next. Most people won’t be able to view Miyazaki’s new film with either the English dub or the original Japanese cast and subtitles until the second weekend of December.
The film is currently only available in theaters. No announcements have been made about digital rentals or sales at this time. It is yet unknown when The Boy and the Heron will be available to stream. In all likelihood, the streaming release will occur a few weeks after the movie’s digital sale or rental after its theatrical run.
The Boy and the Heron Cast
- Mahito Maki voiced by Soma Santoki (Japanese); Luca Padovan (English)
- The Grey Heron voiced by Masaki Suda (Japanese); Robert Pattinson (English)
- Lady Himi voiced by Aimyon (Japanese); Karen Fukuhara (English)
- Natsuko voiced by Yoshino Kimura (Japanese); Gemma Chan (English)
- Shoichi Maki voiced by Takuya Kimura (Japanese); Christian Bale (English)
- Granduncle voiced by Shōhei Hino (Japanese); Mark Hamill (English)
- Kiriko voiced by Ko Shibasaki (Japanese); Florence Pugh (English)
- Noble Pelican voiced by Kaoru Kobayashi (Japanese); Willem Dafoe (English)
- The Parakeet King voiced by Jun Kunimura (Japanese); Dave Bautista (English)
- Izumi voiced by Keiko Takeshita (Japanese); Denise Pickering (English)
- Utako voiced by Jun Fubuki (Japanese); Barbara Rosenblat (English)
- Eriko voiced by Sawako Agawa (Japanese); Melora Harte (English)
- Aiko voiced by Shinobu Otake (Japanese); Barbara Goodson (English)
- Warawara voiced by Karen Takizawa (Japanese)
- Parakeets voiced by Mamoudou Athie, Tony Revolori, Dan Stevens (English)
The Boy and the Heron Plot
Screenplay credits for The Boy and the Heron also go to Hayao Miyazaki. The summary is as follows:
A little boy called Mahito goes on an adventure in a realm where the living and the dead interact because he misses his mom. That is the place where the cycle of life and death ends. A homage to friendship from the imagination of Hayao Miyazaki—a semi-autobiographical fantasy about life, death, and creativity.
The Boy and the Heron Trailer
The Boy and the Heron saw its official English trailer drop in September 2023, its first teaser drop in September 2023 with its TIFF showing, and a final teaser drop on November 29, 2023. The official teaser shows us how Mahito embarks on his adventure into the unknown while providing a brief glimpse into a magical realm.
The preview gives viewers a taste of the film’s tone and style via its stunning images, but it stays mum on several plot points. The previous two teasers delved into the story and introduced the characters, but the most recent teaser takes a look back over all of Ghibli’s films, reliving the most enchanting moments from each one before getting to his most recent masterwork.
The Boy and the Heron Production Studio
The fact that Studio Ghibli was involved in making and producing the picture is noteworthy. Among the most famous anime films of all time were created by Studio Ghibli. The studio has produced several significant and critically acclaimed animation features in addition to all of Miyazaki’s films (since he was a co-founder).
Pom Poko, The Tale of Princess Kaguya, Arrietty, Only Yesterday, and many more are among them. I can assure you that the film is being handled with the utmost care. In my opinion, nothing beats a Studio Ghibli film.