The Boy and the Heron: Everything You Need to Know About Hayao Miyazaki’s Final Film

The Boy and the Heron is a 2023 Japanese animated fantasy film written and directed by Hayao Miyazaki, the legendary filmmaker behind classics such as Spirited Away, Princess Mononoke, and My Neighbor Totoro. The film is produced by Studio Ghibli, the renowned animation studio co-founded by Miyazaki and Toshio Suzuki. The film is based on a 1937 novel of the same name by Genzaburō Yoshino, but it has an original story that is not connected to the novel.

The film follows a boy named Mahito Maki, who discovers an abandoned tower in his new town and enters a fantastical world with a talking grey heron. The film is set during World War II and explores themes such as grief, family, friendship, and war. The film is said to be Miyazaki’s final film and his parting gift to his grandson.

The Boy and the Heron was released in Japan on July 14, 2023, and has received critical acclaim and commercial success. It has grossed over ¥6.2 billion (about $42.5 million) at the Japanese box office as of August 16, 2023. The film has also been selected to premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival in September 2023.

However, The Boy and the Heron has also been shrouded in mystery, as Studio Ghibli has chosen not to release any trailers, images, synopsis, or casting details of the film in advance of its premiere with the exception of a single poster. The studio wanted to create a sense of wonder and curiosity among the audience, similar to how Miyazaki experienced films as a child.

In this article, we will provide you with everything you need to know about The Boy and the Heron, including its US release date, where to watch it, cast, spoilers, plot, and storyline.

US Release Date

The Boy and the Heron has been picked up by GKIDS Films for North American distribution. GKIDS Films is a New York-based distributor that specializes in animated films from around the world. GKIDS Films has previously distributed other Studio Ghibli films such as The Tale of Princess Kaguya, When Marnie Was There, and The Red Turtle.

GKIDS Films has announced that The Boy and the Heron will be released in theaters in North America later this year. However, there is no specific release date yet. GKIDS Films has also stated that it will not release any further details or marketing materials at this time.

Where to Watch

The Boy and the Heron is currently playing theatrically in Japan only. There is no official confirmation on where to watch it online or on streaming platforms. However, based on previous Studio Ghibli films, we can make some predictions.

Studio Ghibli has a deal with Netflix in every country except the US and Japan. Netflix hosts most of Studio Ghibli’s catalog for its subscribers in different countries. Therefore, we can expect The Boy and the Heron to eventually come to Netflix in those countries after its theatrical run.

In the US, HBO Max has exclusive streaming rights to Studio Ghibli’s films. HBO Max launched in May 2020 with all of Studio Ghibli’s films available on its platform. Therefore, we can expect The Boy and the Heron to eventually come to HBO Max in the US after its theatrical run.

In Japan, Studio Ghibli’s films are available on various streaming platforms such as Amazon Prime Video, Hulu Japan, dTV, U-NEXT, Rakuten TV, etc. Therefore, we can expect The Boy and the Heron to eventually come to one or more of these platforms in Japan after its theatrical run.

Full Movie

The Boy and the Heron is a full-length feature film with a running time of 124 minutes. It is Miyazaki’s first feature film in 10 years since The Wind Rises (2013), which was supposed to be his last film before he announced his retirement. However, Miyazaki decided to come back to filmmaking after being inspired by a new idea for a feature film.

The Boy and the Heron is also Miyazaki’s final film according to Studio Ghibli president Toshio Suzuki. Suzuki said that Miyazaki wanted to make one more film as a parting gift to his grandson, who is the same age as the protagonist of the film. Suzuki also said that Miyazaki has put all his energy and passion into the film, and that it is a masterpiece that will be remembered for generations.

The Boy and the Heron Cast

The Boy and the Heron features a voice cast of well-known Japanese actors and singers. The cast includes:

• Soma Santoki as Mahito Maki, the 12-year-old protagonist who enters a fantastical world with a talking grey heron. Santoki is a child actor who has appeared in films such as The Miracles of the Namiya General Store and The Forest of Wool and Steel.
• Masaki Suda as The Grey Heron, a mysterious creature who can speak human language and leads Mahito to the tower. Suda is an actor and singer who has starred in films such as Assassination Classroom, Death Note: Light Up the New World, and Weathering With You.
• Aimyon as Himi, a girl who lives in the fantasy world and becomes Mahito’s friend. Aimyon is a singer-songwriter who has performed songs for anime such as March Comes in Like a Lion and Her Blue Sky.
• Yoshino Kimura as Natsuko, Mahito’s stepmother who is pregnant with his father’s child. Kimura is an actress and singer who has appeared in films such as Confessions, Like Father, Like Son, and The Third Murder.

• Takuya Kimura as Shoichi Maki, Mahito’s father who owns an air munitions factory. Kimura is one of the most popular actors and singers in Japan. He is a former member of the boy band SMAP and has starred in films such as Howl’s Moving Castle, Space Battleship Yamato, and Blade of the Immortal.
• Ko Shibasaki as Kiriko, Mahito’s mother who died in a fire. Shibasaki is an actress and singer who has appeared in films such as Battle Royale, One Missed Call, and 47 Ronin.
• Shōhei Hino as The Great-Uncle, Mahito’s great-uncle who built the tower and disappeared. Hino is an actor who has appeared in films such as Shin Godzilla, Shoplifters, and Parasite.
• Jun Kunimura as The Parakeet King, a ruler of a kingdom of parakeets in the fantasy world. Kunimura is an actor who has appeared in films such as Kill Bill: Volume 1, Audition, and The Wailing.
• Kaoru Kobayashi as Old Pelican, an old pelican who lives in the fantasy world. Kobayashi is an actor who has appeared in films such as Tampopo, Departures, and Midnight Diner.
• Keiko Takeshita as Maid #1, one of the maids who work at Natsuko’s estate. Takeshita is an actress who has appeared in films such as Kiki’s Delivery Service, From Up on Poppy Hill, and The Tale of Princess Kaguya.
• Jun Fubuki as Maid #2, another maid who works at Natsuko’s estate. Fubuki is an actress who has appeared in films such as Spirited Away, When Marnie Was There, and Shoplifters.
• Sawako Agawa as Maid #3, another maid who works at Natsuko’s estate. Agawa is an actress and TV personality who has appeared in films such as The Cat Returns, Ponyo, and The Wind Rises.
• Karen Takizawa as Maid #4, another maid who works at Natsuko’s estate. Takizawa is an actress who has appeared in films such as Whisper of the Heart, Arrietty, and Your Name.
• Shinobu Ōtake as Maid #5, another maid who works at Natsuko’s estate. Ōtake is an actress who has appeared in films such as Grave of the Fireflies, The Wind Rises, and Mary and the Witch’s Flower.

Spoilers

The Boy and the Heron is a film that is best experienced without knowing too much about it beforehand. However, if you are curious about what happens in the film or have already seen it and want to refresh your memory, here are some spoilers for the film.

The Boy and the Heron begins with Mahito living in Tokyo with his mother Kiriko and his father Shoichi. His father owns an air munitions factory that produces bombs for the war effort. One day, while Mahito is at school, his mother dies in a fire caused by an air raid. Mahito blames his father for her death.

Mahito’s father remarries his mother’s younger sister Natsuko, who is pregnant with his child. They move to Natsuko’s estate in the countryside where they live with several old maids. Mahito hates his new life and feels lonely and isolated.