The Boy and the Heron
While the Second World War rages, the teenage Mahito, haunted by his mother's tragic death, is relocated from Tokyo to the serene rural home of his new stepmother Natsuko, a woman who bears a striking resemblance to the boy's mother. As he tries to adjust, this strange new world grows even stranger following the appearance of a persistent gray heron, who perplexes and bedevils Mahito, dubbing him the "long-awaited one."
Critics Sentiment
Attacking pelicans explained as desperate species struggling to survive
Mahito and Kiriko enter the tower and encounter deception
The film drops from the emotionally resonant pelican sequence to its most confusing narrative stretch in the tower, before recovering for the symbolic finale.
Critics consistently praised Miyazaki's visual mastery and emotional depth while struggling with the film's increasingly complex and sometimes incoherent storytelling. The film succeeds as a beautiful, personal swan song despite being considered middling Miyazaki, with stunning animation compensating for narrative confusion. Most reviewers found it rewarding but acknowledged it requires multiple viewings to fully appreciate.
Full cast
Soma Santoki
Mahito Maki (voice)
Masaki Suda
Gray Heron (voice)
Ko Shibasaki
Kiriko (voice)
Aimyon
Lady Himi (voice)
Yoshino Kimura
Natsuko (voice)
Takuya Kimura
Shoichi Maki (voice)
Keiko Takeshita
Izumi (voice)
Jun Fubuki
Utako (voice)
Sawako Agawa
Eriko (voice)
Karen Takizawa
Warawara (voice)
Shinobu Otake
Aiko (voice)
Jun Kunimura
The Parakeet King (voice)
Kaoru Kobayashi
Noble Pelican (voice)
Shōhei Hino
Granduncle (voice)
Crew
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