The Boy and the Heron

In a fantasy world full of life and magic live the characters of Ghibli Studio. Extraordinary tales of heroism, love and real life capture the reader and speak straight to the soul.

On December 8, 2023, Ghibli Studio released a new movie called The Boy and the Heron. The debut of this film is bittersweet, as it's the last film that will be made by the studio's director Hayao Miyazaki. "The mission of my films is to comfort you — to fill in the gap that might be in your heart or your everyday life," said Miyazaki in an interview with the LA Times. Miyazaki chose to end his career on a good note and leave his fans and admirers with life-long advice and memories.

Since the Ghibli Fest in March, Studio Ghibli movies have gotten more attention than ever before. As a result, this movie was long anticipated by millions of fans. "I was super excited to see that there's a new Studio Ghibli movie coming out," said junior Eleanor Pies. "I've known about these movies for a while, but I never took the time to start watching them until last year. Everyone would always tell me how good they are, and now that I've finally seen them, I definitely agree."

After watching her first Ghibli movie, Pies grew to adore the fantastic stories and unique plots of Ghibli movies, which revolve around multiple complex plots that are tied together in the main theme of the movie; this gives these movies a whimsical feel. "I was in awe. The animation, the music and the storyline combined made you feel like you were in the movie," said sophomore Claire Crays.

Crays is one of the many fans who have seen the movie, and she said it's something to look forward to. "The movie was awesome," said Crays. "It shows how you have to overcome traumatic changes in your life to keep living; however, I feel that they should have followed through with the original title, How Do You Live, instead of being persuaded into changing it to The Boy and the Heron." The Boy and the Heron is about a young boy who moves to the countryside after the death of his mother. From there, the fantasy begins.

For many, Ghibli was a completely new experience that they'd never heard of. "I'd tell [people who aren't familiar with Ghibli] that they should definitely watch one of the movies soon," said Pies. "They're family-friendly, funny and have some amazing animations all at the same time. They've truly got it all."

Ghibli movies are an inspirational look into Japanese culture. The making of these movies takes days and days of effort and thought. "Studio Ghibli movies make me feel like I've been transported to another fantasy world," said Pies. "The backgrounds are just so beautiful and the animation is so smooth. The feelings are truly out of this world. You can go from laughing to the point where you can't breathe, to being on the verge of tears."

Story by Tajweed Altower