The Boy and the Heron
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."
MetroidTalon reviewedAugust 22, 2025
Miyazaki returns with a deeply personal and beautifully strange tale that blends grief, fantasy, and memory into something haunting and heartfelt. The Boy and the Heron isn’t always easy to follow, but it never stops captivating.
The animation is breathtaking, filled with surreal imagery and quiet emotional weight. It feels less like a traditional story and more like a dream being worked out in real time.
A meditative farewell that lingers long after the credits roll.