Fantastic Fest ’15 Review: THE BOY AND THE BEAST

There are great places to start for anyone unfamiliar with Japanese animation.  You need a basis for visuals like Akira and Ghost in the Shell, for action like Ninja Scroll or Redline, but I wouldn’t know where to send someone for heart and humor.   I’m sure most people would say Hayao Miyazaki films are the way to go, right?  See, I’m not a big anime fan.  I’ve got favorite films like those above, and there are series I adore like Cowboy Bebop, but I’m not anxious or often hunting new items. Mamoru Hosoda is a director I’m not familiar with, but after seeing the trailer for The Boy and the Beast a while back and hearing nothing but raves, I was ecstatic when it was added to the Fantastic Fest roster.  It didn’t disappoint.

A nine year old boy has run away from turmoil at home and stumbles onto an alleyway to another world.  This world is of beasts, animal people  with supernatural abilities where the strongest compete for leadership and the ultimate goal of ascension onto a higher plane of existence.  Kumatetsu, a tall bear, decides to take on the boy as his apprentice and naming him Kyuta.  Their relationship is a volatile one where the line between teacher and student becomes blurred, and their bond makes them stronger together as they unwillingly depend on each other.  After 8 years together, Kyuta is torn between retuning to his human world and remaining loyal.  A major battle for leadership approaches, and a sinister secret threatens the fate of both worlds.

Everything just works about the movie, frankly.  The story is a different spin on a familiar archetype, but the character interactions make it truly special.  Kyuta and Kumatetsu are an incredible duo and their complex relationship is the heart of the movie.  There is a LOT of heart, and a healthy dose of humor here too.  I’m hearing that’s a Hosoda tradition.  The visual style and character design is lovely and distinguished.  The action isn’t constant but is breathtaking in the two main fights of the film, with choreography and angles among the best I’ve seen animated.

The only real issue I had with the film is a finale that feels so out of place.  It reminded me of Josh Trank’s Chronicle in a lot of ways, which itself reminded me of Akira.  It’s too big for such an intimate film, and doesn’t rely on the skills learned during all the time Kyuta spent training.  Given the feel and tone of the movie there’s a real disconnect that put a dark spot on an otherwise terrific experience.  There’s rumblings of a star studded English dub getting brought to theaters in the US, and often that seems like a lousy idea which Miramax and Disney did a few times.  In this case I think it’d be great though.  The movie is distinctly Japanese but as a whole would lend itself to a well directed dub and get it out in front of audiences that wouldn’t otherwise discover this gem.  See it as soon as you can if anime interests you in the least.