Rating: 4/5

For the fourth time, 82-year-old Hayao Miyazaki has made his return from retirement. He stunned the world with “The Boy and the Heron” which he claims is the last film he will direct. On December 8, 2023, The Boy and the Heron was released to theaters worldwide, introducing a parallel universe to its viewers.

Miyazaki is the co-founder of Studio Ghibli, a Japanese animation studio that has been behind several other globally acclaimed animated films like “Spirited Away” and “My Neighbor Totoro”. Miyazaki’s work often explores themes of nature, pacifism, and the human condition. Renowned for his imaginative narratives, he has received countless awards, including three Oscar Academy Awards.

“The Boy and the Heron” follows the journey of a 12-year-old boy named Mahito Maki. Mahito experiences grief after his mother passes away in a Tokyo hospital fire and moves to the countryside to live with his father. As he struggles to adapt to his new environment, he meets a whimsical talking heron, who claims his mother is alive and leads him to a mysterious abandoned tower to find her. Inside the tower, Mahito steps into a dystopian realm, devoid of temporal constraints. The realm’s residents include carnivorous parakeets and endearing chubby beings called Warawara.

However, this dystopian world introduces a complex and confusing reality. It’s a puzzle of metaphors where every scene feels like a cryptic message, making it a challenge for viewers to latch onto a straightforward narrative. Even as the credits roll, the film refuses to hand its watchers a neat conclusion, leaving the plot dangling in an enigmatic limbo.

In part, this may be because “The Boy and the Heron” is essentially a metaphorical autobiography. Hayao Miyazaki draws on his own childhood experiences which parallel Mahito’s. Growing up during World War II, Miyazaki also left Tokyo for a rural town with his father and almost lost his mother to tuberculosis. These connections enhance the film’s emotional depth and authenticity.

Only after you ponder deeply about the film, can you truly ‘understand’ that “The Boy and the Heron” is yet another Ghibli masterpiece, serving as a poignant culmination of Hayao Miyazaki’s illustrious career. Its triumph at the Golden Globes in 2023 is a testament to Miyazaki’s unparalleled contributions to the world of animation and storytelling, securing its place as a cherished gem in the illustrious Studio Ghibli repertoire.