“The Boy and the Heron,” the latest film from Studio Ghibli and likely the last feature from celebrated director Hayao Miyazaki, hit theaters for a nationwide release on July 14. It’s a visually and technically incredible film with a rather chaotic plot dense with allusion.
The story follows a boy in the first few years of postwar Japan dealing with the loss of his mother and a mysterious heron who takes him on a fantastical journey; in other words, it’s very much a Miyazaki universe.
In his review for The Japan Times, contributor Matt Schley writes, “The sights and sounds are fun and will feel familiar to fans: There are mouth-wateringly beautiful meals, adorable critters and wizened wizards galore.”