I’ve been meaning to a write a piece on this film ever since it released in 2015 but I got busy. However I recently just watched it again and now I’m ready to dive into Mamoru Hosoda’s The Boy and the Beast. There will be no spoilers here so don’t worry, my aim here is to get you all to watch this film without talking about too much. It’s also worth pointing out that I’ve watched the Japanese version with subtitles so I can’t comment on the English dub.
Ren, or Kyuta as he’s later nicknamed, is a young orphan living on the streets of Shibuya and life isn’t treating him too great. When he stumbles into a fantastic world of intelligent beasts, he is taken in by Kumatetsu, a rugged, gruff bear-like warrior who is searching for the perfect apprentice. At its core this movie is about family and the father and son bond that develops between these two hot-headed personalities. I don’t want to delve too much it into the plot so I’ll leave it at that.
Kyuta and Kumatetsu are so alike yet they don’t notice that straight away, they are constantly butting heads and getting into arguments and are both reluctant to get along. This is what makes their dynamic so enjoyable. The line between student and teacher is blurred and instead they both teach each other how to better themselves, this makes for some some funny moments between the two as well as some powerful heartfelt ones.
They are both extremely likeable and watching them grow is so charming and easily the most enjoyable aspect of the film. Hats off to the voice actors too as they delivered a wonderful performance, Koji Yakusho (Kumatetsu) and Aoi Miyazaki (Young Kyuta) are especially brilliant.
The animation is gorgeous; from start to finish the colours pop, the characters feel alive and it all flows nicely. Not only is the animation great, but there are so many themes woven throughout this movie – parenthood, friendship, darkness, acceptance. The emotions behind the film are well hidden and it really does sneak up on you.
The film can get heavy on exposition and its third act is noticeably weaker than the rest. As most of the focus is on Kyuta and Kumatetsu’s relationship, the major conflict is in the background and isn’t really given room to develop. It isn’t bad by any means and it still delivers with awesome action and emotion, it just feels slightly rushed as the major villain is sidelined throughout.
The Boy and the Beast is a beautiful film with heart and deep emotional themes and if you’re a fan of animated movies or just great storytelling then you should definitely give it a go. The animation is stunning, the action is amazing and although it may seem like a simple story, its hiding so much more. Although it’s final conflict falters it still manages to deliver an explosive finale.
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