Therapist Reacts to THE BOY AND THE HERON

[@CinemaTherapyShow]

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[@SavetheGenderroles]

I know we shouldn't prioritize our relationships with Men. And shows like the Santa Chlotia diet and more recently zom 100 had a clear firm message to those dusties they'll dusties they'll get sympathy Donald Trump sew power in the group also oppressed by democracy told them that their feelings are valid guys are siding Trump ovet wives& Girlfriend sisters mother's and daughters. I know we shouldn't care about or relationships with Men but sense our power is threatened by we should telling their feelings valid

[@MrCactusVids]

how is this from 2 weeks ago???

[@Chloebushwa]

Donald sew the power in groups also oppressed by democracy. And told them their feelings are valid

[@DemLep]

@@MrCactusVids I think it gets uploaded unlisted and released to patrons first.

[@DemLep]

So from what I remember from when the movie came out, Studio Ghibli said this will be the last Miyazaki film. Then a little after that Miyazaki said something along the lines of, well I never said that. I don't have the exact quotes though. But yeah I think we'll totally see another Miyazaki film in a few years.

[@JaeStories87]

I'm still upset that they changed the title. In Japanese, it's "How Do You Live?" as in, how do you live after loss, disaster, and trauma. That's so much more impactful than "The Boy and the Heron"

[@CinemaTherapyShow]

Yeah, that's a better title.

[@Caterfree10]

From what i understand, the title change was due to not infringing on a book of the same name (and I think the one that’s actually referenced in the movie I want to say?). Still such a shame to have to do that though.

[@reganv.8309]

Same!!

[@wisperg1788]

@@Caterfree10That doesn’t make sense. Although the story is completely different, they actually licensed the book to use the title. The book is mentioned in the credits. I think they just decided the title change was better for marketing, for whatever reason.

[@inazuma3gou]

The title change happens all the time usually to suit the audience better. The Incredibles came to Japan as Mr Incredible, which changed the entire focus of the movie.

[@jamieohjamie]

Fun fact: There are 13 stones. Miyazaki made 13 Ghibli films. Some people have interpreted the stone stacking as Ghibli nodding at the younger generations to take his work, be inspired by it, and create their own worlds. To me, the Parakeet King represents someone who does not carefully craft a story, but rather haphazardly tries to just quickly produce something (think, for example, AI tech bros or execs who create low-effort slop simply for money). I think that's why, after the Parakeet King fails to make a tower, the entire world falls apart.

[@CinemaTherapyShow]

Ooh interesting insight!

[@youdontgetaname2904]

Yeah, I'll incorporate that into my world view

[@edc6172]

Beautiful way of putting it

[@nadaabdelaal6008]

Thanks a lot, that's really nice!

[@buddhathegod]

This is exactly how I interpreted this as well when I saw it. The parakeet king to me symbolizes someone who has money and power, who thinks they deserve to be at the top because they've gained a lot of power. As someone working in art, I've had my fair share of people coming in who always come in and say "anyone can do this, just do it", without consulting anyone "underneath" them. They want to make the decisions, because they need to show that they're the ones in control. It results it bad decisions, rushed decisions, and decisions that don't come from an artist who spends time for their craft. You can also extrapolate what the Parakeets in the movie are. I saw this in the cinema so it was some time ago now, but from what I remember their main purpose in the movie is just to consume. They're also quite united, even though they're so extremely colorful and visually different from each other, in terms of essence they're quite similar and don't have showcase that much individuality. So quite fittingly, the king of the Parakeets is on the top of the pyramid of consumers.

[@junookubo4188]

When I was 7 years old, I lost my older brother. He got hit by a car that sped off afterwards, and didn’t die immediately. I managed to call for an ambulance with his phone, and he died on the way to the hospital. He was 18 years old when it happened, and he was a star student. He got accepted into a big name law school, and was going to study to become a lawyer for abused children. He told me that after he graduated and got situated with a job, he would get a big house that both he and I could live in. That, I wouldn’t have to do anything that I didn’t want to do. All of that got taken away within a blink of an eye. He used to always tell me; "You’re a good girl. You did so well, you don’t have to try so hard anymore. I’m here for you.". He said that as his last words in the ambulance that he died in. The first person that showed me what true love was, got taken away from me. The scene where Mahito’s mother dies in the fire, and he sees it happening, reminds me of when my older brother died. Just like how Mahito remembers his mother dying and sees it in a dream, that exact thing has happened to me countless times. This movie hit really hard for me. Thanks for covering it.

[@oenchanteddoveart6294]

This is a really powerful testimony! Also the way you write it has such an elegance and longing that I always aspire to as someone who loves writing stories. I can tell you have a heart that isn't afraid to dream and I know that your brother will always be there for you through your life story and that it will turn out to be the most beautiful tale about a young girl whose dreams led her home. Nothing is ever lost my friend 💙

[@squarebear619]

My deepest condolences. I hope they caught the coward who drove away. I just feel compelled to tell you that the love you experienced truly matters, and though he's not physically here, he is in other ways. You sharing this is sharing that love with others, and it is moving.

[@lovelessuponthewall]

❤❤❤

[@ricekrispies1917]

Broke my heart reading your story and the fate of your brother. I am so sorry for your loss. I can only hope you've found a way to live on past this pain. I know it doesn't mean much coming from a stranger but your brother sounded like an incredible and kind person. It would of been an honor to have met someone that brave. Even if he's gone, you still carry the memory of him and that will live on through you. He mattered and still does, just like you did to him. Wishing you the best

[@DavidRodriguez-gl5pn]

Love transcends time and space. I hope you know he still loves you ❤

[@NecroMoz]

Parakeet man and the other parakeets are critics who were mad at Miyazaki for letting Goro try. Goro didn’t want to build his Dad’s empire though, he wanted to build his own. And his Dad’s saying that’s OK. It’s ok. Let the tower die. Build your own tower. Be your own man. Live your own life. If this wasn’t clear by the end, the moment where they harmlessly shit all over everything without dampening their joy ought to be the big clue!

[@VadBlackwood]

It's an unexpected take, but I really like it

[@CherryCherub97]

It wasn't Miyazaki that encouraged Goro to try and direct his first movie though, it was one of Ghibli's producers Toshio Suzuki. Hayao Miyazaki apparently didn't think Goro had it in him to become a movie director, at least not back then. I do agree that that scene was Miyazaki's way of telling Goro that he can build his own tower and find his own way though. They seem to have had a rocky relationship, but maybe they've accepted their differences now. I also think it's Miyazaki telling the current & future generation to follow their own paths as well. Personally I thought the Parakeet king could be movie company executives who just want to rush out as many movies as they can without much thougt, just so that they can earn money rather than actually putting out something deep and thought-provoking.

[@Tetradepodmelontea]

I see birds empire as a Predator/War/Patriarchak force. They kinda feed of unborn souls, and girls set unborn souls on fire to stop them and to save motherhood for few happy children rather than thousands of war orphans. Militarism, fascism and far right world view often comes with antifeminism. Birds are predators who see world as instrument, not as act of love and beauty. Patakeets are cannibalistic because war expenses are taken from common people well being. Many people died from hunger for fascist airplanes to be build in Japan. Here is an ambivslence in Miyazaki. He loves airplanes as an act of beauty and labour, yet hates to use them for that they are made for as humanist.

[@ExistentialistBread]

Wow this is an amazing take

[@littleredruri]

After everything that's happened with Goro and his father, with Ghibli and the many alleged successors who were taken too soon or didn't want to take over, and especially with me and my own writing journey over the past few years, this hits really hard. Don't try to be the next Miyazaki, or Tarantino or Scorsese or Coppola, be the first you.

[@reubenhall2778]

Theres a lot of symbolism with Miyizaki accepting that hes irreplaceable, and his legacy truly has no successor. But people should follow their own creative paths, just as Mahito chose his own path in life. I also think that theres a lot that involves Myizaki's creative companion, Isao Takahata. Hes since passed away, but has also made an undeniable impact on the world of animation. A lot of stuff to unpack.

[@NecroMoz]

Build your own tower. He’s telling his son to carve his own path, build his own legacy.

[@HexIsme]

The point is not to keep a good thing going indefinitely, just because it's good. If nothing good ever died, there'd be no room for new good things to thrive. Therefore, value those good things, but not to the point of not letting them go and not accepting new good things.

[@k____90]

Despite news that saying this wouldn't be his last movie and that Miyazaki is already making new movies, in many ways, I think this movie is the perfect "last movie" for me

[@lockonstratos31]

@@HexIsme Yeah Star Wars is proof of that

[@jujublue4426]

While Miyazaki is irreplaceable, there are other talented Japanese directors like Makoto Shinkai or Mamoru Hosoda, there won't be a new Miyazaki but we will still have talented creators in Japanimation.

[@trinaq]

I love that Robert Pattinson rarely does voice work, but he was gleeful over playing a mischievous heron, considering that he's mostly played brooding young men, such as Bruce Wayne or Edward Cullen.

[@yb9964]

He’s fully in his Mathew McConaughey era, the one where he continuously surprises people with his range despite being attractive and type cast. His personality seems chaotic and hilarious so I love that he did this role 😂

[@tell-me-a-story-]

Is Bruce young? I always pictured he was quite a bit older than super man, with Batman bing in his early 40’s, and super man being 24 or something. Just a headcanon, though.

[@tomatooverlord2764]

@@tell-me-a-story- Well, first of all, Robert Pattinson has only played Bruce Wayne in The Batman, a movie where Bruce has only just recently become Batman, so he's much younger than modern comic book Bruce. Second, Bruce and Clark have always been around the same age in comics, with them occasionally even switching places due to looking similar enough to pass for the other. Third, comic book Clark has a son who became Superboy at 10 years old, and was born after Clark first became Superman.

[@SohiHien]

@@tell-me-a-story- Bruce and Clark are around the same age. And throughout all the batman comics and other media Bruce is different ages depending on when the storyline is happening. Robert Pattinson was in the most recent Batman movie called "The Batman" which focuses on Bruce when he is in his early 20s and has only been batman for about a year so in the most recent movie Bruce is young.

[@tell-me-a-story-]

@@SohiHien oh okay

[@stevenmoffett3460]

12:00 the old ladies said that when himi went missing she came back with no memories, just a smile. She had a great experience but she couldn't remember. The grey heron also mentioned that people forget pretty quickly any experiences they had in the other world.

[@alisemaleneohme4666]

Came to say the same! Saw the movie and went straight to cinema therapy to see their take on it afterwards😂

[@AustinTexasPowers]

But didn’t she also write something (presumably for her son?) unclear what she said though…

[@Starburst514]

​@@AustinTexasPowers she wrote a message in one of the books he had as a gift, but the book he finds is an actual copy of the real book "How will you live?" Which HM is very fond of himself; the message she wrote Mahito was a "to guide you as you grow up" type message, because the book is a coming of age story about a boy Mahito's age

[@ayabeth5176]

"Hayao Miyazaki is in a I'm old, I'm doing whatever the f*ck I want faze" He's been like that for quite a while lol

[@notayoutubechannel9275]

and we love him for that

[@ibelieveinwoozisupremacy8681]

his goal is really to presents whatever he wants it to be, he's basically pure artist heart

[@IsaacLewinsonvids2]

I can’t see him retiring again after this

[@Sandhy12341]

When they said that, that reminded me of what he did to someone (forgot who they are 😅) like gifting them a katana as a gift (please someone elaborate if you know what I'm talking about 😅😅😅😅😅)

[@IsaacLewinsonvids2]

@@Sandhy12341 ah yes Harvey Weinstein threatened Miyazaki and ghibli to make a shorter version of princess monokoke but Miyazaki sent him a katana captioning “No Cuts’’ from what I remember

[@abferris]

So when you guys were talking about how the mother lashing out that she hates him was a twisted version, I think this isn’t a version but part of her buried deep inside. She has tried so hard to connect, and done everything in her power to show him that she loves him, and all she is met with is polite indifference. In a similar vein of him fearing rejection, and warding himself by not getting close, this is a real vision of what he doesn’t see, the hurt and the struggle his aunt goes through trying to measure up.

[@midnight6994]

Yeah I'd understand her bearing resentment on him after trying her best knowing Mahito's situation and losing her own sister to that fire. In that moment she was very vulnerable, unable to control her emotions and seemingly acted herself as a sacrifice so that the tower has an heir (I think that's why she was preparing for her birth there?) The place itself very much look like a tomb or a ancient stone shrine surrounded by a ring of shide (paper strips) that's meant to separate something sacred or to signify a sacred or clean space, it could also symbolize containment or keeping a space sealed with the significance of childbirth and it's impurities I could see why they kept her in that quiet and clean space.

[@Hendanher]

I agree but I think the aunt isn’t afraid of not measuring up but instead is also grieving, like while the aunt is trying to see Mahito as her son I think she still sees him as an extension of her sister (aka Mahito sees her as a ghost of his mother and she sees him as a ghost of her sister) which is why she looks at him like that in the scene where he is sleeping, he reminds her of her sister. This means that the tomb is the first time he reaches out specifically to her as a person and also the first time she stops putting on a front, thus seeing each other as two people grieving the same person instead of a cruel reminder of what they have lost and allowing a genuine connection to finally form between them.

[@ParchedPinemarten]

I think it's a really beautiful scene because the scene starts off with her telling him that she hates him, and then suddenly Mahito calls her "mother" for the first time and you can see the change in her face. It's like a deep, dark admission of her feelings have been erased with that one word from Mahito. She realises that if she means that much to Mahito, then her life is worth living after all. I love it because it shows that - as adults and parents - we're still prone to faulty feelings in periods of intense grief. She isn't depicted as perfect; she's just as faulty as Mahito and now there's a chance for them to grow together.

[@edonabajrami9218]

So the mom died and the dad shortly after his wife's death went after his sister in law and got her pregnant?? 😱 So the baby is going to be Mahiro's brother/sister or cousin?? 😂😂

[@abferris]

@@edonabajrami9218 In US culture it seems really messed up, but different cultures have different norms. In that particular day and age, in Japan and other parts of the world, this wasn't uncommon. In fact this draws on the experience of Miyazaki himself in this respect.

[@Luna-dk9cn]

I love that Miyazaki always shows in his works how he hates war. And I believe that the old man is Miyazaki and the Tower is Ghibli studio, he always says that studio will die and that's okay

[@dragonbretheren]

11:20 Regarding the confusion of the timeline, I don't know if it was carried through in the English dub, but in the original dub, there was a line somewhere explaining upon leaving the tower, they would lose their memories of the specifics, but retain the lessons and growth they experienced. Thus, the young versions of the mother and the maid don't recall the specifics shown in the movie, but perhaps came away with greater appreciation for family. There's also a hinted possibility that the mother "imprinted" an image of the main character in her heart, thus making her fall in love with his father.

[@natnerdz]

I don’t think it was said in the English dub, however, I got the hint on my first watch of that happening.

[@sierralovat5498]

Yes, that is a fairy/fae law. You get to keep the feeling and the lessons but you are not allowed to walk away with the memories, those don't belong to you but to the realm - along with it's magic.

[@zellafae]

I just watched the move on dvd and there was a line about his mother going in the tower when she was younger and being gone for a whole year, but she didn’t remember anything that had happened in the tower, but she was happy and smiling when she came out

[@cheezemonkeyeater]

"I don't know the symbolism of the parakeet king destroying the stone is." My best guess? It's a symbol of how something the old man brought with him undid his work. He had just been telling the boy earlier that he had to be pure and perfect to keep the world alive and the boy admitted that he was neither of those things and then we get a reveal that, well, neither was the old man. I may be getting the exact details of the conversation mixed up, I haven't seen this since it was in theaters, but that was my takeaway. Among other things, this movie was really layered.

[@chanterelle483]

I saw it as a commentary on fascism, it wants to remade world in its image and destroys it in the process.

[@ameliefnlt]

I took it as "hardcore ghibli fan / existing team may not be the best fit to continue the ghibli that Miyazaki has in his heart. They are too tainted by preconceive notions"

[@cheezemonkeyeater]

@@ameliefnlt It definitely feels like he's talking to the people who are trying to fill his shoes. Possibly it also contains a message to his son (they have a known fraught relationship), but I don't want to speculate on the specifics of that. I'm not the sort to insert myself into other people's family matters without invitation.

[@michaelglinski3809]

@@ameliefnlt That's my favorite theory as well. A whole host of people who think that they know what would make a Ghibli film "better" just because they've watched a lot of them. Also people who don't care about the quality of something, they just want that thing to keep existing in perpetuity, even if the quality suffers. TL:DR- Old man yells at weebs.

[@cl-hx]

There also could be an interpretation with Hayao & Isao political views. They were involved w the comunist party in japan back in the day & all their movies are heavily anti-imperialism/anti-fascism/ anti-war. In their documentary/interviews, they always talked about how they wanted studio ghibli to close down instead of becoming a machine for profit (kind of like disney). The parakeets' visuals being similar to fasc*st, which is very funny, could symbolize the fact that their company & ideas can be corrupted and destroyed very easily. But since one theme of the movie is acceptance, you have to accept that too

[@LtColShingSides]

"I hope you know what a good boy you are." Damn, that hit way harder than I thought it would.

[@JJ-xs9me]

I always believed that the soroate marriage wasn’t just about continuing an alliance between families but as two adults grieving and becoming close because of how they were both close to himi.

[@chubbybunny6975]

Absolutely. Trauma bonding is a very real thing, and spouses and in-laws becoming a couple after a spouse/sibling dies is actually way more common than people realize

[@pomelo9518]

@@chubbybunny6975 You might want to search up the popular meaning of the phrase 'trauma bonding'.

[@Celediev]

@@pomelo9518 damn that's very different from what it is used for above.

[@lovexluvxlove]

it’s cultural tradition, especially in those times, to re-marry within the family

[@AFinch63-pi2nl]

This was the first Ghibli film I ever saw in a movie theater. Best ticket I ever bought last summer! Also, side note: how does the actors that Studio Ghibli gets for their dubs just always rock?

[@CinemaTherapyShow]

The dub cast is incredible!

[@Wreaknatter]

It helps that, in the US, the Ghibli Films used to be distributed by Disney, and most of Hollywood loved the general preservationists messages a lot of the films conveyed. They're now currently done by Shout! (except in Japan and home distribution, where it's still Disney), but I think the reputation stuck, and most actors who have been asked, have expressed desire to be cast in a Ghibli film.

[@Caterfree10]

Tbh they weren’t always good. Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind famously got butchered into Warriors of the Wind and that basically lead Miyazaki on an understandable anti cut rampage - to the point it’s said that when he heard Disney tried to make cuts to Princess Mononoke due to the violence, a sword was shipped to them with the message “NO CUTS”. Since then, dubs were done with care and quality, and no one would dare do any less for Ghibli films.

[@TelekinesisStudios]

@@Caterfree10 I didn't know this about Miyazaki! Such a great and artistic move to send the sword! Love that. Love his films, even when I don't really understand them.

[@zeonmoo192]

I saw it while it was still only in Japan, it was an amazing experience!

[@EChacon]

I think this is one of Miyazaki’s and perhaps Studio Ghibli’s most complex films and ​​⁠besides the film touching upon loss and grief and the scene when Mahito was reading the "How do You Live" Book from his late Mother while "Ask me Why" played in the background did left me in tears, I really enjoyed the symbolism and the usage of the birds that appeared in the film (The Heron, the Pelicans, and the Parakeets) and represent a characteristic from our human nature.🕊️🐦🪶🦜 1. The Grey Heron symbolizes the Messenger of Death, a silent observer of human existence. In addition, he is also the embodiment of Mahito's trauma from the bombing of a plane causing the death of his mother. 2. The Pelicans symbolize the desire/want and the neglected emotions in Human nature as they are hungry and desperate in finding food. At the same time, they also are a metaphor for abortion and miscarriage in newborns hence the Pelicans eating the Warawara. 3. The Parakeets (including the Parakeet King) symbolize the wrath and violence that plagues humanity. Their aggression and menacing behaviour mirror the brutality of conflict between humans.

[@BNLNRD]

Don't know that Miyazaki was an expressed opponent of abortion... Also, that metaphor seems shaky to me considering are eating the Warawara for lack of alternatives, right? They seem to be in some kind of purgatory

[@EChacon]

@@BNLNRD Literally the Warawara are newborn souls ready to be entering the world as babies in the human world according the Kiriko. When the Pelicans started eating the Warawara, it’s literally a representation of miscarriage or stillborn.

[@EChacon]

@@BNLNRD But the Warawara were literally a representation of newborn babies so when the Pelicans started eating some of them it’s a metaphor of newborn miscarriage or the baby becoming a stillborn.

[@namehereandthere]

The Warawara could also represent creative ideas, dreams . When our basic needs aren’t met, we kill off our dreams.

[@IsaacLewinsonvids2]

That’s a good theory on the birds in this movie 😮

[@Colaschnittchen]

My grandfather died over 14 Years ago. I remembered not crying at all at the funeral, even thought we were really close. There was no sadness, no tears, no problems. I visited his grave last week and I just started to tell him about my life and what happend since he died. It started as a joke, but once i started I couldnt stop and I turned in a sobbing mess in seconds. Felt so good afterwards

[@andreashelley4870]

I love that the aunt is there too. She was probably dealing with all kinds of grief and guilt, even if she was putting on a happy face.

[@FishareFriendsNotFood972]

I highly recommend the 'I'm an old man, f you I don't care' phase of life. 10/10, almost worth all the back pain it comes with!

[@katsuLucas]

🤣

[@sundragon7703]

Traditionally, hula (a Polynesian dance) has 5 levels of meaning. By metaphor, The Boy and the Heron is a hula. For example, scenes involving the "grandfather" character, the tower of blocks, parakeets are elements for the Hayao & his father's level, Hayao & his son's level, the Miyazaki relationship with Studio Ghibli, the Miyazaki relationship with the anime industry, the Miyazaki relationship with the public (esp. fandom), and Hayao & himself. Everyone of those is simultaneously playing out. The film is a masterful juggling act, the most personal, and the most critical (i.e. opinionated) title of the Hayao Miyazaki's career. (It helps to understand Japanese behaviors, mythology & customs; the history of Japan; the history of Studio Ghibli; and the issues with fans for starters.)

[@maggie6152]

Ok, the parakeets representing rabid fans is absolutely hilarious and is now my head canon.

[@GLAASJEMELC]

@@maggie6152 bshhahaha stoopp :D

[@RWBYfangirl9320]

As a studio ghibli fan, This was my first studio ghibli movie/anime movies I watched in a movie theater and it was a good movie to see in a theaters.

[@wrestlingwithlife7297]

Attempt #2 of asking for Spirit l: Stallion of the Cimarron!! Was my absolute childhood movie growing up and the filmmaking is so beautiful with amazing scores and concepts of loss and staying true to once nature even in the face of adversity!

[@wryanhart1155]

Yesss!! Please do this one!!

[@dopplarwaves]

I think my heart would stop if they did because it is STILL one of my fave movies!! I cry everytime Sound the Bugle plays

[@cryptid.creates]

YES PLEASE this movie played on repeat when I was a kid !!!

[@Katecatable]

Would love that! This movie had so little words but so much meaning. The songs... ❤ Would be also a great chance to adress the collective trauma first nations had to endure by Europeans.

[@StealAwayTheStars]

Yessss I want them to cover this movie so, so badly!

[@folkalchemy]

To answer Alan’s question at 11:15 for anyone wondering-because it’s fun and because I’m obsessed with this movie and not because it really needs answering-One of the old lady caretakers talks about how his mother disappeared when she was a child and when they found her she was “grinning from ear to ear with no memory of being gone or what happened to her” so she knew who she was going to be and become but also that she was going back into the experience of being herself rather than having the memory of who she is or was or will be. And to me it’s a beautiful perspective on how life throws everyone into that choice and circumstance at different points in our lives as well as just simply thru the act of our being born. Thanks guys, LOVE THIS CHANNEL!!

[@StrangePhoton]

I'm not a crier... like at all. But when we saw this film last year in a little community art house theater, my face was dripping with tears, and to this day, I have no idea why. My wife is the Ghibli fan, and has seen all of them, but I was happy to go with her and when it was done, I was blown away. Gotta watch this one at least a few more times to unravel those complex threads, for sure.

[@chanterelle483]

It really got me, too.

[@zellafae]

Same

[@smalltownpoetry]

An arrival episode? Yes please!!! Also a quick poem I wrote. "Sometimes, I wish my story was written with a pencil instead of a pen. To erase all the bad times, the mistakes, the what could have been. But in the end, I wouldn't trade them for anything. They made me who I am today. And to me, that's everything."

[@oliverfulayter5515]

I like your poem

[@nononosfe]

poem goes hard af keep making those

[@twitchgiggles]

Grief is love that has no place to go. That's what it's become for me. Since my mom passed away, I miss recieving her love and giving her love.

[@Innamoramento9]

Very interesting analysis! In the original Japanese, when he warns her about her fate, she reassures him, "I'm not afraid of any fire," and even though this might be his dreams at work, his subconscious is reconfiguring things into a peaceful and comforting alternate reality where his mom is a master of fire magic and has no fear of flames. The horror of her dying in a hospital fire is diminished by this idea that she is one with fire and doesn't fear it. Intriguing that Mahito, deep down, was rejecting Natsuko for fear he might lose her too.

[@sofiafance888]

My friend, who is also an expert in Japanese culture, told me before I went to the cinema that she didn't get this film at all. And it's probably because she tried to look really deeply into it and to understand every single cultural easter egg, which is something I cannot do. So, as I learnt from you, I went to see the film with one intention: to grasp the emotional aspect of it. In the end, it was exactly like you two said, "I don't understand all of it, but it doesn't matter"😅 First and foremost, I saw a story about grief and how you cannot escape from the real world to forget, how important it is to connect, and even though life is full of heartbreak, it's worth living. And then I also read an interesting take on how the scene between Great Uncle and Mahito is kind of like a message from Miyazaki to his son, something like, "Maybe, the worlds I create will die with me and you won't inherit them, but that's alright because you walk your own path."

[@Eternitycomplex]

I think trying to make sense of this film is like trying to make sense of a dream. It has its own internal logic that only makes sense in the moment, not upon reflection.

[@marybarlow765]

"You hurt until you hurt less." Oof! That was powerful.

[@Vespuchian]

2:20 Alan picks up on one of the key strengths of Ghibli: that they exemplify, even revel in the mundane, so that when the fantastical happens it's even more incredible because the established base of 'normal/mundane' has been so well established.

[@ab_stuffnart8735]

I love (and sadly hate) the theory that the magical house that Mahito breaks into is the Studio Ghibli itself. Because only in the beautiful act of animation can you make a reality where your younger self is able to meet the younger version of your mother. Only in art like animation can you relive personal journeys in life through fantastical story telling and animation. One day, Studio Ghibli will fall apart. But the fantasies and stories they created…wouldn’t. We will embrace our reality, no matter how horrible it seems, and take inspiration from those wonderful animated movies with us. To deal with our own hurting and/or guilt, and learn to accept life as it is. And if we can’t, then we learn to use our power to change it for the better. And I find it all… tragically beautiful. Thank you again for reviewing all of my favorite movies and giving me more reasons to cry about them. I love this channel! ❤

[@Aashbard01]

I feel like Studio Ghibli films are about finding strength, wonder and beauty after experiencing loss and fear. "The Boy and the Heron" is about Mahito remembering the people who were important to him and living his life with the other people in his life who loves him. I love this film's view of grief too, it's so beautiful and wise. I love Hayao Miyazaki's work just as much as you guys! ❤❤😊😊

[@kassyyar97]

That beautifully haunting scene at the very beginning with Mahito running to his mom was animated by Shinya Ohira, he makes extremely unique scenes whenever he’s at a project and deserves so much recognition for his work! He also made the transformation scene over Howl’s moving castle when the little star people circle around Howl!

[@laviniasnow4494]

The day my grandmother died, my mother changed forever. It was the first time I saw my mum as a helpless child and the dynamic between us shifted so that I had to shield her emotionally from stress and really took care of her for a while until she managed to process what happened. Her death came unexpectedly. This unpleasant experience tightened the bond between my mum and I. This is the good outcome that came out of this. 🙂🙁

[@johnkrappweis7367]

I remember seeing my mother cry at her mother’s funeral. It was more than twenty years ago but it still has an emotional impact.

[@laviniasnow4494]

@@johnkrappweis7367 Yeah, it totally does and it stays with you forever. 😐

[@wombat4583]

I don't like sayings like 'this is the good that came out of this' as if it erases everything else. At least in your circumstances I'm assuming natural age and not a traumatic incident was the cause, I find the people most comfortable are usually the ones telling others to accept or even downplay experiences. Because while people with grief and trauma usually are blindsided by certain things and working through it realize that some things wouldn't have been different for one reason of another people do very much wish certain things could have changed or been different even if it means losing other things (or nothing at all. Some things are just that shitty).

[@laviniasnow4494]

@@wombat4583 “I find the people most comfortable are usually the ones telling others to accept or even downplay experiences.” What? I didn't tell anybody anything so I don't have a clue what you're talking about. 🤷🏻‍♀️

[@wombat4583]

@@laviniasnow4494 I never said you did. From your comment I only hate the 'good outcome that came from it'. The rest are just the rest of my thoughts.

[@AlanYoung-nr6sg]

This is definitely the deepest Ghibli film i have ever seen. I didnt get shocked in awe unlike the previous films, until i put in the perspective from Miyazaki's life and career then it all just clicked.

[@jenniferzhu1508]

I feel like a lot of the plot and symbolism became clear after viewing the movie as Miyazaki's biography to himself and to his children/grandchildren/successor, it made me appreaciate the movie on a different level~

[@333menmen]

"If they were here, would they want you to be miserable?" I was aghast at those words. It brought tears to my eyes.... Thank you for reminding me.

[@Generalized615]

I just rewatched this last night after seeing it in theaters and I keep thinking how crazy it is that it might be my favorite Ghibli movie after all these years.

[@trinaq]

Please review "Legally Blonde", and how we can subvert everyone's expectations, and have faith in our own abilities. Elle Woods taught me that you can have both looks and brains, you don't have to choose.

[@yb9964]

YES !!! And about how this movie is the epitome of girlhood, blond bimbo stereotype but not an a hole to her fellow women

[@DardreiGraves]

Legally Blonde absolutely help dispel my own internalized misogyny. Good idea and great choice.

[@rincaimo812]

....The Boy and the Heron and MY mother's death are linked. This was the first movie I saw in theaters after she passed and went in completely blind. This movie hit me like a freight train. And now...almost exactly a year to the DAY of her death...you two release this as I am moving to a new city with a new job. The timing is insane. HOW? THIS MOVIE IS CHASING ME.

[@DaddyDaughterMovieNight]

So interesting to finally get a your take on this wonderful film. I posted on it from memory only, while it was still in theaters, and wish I could have rewatched and reflected on it more deeply with the help of streaming. Your channel, as always, brings a richness and appreciation to a film that I always value and cherish!

[@CinemaTherapyShow]

Thanks for watching! :)

[@Batkoku]

Miyazaki will float away on peach blossoms like Master Oogway. ( I'm sure I spelt that wrong ) I'd like to see you guys go over "The Last Unicorn." It's really deep.

[@lindsayspeirs159]

"You hurt until you hurt less" Once again Internet Dad is out here hitting me in the emotions.

[@theoriginofk3153]

0:56 why am i already crying

[@NDMotorFun]

Because the emotional speech makes you vunerable with your emotions and when watching these it helps with the lesson

[@AynVera]

I just found this reaction video and my heart aches again. "Mahito does not want another mother, he does not want to move, he dont want to move on." Grief is something we dint want to easily give up and let go. That the grief is something that makes us remember that we loved, that we still loves.

[@IsaacLewinsonvids2]

It’s like hayao Miyazaki combined all of his previous movies into one when I watched this and I loved every single second of it 😊

[@lily6897]

There’s a video that I’ve seen online that the magician is actually symbolism for a late Studio Ghibli director, Takahata, who died a few years into the making of this movie. It affected Miyazaki deeply, seeing that “Paku-San” was seemingly his creative pillar. (Video by Any-nation I think) To me, the whole film is encapsulated in the Japanese title of the movie “How do you Live” which is much more fitting given the themes it conveys. Dealing with life means dealing with loss, love, greed, hatred, regrets…these are things that humanity has seen since the dawn of time. How do you go forward after dealing with loss? Will you stick to your principles and morals throughout your life? What kind of regrets does life have in store? It’s all in this movie. This has definitely become my favourite film to date, beating Spirited Away by a long shot. I do recommend checking out Any-mation’s video on this and his other works (for those interested) on his analysis of the Boy and the Heron.

[@haydnberthold9489]

John's anime arch is reaching its peak. Can't wait for the second season of whatever arch comes next.

[@shelbyherring92]

*arc Arch is a structure of a building.

[@Scrofar]

his Ghiblification is peaking

[@k____90]

Should have finished his anime arc with attack on titans, it was amazing

[@Juuri_]

11:55 Arrival is phenomenal and one of my favorite movies, so yes. Yes, pease!

[@pbg624]

As someone who was very close to my grandmother and watched her die in front of me I remember every detail of that day. Because there was a lot of chaos and drama happening with my family I didn’t get to properly grieve for two weeks because I had to be stable minded for my mother. When I finally got home I finally got to start the grieving process. I learned during that grieving process who actually cared about me and who didn’t. There was this guy I was interested in and I remember I was just sitting there crying because I missed her. He texted me telling to basically get over and move on already. Whereas my friend when he picked me up that same day, didn’t say a word but just held my hand, because deep down he knew there wasn’t anything he could say that would make this better or make me feel better but just holding my hand was enough to tell me “you are allowed to grieve and I am here for you.”

[@TheOReport1994]

1:53 Hearing those sirens are always chilling. Given that Miyazaki was born in 1941, he grew up during the war and the years after. 15:56 I love how those building blocks are almost universal in shape. They represent the beginning, something that can be rebuild mover and over again. Nearly everyone recognizes those shapes from childhood. "I had to travel the far regions of time and space in order to find them" - but they're such simple shapes. Sometimes you have to live decades to find and appreciate the simple things in life that are reoccurring, that can be rearranged, to create new things.

[@Kosukie]

' You just got to stack the stones every 3 days ' = You just got to create a film every 3 years to keep this studio we built alive. I have so much respect for Mr. Miyazaki. He really poured his emotions into this one. He accepts that his sons are choosing a different path and that Studio Ghibli probably won't continue after he is gone.

[@alisonbarlow7836]

Last year, in August, I lost my dad to cancer, and, because it is July, and July is his birthday month, and so my grief hit me harder. I was 20 when he wad diagnosed with cancer, 21 when he died. I grieve the milestones he missed, me graduating from community college, me getting accepted into UW tacoma, me eventually getting a bachelor's degree, me getting married, me possibly having children. I still grieve that, and this helps me to remember that I need to live, that I can remember him, and the best way to honor that is to live. Because, I did worry if i was happy, it meant i forgot him.

[@drackyslime]

When I became a Hayao Miyazaki fan, I was watching them with friends and I requested atleast a two week break between each of them to really process and internalize the messages of them. Even then I felt that was quick, but movies like this are exactly why I had that rule in place

[@Tolly7249]

That dissociation during the fire is just. I haven't experienced THAT but I have memories that FEEL like that. The days my grandparents died, the two times I came off my motorscooter and got seriously injured, some of the worst bullying I experienced in school, they all have that strange combination of dreamlike and incredibly detailed that is displayed there. Miyazaki's movies have never failed to make me feel very real, very *human* feelings, because he takes human feelings and shows them in full unflinching detail.

[@audreyglass3125]

So what I've heard about the stones is that they represent the 13 films that Miyazaki directed at Studio Ghibli, and that Mahito is representative of a potential successor as a lead director at the studio, possibly Miyazki's son Goro or maybe nobody specific (though he has said in interviews that the film is meant as a gift/letter to his grandson). If that is true and we continue with the metaphor, then the parakeet king would probably represent the "otaku" anime producers that Miyazaki despises. Showing that they don't understand the true art of animation (in his opinion) and could never be the ones to succeed him at Studio Ghibli; if they were to try to take power there they would end up destroying it and what it stands for. Also, if we accept this metaphor, then it also shows that he acknowledges his own imperfections in his creations, saying that the magical world has malice in it. And also by Mahito choosing to leave and the magical world being destroyed that perhaps that is what Miyazaki expects will happen to the studio when he is gone, or maybe even thinks should happen.

[@calladricosplays]

That scene with Natsuko seems like a role reversal. She's saying what the main character is probably thinking, but out loud. And maybe being the recipient of it made him see things differently?

[@ThinlyCut90]

Every time I listen to that piano song (Fun fact, it is called Ask Me Why [Mother's Message]), I always seem to tear up. It's so calming and soothing, like a mother would soothe their child, but it is also inherently sad, nostalgic, like you're mourning for something long lost to the passages of time. I like to think that maybe it's mourning a mother that has passed away. You remember her message, you remember her love, and you remember her warmth. But it is sad. It is mourning. It is grief. A love that would always be there, and will always stay with you.

[@sunnyshine715]

i watched this movie with my crush when it came out in theaters. it was such a beautiful movie, with an abstract but tangible message. i'd definitely love to rewatch it again, all studio ghibli films are such a delight. the boy and the heron was such a fever dream, but after looking into the story and message more, it really hit a spot in my heart.

[@coyotegames8951]

ARRIVALISSOGOOD PLEASE DO IT! Also, seeing this movie in theaters was one of the best times I'd had at the movies in a while - it was just so magical! The casting was absolutely amazing and it was just a feast for the eyes and emotions. So glad to see you guys covering it!

[@BandanaDog39]

18:21 Animation Director and Comicsmith Kelly Turnbull on Twitter did a thread in response to someone’s post about how they didn’t get Boy and The Heron, because the magic was not explained, and too vague, and not following an implied set of rules. Tunrbull found the post hilarious as Boy and the Heron is, partially, about blunt and uncreative consumers with agonizing demands for rules destroying magical worlds of whimsy. This is, at least partially, the inspiration for the Parakeets and the latter half of the film with Granduncle.

[@BionicDirector117]

To help clarify the situation with the mother and her memory as the timeline is concerned: Yes, she did wander into the tower, but it was said that she had no memory of what happened when she re-appeared.

[@haddiegrubbs3602]

Oh my goodness! I love that you guys are talking about this movie! I saw it in theaters with my best friend and it was one of the most beautiful (and strange) films I have ever seen ❤

[@CinemaTherapyShow]

Beautiful and strange indeed!

[@SophiaTellman]

ARRIVAL! My favorite movie of all time.

[@Logovanni]

I saw this in the theater when it came out. The scene early on when the boy gets to his new house in the country and just quietly goes to his new room and collapses on the bed and everything is just quiet and it somehow conveyed the feeling of being forcibly moved away from your home and comfort and this small moment of quiet when you just have your own thoughts as company, and he has a flashback to the night his mom died. It was one of the most intense and emotionally wrenching scenes I have ever seen in a movie. The whole theater was completely silent. This movie really is a masterpiece.

[@oenchanteddoveart6294]

I think with this type of story telling you aren't meant to guess what each thing represents. It's like colour psychology. We can't guess why each colour makes us feel something in particular but we can feel it and start naming those feelings. Whatever we feel in the film the director wants to communicate. Only after over a year of studying filmmaking am I beginning to understand just how genius movie directors are when it comes to tapping into particular feelings of ours. It's an astounding craft and I keep getting blown away by the level of detail these guys put in.

[@caitlinfoster9508]

I LOVE your take on this. I am a long time Ghibli fan but I was also confused after leaving the theater and had this vague feeling I'd missed the metaphor somehow. I love how his mother essentially gave him permission to really live life. EDIT: I thought the moment that Natsuko told him she hated him was the truth coming out. She was always so sweet to him in the real world, but her sister died too and he would have reminded her of that. He was angry for good reason but i thought she hated him for that and also him not being able to accept her. So when all the truth came out and he saw the darkness he was able to start from scratch (symbolism of the fantasy world crashing down?)

[@Zonai_girl]

Thank you so much for this episode. I’m that person, who is only in the middle of the journey, but I’ll get there. And this journey is much better with Cinema Therapy ❤️

[@stevenmoffett3460]

22:30 alan hit the nail on the head. This movie is not narratively satisfying in almost any way. But some how it is emotionally satisfying, in almost every way.

[@Katiwhompus]

Please do whisper of the heart next. Its incredibly heartwarming.

[@turtlebirdrox]

I'm soooooo glad you did this film! I just watched it like 2 weeks ago and I wanted yo suggest it, but there wasn't a comment section that worked! Thank you for keeping up with Studio Ghibli films! I love them so much

[@scarlettcurieldancer5195]

Yes... Please do arrival

[@druganovam]

I just paused on 5th minute to write this comment about the first war scene in the movie. When I saw this movie first time in theatre, the first scene just put me into a strong flashbacks how the war has started in Kyiv (i’m ukrainian refugee). And holy sh*t how accurate is everything - panic, shock, desperation, sounds of sirens, even how you’re wearing clothes in a rush… Miyazaki is a genius how he depicted everything, but I could barely put myself back again on the rest of the film🫠 For me personally, this movie is about PTSD. How this kid escaped the reality and tried to process the loss of his mother in another fantastic worlds. Just a thought.

[@KitCat898]

To me the parakeet man represents the chaos of life. It works behind the scenes when you’re busy with life. It’s something you cannot control. The stones were “undefiled” because they represented the very building blocks of his life up until this point. (A young/13ish year old boy). The grand uncle built his life and his life force was running out. He is the only reason the magic world could be sustained. That’s just my interpretation 😂

[@retroghidora6767]

There's a really interesting video by the youtuber Densetsu Media that explores the parallels this movie has with Miyazaki's life and creative works. He really gets into almost everything in a way that isn't just the typical vague "I know there's SOME kind of metaphor here" video essay. I really recommend it if you don't have a problem with explanations of films like this.

[@LadyPhoenix222]

This was my first Ghibli movie that I watched in theaters, with the english version that came out around my birthday. It was one of the best self given birthday gifts I had.

[@truemansatterwhite3464]

19:08 I read it as Miyazaki speaking to him leaving studio Ghibli and the parakeet king being regular studio execs being like “it’s just stacking stones? How hard can that be?” Then getting impatient and destroying the whole thing when they fail

[@MoonlitSelkie]

I haven't watched the film, so I can't watch this, but I CAN leave a thumbs up ♥

[@CinemaTherapyShow]

Thanks!!

[@justaemptymall]

It felt visually like a mix of the wind rises and spirited away :)

[@Caterfree10]

Miyazaki’s last movie is going to be the one he dies in the middle of making, let’s just be honest here. I would be satisfied if this is his actual last movie. But also, the man is a workaholic of an artist so.

[@macyskaggs3772]

I think ‘only yesterday’ would be a GREAT studio ghibli movie for you guys to watch! It’s such an underrated movie! Also, ‘A whisper of the heart’ I think Alan could potentially relate to the main character a lot as a someone who creates things, specially stories.

[@abikalin]

Thank you guys so much for all that you do. It was partially because of your honest, emotional vulnerability and deeply impactful conversations here that I’ve taken my own steps to confronting my own trauma. From the bottom of my heart, thank you. ♥️

[@rayjoe5]

On the timeline question, I'm pretty sure the heron tells Mahito that he'll forget what happened in the tower over time, so it's likely that by the time his mom gets married, she's forgotten the events of the movie.

[@dreamancyfilms]

Sure, there's another theory. That little girl doesn't behave like a little girl at all, it's said that when you die your soul is like a drop of water that returns to the ocean. So, it was a more conscious and aware form of her mother. In the beginning she seems to not recognize him and even when she realizes Mahito is her son, she doesn't seem to care much, she behaves like someone who's beyond life and death.

[@Ocelot56]

Arrival is so great! Would love to see you guys cover that!

[@edwardlims9102]

14:30 honouring those that have left our life by living 19:30 moving on from grief / loss 22:20 life is full of heartache and challenge but also full of life

[@jameshansen7108]

Also, if you look real closely, you can identify the different animation styles, and even some of the same animations were used. E.g. First scene, the running, especially on the stairs, and the house, almost exactly the same as Spirited Away, when Chihiro runs down the stairs outside the bathhouse. Sandal stuck to the foot, the view, also same as Spirited Away. If you do a side by side, you'll see it even better.

[@AaronMiddlemas]

There's so much beautiful messaging in this movie and I'm so glad you guys covered it! :D There's also another WWII anime film called 'In This Corner of the World' that I highly recommend

[@cantazo9622]

Hi, fan of Ghibli here, about the Parakeet man and the tower of stones, there are a few speculations about them: 1) the fact of the great uncle asking Mahito to stay and do his job (building the stone tower every 3 days) it's a representation of Miyazaki himself and his son, as he wants that he could continue his legacy in animation... 2) the parakeet it's the representation of the new owners of studio Ghibli since they had to sell the studio since financial problems...so, he is afraid that in their desire of trying to balance and stock the stones, in the end, it will only destroy it... But like I write before....this is mere speculations and nothing it's confirmed, but the desire of Miyazaki that his son's continue his legacy and the new owners of studio Ghibli are facts, but the interpretations are simply theories by the community.

[@shogunblade]

I am watching this a month after this posted, so i don't think the hosts will see it. That's okay. I just wanted to say, having lost my mother a year and a half ago, I've been trying to deal with her loss and some days, I'm fine, and other days, I can't handle it I think about my being happy when she's not in the world anymore, and hearing Johnathan mention how much my mother would have wanted me to be happy made me full on start sobbing. It's still raw, and I know it will be for some time, but it was nice hearing remind me what my mother would have wanted me to be feeling. It was a necessary nerve to strike. Thank you.

[@yb9964]

I’m sorry to say, I don’t think I have enough brain cells to understand some of these studio Ghibli movies 😭 I just vibe with it and move on. Also, Robert Pattinson has RANGE from sparkly vampire to oddly perverted bird.

[@sleepan-rm]

Same! I never understand the deeper meaning of Ghibli movies, but the animation and art style is beautiful 😅

[@yb9964]

@@sleepan-rmwhen I watch Chihiro’s voyage, Princess Mononoke, and this, it’s just no brain, just ✨pretty✨

[@Tamayo.Sama2023]

I can understand, most of the ghibli movies are very asian folklore centric. Miyazaki loves to mix WW2 european background with asian folklore

[@yb9964]

@@Tamayo.Sama2023I try to google search a lot of his reference but I think there’s a world of knowledge out there I just won’t have if I haven’t grown up with that specific culture. I appreciate the beauty nonetheless, and the storytelling seems to reach far beyond his native country so clearly, art transcends 😄

[@PabloNeves26]

For me there's a sense of uneasiness, almost discomfort and apprehension.

[@ljcool17]

Can't wait to rewatch this on Netflix. This is definitely so out there compared to past Miyazaki Ghibli films. It feels more personal to him and reflects on a lot of his real life experiences from his past to some recent events.

[@mysaira10]

Early for the first time, so excited to see the takes on this. Loved watching it in cinema and was excited to see something from studio ghibli on a larger scale after a while, All love from London.

[@CinemaTherapyShow]

Hey, thanks for watching!

[@kozmickitsuneame]

​@@CinemaTherapyShow Thank you for reviewing this movie. 😊 I had to watch it twice to get it's impact but it was a good movie.

[@kozmickitsuneame]

​@@CinemaTherapyShowthank you for reviewing this movie. I had to watch it twice to fully appreciate the impact and it did not disappoint.

[@littleredruri]

You should ABSOLUTELY do Whisper of the Heart next! It's my favourite Ghibli movie and it dives into a lot of psychology about dreams, connections, passions and loss. It's honestly amazing, and the directorial debut of a man who would pass away before he would get to make another movie, which broke my heart upon finding out.

[@CinemaTherapyShow]

We're trying to tackle all the Ghibli films eventually. That's definitely on the list!

[@sokumotanaka9271]

Well NOW I'M crying watching this. Come on!

[@crackey3852]

I like the point about conversations being handled differently back then. I was always taken aback by how shes quickly like "im your new mom, btw your dad got me knocked up already" right when she meets him, poor kid is just trying process his moms death

[@jesselash3153]

My take is that the parakeet is Disney/capitalism. A focus on craven self interest or profit through, but also at the expense of beauty and expression. A focus on resolving your own anxiety for perpetual comfort, control, or security vs creating shared reality and giving yourself to a method where in others have the potential to contribute more than they could on their own.

[@juststrings1812]

Absolutely would love to see you do Arrival! Thank you for doing this movie. I did take the emotional over the intellectual approach when I watched it in theaters, and there was one scene that sat with me (not included here but maybe on Patreon?): Mahito finds a book his mother left for him. It made me realize how much I want to ensure that I leave something I created behind to help my loved ones grieve, to comfort them in my absence. It was a heavy feeling because I can only imagine how much the people I love would be affected by my death (not expecting that to happen any time soon, but like I said before, I was experiencing this film emotionally.) Wishing everyone on the Cinema Therapy team well!

[@halapyrolock7210]

Yess! Finally you’re reacting to the Boy and the Heron 🤩✨ I was waiting for this one for sometime

[@CinemaTherapyShow]

We wish we could've relased it sooner, but we had to wait for digital release. Thanks for waiting!