Common Sense Media Review
By Tara McNamara
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Breathtaking personal story has self-harm, smoking.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 10+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
The Boy and the Heron
Parent and Kid Reviews
Based on 16 parent reviews
Based on 10 kid reviews
Kids say the film, while visually stunning and thematically rich, contains significant violence and mature themes that may not be suitable for younger audiences, as it addresses grief, self-harm, and includes graphic moments. Many reviewers noted that it is more appropriate for older teens and adults, with some describing it as confusing and abstract, particularly in its storytelling and emotional depth.
- graphic violence
- mature themes
- suitable for older kids
- confusing storyline
- abstract elements
- emotional depth
Summarized with AI
Summarized with AI
What's the Story?
In Hayao Miyazaki's THE BOY AND THE HERON, it's been three years since 11-year-old Mahito's (voiced by Soma Santoki in the Japanese original and Luca Padovan in the English dub) mother died in a fire. He's moving to the countryside to join his father, Shoichi (Takuya Kimura/Christian Bale), and Shoichi's new wife, Natsuko (Yoshino Kimura/Gemma Chan), who are expecting a baby. They're living on the estate of Mahito's great granduncle, who went mad from "reading too many books" -- and Mahito is told that the mysterious tower where his ancestor lived is off limits. Unhappy about all of the upheaval and still mourning his mother, Mahito injures himself so that he can stay in his room. While recovering, a heron comes to the bedroom window and entreats Mahito to follow him into another world.
Is It Any Good?
Miyazaki hasn't lost his touch, creating another hand-drawn world that's infused with supernatural wonder. His illustrations in The Boy and the Heron are breathtaking, displaying nature with extraordinary gorgeousness -- like sun breaking through clouds or seeing what's under the surface of the water from a boat. The filmmaker's many decades of life have only allowed his imagination to flourish, leading to the movie's fantasy-infused version of his own childhood tragedy. The film is like the revered animator's version of Alice in Wonderland mixed with The Wizard of Oz: A tween facing a difficult moment unintentionally travels to a mysterious, magical, and dangerous world, following his curiosity and finding his courage. That said, this film is a complete original.
The movie's quieter, slower parts may lose some viewers. But Mahito's journey is an excellent one for kids to take part in, as the film shows that forces outside of our control can and will put our world into a tailspin, sometimes in painful and tragic ways. But that doesn't mean that life can't still be good.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about Miyazaki uses imagination and creativity in The Boy and the Heron to tell the story of a pivotal moment in his life. If you made a movie about your own life, what moment would you build the story around? How would you make it cinematic for viewers?
How does Mahito find his courage? How does he demonstrate perseverance? Why are these important character strengths?
What is the film's message? Why do you think it's aimed at younger viewers?
What was going on in Japan in the early 1940s? How do those events affect Mahito's life? What elements of Japanese life and culture from that era stood out to you?
Why did Mahito hurt himself? Does it solve his problem? Can you think of a more constructive way that he could have addressed his depression and frustration?
Movie Details
- In theaters : December 1, 2023
- On DVD or streaming : June 25, 2024
- Cast : Soma Santoki , Luca Padovan , Takuya Kimura , Christian Bale , Robert Pattinson , Florence Pugh , Gemma Chan
- Director : Hayao Miyazaki
- Inclusion Information : Asian Movie Director(s) , Female Movie Actor(s) , Asian Movie Actor(s) , Asian Movie Writer(s)
- Studio : GKIDS
- Genre : Anime
- Topics : Fantasy ( Magic ) , Adventures , Animals ( Wild Animals )
- Character Strengths : Courage , Curiosity , Perseverance
- Run time : 124 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- MPAA explanation : some violent content/bloody images and smoking
- Awards : BAFTA - BAFTA Winner , Common Sense Selection , Golden Globe - Golden Globe Award Winner
- Last updated : October 9, 2025
Did we miss something on diversity?
Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by
Suggest an Update
Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.
See how we rate