Rutger is a young boy who exists only in the mind of a young girl named Amanda. This is the beginning of The Imaginary, a youthful fantasy with some really dark moments.

Through her imagination, Amanda takes Rutger on a series of adventures. But all is not fun and games. The film’s villain, Mr. Bunting, an adult who also has a strong imagination, has achieved immortality by consuming imaginaries. Accompanied by a strange, dark-haired, dark-eyed girl, Bunting can not only see Rutger but also hunts him down as his next victim.

An accident separates Rutger from Amanda, which creates another threat to his existence. Though he survives and is given sanctuary by fellow imaginaries, Rutger seeks to be reunited with Amanda.

It’s actually a pretty powerful story which is well told. Though it may appeal to children, be forewarned that there are themes of loneliness, loss, and death. As I said above, there are some really dark moments.

The artwork is fantastic. Looking up info on this film, I found out that it is hand drawn rather than computer generated. Some of the shots are mind blowing in their complexity and beauty. You can tell the creators really sweated over this one. The Imaginary is produced by Studio Ponoc, founded by former Studio Ghibli employees, and the influence shows.

The Imaginary is a must see. It certainly fits on my list of favorite anime films.