Metaphor in the Boy and the Heron ~ The Meaning of Ghibli ~
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- čas přidán 25. 06. 2024
- When I saw the Boy and the Heron, I had a take on the film's metaphor that my friend group told me was worth sharing. So here we are, 2 months and 40 minutes later with my attempt at explaining what is now my favorite Ghibli film. Many scenes were recreated from memory and I'm sure I made mistakes, see Errata below, but I did my best to put forth my sincere thoughts! If you are among the many who didn't 'get' the film, I hope this gives you a place to start!
My second video essay on the film Suzume is now live! If you enjoyed this piece on Boy and the Heron, I hope you will consider giving it a look: • The Metaphor of Suzume... If you want to continue any discussion beyond the comments below, please join our art/gaming/chatting streams on twitch!
/ densetsuvii
Errata:
Leto gave birth to ARTEMIS and Apollo not Athena, this is totally my mistake. I blame the video game Hades for not having Leto as a character.
Barthes is pronounced 'Bart', not especially an error so much as an Americanization, but a couple people pointed this out. To be honest, I tried to say it as Bart, but I kept messing up and ultimately just kept the takes which felt like they got the sentiment most correct.
The image comparison for Kiki's parent's house includes an image I found in a thumbnail I swore I saw in the film, but upon reexamining the film, I could not locate this image. I do still think there are parallels with Kiki in the pelicans, though it's definitely one of the least referenced films in Boy and the Heron. I think that's kind of interesting, considering Kiki also touches on the process of creation in its metaphor, but TLDR, the comparison image listed as from Boy and the Heron should not be there. I stand by my overall point about the references.
Films is misspelled at 16:46.
Sustenance is misspelled at 27:50.
Any other errors will be added here.
Music graciously provided by my good friend Matthew Pablo: matthewpablo.com/
Chapters:
00:00 Intro
01:40 Metaphor
08:02 Approaching The Boy and the Heron
11:30 Resemblances
16:43 Of Films and Film Production
22:13 Explaining The Boy and the Heron
31:47 The Authorial Metaphor
34:23 How Do You Live
35:41 One Last Idea
39:20 Conclusion
Sources:
"The Boy and the Heron Is So Personal, Hayao Miyazaki Needed A Year to Grieve Before Pivoting in a New Direction" - Bill Desowitz, Indie Wire Nov 22, 2023 www.indiewire.com/features/an...
"‘The Boy and the Heron’ Review: Hayao Miyazaki Has a Question for You"
Alissa Wilkinson, New York Times Nov 21, 2023
www.nytimes.com/2023/11/21/mo...
"The Boy and the Heron Producer Says the Anime Is the Most Expensive Japanese Film Ever Made"
Hayley McCullough, CBR, Aug 19 2023
www.cbr.com/the-boy-and-the-h...
"Japanese Lawmakers Debate Low Wages in the Anime Industry"
Alex Dudok De Wit, Carboon Brew Feb 2022
www.cartoonbrew.com/artist-ri...
"Against Interpretation"
Susan Sontag, 1966
"Death of the Author"
Roland Barthes, 1967
"How Do You Live"
Genzaburo Yoshino, Translated by Bruno Navasky, Introduction by Neil Gaiman 2021
"Sharing a House with the Neverending Man"
Steve Albert, 2020
"The Kingdom of Dreams and Madness"
Dir. Mami Sunada, Dist. Toho Co., Ltd. 2013 - Krátké a kreslené filmy
Something I haven't seen many people discuss is Mahito's mother farewell. He asks her to come with him, but she knows she must return to her timeline, so Mahito reminds her that that road will lead to her death, so, she gives the most honest and heart-breaking answer possible, which, to me, is the true meaning of the movie:"Giving birth to you will be my greatest joy".
Miyazaki is telling us that he has finally found the answer, he's overcome that internal struggle that's been plaguing his soul for decades:"In spite of all the ups and downs, all that matters is the joy of giving life, to art, to a son etc., because it will be worthy enough".
Miyazaki isn't reflecting on his legacy nor he's obsessed with finding a successor. He's telling us do go and create, to give life as he has done all this time, with no fear for what will come next, because it will all be worthy regardless of the consequences.
That's why, to me, this is the most sincere and positive movie he's ever done.
“Create beautiful worlds untouched by malice” reminds me of the line from Princess Mononoke “see with eyes unclouded by hate.”
❤
Agreed! Lots of moments in this movie reminded me of other Ghibli films
This phrase appears in two different scenes in the film, with slightly different wording and meaning.
• Kumori no nai manako de monogoto wo misadameru nara: If you see things with unclouded eyes. This is what the wise woman says to Ashitaka at the beginning of the film, as a condition for finding a way to end his curse.
• Kumori naki manako de misadame, kimeru: I will see with unclouded eyes, and determine. This is what Ashitaka says to Lady Eboshi in Irontown, as his answer to her question about his purpose.
I like to remember that the universe has been around for 13.8 billion years and I was lucky enough to be here to experience all that Miyazaki offered us, because once he's gone it will never return again. Its a perfect moment in time. A truly blessed space to be in and something the boy and the heron recognizes and deals with sincerely. How lucky are we all to experience his 13 blocks, and its our duty to live through his work, to bring heart and sincerity and wonder to our world through ourselves.
Well said
That's a beautiful way to put it
I agree. We are the lucky ones. Truly blessed! A mind that has no parellel imho. One of the most creative and beautiful films I have seen!
Also thank you to the whole team
you *rock*
"Arjuna: I am talent in man"
< bhgvdgt as-it-is
: )
11:30 I have the exact same Epiphany but not due to my own thinking. I am not smart like that.
My 4-year-old son doesn't talk much. He is autistic. I didn't even know if he understood that we were going to go see another "Ghibli film". But Totoro ponyo and spirited away are his favorite.
When they were crawling to the tower my son said
MAMA they're going to find Mae.
I am tearing up writing this because I realize how much my little boy sees things and make connections. For so long I thought there wasn't much going on in there but recently it's been moments like this where I have found my little boy is constantly observing and viewing the world and making connections. He saw the connection before I did before I even understood!. He has always been doing this he just might not have to words to tell me yet ❤️
That scene when Mahito notes the blocks are made of the same marble used for graves instead of wood that he objects to & the great uncle’s remark on his observation is one of my fav parts of the film. The great uncle only knows how to destroy himself in a world that is consuming itself by trapping himself in a dream world that shelters him from real life where he cannot find true sustenance; love found in real connections with others. The inhabitants of the other world only consume into their void & therefore create imbalance. Kiriko sustains herself by the tiny statues she appoints by her bedchamber through memory & uses it to protect Mahito similarly to how Haku tells Chihiro to consume food from the world she is in so she doesn’t disappear or needs to remember her real name in order to get back to her own real world. In order not to be consumed by a void you must create balance by having a real connection to the world you’re in. If Tahata’s approach to film making is laced in death, grief & loss, Miyazaki’s approach is laced in life & sustainability. Miyazaki’s last name literally means a shrine, which in a way laments itself in the metaphors he uses as spiritual conduits such as the tower throughout his films.
Interesting to note that Future boy Conan was being exhibited at the Ghibli Museum from May 2023, not long before Boy and the Heron was released in Japan. No doubt the studio wanted people to reflect on, and if they hadn't seen it, discover, Miyazakis directorial debut
This video essay was more than an explanation of the art, but rather a work of art itself. Thank you for the time and effort you put into this, and I hope you keep this going.
That's so tremendously kind of you! Thank you so much!
I'm not 100% sure I'll make more essays, as I'm far more active on twitch than youtube, and if I were to make more essays, they wouldn't be about new upcoming anime (unless Miyazaki finishes his next one in like a month haha) - so I wouldn't know how to promote them exactly.
But if you want to chat more or see my art being created, I implore you to follow me on twitch.tv/densetsuvii - I stream mostly toward the end of the week and some weekends around noon PST, and we'd love to see you there!
This comment was not a comment on a work of art but art itself
🙄
I agree wholeheartedly
I finished the movie an hour ago and was bawling throughout. While I interpreted the movie as a reflection on death and grief, and there was this catharsis throughout the ‘rescuing’ scene of himi where mahito gets a chance to be able to do what he always wanted to do. When he referred to his scar and pointed towards his head, I thought he was referring to the mental pain but the 13 blocks and the gutting of the fish were some of the many points which I couldn’t add in. This perspective makes a lot more sense! Truly truly enjoyed your video!
Wonderful to hear you got something out of this! Remember, as Barthes said, there is no one correct interpretation, and I think the grief/death angle is one of the more popular readings of the film as of yet. The allusions to Dante definitely support this (although I find it interesting that the gate referenced not the more famous line about 'abandon all hope' but a line about 'creation'.) and I think there's plenty to be gleaned from that idea. The takes which most resonate and heighten the film for you are the ones that are right!
But so so grateful to hear your enjoyed the video! Thank you so much for watching!
This is certainly another layer of the movie! It's anchored in Mahito's relationship to his mother's death and to Miyazaki's reflection on (most likely) being close to dying since he is approaching 90 years of age. Truly one of the emotional cores alongside the creator angle (reflection on life).
As someone who lost his ex, his dad, and his grandparents to illness in the last 5 years, the Boy and the Heron really brought out emotions. The backgrounds were also very impressive in referencing surrealism and Impressionism styles. Definitely, it’s one of Miyazaki’s best works.
Okay I'm crying now. This is one of those rare video essays that is art within itself. Ghibli films have offered so much inspiration to me as an aspiring writer, and the boy and the heron is no different. So much of it seems to speak on the overlap of creativity and grief, or at least that was my takeaway. I want to watch it again now, with all your interpretations in mind. Thank you.
second this!
Not gonna lie, this video made me cry. Miyazaki and his films have inspired me so much, especially when I create art. And to see him at the end of his era, reflecting on his career through one of his most beautiful films (I've seen The Boy and the Heron 3 times now because the images are just stuck in my brain lol) legit brought me to tears.
I saw it last night with a friend. That opening shot of the city was mesmerizing.
When I watched the wind rises I thought "This can't be H.M. Last movie, is too plain", and when I watched The Boy and The Heron everything came to clarity, this movie is a farewel, is a tribute to Ghibli and specificaly to the legacy of one of the most beloved artist of the last centtury. Saying good bye to people is hard but opposite to Mahito, we wont forget the memories we had with the art and stories from Master Miyasaki.
I had the same notion when I finished watching the movie. I see the great uncle as Miyazaki himself trying to find a successor and failed. Realizing no one could or will succeed him, he finally relented and advised Mahito (us?) to move on. When I saw the tower crumbled I don't know why my thoughts and feelings went to the Studio Ghibli itself crumbling or at least crumbling in Myazaki's eyes or even just his fear. I personally think Ghibli is not over yet. It will take only one genius person to revive Studio Ghibli in the future which we cannot see now because of the blinding light of the sun that is Miyazaki himself over there.
The spirit of Studio Ghibli lives on in each of us. The company itself will be just a shell
I thought maybe he was concerned that he couldn’t find a successor and he hopes his grandkid will take on the role. I didn’t get why hime couldn’t of taken on the role as she is family. And why not the aunt/hime’s sister or her unborn child. I figured because I heard the movie was made for his grandkid. He wanted his grandkid to take over. I have to agree with yohanalexander that Miyazaki just had to accept that he had to find peace of no successor
even if you never make another video this channel deserves to live on forever
Thank you for the kind words! The reception of this video has been very encouraging, so I am considering a video in this style on a different topic for the future. But I am most active on www.twitch.tv/densetsuvii if you'd ever like to chat or peruse my art! Cheers~
Sobbing (again). While your opening essay has me questioning my need to find the “true” meaning of symbolism and metaphor, your final explanation is exactly how I had interpreted the film. I think I’ve cried more after the movie than during. As an artist myself, and someone who has experienced the loss of a parent as a child, and as an enthusiastic lover of Miyazaki films, this move moved me to my core. I haven’t stopped thinking about it. Thank you so much for this beautiful explanation. It was exactly what I needed to help process my feelings.
Wow, this is the best film critiques I have ever heard. How elaborated, well documented, how well delivered and what a sensitivity in presenting it in this way. Thank you. I enjoyed every moment of it.
I've gone to see this film twice. I was not expecting any of this, I can't get over the emotions this film gave me.
I knew it was going to be amazing because it's his, but I wasn't expecting everything else. I cried more at this movie than any other I've ever seen.
Miyazaki has been a part of my life for 28 years. This film was like a very dear old friend saying goodbye.
I can't speak to your prowess in animation but certainly my whole family can speak to your incredible video essay skills. I watched this video last night after going to see the movie with friends and family, and sat down my whole family tonight to show them this video essay. We are all left with such a grounded, momentous feeling. Thank you for creating this video essay and I'll continue to share it with everyone I know!
What a heartwarming sentiment! I never imagined it as entertainment for the whole family per se, but I am overjoyed to hear it could be enriching for all of you! Thank you so much for sharing this experience back with me!
If you are curious about my animation, particularly for the whole family, I would recommend this piece I made awhile back - an original pilot concept called... Duccaneers, a tale of pirate ducks! vimeo.com/625872149
And of course, if you're interested, I regularly stream my artmaking process at www.twitch.tv/densetsuvii
Happy holidays to you and yours!
After watching many many reviews and explanations I came to the same conclusion as you did and IM SO GLAD TO HEAR THAT BEING SAID IN A VERY BEAUTIFUL AND REAL WAY!!! THANK YOU FOR THIS VIDEO!!!!!!!
Absolutely incredible video. I admit that when I first left the theatre I was deeply confused but I think the mystery of finding out what the film means to us is one part of its beauty. I plan to rewatch it with some friends later in the week. The final message/conclusion you had was beautiful and really resonates with what I've experienced in my life the past few years. In a way, Miyazaki is showing us one way in regards to how to live.
This was a remarkable video essay and I’m in tears at your final interpretation. I build fantastical worlds every day as part of my career, but being in a creative industry with dwindling integrity has taken its toll on me this year. I hope I can keep creating beautiful games despite being surrounded by insincerity.
Thank you for your kind words! I've also moved into games in these last few years, albeit as an indie dev, I'm happily able to try my best to connect to my sense of beauty, but on my own dime. I think it's always possible to reconnect with that sense, and as you know, many a AAA dev has left the industry to pursue works in a more intimate space. Biased though I am, I truly believe that avenue will always be available to you! Best of luck to us both in this new year and thank you once again for watching!
What a wonderful analysis. Something I noticed that lines up with your reading of Grand Uncle as Miyazaki and the tower world being the world of Ghibli is that when the animals are brought into the world by the uncle, they transform into these magical, spirit-like beings that Ghibli/Miyazaki are known for -- and by the same token, they turn back to normal once they've left his world, showing how his creative power transforms ordinary things into beings of pure fantasy.
Also, and this might be a stretch, but they very faithfully animated bird poop in the real world scenes, while I don't recall any bird poop in the "ghibli world" scenes. If I'm correct in that observation, it could be another small touch to show how Ghibli/Miyazaki have tried to create an idyllic world through their films. (Probably explaining that horribly, but hopefully you get the gist!)
I hope you have more videos like this! I love the way you view media; especially when you started dropping Sontag quotes and correcting the record on what Death of the Author really means. Keep it up!
Well what a lovely comment, thank you! I believe that you're right on the money as far as the relation between things in the otherworld and things in ours. One can read into film and media in general as a heightening of our world, seen through a subjective and sometimes sugarcoated lens. I particularly loved how the film made clear that the otherworld wasn't a figment of Mahito's imagination but something that had tangible effects on even the characters who weren't involved deeply, as culture affects even those who absorb it passively.
One thing I realized in making the essay is that the filmic metaphor really can be applying to all kinds of details of the piece, and especially once a streamable/blu-ray version is out, I think that the rough framework I've described here should give folks lots of room to dive deeper into the metaphor just like you have! So glad you were able to engage with it!
Still not 100% sure if I'll make more of these essays, though I'm very glad you liked them! If you feel like seeing the art I make (and certainly having similar discussions to this) I do stream very regularly at twitch.tv/densetsuvii, and we'd love to have you there! Thanks so much for leaving a comment!
@@densetsumedia I spent most of last night after the movie telling the people I went with how much I couldn't wait to have digital copy of this to rewatch and really sink my teeth into from a literary analysis standpoint haha. I definitely look forward to seeing just how deep these themes run within the film.
Whether you make more of these essays or not, know that the one you did make was extremely well-made, and clearly comes from a well-developed understanding of critical analysis. It's solidified my understanding of the film and also opened my eyes to different readings that I hadn't considered before seeing this.
I'm happy the film moved you enough to push you into what seems like a new world of your own, in terms of content, though. Especially because, as you've laid out, creators inspiring other creators to try something new is (in some ways) what the movie is all about!
I'll definitely make an effort to check out your twitch streams! Hope you have a great weekend, and thanks again for such a thoughtful essay about a truly sincere and beautiful piece of art.
@@densetsumediaI think the Grand Uncle is actually meant to be the late Isao Takahata . Hayao Miyazaki was still developing the movie when his friend and co-founder passed away. I think it reads much better as Grand Uncle = Isao Takahata. Especially since it’s obvious his death hit Miyazaki very hard and it’s only natural he would use his movie to work through his own struggles with mortality.
Not to forget the multiple dimensions through doors, you can see howls moving castles dimension circle and the colors inside of the tower.
This is the most important and best CZcams video of the year. The year is almost ended and we are blessed with this beautiful video. Thank you so much for this wonderful explanation. animation is one medium is very close to my heart and i feel towards the end of 2d animation and new world began. For who watched Miyazaki san movies throughout their life and cherish. His movies will always inspire and live within us forever.i salute his work and i will remember his work untill i die.thank u again for thsi wonderful explanation video and farewell to the greatest artist of all time.
No wonder you thought Miyazaki was talking to you. Your mind is as beautiful as his. You’d be worthy of taking the torch. I never would have understood this movie without your help
This had me crying at the end. I adore your interpretation of this. To my core. I allowed myself to leave my art behind for almost a decade and I’m just dipping my toes in again. And, although I found Studio Ghibli later in life, these stories quickly became a cornerstone in my world of inspiration. Sharing my art has become a key part of my healing journey and Ghibli is a key part of my art. It’s scary and makes me feel so vulnerable but it also is fulfilling in a way nothing else ever has been.
wow, bravo! I've watched a few reviews of the Boy and the Heron and yours is by far the most astute. I'm an animation film-maker who held Miyazaki as my mentor, without ever having met him, though I tried. I grew up watching Future Boy Conan but dubbed in Arabic, I was 8 years old when it aired in Saudi Arabia, after i saw the entire series, I had chosen my future career. I could draw exceptionally well, but I was also a story-teller, and created entire worlds with my drawing. Miyazaki layed out a clear path for me as young artist and film-maker, so I followed it as best I could, and went on to work both professionally and independently. I directed films at the NFB (Canada) and after left to make a film on tiny budget at home with only what I had to work with, and dreamt of having my own studio like Ghibli's some day. My short film made at home didn't get into any film festivals, but went to screen at the Shanghai World Expo 2010. I created many more stories, all features, storyboarded them and nurtured their evolution. I was following Miyazaki's example as best I could...Until life got in the way, and i got pregnant with my son, who is now 12. I became a single mother, and had to put my dreams of starting my own Ghibli-esque studio aside in order to raise my son. But Miyazaki's ethos on life has been foundational for me even when not envisioning films. I went to see the B&H two days ago, and cried nearly throughout the film, without really understanding why, though I'm very good at ascertaining metaphor and meaning in films. Your review helped articulate some things i understood on a more emotional level when watching the film, so thank you for your in depth work here! I have one remark: you say that lady Himi cannot create, but I disagree. She's Mahito's mother. She created him in a way. One last observation: " Create beautiful worlds untainted by malice" struck me as sounding like what Ashitaka says to Lady Eboshi in Mononoke Hime: "To see with eyes unclouded." thanks again, i'm glad other people out there see the value of Miyazaki's true contributions.
Thank you so much for this thoughtful and heartfelt comment! Your perspective is really fascinating to me, as I knew Conan had more of a presence outside the states, but I didn't know anyone outside of Japan for whom it was 'foundational'. I glanced at the videos you put on your channel and I can see the influence he has on you. While it's far beyond the scope of this video, I do believe that the industry as it presently exists, inside and outside Japan, no longer allows the approach Miyazaki took to result in a Miyazaki-like rise in career. That's been my experience at least - it's as much about luck, charisma, connections, and having one particularly acceptable personality type as it is about talent, spirit and passion sometimes. But I at least have come to feel that his message ultimately is to focus on sincerity, and I certainly plan to.
I think your perspective as a mother probably influences your take on Himi and Natsuko in ways I couldn't truly appreciate. I bet you could create a more in-depth analysis from that perspective if you wanted to! I certainly came to realize that even just my own perspective could be taken to a ludicrous degree of detail in analyzing each character, but I think I'm even more satisfied if I can give people enough of a start to begin their own more detailed, even slightly different analyses. Thanks for sharing this angle!
I've always felt the line 'seeing with eyes unclouded' hit a little bit too distantly, too abstractly. But I might have to revisit and see if I agree with your take here. But certainly both advocate for a purity of purpose that I've found very rejuvenating.
Thank you again for your thoughtful reply, and the time you took to watch the video!
🍉🍓@@densetsumedia thank you for this! and for checking out my film. The Miyazaki approach is for sure not the norm in the North American animation industry, but that's how ambitious I was at the time, I wanted to bring his approach to Canadian and US animated TV shows, i almost got one foot in the door and pitched a series idea, based in feudal Japan, to a producer at Cartoon Network in 2008, but I was told i'd have to change my story's heroine to a male hero because a female protagonist would not 'sell well'; and these are the people who brought us the Powerpuff Girls!
You're right in that my being a mother shaped my reflections on Himi, but the film world, especially that of animation, is largely male-dominated, as its story-telling and perspective. I'm not a fan of the 'woke-feminism' approach that plagues much of commercial films right now, especially Disney, but rather a reality that is there for all female film-makers and artists to contend with. I've always loved Miyazaki for his genuinely feminist spirit in that he treats his female characters with the same depth and complexity as his male ones without having to turn them into Gladiator-Warriors. He gives space for female characters to be feminine, which is rare.
Thank you and looking forward to your ext video essay! cheers,
P.S.: the Arabic version of Future Boy Conan, which was a huge success in the Middle East, was titled: "Adnan wa Leena.", should you want to look it up.
@@serenedaoud The fact that the Powerpuff people would tell a woman that 'women won't sell' is a little funny in just how sad it is. All in all, this kind of approach has pushed me away from the animation industry personally, and in the past couple years in particular, I've moved into Indie Games where I feel like there's more space for individual-driven works. I hope you've also found a creative direction which keeps your creative muscles flexing.
There's certainly been a lot of encouragement for me to make more essays, but I'm not sure if it would be especially viable since most of the success of this essay can be attributed to how it released just as Boy and the Heron did (something I endeavored to make happen, but that wouldn't be replicatable in the future, especially for projects about older movies). But I do stream frequently at www.twitch.tv/densetsuvii - I know not everyone here is on twitch, but it's an art-focused stream and if you want to follow me there, I'm sure you'd have a cozy time watching along! I usually stream around noon PST, something like 4 days a week.
Many thanks again for this conversation!
And I saw something about the adaptation on Wikipedia, and how they changed some names, but since I don't speak Arabic, I'm not sure how much I could appreciate watching that adaptation haha! Thank you again for this perspective!
I watched a video where Naomi Klein and Ash from Novara Media were talking about a range of political topics and one of the things that Naomi kept coming back to was how we've become so egotistical and narcissistic as a culture. I think this is partly why we experience such profound and deep catharsis from The Boy and the Heron. It's devoid of ego. It's meant to be mystical, you aren't meant to understand it, you're meant to experience it. And that's what makes it beautiful.
This video moved me to the very core. You have an amazing undestanding of Studio Ghibli, its history and Miyazaki's ouvre. You really grasped what his whole work amounts to and for that, for sharing this understanding with us, I truly thank you. Keep up the good work and let's create beautiful worlds untainted by malice as well, as spiritual disciples of the great master.
Amen - I share this sentiment
I think this video is the best interpretation of the boy and the heron I've seen - possibly because it does resonate with some of my own ideas, but I've found it to be much, much more profound than the other analysis videos I've found here on CZcams, which almost inevitably stop at a "superficial" reading of it. Thank you for making this, and I hope you'll continue to create - for now you've gained a new subscriber.
Thank you for putting the pieces together for us so we can better appreciate this masterpiece.
I love that Miyazaki never gives in to malice and is always genuine and pure with his work. He doesn’t care about the sort of things most studios today seem to care about (money, deadlines, merchandise, reviews, awards, etc.). He understands that once you start caring more about that stuff than the art itself then the tower will start to crumble. Disney, take note!
I can't believe I picked up on references to totoro, spirited away, cagliostro, porco rosso, and howls moving castle and just dismissed it as coincidence. Love this movie even more with the full context. Great video
Maybe im just overly emotional but when you tied together the titles with the 13 blocks, tears started to form. This movie is so profound, and i feel as though i understood it through the lens of grief and death. it never was an indescript movie, the signs were always there. What a pleasure to have been able to experience it and thank you for this beautiful video♡
What an absolutely stunning video. Thank you for sharing - I couldn't help but bawl my eyes out as soon as I realized that the 13 towers the Great Uncle mentioned really were his 13 films.
It’s a lovely film I enjoyed it very much. I am pretty sure any man that had a loving mother would want to see her one more time and talk to her. The part where she told her son that he was a good boy brought tears to my eyes. Love, honor and respect your parents, the respect the young boy had in this film (a little rebellious) is lost in today’s society. I will forever cherish and love Studio Ghibli films and I hope the art of storytelling through animation will not be lost for future generations.
i watched this film 2 days in a row, and im just so overwhelmed. i did not realize id be feeling all the ways he's been reaching to us who grew up with his stories. i feel this one, though, has a message from his heart directly to ours in the most piercing way ive ever felt. i can't help but cry.
ive always wanted to work in animation but just couldnt manage to pursue it directly and settled for studying something else in the creative field, but i know where my heart belongs. i dont want to settle though... this film is telling me the world is full of us that have that creative will and sincerity, and we can make this place worthwhile and beauitful despite all the obstacles and destruction we must face.
we are living in the direct impact that Miyazaki's life works has on the world. we must carry on with sincerity and heart for him and our sake.
(typed through tears)
This video essay is absolutely incredible. I came to the same realization of your interpretation as I watched the film, and for this I had goosebumps all of the remaining day. Lots of details of the movies i couldn’t realize by myself, but the core meaning of Miyasaki giving us the mission to succeed him was clear. Thank you so much for this masterpiece.
I've watched a few essays in this film and your interpretation is one of the best imo.
Cheers man - many thanks! I'm glad if it could deepen your appreciation of the film. I just posted a secondary essay on the film Suzume, so if you're interested in that I'd love to hear your thoughts!
Thanks again for watching and for this lovely comment!
Watched this video shortly after finally seeing the movie, now I've cried several times today. Thank you so much for this wonderful essay and your beautiful interpretation.
Wow!!!
I literally teared up watching your video, thank you for this beautiful journey!
As a writer, I've found this video and this analysis very interesting and rich in powerful messages. I really loved your video, it proves how much cna be extracted from the mind and soul of a genius like Miyazaki.
Okay, that not only made me cry a little but really made me really want to watch the film again. I'm also a creative (I'm a 3D artist) but this really spoke to me. I grew up inspired by the worlds of films and games as a kid and I love coming up with stories. Things like Star Wars, Lord of the Rings, and Pixar really inspired me and still do.
I saw the film over the weekend and while I enjoyed it, I didn't fully understand it. I still kinda don't. I even described the film as "if Narnia was artistic, unhinged, and had man-eating parakeets". But coming at this from the lenses of a creator and viewing the film as not only Miyazaki's internal reflection of his work and legacy but also a reflection of the creative process as a whole is really eye-opening.
Again, I loved it but it didn't impact me as much as I thought it would. I was expecting to personally connect with Mahito's personal tragedy and while I did to an extent, it wasn't as much as I thought it would.
It's a weird film and I'm still processing, but I want to thank you for opening my eyes a little more. Sorry if this is rambling and incoherent.
Thank you so much for leaving your thoughts here! Honestly, I feel as though I made this essay for people in your situation, who may be left a little in the dark on how to process Boy and the Heron, but are capable of doing so with a little guidance. And I truly hope that if you're able to see it again, that this essay may help the film resonate with you more.
I do a bit of 3D art myself, (mostly texturing these days), and I'd love to see what you work on! I do feel like for us creative folks with a childhood connection to Miyazaki, it really does hit different. If I've been able to help you feel that also, then I'm quite satisfied.
Thank you so much for leaving your thoughts here - they certainly don't seem incoherent to me! Much love,
Denn
Reviewing many of Miyazaki‘s films in these last couple of weeks, I couldn't help but remember Dostoevsky‘s famous words, 'Beauty will save the world.' Especially coming from a human being like Miyazaki, who is deeply conflicted, struggling with the state of the world, our role in it, and his own guilt - often described as 'grumpy' and 'cynical.' However, he channels all that to give rise to these dazzling pieces of art that have touched so many people in different phases of life.
Personally, I frequently have to hold back tears at the sheer beauty of his creations, even before considering all the meaning and symbolism layered on top of it. He has a unique sensitivity that allows him to speak directly to the human soul, which is also why the films can be appreciated across all age groups.
And this most recent film outright tells us to create beautiful worlds untainted with malice! While it acknowledges and warns us that we all carry the seed of malice within us (the scar Mahito inflicted on himself), it also shows us that we have the potential (the stone Mahito keeps in the end) to overcome the darkness within our nature to make the world a better place.
Woven in within this overarching statement are so many timeless human themes: Loss, grief, guilt, war, death, opportunism, consumerism, environmentalism (wouldn‘t be a Miyazaki film otherwise), love, transition, succession, legacy, responsibility, compassion. It is truly one of the most remarkable things I have seen.
Maybe beauty will save the world after all! Calling this sentiment naive is a failure to understand the full scope of what beauty can mean. Of course, we will fail to create a world without malice because we are all malicious. But the more people strive to do so, the closer we can get!
Honestly this is similar to the interpretation I arrived at as well, and I find this movie to be my favorite, despite leaving my first screening wondering what the heck I just saw. Miyazaki really laid it all out with this one, and like you said he left us with a direction as to what we should do. All that said this was a lovely video, well done!
I cried like a baby when I saw the movie at the theater 😢 truly it was magical and deep
I watched the movie last night, and like everyone else, I felt like I was missing something. I put off watching any video essays until now; I wanted to try to puzzle out what it meant on my own, without someone spoon feeding a meaning to me. I caught some- but not all, of the nods to previous titles, but I couldn’t make sense of the birds, and the father, and so many other details. But as soon as the great uncle asked Mahito to uphold his world it clicked for me; that this is a movie about nobody being able to fill Miyazaki’s shoes. I am one of those creatives that not only grew up with, but was heavily inspired by Miyazaki’s work. As a teen I struggled a lot with creating something that felt definitively my own and not derivative of the ghibli movies I liked (or anything else, for that matter). Over the years I’ve cultivated a semi-successful online presence as an artist and world builder, in no small part thanks to the awe inspired in me by Miyazaki’s immersive worlds. I left the theater with a sense of melancholy, but also an overwhelming urge to go home and create something beautiful. It’s not the first time a ghibli movie has made me feel that way. Though this movie had a heavy air of finality to it, I hope it won’t be the last. Thanks for this analysis, I’m glad to know I wasn’t alone in feeling this way, and was delighted to see how much deeper the metaphor goes.
This was a wonderful analysis of Boy and the Heron, thank you for so much for producing it. I just saw it this evening with my family and we had mixed reactions to the movie. Another Japanese creator, the author Haruki Murakami's novels start off in the mundane waking world before diving into a fantastical dream world filled with metaphor and symbolism. But like a dream, the symbolism is not always easy to interpret and requires work on the part of the viewer. For those wanting to consume something easy to digest, the Boy and the Heron may leave them feeling hungry like the birds in the film. But for those that put themselves in the shoes of Mahito, taking an active role in navigating this dreamscape, hopefully they can find "create" a beautiful world untouched by malice.
I’ve just come from the theatre, cried several times there and now I’m sobbing after watching this amazing video essay! Oh my….what a precious world of ours.
Just watched this masterpiece of a movie today. Growing up with Moyazaki and Studio Ghibli, this movie really brought back so much and more. Thank you for being the few, if not ONLY deep dive video essay into this beautiful movie and Miyazaki currently. It's not that I didn't understand or interpret the movie myself, but rather that bittersweet feeling of finishing the movie and wanting more.
The editing and recreation of scenes as well as your overall understanding of Miyazaki and Filmography/animation is presented exceptionally well here.
thank you so much for your work. I actually cried too at the end because i understood the end the same way as you did; when i create smt with my art i think at this film. How can my art make this world better, inspire beauty and hope ? Its what miyasaki succeeded to do and I'm so grateful to have grown up with his film. thank you for putting into words this feeling.
You explaining a masterpiece is a masterpiece itself🤯✨
It’s been 13 days since this video was uploaded/published and I’m glad I gave it a watch when it should up on my feed. I couldn’t help but notice the similarities/references between certain frames/shots of other Miyazaki films upon my first viewing too but I wanted to understand why that way. Thank you for breaking down and explaining The Boy and The Heron in such detail. Just subscribed to the channel too. 🤩Keep up the good work. 😁👍🏽
Phenomenal video, I too interpreted the film as a message to tell the viewer that despite all of life's struggles, it's still worth living. Through the bonds we make, experiences we share, and by standing up to the fire of doubt and uncertainty, we can grow stronger and thus change ourselves and the world for the better.
However though I recognized that over-consumption, escapism, and avoidance being bad were themes present in the film, your video made it much more clear through explaining those themes [namely overconsumption] from the perspectives of the birds we see in the film. You also eloquently explained how this is was an autobiographical pic on miyazaki and his co-creators at ghibli, which I was none the wiser about until watching your vid. I thought the autobiographical part came from Mahito's dad's fixation on planes, hahah. Anyways, great essay and I agree that it's more important that the viewer understands the film's message and applies it, than to just simply take it as Miyazaki's autobiography. Great stuff!
I audibly screamed when you began to reference "Death of the Author" as I had just finished a course in which that was a foundational text. I must say that my initial interpretation of this movie was that there is no way to create a world without malice but you must try and go on anyway. The pelican scene spoke so deeply to me and so I tried piecing that directly together with the line you focus on. I love how we can agree that the line about creating a world about malice is clearly the thesis of the movie (or anti-thesis in my case). I also was so surprised when the sister ended up being his birth mother (I think I may have mixed up names) but this strongly contributed to my interpretation. I really appreciate the break-down and your perspective. Thank you
This is the best video on CZcams about this movie
I have to add to the comments here - this essay is excellent.
The movie is powerful. I have seen it twice so far and continue to chew on it.
Your essay is fantastic. It brings perspective I hadn’t considered and information I didn’t have.
Your essay has left me moved, and inspired, and thankful. I hope as well to use the tools I have been given to create worlds without malice. I feel empowered to tell stories, those fictional and that if my life, that are worth telling. I am confident that others who have watched your video will feel the same.
Thank you for using what you have been given to share this with us.
I really liked this video, and was especially drawn in by your feelings in the intro about people not understanding it. When I walked out of the film with my family, my mother said she felt the film was disjointed, and only had an emotional through-line. Though I felt it so powerfully, it took a while and another viewing to explain it with words.
I was also struck by your second, more experiential interpretation of the work rather than just the author’s thoughts, as it was very similar to mine upon my second viewing (though much more fleshed out and more personal). I interpreted it as a meditation on hope and the future, and what it means to build a future, and to dream of a better world. This feels similar to your interpretation to me, besides that artistic creativity was more centered (which makes a ton of sense, especially considering this “meditation on hope and the future” was told by the artist).
This is such a good analysis. You pieced together all the bits and pieces that have been floating around in my head since I watched the film, and the 13 blocks really brought it all together. Thank you for sharing this!
I just watched the Boy and the Heron today and I'm so glad I stumbled upon this video essay. As another commentor said it's a work of art in of itself, and it honestly moved me to tears at it's conclusion, the only video essay I've ever seen that has done so. I think I was one of those leaving the theatre with that first simple interpretation in mind, feeling more disconnected than I have ever been to a Ghibli movie, I knew I was dissatisfied in some way but I couldn't put it into words until I saw your essay. However, the way this video widened my perspective not only on the movie but on creativity and my role as a creator and audience member. It truly touched me and connected me again to that motivation to create beautiful worlds I feel like I've been lacking in lately. Thank you so much 💙
What a heartfelt comment - thank you kindly! I am so glad the essay can help folks who feel disconnected with the film to enrich their experience, and I'm always touched that my work can be meaningful to those who view it! I have certainly taken the message to heart in the art I've been making, and I look forward to seeing what you make! Thank you again for watching and leaving your kind thoughts!
28:30 I think going off of this beautiful metaphor you’ve illustrated, Fire can also represent the act of creation that turns raw creativity into something to be shared and consumed. I think that’s why Himi embraces, uses, and is destroyed by fire, and why Mahito has been so harmed and afraid of fire, because he’s watched his coworkers overwork themselves to injury and death. I think it represents how artists fear the act of creating because they fear *burnout.*
Absolutely wonderful essay by the way, I had no idea what was going on in the film until this essay but now I appreciate it even more. You deserve much *much* more subs
Edit:
And Himi is Mahito conversing with his younger mother through the act of creation that is her book to Mahito, as she literally takes him from the cutting board to a better place through her fire, just like how fond memories take people from difficult situations to a place of improved wellbeing. Also I think this intertwines with the granny dolls at his bedside metaphor and how the memory of their unconditional attentiveness and fondness for Mahito “protects him” somehow?
Also earlier I felt like the rearranging of the blocks was interpreting his movies and the meaning you derive from Ghibli when you rearrange the connections between movies, as an example for rearranging experiences to create a better or worse world through your outlook? There’s something there about interpretation and deriving meaning in your block metaphor
Seriously the algorithm needs to get its stuff together this is beautifully written, presented, and read c’mon CZcams
Love these interpretations! I think the fire-angle can definitely be examined more, as you have, since it's so intertwined with creativity. And I certainly don't mean for my video to be the last word on any of it.
As to the rearrangement, I do believe that it's mostly about the continuation of the legacy, although I could see the idea that reinterpretation IS a form of continuation. It may benefit from more thought!
And thank you - I'm just glad you're here! I'll be making another video in the next couple weeks, we'll see if the algorithm sees fit to carry that one to fine folks like yourself!
What a lovely interpretation, I'm glad you included both Suzuki's thoughts and your own. My partner and I watched this film the other day as it's only just been released here. It was dubbed, so we felt we may have missed some meaning through translation. Although, it was still absolutely breathtaking. I felt myself welling up at times just from the visual artistry and care put into every detail on-screen. Notable for me was how infrequently locations were reused in the tower and, combined with the references to other works, felt like a journey and progression through and between those stories. Your explanation ties that up nicely.
Personally, I would interpret the call the create as not only an artistic one. Natsuko, Himi and arguably also Mahito and Kiriko go on to create worlds of their families. Go on to create lives, stories and beauty. Just do your best to not instil malice. I like the detail of having to restack the tower - like you have to find a new way to view and experience your worlds every day for them to be balanced. What a cool message, thanks to this creator and to Miyazaki. Now I feel like crying all over again.
Thanks so much for your comment! I definitely like this angle you suggest that the act of love and of raising a family is another form of creation - I think just because I'm not a parent myself, I don't have as much standing to represent that take on the film, but it's a marvelous way to incorporate his view on 'creation without malice' as being relevant to all of us! I am very hopeful that the points I've made in the essay serve as a starting point for others who may not have known how to approach to film to make their own interpretations, so thank you for building upon mine!
@densetsumedia Thank you, how kind! I'm not a parent either but I am estranged from my relatives, so family as a deliberate and therefore creative choice is very appealing to me as a framework for healthy relationships, and I look for evidence of it where I can. A wonderful attribute of Miyazaki's works is that their meanings are simple to sense but difficult to place and prove consistent. You've established some really sound foundational arguments for further interpretation of this film. Thanks for breaking down your understanding that it may inspire myself and others to build on it!
Just saw the film today and came to CZcams to see, like you talked about, if others saw what I seemed to miss in the movie. Thank you for this video, i found your thoughts incredibly moving and truly without malice, well done 👍🏻
This is like that Twin Perfect explanation video for the Ghibli fans
So glad I found your work after watching The Boy and the Heron. Thank you for this beautiful piece of work.
That was thoroughly illuminating and a fantastic analysis! I'm glad that I'm not alone in thinking that the movie felt a little self-indulgent and wondering if that was the whole "point". I settled on a slightly different conclusion though - as Mahito aka "real person" chooses to reject inheriting this fantasy world and perpetuate the act of creation, and instead returns back to the real world which is full of warts and bird poop and difficult relationships, and that abrupt end where life is shown to go on for Mahito - for lack of a better term, its like Miyazaki coming to terms with himself, and asking us to go "touch grass" - not stay cooped up in these fantastical worlds - but instead, focus on creating these beautiful, untainted worlds in our real life instead. Of course, like how he brings Kiriko along the journey, we can bring a block back as a memento :D
How did a video essay nearly make me cry? Thank you for your contribution.
Your analysis is wonderful and I love your video essay style. I'm sure this is a movie that will grow richer on rewatch-- it was so beautiful and overwhelming when I saw it last night.
By far the most beautiful video essay I’ve seen about this movie. Practicing what you preach, you show us show sincerity can move. Even in something like a simple video essay on CZcams. Much love :)
Your words has touched my soul and filled me with inspiration. This was beautiful, your interpretation and expression of it makes me wanna create art for as long as time allows. I think Miyazaki would be delighted if he watched this
Well done! This made me think of the quote “Beauty will save the world.” I believe in the “uncles calling.”
If I could like this video million times, believe me I will
Thank you for this video. It's the best analysis of The Boy and the Heron movie so far. Please keep continue this hard work of your! It was extremely educational!
i’ve been trying to watch video essays about boy and the heron since watching it to kind of figure out how to deal with what i had seen and what i was feeling and none of them left with this sense of something coming to a close as yours did. i also didn’t cry at the 13 blocks while watching the movie but i sure did while watching this video. wonderful essay and wonderful interpretation that might not resonate with everyone but definitely with people who create. thank you for taking the time to make this video!
How very kind! Thank you for taking the time to relate your experience! I'm glad the video essay could help you connect to the film in that way. I'm presently making a follow up about Makoto Shinkai's film Suzume from earlier in the year, so if you enjoyed this kind of essay, I hope you will look forward to that as well!
Thank you for your time and effort in creating this video. I appreciate your interpretation of the symbols and metaphors within the movie. I love Miyazaki’s films: the depth and complexity of his characters. They stay away from an oversimplified view of human nature as being either reductively good or bad. His characters all seem to be on a hero’s journey, wrestling with their own humanity. I walked away from the Boy and the Heron feeling like I had missed some of the more complex themes within the film. So, I truly enjoyed your in-depth perspectives.
I cannot stop thinking about this film, and your essay has given me many more things to think about in relation to it, presented interesting context I didn't have, and shared compelling potential interpretations for me to consider. Thank you!
Man, this video essay is absolutely beautiful. i keep coming back to watch this.
Thank you so much for putting this together!
thank you so much for this video 😭it's almost making me tear up. I just watched the movie on theaters (it launched late in brazil) and watching this made me appreciate it so much more
this is probably the most beautiful and profound video essay i have ever seen thank you
Fantastic analysis!
Going into「君たちはどう生きるか」("The Boy and the Heron") with the idea that this would be Miyazaki's last film, I expected a very complicated but beautiful personal narrative; and while the film certainly delivered on this front, I still left stunned with how introspective it was. This film truly respects your attention. My initial readings into our main players were the granduncle represents the current Miyazaki and through Mahito he was able to speak to himself, his son and as well to us.
The other characters serving as both symbols and emotional outlets for Miyazaki's current worldviews. However with the movie being somewhat autobiographical thanks for pointing out to me the reading of the heron and the granduncle as representing Suzuki and Takahata. Although I don't think it is all too interesting to read the film solely this way, it is clever just how well this movie doubles as an ode to the organism that is Studio Ghibli. With "The Boy and the Heron" Miyazaki in one stroke gives thanks to his life/work and those around him but also show us the crucial lessons he has picked up along.
For the music side of things also see: czcams.com/video/DLhIHJhdfSM/video.htmlsi=9igDcwo6yjX7qXFI
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Symbolism/metaphor is a tour de force in making this masterpiece. Throughout Miyazaki's filmography he tackles a breath of social issues plaguing society and seems to be decisive in what he thinks about them. His films are very personal in that way. The beauty in this film is just how well it speaks to humanity at large. So much so I believe this is ironically the most objective Miyazaki has ever been. Despite how fantastical everything was, the ideas being expressed were quite grounded in our reality. For instance in viewing I couldn’t shake the feeling that I was one of the parakeets -- judging/consuming (his) creations through my own ego. Miyakazi reminds us that we all view the world with our own lens, calling into question our sense of morality -- how do we know what is right and what is wrong? "The boy and the heron" finds Miyazaki lamenting on the fact that the world is chaotic. What may seem like a simple solution may cause a big amount of grief elsewhere -- a point reflected with the pelicans starving in order to fully preserve the warawara. He realizes good and bad as an ecosystem itself a balance akin to the saying "no good deed goes unpunished".
There was a bit of a depressing air to the film as when I think about the people who died to build granduncle's tower I am reminded that not everyone's creativity is realized. This point is stated quite bluntly in the film and is cemented by having even the granduncle's creations destroyed after his death seemingly to be forgotten. I also really liked how the 'old grandma' Kiriko seemed so silly but she was actually a serious badass in her youth who played an important role in her society. At first it seems Miyazaki is being just being old and cynical but this is not the case. As Miyazaki looks back at his life he explores the purpose of his existence and questions the purpose of his creations. And I think the answer is to promote growth.
He is building the understanding that existence, as a function of time, is chaotic and forcing your methods/mediums for creativity onto a successor is not effective in promoting growth. Miyazaki never went on to be the head of a plane manufacturer like his father. In fact to continue the physical work of his father, Miyazaki would have had to find himself contributing to the production of war machines which is obviously counter to his desires for the world. Rather what his father's creations instilled in him was a desire to understand the world from a bird's eye view. To me this point is portrayed by the Heron who, representing Mahito's curiosity, guided him to different truths about the world around him sparking his creative impetus. Viewing the Heron this way also makes our initial eerie introduction symbolically more magnificent especially as that eerie nature to him begins to shed.
(Sidenote: I feel as if some of these facts only became clear to him after trying to force his own son to spearhead Ghibli, which we all know how that turned out.)
Furthermore, even if our physical creations/expressions will eventually fade with time, their power lies in the ability to inspire others to create/express something themselves. This is highlighted by Mahito being left with a blank stone. I think Miyazaki is saying that what matters is how our existence/creations help those around us to grow so that they too can do the same for others. In this Miyazaki recognizes the universe as a balance -- we grow then die to help others grow then die. Our lives promoting growth. Our deaths allowing the space for others to continue growing. In the end it is a cycle that promotes the continued growth of humanity at large.
To elucidate these ideas, Miyazaki plays with the concept of time by allowing the different stages of the lives of the characters to coexist. Other than the pairing of old/young Kiriko, I also think about Mahito's mother being displayed as a child (just like Mahito) and this being juxtaposed with Mahito finally realizing his stepmother as a mother. I feel like Miyazaki is calling into question the complex notions of family we build for ourselves. More abstractly, he seems to be saying the onus of us all is to recognize that biology and family are different concepts -- your family are those around you who care about you. You'll know who they are by understanding the ways in which they help you grow.
Ultimately Kiriko, Mahito's mother, Miyazaki and all of us and our achievements, failures and life will begin to fade and be forgotten. But in the wake of their deaths springs life/creation around us. Our reality is very much based on notions of give and take -- and once we have accepted that fact only then can we begin to love. And it is only once we begin to love can we begin to grow. I think this is how Miyazaki feels today as our granduncle.
A poetic and well thought-out exploration! Thanks so much for this!
I saw the movie just a few hours ago. I could tell there was a lot of depth and metaphor and meaning and it was difficult to try to piece it all together upon my first watch, but this video gave a really interesting and detailed perspective and interpretation. Thank you for all the effort that went into making this.
What a wonderfully crafted reflection on this film and studio ghibli’s legacy!! Thank you so much for sharing your hopeful and beautiful interpretation of the film 🥹
I just got out of seeing the movie a few hours ago, and I was looking on CZcams to find some explanation for the themes and imagery in the film. I came across this video essay, and I have to say, your writing, narration, and presentation is stunningly beautiful and thought-provoking, and it really surprised me to find out that it's not something you normally do. I think you definitely have the talent for writing wonderful video essays, and I subscribed to your channel in hopes of receiving more in the future!
Of course, if video essays aren't your passion, then you have every right to pursue the artistic creations that you enjoy most. However, I feel that this video is exemplary of your thesis to create beauty untainted by malice. No matter what you choose to do artistically, keep up the great work!
Many thanks for your kind words! I am in fact preparing a new video video essay, encouraged by the words of viewers like yourself, and anticipate uploading it in the next couple weeks!
Until then, I am also very active on Twitch.tv/densetsuvii making art, if you ever feel like dropping by!
Thank you once again for watching!
Didn’t think I’d watch the best video or the year this close to the end. Good work man!
You absolutely KILLED IT WITH THIS VIDEO MAN! IT'S SO SO GOOD I'M IN AWE!!
I just came from watching the movie, and I understood it in my own sense and it made me cry throughout it with the beauty and emotion and connections to my own life. I really appreciate you making the video essay, and I gained so many new insights and interpretations not only for the movie but looking through the world in a different lense in general. at first I didn't know where you were going with defining metaphors but suddenly I got a wave of reflection. this was really beautiful, thank you so much.
Wow thank you for this masterpiece of a video! I can tell how much heart and effort went into and I truly enjoyed it.
Most of all though, it spoke directly to my soul as an artist and builder of worlds too..
I'm currently making a short film and just last week I lend some toy building blocks for drawing practice.. you can't make that up :'D
I will take the block and build on the legacy! Thank you deeply for this!
This is a very beautiful analysis and it really helped me connect much more to the movie than before. I want tor rewatch the movie with this framework in mind now! Thank you for this amazing video, very in depth and inspiring.
Brilliant work, my dude. I very much enjoyed your perspective and i now have a new understanding of this film that i will appreciate all the more the next time I view it. Thank you.
This was beautiful and insightful. I was really confused while watching the movie but that didn't matter to me. It was beautiful and filled with things I wanted to make sense of but couldn't. I ultimately placed it as a modern alice in wonderland journey. But I am enlightened now to its deeper underlines. It also made me realize that there exist a film that has the opposite effect with the same goal in mind. It is Wish. A film meant to celebrate its long legacy but fails because it is insincere, greedy, and egocentric.
Your video made me cry again lot. Such an amazing analysis ❤
Really eye-opening video; just watched it and your interpretation helps me understand it a lot better. “Create beautiful worlds, untainted by malice,” what a message - and what an incredible video essay too!
I really loved this, the ending Spoke deeply to me. As someone who found Ghibli movies when I was going through a dark time and found such comfort in them and loved the beauty and peace in them. I loved the way you explained the call for beauty in our own life by the boy and heron. For me as a young adult women who is not very good at art, my heart has a passion for bringing beauty to my home and the lives around me, to make my home a place of peace and comfort for my husband and someday kids. I think in our modern world of all white and marble cold homes we truly miss the beauty and comfort a home can bring. So that was my take from this and yes it touched me deeply and I shed a few tears. I love ghibli films so much. And thank you for the video
What a lovely sentiment! Thank you for sharing this!
A few different comments have also brought this up, but it seems very clear that the call to create beauty is not necessarily a call to art. A different commenter suggested it could be a call to love and to raise a family with warmth, for example, and your interpretation seems very similar. I honestly love this view, because I think the film's meaning can be most resonant when we can all take something from it. There are so many ways to embody the spirit of Miyazaki's beauty and I for one am trying my best to take that mentality forward however I can. I'll be very glad if you feel you can do the same!
Thank you again for watching!
Thank you for creating such a beautiful video! I'm amazed at how much you were able to notice these small details and the amount of research and passion put into this analysis. The last minutes of the video were truly emotional :) It made me appreciate the wonderful movie and Ghibli even more. thank you!!!
This is the most beautiful film essay I ever heard. Thank you fren ❤
Gosh, what a beautiful interpretation. you made me cry
Beautiful!!!! Excellent work. I too was uncertain of how I felt when I finished the movie, and my interpretation is different, but I love how you set this up!
As someone who would have bene one of the four of your group, I greatly appreciate this essay. I only saw it on the 6th, but since then I've been watching and reading many similar explanations since I knew I must be missing something, but this one by far resonated with me the most. The only issue is I probably won't be able to rewatch the film until it becomes available for purchase, but I will do so keeping in might what you have said.
On a separate note, incredible video.
This really helped me put the film into perspective. I'm going to send this to my Mom (who went to the theater with me). When we got to the credits, our conversation went something like this:
Mom: Well, that was... interesting.
Me: Did you like it?
Mom: Yeah! Although, there are a couple of things you're gonna have to explain to me on the way home.
Me: Don't look at me. I'm just as confused as you are.
This video really helped me understand the meaning behind the film. Thank you.
Just finished! Amazing! Well done. Really special analysis for a special film. Have only watched half (couldn’t understand it), so when it’s out on digital will rewatch with this perspective. Thanks for your gift to us, the pelicans!