WHEN IT COMES TO movies directed by Hayao Miyazaki and produced by Studio Ghibli, there's no denying the impact that their films had towards their audience.
One can look back at how Grave of the Fireflies brought a lot of tears to our eyes, or how Kiki's Delivery Service taught us the difficulties of living an independent life, or that time when Spirited Away blew our minds on the main character's growth.
But it's not just about the message that made Ghibli films iconic as its signature artstyle will forever be engraved in our memories.
And it seems the studio keeps on producing masterpieces, which makes us wonder if their latest film, The Boy and the Heron, can live up to their iconic predecessors.
As the credits rolled up and after digging deep into the narratives, I was stunned. It seems time hasn't affected Miyazaki's films as The Boy and the Heron was truly a masterpiece as the film offers an open room for interpretation. Without a doubt this film is a must watch, especially if you're a fan of Ghibli films.
Miyazaki went for a more subtle and mysterious approach that will force the viewer to further go down the rabbit hole, which added to the film's beauty. I even made my own interpretations, which I'll further discuss.
*WARNING: MAJOR SPOILERS AHEAD*
Digging deep into grief and sorrow
As I went deep into the film, I discovered that The Boy and the Heron was inspired by Miyazaki's personal life, as the main character (Mahito) was modeled after the Japanese animator and filmaker.
Like Miyazaki, the film's protagonist had to evacuate to the countryside during the height of World War II. Even the death of Mahito's mother reflects similarly to Miyazaki's experience, given how they have served as major influences in their lives.
Upon learning this, I've discovered that Miyazaki manages to weave his personal life and form one of the most important narratives in the film, dealing with one's grief and sorrow.
From the beginning, one can thoroughly assess Mahito's personal struggles as he became very distant towards everyone. It even led to an important part of the film's story, his decision to slam a rock on the side of his head.
After all what he has been through, how did Mahito learn to come to terms with his past? A series of events and a Heron would lead him to a mystical world which ultimately changed his life.
A coming-of-age tale
Upon entering into a different dimension, Mahito discovered that the world he is traversing in, is full of suffering.
A flock of pelicans can be seen gobbling the innocent Warawara, who were destined to be reborn. Given the actions of the pelicans, it may seem straightforward to consider them as evil.
However when Mahito learned more about the pelicans' nature, he realized that there is more than meets the eye as the birds have been a victim of the world's cruelty.
And the same can be said with how he interacts with the Heron. Initially, it seems as if the Heron is an antagonist in the film, but he eventually allies himself with the main character.
Even the man-eating parakeets can also be described as slaves of the overall system as they seem blinded by their instincts and beliefs. They seem to reflect on our society as a whole.
These moments were a catalyst to Mahito's awakening, which translates all the way to the end.
Does a perfect world exist?
The film's climax would give an important food for thought to the viewer, what will happen to Mahito upon meeting his granduncle who was responsible for creating the universe?
The granduncle actually gave Mahito an opportunity to reshape the world, with no malice involved. All he has to do is arrange a set of magical blocks.
It was a tempting proposition for Mahito as this could mean that he could live in a world where he can allow the birds to become more peaceful, and this could also suggest that he might use his authority to live with his dead mother.
But Mahito refused the offer saying that he is already imbued with malice the moment he intentionally injured himself. If Mahito's granduncle created a world full of suffering, can Mahito remove all of that? Given that Mahito selfishly hit himself with a rock, he might end up repeating the cycle that his ancestor created.
And the fact that the King of the Parakeets was infuriated over the system, which forced him to destroy the magical blocks, means that the logic is flawed. In the end the mystical world collapsed and all the beings living inside were eventually freed.
Mahito who initially was self-centered suddenly evolved into someone who broke the cycle. At the beginning, it seemed he was driven to save someone from the real world who was trapped inside, but it turned out he saved more lives.
And to reach an emotional moment, Mahito encountered his deceased mother who gave her son an important message that drastically changed his overall outlook in life.
Keeping one of the magical blocks alive, this ultimately symbolized Mahito's opportunity to reshape his perspectives in life, further supported by the Heron's final message.
CONCLUSION
Upon analyzing Mahito's development, Miyazaki has produced a really profound tale that ultimately pieces together a plethora of themes both from both a micro to macro level as seen with how he tackled one's personal grievances and society as a whole.
Among all the films that I've watched from Miyazaki, this remains to be the most thought provoking and it seems he has evolved his craft over the years.
And we're hoping to see more of his magical touch in his succeeding films especially with the recent announcement that he is far from retiring.
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