Mahito has lost his mother Hisako in a fire accident at the hospital she worked and he is unable to overcome this loss. His father re-marries and his new stepmother Natsuko, is also the sister of his mother. Mahito with his father moves to Tokyo to live with his stepmother and she is pregnant. Mahito is cordial yet distant with her. As he arrives, he is greeted by a Heron and soon he is told by the Heron that his mother is alive. With the voices which only he can hear, he eventually embarks on a journey into the mystical world that reveals a lot about his bloodline and the life as he knows it.
To be honest, this is not the kind of film I would be willing to rewatch anytime soon. The songs weren't that catchy and the narrative is slow, especially in the first act. The director does provide the explanations to the proceedings yet it takes time to properly follow the story. Once the story moves into the mystical world down below, the story starts to make sense until the many worlds theory is inserted. Anyways, the animation definitely stood out and it elevated several scenes in the second act. The whole parakeet angle didn't work for me entirely. I wish there was a bit more on the warawara and the pelicans.
To be honest, this is not the kind of film I would be willing to rewatch anytime soon. The songs weren't that catchy and the narrative is slow, especially in the first act. The director does provide the explanations to the proceedings yet it takes time to properly follow the story. Once the story moves into the mystical world down below, the story starts to make sense until the many worlds theory is inserted. Anyways, the animation definitely stood out and it elevated several scenes in the second act. The whole parakeet angle didn't work for me entirely. I wish there was a bit more on the warawara and the pelicans.