As someone who hasn’t fully embraced the Miyazaki fandom but enjoys classics like My Neighbor Totoro and Princess Mononoke, it was easy to get into “The Boy and the Heron” because of the adventure and magic it promised, reminiscent of Spirited Away. That and it being Hayao Miyazaki’s swan song.
The film is absurd. It left me confused, and yet fascinated. In true Miyazaki fashion, there was an undeniable charm despite all its weirdness. Visually, “The Boy and the Heron” showcased Miyazaki’s unparalleled artistry, and the scoring, a crucial yet often overlooked element, was a chef’s kiss, enhancing the overall cinematic experience.
As expected, Miyazaki’s signature world-building was expertly executed, with its landscapes and characters making for stunning visuals. Beyond Spirited Away comparisons, it felt like a journey into an Alice in Wonderland-esque realm, offering a layer of familiarity for fans of the surreal. However, the challenge was in making sense of the fantastical elements after the credits rolled. The film was hard to unpack, requiring days of processing — it’s the kind of movie that takes time to simmer.
In my pursuit of clarity, I delved into reviews and related content, discovering that even the creative team struggled to fully grasp some sequences in the film. But this approach makes for a fantastical movie. It makes sense, and yet doesn’t make sense. I’ve come to accept that certain metaphors, references, and symbols don’t need to make sense as these were not meant to adhere to conventional logic. They are enigmatic puzzle pieces that viewers should embrace without the need for explanation.
The film’s original title, “How Do You Live?,” derived from a novel of the same name, hinted at its thematic focus. While the underlying messages about intentional living and legacy became clearer, they haven’t quite hit hard for me due to the whole whimsy of the film.
In the end, Miyazaki’s farewell in “The Boy and the Heron” defies easy categorization. It serves as a fitting tribute to a master storyteller ready to hang up his pen. It’s hard to imagine anything surpassing this should Miyazaki come out of retirement again.
