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Title: Mirai (2018)
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| Credited cast: | |||
| Rebecca Hall | ... | Mother (voice) | |
| Daniel Dae Kim | ... | Great-Grandfather (Young Man) (voice) | |
| John Cho | ... | Father (voice) | |
| Crispin Freeman | ... | Yukko (voice) | |
| Stephanie Sheh | ... | Great-Grandmother / Additional Voices (voice) | |
| Victoria Grace | ... | Mirai (voice) | |
| Erin Fitzgerald | ... | Additional Voices (voice) | |
| Kôji Yakusho | ... | Jiiji (voice) | |
| Michael Sinterniklaas | ... | Additional Voices (voice) | |
 |
Victor Brandt | ... | Grandfather (voice) |
| Erica Schroeder | ... | Additional Voices (voice) | |
| Masaharu Fukuyama | ... | Seinen (voice) | |
| Kumiko Asô | ... | Okâsan (voice) | |
| Jaden Waldman | ... | Kun (voice) | |
|
|
Tasuku Hatanaka | ... | Male High School Student (voice) |
The movie follows a 4-year old boy who is struggling to cope with the arrival of a little sister in the family, until things turn magical. A mysterious garden in the backyard of the boy's home becomes a gateway allowing the child to travel back in time and encounter his mother as a little girl and his great-grandfather as a young man. These fantasy-filled adventures allow the child to change his perspective and help him become the big brother he was meant to be. Written by Variety
Nominated for Best Animated Feature at the upcoming Academy Awards, Mirai is a delightfully nostalgic, warm-hearted & wonderfully evocative tale of childhood & parenting that explores coming-of-age elements through the eyes of a little kid who finds a portal that enables him to travel through time into his family's past & future.
The story follows a young boy who struggles to cope with the arrival of his new-born sister into the household and creates a ruckus to get his parents' attention. But his perspective begins to change when the garden in his backyard becomes a gateway that allows him to go back n forth in time to meet family relatives from different eras.
Written & directed by Mamoru Hosoda (known for The Girl Who Leapt Through Time), the film is precise in portraying the neglect, jealousy & frustration felt by older siblings when they aren't their parents' centre of attention anymore, plus Hosoda's decision to allow these little, simple & whimsical moments to play out entirely gives his story an added emotional weight.
Its simplistic animation, lighthearted approach & witty treatment are in tune with Hosoda's narrative style. The time-travel segments begin & end abruptly but each brings a certain value that adds up in the final outcome. Its 98 minuets runtime is a tad stretched, for the film feels longer. Voice cast bring their animated figures to life with flair, while the musical touches are often well-timed.
On an overall scale, Mirai is a funny, heartfelt & magical adventure fantasy about the ties that bring families together, and is one amongst the better films of 2018. Crafted with affection, told with sincerity & exhibiting a childlike simplicity in its presentation, Mamoru Hosoda's latest is another fascinating addition to his canon and is well-deserving of a broader viewership. Definitely recommended.