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Mamoru Hosoda’s Newest Project & Other Japanese Anime You Shouldn’t Miss
From the genius behind “Wolf Children,” “The Boy And The Beast” and “ The Girl Who Leapt Through Time”
Mamoru Hosoda has built his brand on a foundation of anime movies that have left audiences in tears. If you haven’t seen them yet, you should really get your hands on the copies. Wolf Children, The Boy And The Beast and The Girl Who Leapt Through Time are some of his most memorable masterpieces. It seems, at this point, that anything he touches turns to gold. And this is exactly why we’re excited about the upcoming Mirai.
Mirai (Future)
In Japanese, the word mirai means future, but it is also the name of the movie’s protagonist, who is a 4-year-old boy. Mirai’s parents are expecting a new baby girl, and he becomes anxious about his family’s changing dynamic. While struggling with this, Mirai finds a portal and travels back through time. There, he encounters his mother and great-grandfather in their younger days.
Hosoda’s films have generally focused on familial ties, but his specialty is really on parental roles. This time, he said he will deal with the relationship between siblings. It might be a change, but we’re sure that Mirai will still showcase that same Hosada-branded tug at the heart. We’re calling it! Mirai is going to be one of 2018’s can’t-miss animations.
Kimi no Na wa (Your Name)
As the fourth highest-grossing film of all time in Japan, you know that Kimo no Na wa does not kid around. The story follows that of a school girl in rural Japan and a school boy in Tokyo, who swap bodies once in a while. They eventually learn to communicate by leaving behind notes, and a strong connection is made between Mitsuha and Taki. But just as their relationship grows, the mysterious switches begin to stop.
Hauru no Ugoku Shiro (Howl’s Moving Castle)
Based on a British novel of the same name, Hauro no Ugoku Shiro follows the life of a hatter named Sophie. She is turned into an old lady by a witch’s curse and eventually goes off to find a wizard named Howl. Sophie is then caught up in Howl’s resistance to fighting the king, in which she learns about Howl’s past.
Koe no Katachi (A Silent Voice)
We all have things we regret, and Koe no Katachi proves there are ways to get past them. In the film, Shoya Ishida is a delinquent who bullied Shoko Nishimiya, who was his deaf classmate in elementary school. Nishimiya eventually transfers schools because of the bullying and Ishida is ironically blamed and bullied for it. The two cross paths again in high school, reconnect, and try to find a way to communicate with each other.
Hotaru no haka (Grave Of The Fireflies)
The story of Hotaru no haka is littered with struggle, hunger and almost hopelessness. Siblings Setsuko and Seita lose their mother after a bombing of their village and they are left to virtually fend for themselves. What follows is Seita’s journey to keep him and his younger sister alive.
But before you curl up with these movies, may we suggest you grab a box of tissues? We're sure you'll need them.
