The Last Miyazaki Movie? | The Boy and The Heron Review & Breakdown

[@iSmartMan1]

According to reports, this may not be Miyazaki's last movie. Unlike his last three films, he didn't go back into retirement, and although he isn't working on anything right now, he seems to be looking for his next project.

[@alicevernik9172]

i loved this movie in theatres! spent an hour discussing it with friends in a random park at night after watching

[@teainthemorning1098]

I'm glad you are back!!

[@grandpa6065]

I was mostly captured by the idea of "building a better world" narrative and how given the opportunity, Mahito could have escaped and made his own paradise like his Grand Uncle. But instead explained that he, as an imperfect human, would prefer to stay in an equally imperfect world

[@LourdanHazei]

I just love how thoughtful and insightful you are with these reviews and discussions. Thanks so much for putting this together, sending it into the world, and for being generally awesome.

[@holdynisalive]

Hey Bill! Wilbur Soot dropped a new album called “Mammalian Sighing Reflex”, I would love to hear your thoughts on it. It’s very similar to his style in Your City Gave Me Asthma and Maybe I Was Boring!

[@thegreenergreenestguy]

Wilbur Soot dropped a new personal album! (:

[@Zephirite.]

The visuals, as always, were stunning in this movie. The plot felt very..abstract and disjointed, but each scene felt so provocative and symbolic that I enjoyed myself thoroughly anyway. On another note, I think you would REALLY love the show "Ted Lasso". It's a heartfelt comedy about a quippy, upbeat American football coach who gets hired to coach soccer in England, and the healing and community that he spawns. It's cathartic and outrageously funny, with incredibly grounded, raw characters. Watching grown men and women come out of their shells and express themselves, open up, and encourage that in each other brings a tear to anyone's eye, with some beautiful life lessons woven throughout. All three seasons are on Apple TV+. I cannot recommend it enough. If a hug were a show, this would be it.

[@allthecolorsinmyhead]

I remember when Mononoke was going to be his final film. 😂 He’s like one of those bands that goes on a grand finale tour every 5-10 years.

[@gage7575]

😂 I love what you said about the John Lasseter mansplaining vid. That was one of the first times I was introduced to the idea as a kid that movies were made by people, so in that sense it holds a special place in my heart as a core memory. My friends and I like to joke sometimes about what it would be like if everything came with a video like that though - like being in a McDonalds drive through, "What you're about to eat is something special" 🤣

[@iSmartMan1]

If you want more insight into the film, there's an interview that Entertainment Weekly did with one of the producers at Studio Ghibli that dives into the meaning behind some characters, such as how the grand-uncle represents Isao Takahata, co-founder of Studio Ghibli, and not Miyazaki himself. I tried to post a link to the interview here, but I guess it got caught by the comment filter.

[@hermit_crab992]

Incredible analysis, as always. I watched the film this past Saturday, and the grief over a parent definitely hit me hard. Looking forward to what you put out next!

[@littlewolfy7]

This is a love letter to his son. Studio Ghibli is something that really inspired me to keep drawing and keep going foreward.

[@themulkids2477]

Wilbur Soot recently released a new album you might be interested in.

[@makukawakami]

I saw the movie twice and at the end of both showings, people wonder what does it all mean and it doesn't make sense. On the surface, it's a mix of spirited away and princess mononoke. Imo, this movie is the deepest Miyazaki movie. The story is a bout a boy processing his grief and trying to live in a new life that his father has thrusted him in. It has a similar theme to The Wind Rises but a lot less obvious. It's a love letter from Miyazaki to us and the future generation. Minor spoiler alert: Also there's so much references to older Ghibli films, like the flight of the warawara, the Mitsubishi Zero canopies, the look of the maids ect. To an extent, it's a metaphor to Miyazaki's career. At the end, he's telling us and the future generation to "create beautiful worlds untainted by malice." That block that Mahito kept at the end is a symbol that represents the movie itself, a powerful reminder that we have the power to create something beautiful.

[@eylora_]

I saw it a few weeks ago (in France, we had a different diffusion schedule) and I liked it very much. I also had some time to dig in some reviews, ask friends their opinion. This movie is indeed getting a very mixed opinion. My friend was a big fan but their was an audible "well well well" from somebody in the theater when she was here (insert a cold "Voilà voilà..."). I though the themes were powerful, even if not everything was "in the face". /!\ My comment will include spoilers from this point. For the context, I did some researches and it was common in Japan (and other countries) at the time that if two families were united by marriage and one of the spouses died, the remaining one will be expected to marry the next single sibling. I like that even it it is weird for us now, the movie is not just like "it was the way at that time", because for the protagonist it is just so disturbing, to have to form this new family with someone that remind him his trauma, but also went through it. I think that this movie let us with a lot of doors (lol) open on multiple reflexions. Opportunities we encounter, creation, creative legacy, grief, relationship to other beings, as well as the type of world that we create and choose. It let me moved, but in a more hopeful way that The Wind Rises. I like the take it offers on the question "How do you live?". This book, in French, as its titled translated to "Et vous, comment vivrez-vous ?", "And you, how will you live?", and I also like this nuance, because I feel like The Boy and The Heron is asking about what kind of future we want for ourself. Aaaaand my message is too long, and a magpie is ticking to my window, I need to check if there is an adventure there 😄

[@Walking_Spinel]

Watched it this past Saturday. Everything about the allegory of creating completely went over my head, which might be why I didn't connect with it as much as the elements about Mahito accepting his grief and his new stepmother. Gonna have to give it another watch when it hits streaming

[@pinapplegaming5781]

can you react to Wilbur Soot's new album Mammalian Sighing Reflex?? Please, that would be amazing. So glad you're back!!

[@thevoid3010]

I’ll be honest. I have no idea what this movie was trying to say. I get many themes but the symbolism and most of what the other world was about has definitely went over my head.

[@Jarino507]

I was really looking forward to this movie and it just was not at all what I expected...Honestly it took a lot of reflecting for me to even figure out what the theme was supposed to be because of how directionless it felt at times. It also felt like certain things were glossed over or brought up and never discussed again...When the stepmom lashed out at him and yelled "I hate you!", it felt like it came out of nowhere and was never brought up again. Stuff like that. Idk, I just wish it had been a little more...coherent, I guess? I love so much of Miyazaki's work, and hearing you describe your experience watching it makes it sound so emotional and meaningful. But beyond the amazing animation, I really couldn't find too much else to enjoy and that feeling is pretty disappointing.

[@xX_r_Xx]

hey, if you're feeling better than 4 weeks ago, Wilbur Soot released a new album recently.

[@jimballard1186]

Welcome back, Bill!

[@jemstipher]

I won't watch this video in full just yet since I still need to watch the movie, but your analysis is always thoughtful and I'm looking forward to hearing all you have to say!

[@burntoash99]

I read some comments online that this movie is like an apology letter to his son Goro (director of Tales from Earthsea and Earwig and the Witch movies) in the way of "i built this incredible legacy that gave magic to millions of people an i know that you've tried to live up to it, but in the end you don't have to. This world of magic I built with me will most likely die with me and that is okay. You are not me and you do not have to be like me."

[@justdoodles9906]

Please listen to The Crane wives 🙏🙏 my favorite songs by them are ‘Never love an anchor’ and ‘the moon will sing’ !!!

[@HylianGuard37]

I did not expect this movie to be so miyazaki does pans labyrinth

[@catjamsam]

great video:) i hope you can react to wilbur soots solo album mammalian sighing reflex ❤

[@Haz-009]

Hope you enjoyed.

[@FanaticArtisan]

Personally i think the issue i had with the narrative feeling inconsistent is that a lot of the subtle instances of neglect and disconnection in the beginning are the same sort of moment that could be written off to 'main character just doing the plot' in any other movie. i would have liked a touch of clarity at least in the form of comments like 'hey you are making these choices' so that it was easy to understand that was going on. There are so many stories where main characters ignore the real world to have their fantasy adventure, so it didnt stand out as 'neglect' to me in my first viewing. Esp any form demonstrating the actual clash between boy and stepmother so it doesnt feel SO out of the blue when she suddenly says she hates him

[@anamoose461]

I just got finished watching it in theaters for the first time while somehow managing to avoid basically any and all information about it besides it being a ghibli/miyazaki film. I can see where people might think the storytelling is loose since it’s not holding your hand to explain the world you’re seeing. But it shows enough for you to connect the pieces together without having to explain it to you because life doesn’t come with any hard answers, the only reason life has meaning is because of how much importance we give it in our minds. We think about life constantly seeking an explanation but life isn’t going to give us anything more than it already does and it’s up to us individually to give it meaning. The movie being so loose with the narrative explanation of the visuals I feel encapsulated that feeling of wanting to understand. The visuals are beautiful but only give us so much without a narrative story to give every detail an explanation. The details are pretty the focus is only on explaining the critical information

[@the78thborn]

I think you should watch one of his pre-ghilbli films for the fun of it!! The only one I know is Panda Go Panda (which is super cute, and iirc has a dub) but I'm sure you can find others too

[@ListlessLion]

3:43 LMAO. I also could hear music through the walls at my theater. I'm not sure if it was Trolls or Beyoncé, though.

[@creativity3746]

Hilda just dropped season 3 please watch it

[@kirbyprincess7125]

I’m not gonna lie this movie was so calming I fell asleep, so did my boyfriend, and my roommates sister in theatre

[@novae756]

I'm watching this 8 months late, but better late than never. Ever since I've watched this movie (watched it twice in theaters, the first time in japanese and the second in french _I'm french_) I've been obsessed with it. (Unsurpringly considering Studio Ghibli and everything related is my main special interest and always has been, but that's only maybe a quarter of the reason why). I'm fascinated by it, and your analysis of it is so interesting. I have to admit, there's a lot I didn't understand on my first viewing. And I think there are as many interpretations as people who watched it. But one thing I'm sure of is that it stays in mind for a long time, at least for me. And the more I think about it and hear or read about other people's interpretations, about the many references or parallels there are (even The dark tower, I never read it and didn't know about it until today, but now I really want to) the more my fascination grows. I don't know where I'm going with this comment but thank you for making this video, it was really interesting and this movie will continue to tickle my brain for a long time

[@thethirdbill]

Thank you! I'm still excited to be able to watch it at home and pause and rewind stuff to get a better look! lol really took that for granted doing it with other Ghibli films!

[@Nizhoni_pony]

If someone hasn't already recommended, Wilbur Soot released a new album named "Mammalian Sighing Reflex" which I hope you'll give a listen to soon ^_^

[@tinfoiltreasurer]

Please please try to stan the new season of Hilda! This show cannot die again

[@LunNightMoonLight]

I wanna see this movie on big screen so badly but idk if I will have the chance to it looks so beautiful

[@sistersamich2075]

Me and my friends cried 3 times in the theatre watching this.

[@AviciPerry]

Has bill ever reacted to spyxfamily? i think he would love that show if he hasn't watched it on his own yet

[@89ceilidh]

Hey, you should listen to some Sleep Token ❤

[@Hrisc010]

Wilbur’s new album mammalian sighing reflux came out…

[@ShutUpCatProductions]

What kind of man uses the new Genz word “mansplaning” you’re allowed to be a man and have an opinion you know? Sick of this….way of thinking.

[@kirbyprincess7125]

Yet you can’t respect this man having his opinion lol, which is actually his friends opinion/joke that he was repeating. To also be fair into the joke itself… go and watch the video he showed a screenshot of and majority of people who commented do not even like John Lasseter at all. He’s not a likeable guy and has done bad things. It’s okay to make jokes.