Hayao Miyazaki directs Soma Santoki, Masaki Suda and Aimyon
in this Japanese animation where a young boy meets a mysterious speaking heron after losing his mother during World War Two.

Very much a Studio Ghibli Greatest Hits. Weird little sad sack humanoid grotesques. Secret worlds. Cute edible floaters. This is slightly more grounded in adult emotions. There’s an obvious Miyazaki avatar lording it around in the shadows wanting to pass his creation on to another generation, hoping for safe hands. It could be half an hour shorter and the dream logic plotting means it is easy to drift off when we suddenly shift onto a new plane of existence. I really did love a lot of this and I’m not a die hard Miyazaki adherent.

7

Perfect Double Bill: Spirited Away (2001)

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