Mahito is a young boy who loses his mother during the Second World War. He moves to the countryside with his father and new stepmother. There he meets a mysterious and talkative grey heron who leads him into a fantastical world of magic and danger. Mahito will meet strange creatures, learn profound truths, and come to terms with his grief. This is a really strange Miyazaki, without tail or head, a little too strange, quite difficult to grasp. But the pictures are beautiful, and we meet new and adorable creatures, the Warawara, small, ghost-like figures with glowing white bodies, unborn human souls. An altogether lovely film.
“Take a look. These stones here have not been stained with malice. I had to travel the far reaches of time and space in order to find them. There are 13 stones in all. You just need to stack them once every three days. You can build your own tower. A kingdom that is free from malice. Create a world of bounty, peace, and beauty.”
Original title : もののけ姫
Original version in Japanese – Watched with English subtitles