Studio Ghibli mastermind Hayao Miyazaki is known for his master storytelling and animation, but fans often point out that he sorta strays away from the source material when adapting manga or novels. Some of his most well-known adaptations include Howl’s Moving Castle (2004), based on Diana Wynne Jones’ novel of the same name, and Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind (1984), loosely adapted from his own manga.
While both are masterpieces, both have been criticized for deviating from the original source material. Given this history, one might expect The Boy and the Heron (How Do You Live? in Japan) to be another questionable adaptation. However, in this case, Miyazaki’s decision to deviate from the original was the right one.
The Boy and the Heron: A personal story disguised as an adaptation
The first thing you should know about The Boy and the Heron is that it is Hayao Miyazaki‘s final film, at least for the time being. While he has announced retirement multiple times before, this movie carries an undeniable air of finality to it.
Miyazaki, now 84, has spent decades crafting animated masterpieces, and it took him over a decade to finish this one. It was initially supposed to come out during the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, but there were some setbacks because of his age and the usual production problems.
While watching the film, it will give you a vibe that you are watching an artist come to terms with what he’s left behind. But here’s the catch: even with the Japanese title How Do You Live?, the movie has absolutely nothing to do with Genzaburo Yoshino’s 1937 novel. Rather, it is a very personal movie reflecting Miyazaki’s career, his regrets, and his eventual retirement from filmmaking.
So, there’s this mysterious great grand-uncle in The Boy and the Heron, right? He’s spent decades building this fantastic magical world, but it’s going to fall apart unless he can find someone to take over. Honestly, this guy basically represents Miyazaki himself.
Hayao Miyazaki’s been working for years to build the incredible world of Studio Ghibli, but now that he’s finishing up his career, he’s struggled to find someone who can replace him. When he retired back in 2013, Studio Ghibli ceased producing films in 2014 because they couldn’t find a suitable replacement. They only resumed production in 2017 because Miyazaki came out of retirement.
In the film, the great grand-uncle finally realizes that his world won’t last forever. It’s like how Miyazaki realized that Studio Ghibli won’t be the same anymore if he’s no longer around.
Why diverging from How Do You Live? was the right choice from Hayao Miyazaki
Even though Miyazaki took the title from Yoshino’s book, the film itself is totally different in terms of the story. How Do You Live? is indeed a meditative, philosophical book concerning a boy learning virtues from his uncle through letters. The book itself is really a collection of ethical teachings and not a well-coordinated story.
Had Miyazaki followed the book closely, he would have had a very different film, one that likely would not have been so personal or meaningful to him. Instead, he used the novel as a launching point and crafted a story that reflects his own experiences and philosophy.
You know, like Mahito in The Boy and the Heron, Miyazaki had a fairly privileged childhood during World War II. However, he was always concerned about his ailing mom. His dad was in aviation, and that’s a theme you can see recur in his movies, from Porco Rosso to The Wind Rises and of course The Boy and the Heron. By exploring these personal themes, Miyazaki really made a movie that feels really relatable and significant.
So whether or not this actually is his last film, The Boy and the Heron is a poignant farewell to one of the greatest filmmakers of our time. It is less about Yoshino’s book and more about Miyazaki himself, which ultimately makes it one of his most honest and heartfelt works to date.
The Boy and the Heron is currently available to watch on Netflix.
This post belongs to FandomWire and first appeared on FandomWire
