The Deer King
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The Deer King
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A Lot or a Little?
The parents' guide to what's in this movie.
What Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that The Deer King is a mystical fantasy anime film about an ancient people trying to survive a pandemic spread by infected wolves. It's the directorial debut of Masashi Ando, the animation director of Princess Mononoke, and is similar to that classic in both story and animation style. There are scenes of intense, bloody violence: Expect dog attacks, flying arrows that hit their targets, a limb being sliced off, and stacks of dead bodies. A child is frequently in peril, and there's quite a bit of sword use and snapping animal jaws. Language is infrequent but includes insults and a use of "damn." Adults drink an unspecified substance out of indistinct bottles. The story can sometimes be a bit challenging to follow, especially for those watching the English-subtitled version, which uses terminology that may not be immediately familiar to all viewers. What comes through loud and clear, though, are themes of courage and perseverance, as well as the movie's message that the loving bond between a parent and a child has nothing to do with sharing blood. Note: The film's true ending comes after the credits.
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What's the Story?
THE DEER KING takes place 10 years after the land of Zol conquered Aquafa, and the two countries have become one. Black Wolf Fever is raging through the countryside, mysteriously infecting and killing only the Zolians. When imprisoned war hero Van (voiced by Shinichi Tsutsumi in the original Japanese and Ray Chase in the English dub) and orphaned toddler Yuna (Hisui Kimura/Luciana VanDette) are the only survivors of an attack by infected dogs, they escape prison and create a life together in the countryside. But Van is being pursued by a trio who believe he's the key to saving the Zolian race from being wiped out by the disease. Meanwhile, a caring and respected doctor, Hossaru (Ryōma Takeuchi/Griffin Puatu), is determined to find the scientific cause and cure for this plague despite government officials who are convinced that it's a conspiratorial plot.
Is It Any Good?
Director Masashi Ando is a phenomenal animator, one of the greats, and he doesn't disappoint in that respect here -- but directing doesn't appear to come as naturally. Or maybe the word is "nature-ly," because Ando and co-director Masayuki Miyaji create gorgeous landscapes in their fictional ancient empire. There's a lot of world-building in The Deer King, so much so that it may detract from some viewers' ability to follow the story. For instance, there are too many characters whose relevance is unclear, and some are introduced at the very end of the film. And a situation that's set up -- the Zolians buy deer for a hefty price from the Aquafease -- is not explained. Given the direction of the story, that really needs to be clear. Also, Hossaru is looking for a scientific explanation and cure for the disease, insisting that spiritual causes are nonsense -- but this is a world in which magic and god powers exist, so that's a contradiction.
The film was adapted from a fantasy novel series by Japanese author Nahoko Uehashi, a professor of ethnology. The Deer King is a study of medieval imperialism and may help bring that subject to life for history students. The Aquafa people, who've taken the subservient role in this world, say they're happy with the treaty that brought about an arrangement in which the two people live together "in peace." But the Aquafease definitely aren't pleased to have Zolians occupying their land. The unease is apparent in ways both big and very small. Ando and Miyaji have stuffed so many details into their story and animation that you may need more than one viewing to take it all in. It doesn't help that there's something quite relaxing about the movie's animation. When magical powers ignite, it's like looking at the Northern lights, and the forestry details are like visual ASMR. In other words, despite the many bloody battle scenes and dog attacks, the film is incredibly relaxing and cozy. And that snoozy feeling is at odds with following a complicated story. Anime fans will herald The Deer King, but as feature directors, Ando and Miyaji don't really "buck" convention.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the role of violence in The Deer King and in real life. How does the impact of the violence and peril in this movie compare to that of live-action films?
What's the difference between colonialism and imperialism, and what are some real-life examples? How does The Deer King bring to light the tensions and power struggles that might've been felt during the time in which it's set? How would you feel if your home was taken over by outsiders?
How are courage, humility, and perseverance demonstrated? Why are these important traits and life skills?
Families can also talk about the advent of vaccinations and how this story echoes the creation of the first vaccine for smallpox.
Movie Details
- In theaters: July 15, 2022
- Cast: Ray Chase, Luciana VanDette, Griffin Puatu, Shinichi Tsutsumi, Ryōma Takeuchi, Tomomichi Nishimura
- Directors: Masashi Ando, Masayuki Miyaji
- Studio: GKIDS
- Genre: Fantasy
- Topics: Magic and Fantasy, Great Boy Role Models, Wild Animals
- Character Strengths: Courage, Humility, Integrity
- Run time: 114 minutes
- MPAA rating: R
- MPAA explanation: some violence
- Last updated: July 19, 2022
Our Editors Recommend
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Spirited Away
Magnificent movie with scary creatures and a strong heroine.
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Your Name
Stunning but mature animated body-swapping love story.
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Princess Mononoke
Epic, compelling, and violent anime classic.
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