[!WARNING]
This article will inevitably contain ||spoiler content||, and spoilers have not been added for the sake of the article's presentation, so it is strongly recommended to watch the original film completely before reading the text.
One-Sentence Review#
"The Heron and the Boy" can be considered one of Hayao Miyazaki's "representative works," but "representative work" does not mean that it is a good piece. Here, "representative work" refers to the film's significant personal style of Miyazaki.
Plot Introduction#
In my view, the film's narrative structure still follows the classic three-act format, although the pacing of the first act is relatively slow (about 40 minutes), while the latter two acts switch scenes almost every ten minutes.
Act One - Loss and Rebirth#
The first act begins against the tumultuous backdrop of the Pacific War, where Mahito loses his mother, Hisako, due to the bombing of Tokyo. He is forced to form a new family with his father, Shoichi, the factory manager, and his stepmother, Natsuko, who is also the sister of his biological mother. They move to an old mansion that carries the family's history and secrets. A heron flying past the eaves piques Mahito's curiosity and unease. During his exploration of the new home, Mahito unexpectedly discovers a mysterious stone tower deep in the forest—according to the grandmothers at home, this tower was built by his great-uncle, who completely disappeared after an accident.
Upon entering the new family, Mahito feels a sense of resistance towards his stepmother and struggles to fit in as a transfer student. On the first day of school, he clashes with classmates during labor education. On his way home, in an attempt to escape reality, he throws a stone at his own head. While recuperating at home, the strange heron comes to Mahito's window, mimicking his mother’s plea for help, "Save me, Mahito, save me," and subsequently harasses him multiple times, informing him that his mother is still alive, tormenting Mahito deeply.
Natsuko, due to early pregnancy symptoms, has been bedridden for a long time, but one day she inexplicably gets out of bed and walks deep into the forest, disappearing. Mahito and his grandmother, Kiriko, search for Natsuko, following her footprints into the forest and arriving at the mysterious tower. The so-called "living mother" created by the heron is actually just a statue it made, which Mahito considers a desecration of his mother, and he shoots the heron's long beak, transforming it from a bird into a comical human form. Just as Mahito demands the heron to hand over his stepmother Natsuko, the mysterious tower master appears at the top of the tower, ordering the heron to take Mahito and Kiriko to the "lower realm."
Thus, the first act ends.
Act Two - Awakening and Growth#
The Real World#
In the second act, as people in the real world search for Mahito and Natsuko, the servants reveal the tower's past: shortly after the Meiji Restoration began, a mysterious meteorite fell by the local pond, which the great-uncle regarded as a treasure and built the strange tower around it. The old servants also disclose to Mahito's father, Shoichi, that Mahito's biological mother, Hisako, also mysteriously disappeared in the tower when she was young and reappeared only after a year.
After learning about the tower's past, Mahito's father, Shoichi, along with the family retainers, heads to the tower, unexpectedly discovering Mahito and Hiimi hiding there to escape the herons. Just as he rushes forward, the human-shaped heron darts into the real world, and Shoichi is astonished to see the heron transform back into a regular heron upon returning to its original world.
The Lower Realm#
During the second act, Mahito is drawn from his struggles in daily life into a fantasy world called the "lower realm." In this new world filled with bizarre creatures and fantastical events, Mahito meets a younger version of Kiriko, who makes a living by fishing and caring for the souls of the deceased, known as "Warawara," and Hiimi, who can use fire magic. In this event, pelicans feed on Warawara, while herons feed on humans, establishing their own empire.
At night, mature Warawara fly into the sky, embarking on the cycle of reincarnation. However, pelicans attack them at this moment, and Hiimi rushes to the scene, using magic to attack the sky, driving away the pelicans while also injuring many Warawara. Mahito discovers an old pelican, nearly dead from Hiimi's attack, beside the restroom. The old pelican informs him that pelicans feed on Warawara because they cannot eat the sea fish here, and they have no choice but to do so to survive. While Mahito buries the old pelican, who has exhausted its energy, the heron suddenly appears beside him. After a fight, they reconcile at the request of the young Kiriko and set off together to find the missing stepmother, Natsuko.
On the way to find Natsuko, they come across a blacksmith shop that has been occupied by a group of fierce herons. Mahito falls into the trap of the herons, while the heron goes missing. Fortunately, Hiimi appears just in time to rescue Mahito and informs him that Natsuko is currently in the maternity room of the tower—the tower is a hub connecting various time and space, which has now also been occupied by the herons. The two enter the tower together, arriving at a long corridor filled with numerous doors, each leading to a different time and space. Their movements are once again discovered by the herons, and to escape their pursuers, Mahito and Hiimi hurriedly open a door to escape to Mahito's original time, where they coincidentally encounter his father, Shoichi, who is searching for Mahito. Not wanting to give up on finding Natsuko, Mahito opens the door, allowing a large number of herons to flood into the real world while he himself returns to the tower, ultimately reaching the maternity room where Natsuko is.
In the maternity room, when Mahito tries to persuade Natsuko to return to the original world, the room begins to stir, and Natsuko becomes furious at Mahito's appearance, emotionally exclaiming, "I hate you the most." At the same time, a strong wind in the room tries to blow Mahito out. Mahito shouts "Mom Natsuko," sincerely accepting Natsuko and trying to bridge the gap between them. Mahito is ejected from the maternity room by a force and subsequently faints. Hiimi wishes to the tower master controlling the lower realm, hoping to allow Mahito and Natsuko to return to their original time, but is also affected by the stone's power and is knocked unconscious, and both are captured by the herons.
Thus, the second act ends.
Act Three - Choice and Return#
While unconscious, Mahito meets the mysterious tower master from the top of the tower in his dreams, who turns out to be the great-uncle who went missing in the tower and was believed to have passed away. Mahito then learns that the great-uncle's true identity is the manager who maintains the balance of the lower realm. He hopes Mahito can inherit his position to continue maintaining the balance of this strange realm.
Upon waking, Mahito finds himself captured in the kitchen of the herons, later rescued by the heron disguised as a heron. Upon learning that Hiimi has been captured by the heron king, intended to exchange for control of the tower, he is taken to the top of the tower where the great-uncle resides. Mahito and the heron meet the great-uncle and Hiimi again, but the heron king follows them. The great-uncle explains to Mahito how to balance the lower realm—by stacking thirteen blocks made of non-malicious stones to build a tower, then removing the blocks one by one, moving one block each day. The great-uncle then clarifies that he needs someone who is related by blood and has no malice in their heart to become his successor, but Mahito refuses his request, pointing to the wound on his head and stating that he harmed himself to escape, acknowledging that he harbors malice and is therefore unqualified, choosing instead to return to his own world. The heron king, dissatisfied with the great-uncle wanting to entrust the task to a child, angrily shatters the stones used to maintain the balance of the lower realm, causing it to begin to collapse and be destroyed, while the great-uncle chooses to stay and perish with the lower realm.
As everyone escapes, Kiriko arrives at the tower to rescue Natsuko, who is also fleeing. Arriving at the door connecting to the real world, Hiimi refuses Mahito's proposal to return to his world together, and confesses that her true identity is the young Hisako. To ensure that Mahito's birth is not affected by the time paradox, she must return to her own time and willingly accepts her fate of being burned to death in the Tokyo bombing in the future. After accepting this fact, Mahito bids farewell to Hiimi, and Mahito and the heron, as well as Hiimi and the young Kiriko, safely return to their original worlds.
Years later, the war also comes to an end, and Mahito hears his stepmother Natsuko calling him, leaving his room. Mahito returns to Tokyo with his father, stepmother, and the younger brother born to his stepmother.
Thus, the film ends.
Hayao Miyazaki's Life Philosophy#
Hayao Miyazaki was born in 1941 and experienced all periods of the Pacific War and post-war—post-war recovery, economic rise, the Heisei boom, and the lost thirty years. His life is a microcosm of modern Japanese history. After witnessing many changes in Japanese society, he undoubtedly developed a unique understanding of life, and his values permeate his works, including "The Heron and the Boy." Personally, I believe this film, through the medium of animation, exposes the filth of the adult world.
Many film critics believe that "The Heron and the Boy" has a somewhat autobiographical nature and can be seen as Miyazaki's autobiographical film. Undoubtedly, there are some similarities between Miyazaki and the protagonist, Mahito. As noted by Vision Magazine:
In the film "The Heron and the Boy," Mahito's father benefits from the wartime background due to his work in the aviation manufacturing industry, receiving a large number of orders, so much so that the factory cannot accommodate the products, and they must be temporarily stored in employees' homes, indicating that his life during the war is quite affluent.
In real life, Miyazaki's father was an employee of "Miyazaki Aviation," run by the Miyazaki family, and until the end of World War II in 1945, Miyazaki enjoyed a relatively free childhood, which sparked his interest in flying, becoming a lifelong hobby that repeatedly appears in his works.
However, regarding the wealth of the family and the hardships during the wartime background, Miyazaki seems a bit out of place, which is also reflected in "The Heron and the Boy," where the father insists on driving a car that only wealthy families owned to take him to school to "show off."
But I do not think so, and the reasons will be elaborated in the Postscript.
Character Analysis#
Mahito - Confronting Inner Darkness, Mastering the Middle Way, Becoming "Real"#
To know what heaven does, and to know what man does, is the ultimate. To know what heaven does is to be born of heaven; to know what man does is to use what he knows to nurture what he does not know, and to live out his days without deviating from the path is the ultimate knowledge. However, there are afflictions. To know something requires waiting, and what is waited for is uncertain. How can one know what I call heaven is not man? What is called man is not heaven? And there is a real person, and then there is true knowledge.
What is a real person? The real person of old does not oppose the few, does not strive for success, does not conspire with scholars. If so, they do not regret their mistakes, nor do they take pride in their correctness. If so, they ascend without fear, enter water without getting wet, and enter fire without feeling hot. This is how knowledge can ascend through the path.
The real person of old sleeps without dreaming, wakes without worry, eats without savoring, and breathes deeply. The breath of a real person is in their heels, while the breath of the masses is in their throats. Those who yield have voices like cries. Those who desire deeply have shallow heavenly mechanisms.
The real person of old does not know how to speak of life, does not know how to hate death; their exit is not joyous, their entrance is not obstructed; they come and go freely. They do not forget where they began, nor do they seek where they end; they receive and rejoice, forget and return. This is called not using the heart to abandon the path, not using man to assist heaven. This is called a real person. If so, their heart and will are serene, their appearance is calm, their demeanor is like autumn, warm like spring, their joy and anger correspond to the four seasons, and they are in harmony with things without knowing their limits. Therefore, when the sage uses arms, they lose the country but do not lose the hearts of the people; they benefit and give to all things without loving anyone. Therefore, joy connects with things, not the sage; having kinship is not benevolence; timing is not virtue; benefits and harms do not connect, not the gentleman; acting with fame loses oneself, not the scholar; losing oneself is not true, not the servant. If the fox does not accompany, Wu Guang, Bo Yi, Shu Qi, Ji Zi, Xu Yu, Ji Ta, Shen Tu Di, these are the roles of the servant, suitable for others but not suitable for oneself.
The real person of old has a righteous appearance but does not form alliances, if insufficient does not bear, with their cup does not harden, expands their emptiness without embellishment, and seems to rejoice! Seems unable to help! They advance with my color, and stop with my virtue, seem worldly! Seem unable to control! Seem to like to close! Seem to forget their words. Using punishment as the body, using rites as the wings, using knowledge as the time, using virtue as the cycle. Using punishment as the body is to be able to kill; using rites as the wings is to act in the world; using knowledge as the time is to be forced by affairs; using virtue as the cycle is to speak of their sufficiency to the hill, and people truly believe they are diligent. Therefore, whether they like it or not, it is one. Whether it is one or not, it is one. One is to be an ally with heaven; not one is to be an ally with man. Heaven and man do not overcome each other; this is called a real person.
— "Zhuangzi: The Great Master"
The protagonist Mahito in the film is not only the core of the story but also a concrete representation of Miyazaki's exploration of the human spirit, symbolizing the path one should take in the journey of life. The protagonist's name—Mahito—is particularly thought-provoking, representing an idealized state of existence, achieving perfect unity of body, mind, and spirit. In ancient Chinese texts, the real person, the ultimate person, the sage, and the virtuous person represent four levels of nurturing life and understanding the path, with the real person described as a wise individual who transcends worldly troubles, is internally peaceful, and is unattached. Miyazaki may be aiming for the "real person" as a goal, hoping to find such a spiritual realm in his animations.
However, the Mahito in the animation is not flawless; he still harbors dark thoughts, but he is aware of his evil. This "awareness" enables him to choose to reshape himself, breaking the future arranged by the great-uncle in the third act, refusing to be trapped in a corner of the tower, but instead choosing to step out of the "lower realm," an illusory and unreal environment, to embrace the not-so-beautiful reality. At the end of the film, he declares his intention to build friendships, which not only signifies his transcendence of self and liberation from self-imposed constraints but also reflects his understanding of the world's integration, for all things will eventually return to one, achieving a state of no self.
The Japanese title of this film is "君たちはどう生きるか" (How Will You Live?), paying homage to the novel of the same name by Yoshino Genzaburo. In this novel, the protagonist, young Copernicus, looks down from a tall building and realizes he has briefly distanced himself from the mundane world, experiencing a moment of transcendence, but then becomes aware that he is part of the world and must breathe with it. From this, he begins to contemplate how he should live. The portrayal of Mahito in this film not only reflects Miyazaki's reflection on individual existence but also questions humanity's position in the universe. This profound understanding of self and the world resonates with Mahito's life journey, exploring how to find balance in real life and how to achieve harmonious coexistence of self and the world in a state of no self.
At that time, Subhuti heard this sutra, deeply understood its meaning, wept and cried, and said to the Buddha: "Rarely, World-Honored One! The Buddha speaks of such a profound classic; I have never heard of such a sutra with the wisdom eye I have gained since ancient times. World-Honored One! If there are beings in the future, after five hundred years, who hear this sutra, with pure faith, they will give rise to the true reality; know that this person achieves the first rare merit. World-Honored One! This true reality is non-reality; therefore, the Tathagata speaks of the name true reality. World-Honored One! Now that I have heard this sutra, it is not difficult to believe, understand, and uphold; if in the future, after five hundred years, there are beings who hear this sutra, believe, understand, and uphold, this person will be the first rare one. Why? This person has no self, no person, no sentient being, no lifespan. Why? The self is non-self; the person, sentient being, and lifespan are non-self. Why? Leaving all appearances is called all Buddhas."
— "Diamond Sutra"
Miyazaki's films resonate with the four verses of the "Diamond Sutra" in meaning, integrating the philosophy of "no self" into Mahito's story. These four verses remind people to let go of attachments to self, others, sentient beings, and time; only in this way can one truly liberate oneself and achieve inner peace. The characterization of Mahito vividly interprets this realm, as he ultimately walks towards the state of no self through self-awareness and self-redemption, abandoning the obsession with escaping reality and choosing to embrace the not-so-beautiful reality of life. Through the character of Mahito, Miyazaki not only shows the audience how to face the dark side of the heart but also teaches us how to find balance between self and no self, thus living a more complete and kind self. This film is a profound philosophical fable, allowing the audience to enjoy a visual feast while also engaging in deep reflections on life and existence.
The Heron - No Matter What, It Will Still Walk With You#
The name "heron" (アオサギ) contains an interesting Japanese pun. The pronunciation "saki" can also be written as "詐欺" (sagi), meaning "fraud." In the film, the director also uses the heron to joke about this: "Herons are all liars, only capable of lying." Throughout the film, the heron repeatedly tells Mahito lies—creating a fake statue of Mahito's mother, tricking Mahito into fixing the hole in its long beak, and so on.
But it cannot be denied that the heron still embarks on the mysterious journey to the underground world with Mahito; it is not merely a fictional companion but also a tribute from Miyazaki to his close friends Toshio Suzuki and Isao Takahata. This film can be seen as a fable of the deep friendship between Miyazaki, Suzuki, and Takahata. In this character, we can see the shadows of Suzuki and Takahata.
Mr. Toshio Suzuki has always possessed a special openness and vitality, believing in the work philosophy: "Those who treat work as work are fools; it’s interesting to treat work as a festival of fun." This image is also similar to the heron in the film, who, no matter the circumstances, always plays and jokes, seemingly never taking its mission seriously. However, when Mahito encounters difficulties, it still does its utmost to help, leading Mahito to safety. According to Miyazaki, Mr. Suzuki has also injected vitality into the development of Studio Ghibli, just as the heron guides Mahito to explore the unknown, their mutual support has achieved the studio's brilliance. The heron's existence is not only a guide on the journey but also a source of inspiration for life. Just as Mr. Suzuki plays a role in Miyazaki's creative career, accompanying, supporting, and encouraging him through thick and thin. In the film's farewell scene, the heron warns Mahito that even if one day he forgets the details of this journey, the impact of those experiences will be deeply rooted in his heart, becoming the nourishment for future growth. This is Miyazaki's profound understanding of friendship and collaboration; even in the face of separation, the time spent together and the lessons learned will always remain, becoming an indispensable support on the path of life.
Mr. Isao Takahata has always made Miyazaki feel "both love and hate." He was a senior Miyazaki met at Toei Animation, who promoted the then low-ranking but enthusiastic Miyazaki during the production of "Horus: Prince of the Sun." Due to his strong abilities, Miyazaki specifically requested Takahata to be the producer of "Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind." The two collaborated on many animations from Toei Animation to Studio Ghibli. When asked in an interview if he dreams, Miyazaki once replied: "I only have one dream, and that is for the protagonist to always be Mr. Takahata." He has a deep nostalgia for his youth with Takahata, saying: "In terms of character and appearance, he is not good-looking, even a bit ugly, but he has a very human charm that made me fall in love with him."
The image of the heron is not only Miyazaki's respect for Mr. Suzuki and Mr. Takahata but also a tribute to all those who accompany and support us in life. They, like the heron, guide us through the fog of life, ensuring that we are not alone on the path of exploration and growth. Even if one day they are gone, the traces they leave behind will permanently influence our lives.
Hiimi - A Righteous, Sunny, and Pure Mother Figure#
In Japanese, the name Hiimi (ヒミ) is clearly a variant of Hisako (ヒサコ), and the director establishes this character's true identity from the outset, reflecting this through multiple details— in the second act, the servants at home mention that Hisako disappeared in the tower for about a year when she was around Mahito's age and came out forgetting everything that happened there, only smiling; when Mahito mentions that he came to the lower realm to find his stepmother Natsuko, Hiimi points out that she is his sister; and after making sandwiches for Mahito, he also says, "It tastes like what mom makes." Therefore, when Hiimi confirms her identity as his mother at the end of the film, it does not come as a surprise to the audience.
Just as her image in the film, Hiimi's heart harbors no malice towards the outside world, resembling a pure and flawless gem in the lower realm. In the film, the unconscious Hiimi is placed in a luxurious crystal coffin, symbolizing a precious collectible being placed in a glass display case.
The great-uncle in the film once said, "I am too old and need someone who carries my bloodline," but why not cultivate Hiimi to become the successor earlier? Clearly, Hiimi has stayed in this world long enough and possesses some talents. The answer to this question lies precisely in the fact that Hiimi's character is too good, too righteous. Although the lower realm is not large, it still requires scheming, but her upright, beautiful, and bright image is not suitable for her to hold power here. She does not need to become the controller of the lower realm, so there is no need for her to undergo cultivation and training.
Moreover, as the "mother" figure in Miyazaki's films, Hiimi is a higher-level character; although she lives in the lower realm, she has already seen through and transcended the illusions within it. What she can feel is not the evil, contradictions, and filth of the world, but pure "love," a higher-level soul that does not belong to the lower realm. She does not belong to the lower realm, so she must leave at the end.
Hiimi chooses to open the door at the end of the film, returning to the real world—despite Mahito trying to stop her, telling her that if she goes back, she will die in the Tokyo bombing in the future. But Hiimi responds positively, "I can't wait to be your mom; I'm not afraid of fire," shaping a great, radiant female figure of motherhood.
Kiriko - Caring for Others, A Hidden Ascetic in a World Without Self#
Although Kiriko is a servant in Mahito's home in the film, this character also symbolizes the kind elders we encounter in real life, those who help and care for us in the workplace. Such characters often seem inconspicuous in life, not particularly drawing our attention, and sometimes we may even hold biases against them—(they are) old and decrepit, conservative and narrow-minded, only doing the simplest of tasks. In modern society, people tend to be increasingly self-centered, making it difficult to fully understand them and see the essence of characters like Kiriko.
In the second act, when Kiriko appears as a young woman, the audience may momentarily struggle to connect her with the elder Kiriko from the first act. Kiriko becomes a young and powerful fisherman in the lower realm. This character suddenly becomes significant, prompting both Mahito and us to pay attention to her—Mahito is saved by Kiriko in the film and learns many useful skills from her that enable him to survive in the lower realm. We often only come to appreciate the achievements of our elders and workplace mentors after learning about their past successes, shedding our previous biases against them and truly seeing the brilliance in their roles.
When Mahito and the heron set off to find Natsuko, she chooses not to join the adventure, opting instead to stay behind and care for Warawara—Warawara are beings transformed from the deceased in the real world, and when mature, they fly into the sky to reincarnate, achieving rebirth. This choice reflects her inner ascetic nature; she lives without self, dedicating her life to helping others, which is precisely the quality we find in the kind elders and mentors we encounter in life.
Miyazaki's Creative Philosophy#
This film can be seen as a reflection of Miyazaki's animation creation process. As seen earlier, Mahito may symbolize Miyazaki, the heron symbolizes his friends and colleagues, while Kiriko represents the mentors guiding him.
From this, we can infer that the lower realm symbolizes Studio Ghibli. In the lower realm, we can see shadows and homage to Miyazaki's other works. The great-uncle building the lower realm can also be viewed as another incarnation of Miyazaki. When the servants describe him as "smart but overly learned and eccentric," it may be a self-deprecating remark about Miyazaki's later state.
The construction of the tower can reflect Miyazaki's animation creation process. The core of the tower is the foreign meteorite, suggesting that his works are influenced by predecessors, such as "The Heron and the Boy" referencing "How Will You Live?" and "The Book of Lost Things." The difficulties in building the tower may symbolize the challenges Miyazaki faced in his creative process, such as difficulties in team collaboration.
The stone blocks represent the many works in the animation industry. When the great-uncle selects thirteen blocks to build the tower and then removes them, if we view Mahito as Miyazaki entering the animation industry, the great-uncle symbolizes the predecessors in the animation field. Mahito carries the blood of the great-uncle (inheriting the spirit of his predecessors), enabling him to accomplish tasks that only those with the great-uncle's bloodline can do (i.e., creating animation).
This line of thought seems unable to explain the plot where Mahito points out that these blocks are "made from malicious tombstones" and refuses to inherit the great-uncle's legacy. However, we can also observe that from "The Castle of Cagliostro" to "The Heron and the Boy," Miyazaki has indeed completed thirteen works. If the great-uncle here represents the elderly Miyazaki himself, and Mahito does not represent Miyazaki but rather his son Goro Miyazaki, this seems to make sense. Miyazaki has created several works and hopes Goro will inherit his work, adding "his own blocks," while Goro Miyazaki refuses to inherit the family business, and Miyazaki no longer insists on bloodline inheritance.
Postscript - We Don't Need to Deliberately Understand "The Heron and the Boy"#
This Is Not Miyazaki's Autobiographical Film#
Hayao Miyazaki was born in Tokyo in 1941, the second of four brothers. His mother suffered from severe tuberculosis and was often hospitalized. In 1944, the family moved to Utsunomiya City, Tochigi Prefecture, and returned to Tokyo five years after the war. This is similar to the growth background of the protagonist Mahito in "The Heron and the Boy."
Miyazaki relied on his mother from a young age, but due to her poor health, she could not take care of him and his brothers well, which had a significant impact on him. He is candid about this and has created strong maternal characters in many of his works. In "The Heron and the Boy," the plot of the protagonist Mahito adventuring to save his mother reveals a deep emotional connection to maternal love, leading one to speculate that this might be Miyazaki's autobiographical work. However, this interpretation is too direct and offers limited help in understanding the film, and the label "autobiographical" is not accurate.
Since Miyazaki and Ghibli began preparing this work, it has been known that Miyazaki's "The Heron and the Boy" is derived from Yoshino Genzaburo's "How Will You Live?" But according to Miyazaki's creative habit, his works usually only borrow from the original, with little relation to it, acting more like a reference than an adaptation. The plot of "The Heron and the Boy" has minimal connection to the original "How Will You Live?"; more accurately, Miyazaki merely borrowed the title. He adopted the title not to serve as the core theme of the film. If this were the theme, the film might be viewed as an autobiographical work, where the creator weaves their experiences into a complete life story presented to the audience.
If this were the case, it would be reasonable for critics and audiences to attempt to glimpse Miyazaki's personal history from the film. However, if one cannot understand deeply, there is no need to feel regret. Personally, I do not believe Miyazaki intends to summarize his life through "The Heron and the Boy"; this film is not autobiographical.
Some critics argue that Miyazaki uses the title to challenge the audience. They believe Miyazaki expects viewers to ponder this question after watching: "How do you want to live?" However, I think this interpretation lacks basis. Miyazaki has never directly posed questions to the audience in his works, and his style does not support such practices. Especially at his age, I do not believe he would do so.
I believe the question "How do you want to live?" is Miyazaki's self-interrogation. This film, as his final work, aims to answer this question, but he does not intend to provide a serious solution or a self-help message; rather, he presents it through the flow of memories or the flowing of reminiscences.
This Is a Capricious Life Carousel#
Miyazaki uses this film to trace his life trajectory, but his purpose is not to provide a complete answer. This is not only because life's questions are difficult to answer simply, but also because he may not expect to seek answers in his works; instead, he desires to express his personal reactions to these questions. The flowing memories in the film resemble a carousel, naturally emerging, allowing the audience to feel the free flow of his inner world.
For Miyazaki, which memories choose to surface and how they flow and present themselves may carry some deep meaning, even if he himself may not fully realize it. Viewing these memories as his repeated reflections on the past and present may align more closely with his creative intent than deliberately telling a story to the audience.
Therefore, while many interpretations of the film may seem reasonable, they often lack comprehensive persuasiveness. Audiences attempting to find a structure similar to ordinary narrative films in the movie often find it futile or forced. Just as in the earlier sections of this article, where I attempted to correlate the film's characters with certain figures in Miyazaki's real life, I found it difficult to find a reasonable answer. The characters in the film may be transformations of someone in Miyazaki's life or a combination or overlap of multiple people's traits. Because this film is not autobiographical, but rather a natural flow of significant personal memories.
Moreover, the flow of these memories contains traces of Miyazaki's past works, as these works hold significant meaning for him. The film features classic scenes and visual elements from "My Neighbor Totoro," "Kiki's Delivery Service," and even the scene of Mahito's father driving evokes "The Castle of Cagliostro." However, these "Easter eggs" are not deliberately inserted but rather flow naturally, allowing the audience to appreciate and associate freely without rushing to refer to reviews for all the answers.
Similarly, even if there are many parts of the film that are difficult to understand, each viewer can still grasp the profound meanings Miyazaki wishes to convey, such as the warmth of familial love, the self-reflection of the creator, and the duality of human nature. These feelings do not require guidance from critics; they can serve as a final conversation with Miyazaki, deeply hidden in the heart, as this may be the last opportunity.
Although some parts may be obscure, I still believe that every viewer can capture the meaning Miyazaki wants to share.
How Should We Appreciate Miyazaki's Films#
After watching "The Heron and the Boy" and studying numerous reviews, a question arose in my mind: Does the general perception that this film is difficult to understand imply that Miyazaki's previous works are all easy to comprehend? In fact, not telling the story clearly is a significant characteristic of Miyazaki's works.
If you are a fan of Miyazaki's animations, looking back, have you ever experienced a situation where a certain scene or plot left you confused, or you only half-understood its meaning? Surely there have been instances, but because we generally grasp the main axis of the work, we overlook those vague details.
This does not mean that Miyazaki neglects the audience; in fact, he strives to make his works more relatable, allowing viewers to enjoy themselves while watching. However, the capricious impulse deep within him has never disappeared; he occasionally allows the protagonist to do nonsensical things, simply to follow his intuition. This contradiction is a burden for Miyazaki.
This may explain why he has repeatedly announced his retirement only to release new works: he has never found a concluding piece that can fully showcase his capriciousness. "The Wind Rises" was once considered his last work, but it differs from Miyazaki's previous style as it is based on the real-life story of Jiro Horikoshi. In this work, Miyazaki's attitudes towards war, weapons, and life philosophy are revealed. However, even so, "The Wind Rises" remains a carefully thought-out and balanced creation; if this were to be the endpoint of his career, he would likely not feel satisfied or at peace.
Thus, "The Heron and the Boy" becomes Miyazaki's capricious attempt, allowing emotions and memories to flow freely, with the story developing naturally without considering audience expectations. I speculate that this is precisely why he chose to create this film after "The Wind Rises."
Since Miyazaki has presented his capriciousness so freely in "The Heron and the Boy," his honesty is incredibly touching, even if our understanding of the film is not deep enough. In fact, when we let go of the obsession with understanding, we can gain a deeper emotional resonance. This resonance is distinctly different from previous experiences of watching Miyazaki's works, as this time, we seem to witness the life carousel of an old friend, listening to his capricious recollections, making this emotional experience particularly sincere.
Saying Goodbye to Ghibli on Screen#
Speaking of Miyazaki's capriciousness, it is closely tied to the establishment of Studio Ghibli. In 1984, while preparing to shoot "Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind," Miyazaki realized that without a stable company structure, it would be difficult to establish a foothold in the film market. Thus, he co-founded Studio Ghibli with Isao Takahata and Toshio Suzuki. Although Miyazaki and Takahata were not good at considering market factors, they understood that films needed a realistic aspect, which is where Suzuki's value lies. Suzuki successfully maintained the creative enthusiasm and freedom of the two genius creators while also successfully bringing Studio Ghibli to the international market, earning their high trust, which is no easy feat.
Isao Takahata passed away in 2018 at the age of 82, Miyazaki is now also 82, while Toshio Suzuki is 75. Although Ghibli has produced works by other directors and has attempted to cultivate successors, it seems Suzuki has no intention of continuing the operation. Reports suggest that a Japanese television station will acquire Ghibli, raising questions about the future of Ghibli.
As a brand and organization, Studio Ghibli stands out in both product characteristics and corporate models in Japanese animation and even the global animation scene, and its irreplaceable nature is evident. Now, Suzuki may no longer wish to limit Miyazaki's creativity, allowing his ideas to be realized freely. This "zero promotion" film is not only a capricious work by Miyazaki but also a brilliant demonstration of Suzuki's marketing strategy.
After watching "The Heron and the Boy" twice, I deeply realize that Miyazaki is fortunate to have completed such a work in his later years. I believe this belief allows "The Heron and the Boy" to transcend the limits of understanding, becoming a warm and beautiful existence, deeply rooted in the hearts of the audience alongside Miyazaki's other works.
Further Reading#
Creation Diary#
2024-04-06 23:00 Completed the article outline.
2024-04-08 16:30 Completed the plot introduction section.
2024-04-10 23:05 Completed various data collection, began film analysis, started writing the first layer of analysis, completed character analysis of Mahito and the heron, outlined the main points of creative philosophy and life philosophy, completed the beginning of the second layer of analysis, determined the direction of character analysis and anti-war thoughts. Set the direction for the postscript content.
2024-04-11 10:30 Completed the character analysis of Hiimi and Kiriko, began writing about Miyazaki's creative philosophy and the Oedipus complex.
2024-04-11 18:30 Restructured the article, separating the content on the Oedipus complex and anti-war thoughts into a new article, completed the writing of the postscript, and optimized some textual expressions.
2024-04-12 01:50 Added supporting images, finalized the article.
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The original link is https://nishikori.tech/posts/review/2024-04-05