The Boy and the Heron Trivia | 50 facts about the animated film

“The Boy and the Heron” is the latest film by Hayao Miyazaki, the legendary Japanese director.

So let’s dive into some trivia and facts about the film.

1. The Boy and the Heron is a 2023 Japanese animated fantasy film
2. It is written and directed by Hayao Miyazaki
3. Produced by Studio Ghibli
4. The Japanese title references the 1937 novel of the same name by Genzaburō Yoshino, which appears in the film
5. But the film has an original story that is not connected to the novel
6. The Japanese voice cast includes Soma Santoki, Masaki Suda, Ko Shibasaki, Aimyon, Yoshino Kimura, Takuya Kimura, Kaoru Kobayashi, and Shinobu Otak
7. Described as a “big fantastical film”
8. It follows a boy named Mahito Maki (Santoki) during the Pacific War who discovers an abandoned tower in his new town after his mother’s death and enters a fantastical world with a talking grey heron
9. Miyazaki announced his retirement in September 2013 but later reversed this decision after working on the short film Boro the Caterpillar, which was released in 2018
10. He began storyboarding for a new feature-length project in July 2016, and official production began in May 2017
11. The film’s title was announced in October 2017
12. Targeting a release around the 2020 Summer Olympics
13. By May 2020, 36 minutes of the film had been hand-drawn by 60 animators, with no set deadline
14. Production spanned approximately seven years
15. Facing delays as it navigated challenges related to the COVID-19 pandemic and Miyazaki’s slowed animation pace, before nearing completion in October 2022
16. Financing for the project involved streaming deals for previous Ghibli films
17. According to producer Toshio Suzuki, The Boy and the Heron is the most expensive film ever produced in Japan
18. The screenplay draws heavily from Miyazaki’s childhood and explores themes of coming of age and coping with a world marked by conflict and loss
19. Joe Hisaishi composed the film’s score
20. While Kenshi Yonezu wrote and sang the film’s theme song “Spinning Globe”
21. The Boy and the Heron was theatrically released in Japan on July 14, 2023, by Toho
22. It was screened in both traditional theaters and other premium formats such as IMAX
23. The release of the film was noted for its intentional absence of any promotion
24. With Ghibli choosing not to release any trailers, images, synopsis or casting details of the film in advance of its Japanese premiere with the exception of a single poster
25. The film received critical acclaim
26. It has grossed over $84 million worldwide
27. On review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds a 95% rating
28. Based on 135 critics
29. With an average rating of 8.5/10
30. The site’s critics consensus reads: “Soulfully exploring thought-provoking themes through a beautifully animated lens, The Boy and the Heron is another Miyazaki masterpiece”.”[104] “
31. On Metacritic, the film has a weighted average score of 92 out of 100
32. Based on 45 critic reviews
33. Indicating “universal acclaim”
34. Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the English-dubbed version of the film an average grade of “A−” on an A+ to F scale
35. After the film’s release, the novel How Do You Live? became temporarily in short supply due to the “synergistic effect” of the film
36. It was then decided to reprint the book
37. While the volumes were sold one after the other in Mercari marketplace app
38. On July 20, Iwanami Shoten announced on its official Twitter account that the total circulation of the book had reached 1.8 million copies
39. Making it the number one Iwanami Bunko book in history
40. The Boy and the Heron has autobiographical features
41. The protagonist, Mahito Maki, is modeled after Miyazaki’s childhood
42. Miyazaki’s father, similar to Mahito’s, was employed by a company involved in the manufacturing of fighter plane components
43. Additionally, Miyazaki’s family had to evacuate from the city to the countryside during the war
44. The hospital fire at the beginning of the film evokes personal parallels with Miyazaki’s own loss of his mother
45. She was known for her strong opinions and is believed to have been a source of inspiration for several of the director’s female characters,
46. Mahito’s emotional connection with his mother parallels Miyazaki’s love for his mother
47. The BBC defined the film as “a coming-of-age tale in which a child must overcome his selfishness and learn to live for others”
48. Taichiro Yoshino, the grandson of Genzaburō Yoshino, confessed to being somewhat bewildered by the film’s message
49. He also mentioned a meeting he had attended at Studio Ghibli’s offices in 2017, during which Miyazaki articulated his intention to create the film and acknowledged his past works, primarily featuring cheerful and optimistic male protagonists, and contrasted them with his perception of boys as complex individuals
50. Miyazaki aimed to depict a protagonist who grapples with inner conflicts and insecurities, emphasizing the transformative power of overcoming personal challenges