Studio Ghibli’s ”The Boy and the Heron:” When a Master Paints Himself as the Villain (Exploring Evil EP 4)

“I don't intentionally make deep movies.”

-Hayao Miyazaki

Welcome back to “OutThink the Classics,” my quest to contextualize classic pop culture for modern families.

We continue our first series, “Exploring Evil,” exploring the concept of evil in classical stories and how it relates to parenting and kids. Episodes 1-3 discussed the Wicked Witch of the West (and Auntie Em) and just finished Loki Seasons 1 and 2. Now it’s time to explore the renowned Studio Ghibli, the man behind its success and impact on our culture, and why he cast himself as the villain for his last film.

THE BOY AND THE HERON  opening December 8

Synopsis: A young boy named Mahito, yearning for his mother, ventures into a world shared by the living and the dead. There, death comes to an end, and life finds a new beginning. Mahito’s guide is part-heron, part-man, and cunningly juggles lies and the truth. The boy makes new friends, reunites with his mother, and meets the world’s creator, the Granduncle.

“The Boy and the Heron” is a fantasy film with an element of semi-autobiography. Its Japanese title, “Kimitachi wa Do Ikiruka” (published in Japan by Shinchosha), literally meaning “How do you live?”, is borrowed from an eponymous novel by Genzaburo Yoshino that filmmaker Hayao Miyazaki was given in his youth by his mother. What’s more, certain events from Miyazaki’s childhood are depicted in this new animated feature for the first time ever.

 

The OutThink Team

Learn more about OutThink Media

Cindy Marie Jenkins, Host & Creative Producer

Avi Glijanksy, Podcast Producer

Adam Emperor Southard, Theme Composer (also a fantastic photographer)

Annie Collins, PR & Marketing Manager

Angela Zhong, Logo Designer/OutThink Media

Maria Pasquarelli, Canva Coordinator

Produced by CMJ Communications LLC, DBA OutThink Media

Help us out! Share the trailer here.

 

Show Notes

1. Jenkins, Cindy Marie, “How the Bad Guys Teach Kid Empathy,” OutThink Media, 24 October, 2022.
2. YouTube Playlist of Hayao Miyazaki Research, https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLL2ZjKolsEExljGk3g7SpchD3ViuFb_z2&si=7ZDMOoIvC8DSYiGk 

 

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