I had already thought of some thought-provoking anime as an entry for the monthly quest. I originally wanted to either rewatch Mushishi or watch another Satoshi Kon movie. However, earlier this week, I saw "The Boy and the Heron" released on Netflix, so I changed my mind. I intended to watch it soon, but I got busy and things got out of hand. Now, I could finally breathe (literally and figuratively), so I took the chance to watch it.
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From the Japanese title itself --- 君たちはどう生きるか Kimitachi wa Dou Ikiru ka?), it already shouts the philosophy of life. The title literally translates to How do you live? in English... and from that alone, we could look into ourselves and think, "How do I live?"
Let's talk about the anime...
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The story is about a little boy named Mahito who lost his mom in a fire that occurred in the hospital she's staying in. A couple of years later, his father married his mother's younger sister Natsuko. He and his father then moved out of Tokyo to live in his mother's family home in the rural part of Japan.
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His young mind found everything so overwhelming, though he tried to appear that he was doing fine. He's still grieving his mom, and the unfamiliar place and people are too much for him... what's more, he discovered that Natsuko was pregnant.
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The young boy's struggles didn't end there. A bizarre gray heron who can talk kept on taunting him. It told him that his mother was alive and that he should come with the heron to the mysterious tower near the house, but Mahito didn't get swayed easily.
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One day, Natsuko went missing. Mahito saw her walking towards the tower before the incident, so he courageously went in to rescue her. As he entered the tower, he was brought into a different world where life and death seemed to meet. He explored the new world he stumbled into to find Natsuko with the heron as his guide.
He's only able to safely go back home if he finds out what it means to live. Below is the trailer of the said animated film.
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As expected of Hayao Miyazaki... this film is another masterpiece!
The art style, animation, and music are without a doubt phenomenal... it's quite expected from a Ghibli film, so let me focus on my thoughts about the story...
Everyone's feelings are valid regardless of your age. Mahito was a young boy, but he was clearly experiencing grief after losing his mom. It's obvious how he's struggling with his way to the final stage of the process which is acceptance. He's caught between the phases of denial, anger, and sometimes bargaining. He is sad, but he's hiding it... and the anime is so great at bringing life to these stages in a mystical way.
It's normal to worry about the future. Nobody knows what will happen in the future, so it's a given that we're anxious or even scared about it. This feeling of anxiety was reflected in Natsuko, especially with regards to her pregnancy and having a family.
People tend to have a goal and I think it's a great thing because it helps us focus and give us direction on which path to take. Without it, we tend to get lost... Sometimes, we tend to do things without thinking. However, when we're already in such a position, I think it's best to just man up and face whatever consequences there are.
I believe that life is about taking risks and leaving no regrets. Sometimes, we have to face unfamiliarities to move on to the next chapter. The decision is ours to take. However, we have to remember that our pace varies. Some people tend to decide fast, while others take time to think. Let's respect each other and live life the way we want it. It's great to offer help or advice, just don't push your principles on others.
OK... I'm deviating from the anime, but these are my realizations while watching it. It's an amazing movie that would allow you to ponder on life, death and the like. I highly recommend it!
Thanks for reading and see you around! (^^,)/