The Boy and the Heron

The Boy and the Heron

Movie (2023)

Where death comes to an end, life finds a new beginning.

While the Second World War rages, the teenage Mahito, haunted by his mother's tragic death, is relocated from Tokyo to the serene rural home of his new stepmother Natsuko, a woman who bears a striking resemblance to the boy's mother. As he tries to adjust, this strange new world grows even stranger following the appearance of a persistent gray heron, who perplexes and bedevils Mahito, dubbing him the "long-awaited one."

Animation
Fantasy
Drama
124 minutes
Released
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Family guidance

Ages 10+

A boy self-harms and a widespread fire kills a parent, with recurring fiery symbols, peril, creepy images like frogs or a toothed human-bird, giant carnivorous creatures with knives, schoolyard fights, melting characters, and disembowelment. Adults smoke cigarettes, and an 11-year-old uses cigarettes to buy assistance among family members.

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Content at a glance

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Sex & Nudity

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Violence & Gore

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Profanity

Mild language includes a couple of uses of words such as damn, shut up, and turd.

Alcohol, Drugs & Smoking

Adults smoke cigarettes, and an 11-year-old uses cigarettes to buy assistance among family members.

Frightening Scenes

A boy self-harms and a widespread fire kills a parent, with recurring fiery symbols, peril, creepy images like frogs or a toothed human-bird, giant carnivorous creatures with knives, schoolyard fights, melting characters, and disembowelment.

Positives & learning

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Positive messages

The future is unknown and life doesn't always go as planned, but resilience can be found in purpose, friendship, and openness to what lies ahead.

Role models

An eleven-year-old is well-mannered, respectful, follows his curiosity, and tries to help others, alongside powerful or astute tweens and fisherwomen.

Representation

Centers on a Japanese boy and his family in the 1940s with woven cultural elements, strong female characters, spirited elderly characters, and a blended family dynamic.

Learning

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