The Boy and the Beast

For anyone with Wolf Children (winner of Films from the South festival’s main award in 2012) still fresh in their mind, Mamoru Hosoda`s awaited sequel is welcome news. The film introduces us to nine-year old Ren, who runs away from home, when his mother passes away. His father is never present in his life and the prospect of moving in with foster parents scares him out on the street. Overcome by tears and anger, caused by the longing for his mother and rage for what he sees coming, he roams the streets aimlessly. Miraculously, he is noticed by the samurai Kumatetsu, a loud-mouthed warrior from a mysterious parallel society, in which all the characters have animal form.

Kumatetsu is looking for an apprentice amongst men, since his main contender for power, Iozen, also proves to have a human son as his apprentice, even though humans are not allowed to enter the animal world, as they are perceived as having a devastatingly dark inside. However Ren joins Kumatetsu and his friends in the other world, Jutengai. Here, the orphan child starts a new life, as the samurai warrior's apprentice, and as it soon turns out Ren has some useful things to teach to the warrior too.

Like Wolf Children, The Boy and the Beast explores a young boy's conflict which arises from what is human and what is animalistic. Teaming up with Kumatetsu, is not an easy situation for Ren, as the former has little experience in raising a child and he constantly challenges Ren. However their relationship deepens and Ren eventually finds the strength to make his own independent choices, and fight for the values he believes in.

As always, with the animated picture artist Hosoda, the animation is beautifully executed. The story has great drive, combining humor with action, and the relationship between Ren and Kumatetsu is wonderfully portrayed, not to mention Moby Dick who also makes an appearance in some magical and breathtakingly beautiful scenes.

Mamoru Hosoda (fb 1967) is a Japanese animator and director. He is known for films such as The Girl Who Leapt Through Time (2006), Summer Wars (2009) and Wolf Children.

Note: Japanese dialogue, Norwegian subtitles.