Is The Boy and the Heron safe for kids? Is The Boy and the Heron ok for kids? Read the The Boy and the Heron Movie Review | Safe for Kids?, an honest parents guide and mom review of the all-new 2023 Japanese animated film from Ghibli Studios, directed by Hayao Miyazaki, starring Christian Bale, Dave Bautista and Gemma Chan. No spoilers! #TheBoyandtheHeron May contain commissioned links.
The Boy and the Heron Movie Review | Safe for Kids? Parents Guide
It’s been 10-years since Hayao Miyazaki’s feature film The Wind Rises. But does this Academy Award winning director still have his magical, fantasy-filled touch?
From Ghibli Studios, who has brought us so many iconic animated films including My Neighbor Totoro, Spirited Away and Ponyo, The Boy and the Heron is flying into theaters this December 2023, as a rumored reflective farewell from this legacy filmmaker.
But is this the perfect period to the end of a Studio Ghibli dynasty?
In The Boy and the Heron Movie Review | Safe for Kids?, I’m breaking down the visuals, the story, a full PG-13 age rating explanation for violence, adult themes and language, and what kids’ age recommendation is suggested to watch in this new 2022 The Boy and the Heron parents guide to the new Studio Ghibli Japanese animated film. A no-spoiler parent review of The Boy and the Heron, does this 44-year legacy end with a fantastical flourish or a Totoro sized letdown?
The Visuals
It’s yet another visual masterpiece from Hayao Miyazaki. A fantastical, whimsical and magical Studio Ghibli land that feels familiar to long time fans, this legendary director has not lost his touch for animation that is uniquely his signature style.
Keeping to his hand-drawn animated film, this may feel like a low budget CGI animation movie. But if you know Hayao Miyazaki, you can tell how much the animation has changed in 10-years with more CGI animation and updated camera angles for a more modern look. The impressive landscapes, vivid imagery, and creative cast of characters more than makes up for the lack of technological advances.
Photosensitivity Warning. For viewers prone to epilepsy and photosensitivity, there are a few scenes introducing fire imagery. But unlike what we would expect from say a Disney film, the Ghibli Studios animated fire has bright light flashes, similar to strobing effects that may be triggering for some.
The Story
From the Academy Award®-winning director of iconic Studio Ghibli movie collection, The Boy and the Heron 2023 is a hand-drawn, original story written and directed by legendary director Hayao Miyazaki, produced by Toshio Suzuki, and features a musical score from Joe Hisaishi (the theme song “Spinning Globe” performed by global J-pop superstar Kenshi Yonezu).
The all-star English voice cast includes the talents of Christian Bale (“Thor: Love and Thunder“) as Shoichi Maki, Dave Bautista (“Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3“) as The Parakeet King, Gemma Chan (“Eternals“) as Natsuko, along with Mark Hamill (“Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker“), Robert Pattinson (“The Batman“), Florence Pugh (“Don’t Worry Darling“) and Mamoudou Athie (“Elemental“).
A semi-autobiography biopic about director Hayao Miyazaki’s life, The Boy and the Heron introduces complex themes, intricate storytelling, and imaginative worlds that span between the living and the dead. Introducing events from his own childhood and touching on themes of life, death, and family, Hayo Miyazaki weaves in deep characters, fantasy, and magic in an Alice in Wonderland meets Spirited Away kind of way.
For hardcore Ghibli Studios fans, The Boy and the Heron definitely fits in the collective narrative of Hayao Miyazaki’s legendary words. But is The Boy and the Heron for kids? Or for adult fans?
The Boy and the Heron PG-13 Rating Explained
Is The Boy and the Heron safe for kids? This is not the first Ghibli Studios animated film rated PG-13. But with a wide range of complex stories, creepy characters and bloody violence, should parents be concerned? It’s no secret that I am highly skeptical of all MPAA ratings (um hello, Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker not disclosing any language??). And as we know, not all movie and TV age ratings are the same. As a parent, it’s been rather heartbreaking to witness how television and movie ratings have shifted over the years with a G-rating no longer an option to guide parents.
PG ratings now oscillating between Turning Red intense to Christopher Robin calm, and even PG-13/TV-14 age ratings teetering on the edge of R or MA ratings (Moon Knight and Werewolf by Night, I see you!), there’s a wide range between the age of 0-14 years old for parents to consider. Having fully disclosed parent guidelines can help determine if a movie or show is kid friendly – and safe for the whole family to watch together.
Why is The Boy and the Heron rated PG-13? In this The Boy and the Heron Movie Review | Safe for Kids?, this 2023 Ghibli Studios animated film is rated PG-13 for “some violent content, smoking, and bloody images.” With film and TV ratings also unpredictable these days, having fully disclosed parent guidelines can help determine if a movie or television show like The Boy and the Heron is kid friendly. Is The Boy and the Heron too scary for kids? Is The Boy and the Heron too intense for kids? Let’s breakdown the whole PG-13 age rating in this The Boy and the Heron parents guide.
Violence/Suspense. The Boy and the Heron is overall mild to moderate for violence. Unlike many of the blood bath fights seen in other Hayao Miyazaki films, this 2023 narrative has more restraint, with just once scene of distant hand-to-hand combat and some usage of weapons including knives, swords, bow and arrow – but mostly for effect than violence.
There is some mild peril – people falling, adventure/quest anticipation. There is also one self-inflicted wound with a blunt object – resulting in a copious amount of blood streaming down a character’s face and scarring.
There is a gutting of a fish that also results in blood spurts and copious amounts of fish guts seen. Creepy animal depictions, injured animals, blood from animals and death of animals also present. Believe it or not, this is actually quite toned down compared to some of Hayao Miyazaki’s more bloody animated films.
Adult Themes. Death, grief and loss are very common themes. There depictions of what would be a world for the dead – with imagery representing heaven and purgatory/hell. There is one harsh “I hate you” line. Also complicated family dynamics are present. Romance and sensual innuendo is limited to one sound of adults kissing – but no visual seen, and discussion and visuals surrounding pregnancy.
Smoking is also a common theme in this film, with multiple scenes of grabbing cigarettes, smoking cigarettes and pipe smoking, along with verbal dialogue about smoking.
Multiple visuals of animated bird poop present.
Language. Despite the rating, there is foul language and swear words present in The Boy and the Heron movie including 5 “d@mn,” 1 “d@mmit” and 1 “H-E-double-hockey-sticks”-scape references.
Mild insults and bad language also include “heck,” “dang,” “shut up,” and “stupid.”
The Boy and the Heron Age Rating for Kids
With a runtime of 2 hours 4 minutes, this Ghibli Studios animated film may look like a kid friendly film. However, those who know Hayao Miyazaki’s work, knows that his style gears more towards adult fandom. Fantastical imagery beyond the literal, The Boy and the Heron is art in film form.
Unless your kids are hardcore Hayao Miyazaki fans, this deep film will undoubtedly not appeal to kids with short attention spans. Strong dialogue (possible subtitles for those watching in the original Japanese), long pauses, expected slow pacing, and complex themes may have little ones completely confused while watching – with many, many questions afterwards.
Hayao Miyazaki’s The Boy and the Heron 2023 animated film is most like Alice in Wonderland meets Spirited Away.
This 2023 Ghibli Studios animated film is rated PG-13 for “some violent content, smoking, and bloody images.“
No, there are no post credit scenes in The Boy and the Heron. Feel free to leave when the credits roll, unless you want to hear the new theme song “Spinning Globes.”
Based on my The Boy and the Heron parents guide and mom review above, this parent movie reviewer would not recommend The Boy and the Heron to kids younger than the age of 11-12 years old.
Considering the full PG-13 age rating breakdown above, this parent movie reviewer would not recommend The Boy and the Heron to kids younger than the age of 11-12 years old. The Boy and the Heron PG-13 rating is a little harsh. I see this more in the PG rated Spirited Away realm.
The violence overall is pretty light. But with complex themes, heavy dialogue and slow pacing, this animated film just won’t appeal the little kids and their short attention spans. I recommend parents to prescreen The Boy and the Heron 2023 for violence, language, and dark fantasy themes.
The Overall
In 10-years, Hayao Miyazaki hasn’t lost his touch. Poetic, reflective – laced in emotion, The Boy and the Heron shows 10-years of maturity, growth, and restraint. Everything in this film has a purpose from characters to story building. Nothing is crazy over-the-top to be over-the-top. A true artist to the fantasy world and adult-centered animation, constructed as a testament to Miyazaki’s legacy – The Boy and the Heron tells a narrative that’s thoughtfully real yet wildly imaginative, emotionally charged yet carefully composed.
A triumph that stands tall next to Spirited Away and The Wind Rises, The Boy and the Heron is worth a watch and a re-watch – at least for adult Ghibli Studios’ fans. If Hayao Miyazaki ends up walking away from animation today, he put the perfect period to end his collection.
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The Boy and the Heron, the all-new Hayao Miyazaki and Studio Ghibli animated anime film is flying into theaters on Friday December 8, 2023. Will your family be watching?
I was invited to screen The Boy and the Heron 2023 film in exchange for The Boy and the Heron Movie Review | Safe for Kids? Parents Guide. All photos courtesy of GKids. Be sure to follow Raising Whasians for more movie updates, celebrity interviews, entertainment and behind-the-scenes info!
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