The Boy and the Beast (2015)

[PictureGuy]

I missed this one when it was in the theaters a few years back. Now I finally get to see what I missed. The Boy and The Beast is an adventure story, an action anime, a coming of age story, a story of the bonds of family and friends, and a few other things thrown in.

Ren is a nine-year-old runaway who finds himself in the land inhabited by beasts. One such beast is Kumatetsu, a bear-like creature who is one of two contenders for the position of Lord. Only Kumatetsu is the lesser of the two. Advised by the current ruling Lord to take in a student, Kumatetsu chooses Ren, renaming him Kyuta. The two make a rather uneasy team, but they eventually develop a bond.

Ren comes of age in the beast world, but finds himself in conflict after wandering back into the human world and meeting a girl named Kaede. Throw in a deadly enemy, whom Ren must fight in the climax, and you have The Boy and The Beast.

The film is directed by Mamoru Hosoda, who also directed Summer Wars and The Girl Who Leapt Through Time. (I still need to see that last one.) He spares no expense in the animation. The artwork is what I would expect from an anime feature release – pretty awesome.

Some story elements are rather cliché, but they are combined with others in an original way. The story shifts, but keeps your interest. I recommend The Boy and The Beast.

[Takatofan1986]

I watched this a few months ago and I really enjoyed it! I don't remember enough to add anything to what you've said, but I recommend it too!

[PictureGuy]

That's two recommendations. So you who have not seen it yet, what are you waiting for?