Hi guys!  So I only have a few moments but wanted to share with you guys my review of the new anime film Boy and the Beast.

This was my first film from Mamoru Hosoda and I was really impressed.   It tells the story of a runaway boy Kyutu who wanders into Beast Kingdom- a land of anthropomorphic animals.

Kyutu meets a beast named Kumatetsu who is looking for an apprentice so that he can become Lord of the Village. Kumatetsu is a bit of a curmudgeon but he and Kyutu grow together.

The film follows Kyutu as he grows up and he finds love, learns to read and discovers more about his family.  He also confronts an adversary that gorgeously morphs into a whale.

The animation is stunning in Boy and the Beast and I found the story to be moving. I loved the way the camera moved through the crowds and the layers of people. The rendering and martial arts movement was true art and I was captivated.

The villain is a bit underdeveloped and a few of the subplots are unnecessary but I thoroughly enjoyed it.   I think you will too.

Overall Grade- B+

Have you seen Boy and the Beast?  What about other works of Mamoru Hosoda?  I’m told his Wolf Children is great.  I will definitely be looking it up and watching it soon.