a film so unique, intoxicating and bizarre that it not only demands another viewing, but is also forgivable as a satirical comedy where the jokes eventually take the back seat.

This story has more twists and turns than a second-rate soap opera.

It's an amazing and heartbreaking story.

Easily the biggest piece of Right wing non sense propaganda I ever saw.

Mamoru Hosoda has become a rather distinguished director in my mind. His films feature a distinct animation style, story lines full of off-beat moments deeply grounded in reality and everyday life, characters you could expect to meet on the street, who are still very interesting to follow and from whom you can learn a lot. His films are a good combination of simple morals mixed with extraordinary settings and situations.All of this holds true for The Boy and the Beast as well, but with this film I think that Hosoda falters a bit when it comes to storytelling. It almost feels like an adaptation which assumes that you already know the story and is only telling a stylized version of it. It skips over scenes that feel like they should be necessary for us to see, only briefly hints at lore, which is pretty integral to the workings of the plot, and the ending pulls some twists, which were never really alluded to us. For example, there's a training trip montage near the end of the first act, something which is usually the turning point of the story. But in this it's over in less than a minute and the main character's training continues long after it, throughout the whole second act. So, what was the point of the trip, other than to show off the Beast World, into which our human protagonist stumbles almost accidentally?And yet, the film is charming. All the characters are interesting both visually and story-wise. The animation is very smooth and fluid, the music works and the message is a good one. And I can safely say that I very much enjoyed pretty much all of the scenes. They simply didn't connect all that well.It's possible that this is based on an existing story or legend. At least it would explain why I as a Westerner feel like I'm missing something. Still, it's worth watching if you've liked Hosoda's earlier films.

Based on his wonderful films Wolf Children, The Girl Who Stepped Through Time, and Summer Wars, I've been thinking of Mamoru Hosoda as the heir apparent to Hayao Miyazaki, not because they're that stylistically similar but because both make beautiful, very human movies that give me joy. But The Boy and the Beast isn't anywhere near the level of his previous films.In premise alone, this film is far less interesting, falling into the clichéd reluctant-master-rebellious-student rut. Teacher teaches student, student teaches teacher, helpful sidekicks comment on the action, and it's all leading to the big fight.None of which is particularly bad, and the movie is perfectly enjoyable, but towards the end things go off the rails as a new storyline is awkwardly tossed in and a lot of new information is offered far too late in the game. It feels like two or three bits of movies were poorly welded together.Whether the reviews on IMDb are positive or negative, reviewers declare this beautifully animated, but while the animation is fine, there was little in it that was exceptional.Since Hosada's One Piece debut, every movie he has made was more wonderful than the one that preceded it. I can only hope that this is a stumble, not a fall, and that his next movie will be a return to his earlier brilliance.

This film has a strange world. A lot of animals lives there like people. They can speak a word, and have their society. In the world, they think that people have big dark in own hearts. Then a human boy strays such a world. And he grows up with one of the animals, a bear. The bear is selfish, but strong. The bear and the boy spend a lot of time together, and they like a family. And the bear changes own character. They become strong together.He becomes an adult, and he can go our real world. Then he meets a girl, and he knows his unknown would. He is absorbed in studying, especially he likes reading "Moby Dick." In addition he meets his real father. He confuses, he should live with his really father or the bear. This story's ending is he tries to help another human boy, who lives in the strange world. The boy has big darkness, it is expressed as Moby Dick. This story tells us what is family. The boy has a strong bonds with the bear even if the bear doesn't his real father. Other hand, he doesn't have it with his real father. After all, it is important to spend time together. It makes a strong bonds. Also darkness of people is expressed as Moby Dick. It is a good metaphor. But Moby Dick doesn't have only darkness. It is like a god, and has a divinely beautiful body. However it is expressed as darkness of people. It is nonsense.

Like all of Mamoru Hosoda's films, The Boy and the Beast is beautifully animated. The backgrounds are richly detailed and the characters move naturally as well as fluidly. However, the story lacks the tight structure and cohesion of Summer Wars and The Girl Who Leapt Through Time.The first act is quite exciting as we get introduced to a world of quirky Kung-Fu fighting anthropomorphs. Kyuta, the main character, has to adapt to this strange place as well as his new father/teacher who himself needs to grow up. It's kind of like The Karate Kid meets Spirited Away.Unfortunately the film really meanders and drags in the second act when Kyuta goes back to the human world and decides to get a college education for some reason. The film takes a huge shift in tone and it never manages to bring it all together in the end.It's worth watching if only to admire the craft put in to it, but I wouldn't consider The Boy and the Beast to be a classic.