Is The Imaginary OK for kids? Is The Imaginary safe for kids? Read the The Imaginary Movie Review | Safe for Kids?, an honest parents guide and mom review of the all-new Studio Ponoc anime animated film, The Imaginary 2024 streaming exclusively on Netflix, starring Hayley Atwell and LeVar Burton. No spoilers! #TheImaginary #Netflix May contain commissioned links.
Parents Guide The Imaginary Movie Review | Safe for Kids?
Have a thing for anime? Totoro-lly!
With the closing of Studio Ghibli and the retirement of the legendary Hayao Miyazaki, some of the old animators are trying to keep that childhood imagination and wonder alive with their second feature-length animated film, The Imaginary. After the success of Mary and the Witch’s Flower, Studio Ponoc sealed the deal with Netflix for this 2024 anime feature and all future Studio Ponoc films. Is this partnership the anime sign for good things to come?
Or the end of an Totoro-lly whimsical era?
In this The Imaginary Movie Review | Safe for Kids?, I’m breaking down the visuals, the story, a full PG age rating explanation for violence, adult themes and language, and what kids’ age recommendation is suggested to watch in this new 2024 The Imaginary parents guide to the new Netflix original animated film. A no-spoiler parent review of The Imaginary 2024, does Studio Ponoc have what it takes to be the new Studio Ghibli?
The Visuals
Do The Imaginary visuals look familiar? They should! Brought to you by Studio Ponoc (a break off company of animators from Studio Ghibli), The Imaginary has a familiar anime hand-drawn animation style similar to old-school Studio Ghibli films But new for this 2024 The Imaginary this bright and bubbly colored animated film features groundbreaking light and shadow techniques as well.
Photosensitivity Warning. For viewers prone to epilepsy and photosensitivity, The Imaginary 2024 has no scenes with dizzying and fast spinning camera movements that could be nausea inducing or motion sickness producing. However, there are a few scenes of bright flashing or strobing lights of note towards the back half of the film.
The Story
Directed by Studio Ponoc’s Yoshiyuki Momose (“Modest Heroes” and formerly Studio Ghibli’s “Spirited Away“), The Imaginary stars an all-star voiceover cast including Hayley Atwell (“Agent Carter“) as Lizzie, Louie Rudge-Buchanan (“Crosshairs”) as Rudger, Evie Kiszel (“Eggshell”) as Amanda, along with the talents of LeVar Burton (“Star Trek: The Next Generation“), Sky Katz (“Raven’s Home“), Jeremy Swift (“Ted Lasso“), and Kal Penn (“Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle“).
Based on the award-winning 2015 children’s book by A.F. Harrold, The Imaginary is an animated film adventure of love, loss, and the healing power of imagination. The story takes place in the crossroads of a world where imagination and reality intersect – following Amanda Shuffleup and her imaginary friend Rudger (don’t call him Rodger!) who only she can see and their thrilling make-believe adventures together.
But when Rudger learns that one day all imaginary companions will ultimately fade away, he wrestles with his fate. Suddenly, he finds himself alone in The Town of Imaginaries (a place where forgotten Imaginaries live and find work). And there he finds himself face to face with a mysterious threat.
But the real question is – is The Imaginary for kids?
The Imaginary PG Rating Explained
Is The Imaginary safe for kids? A Netflix original animated film rated PG? 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 ratings have shifted over the years with a G-rating no longer an option to help 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 Imaginary rated PG? In The Imaginary Movie Review | Safe for Kids?, this 2024 The Imaginary Netflix animated film from Studio Ponoc is rated PG for “scary images, peril, thematic elements and some violence.” 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 Imaginary is kid friendly. Is The Imaginary too violent for kids? Is The Imaginary for kids? Let’s breakdown that PG age rating in this The Imaginary parents guide.
Violence/Suspense. The Imaginary is an anime/fantasy animated film that does have a little bit of violence. Expect multiple scenes of fist fighting and hand-to-hand combat (including supernatural fantasy fighting), deaths and inferred deaths, kidnapping, and weapons including spaceships with laser guns. Hospitalization and a tragic accident/injury occur (mostly off-camera) but scene may be traumatic for kids.
The dark fantasy elements include scary creatures, creepy villains, skeletons, and supernatural ghost-like characters. These can be easily compared to dark fantasy thematic elements of Studio Ghibli films.
Adult Themes. There is a mild amount of alcohol consumption in The Imaginary including one scene of beer consumption and multiple verbal references to “lager” and “beer.” No drugs or smoking.
Other adult themes include grief, death, and loss. There is only one toilet humor reference in the entire film. There is one character that resembles a toilet and plunger.
Does The Imaginary have sexual innuendo? Not really. There is one scene where a character is seen in underwear for one second as they are pulling up pants. There are also scenes of a boy character cross-dressing as a girl (though innocent within the imagination childhood realm). Nothing else is shown. No sex scenes or other sensual innuendo in The Imaginary.
Language. Does The Imaginary have language? While not disclosed, there are are some mild words parents should be aware of. There are thankfully no foul language phrases and swear words. Milder bad language phrases and insults in The Imaginary include: “shut up,” “weird,” and “oh gosh.”
The Imaginary Age Rating for Kids
With a runtime of 1 hour 48 minutes, The Imaginary 2024 Netflix original animated film runs in the sweet spot for family friendly films. However The Imaginary also has heavy dialogue complex themes between imaginary and reality scary creatures and possible disturbing scenes for young kids that could induce trauma and nightmares.
Along with violence and dark thematic elements, The Imaginary is an anime/fantasy movie that is a level above more kid friendly anime films like My Neighbor Totoro.
The Disney+ 2024 The Imaginary film is most like Studio Ghibli kids films such as Spirited Away, Kiki’s Delivery Service and Studio Ponoc’s Mary and the Witch’s Flower.
This 2024 Netflix anime animated film produced by Studio Ponoc is rated PG for “scary images, peril, thematic elements and some violence” by the MPAA.
No, The Imaginary 2024 has no end credit scenes. Feel free to leave after the credits.
Based on my The Imaginary parents guide and mom review above, I would not recommend The Imaginary to kids younger than the age of 7-8 years old.
With dark themes scary creatures and multiple scenes depicting violence, The Imaginary is an anime/fantasy Netflix original animated film that is the next level above more kid friendly movies like My Neighbor Totoro. I advise parents to prescreen the Studio Ponoc anime film for possible frightening images.
Considering the full PG age rating breakdown above, this parent movie reviewer would not recommend The Imaginary to kids younger than the age of 7-8 years old. The Imaginary PG rating is heavier than advertised with multiple creatures and scenes that could give nightmares to younger kids along with heavy themes, dialogue, and peril.
The Overall
Gorgeous Japanese filmmaking and creative imagination collide in this novel turned animated film. But just because it looks like mesmerizing Studio Ghibli piece – doesn’t mean that everything is an exact carbon copy.
While playing to the lighter and younger kids audience with childlike wonder and whimsy, the Studio Ponoc story seems to be as confuddled as Rudger’s journey through worlds. Confusing, choppy, and sometimes lost (but not lost in imagination) – the storytelling ebb and flow were a bit lacking in The Imaginary. I found the characters superficial, finding it hard to relate and feel for their journeys.
Overall, I wished there were a little bit more fluidity to The Imaginary and a tiny bit more rootedness in relatability. But with this being only Studio Ponoc’s second full-feature film, I’m sure they will work out the kinks and growing pains – especially with this future partnership with Netflix now underway.
Imaginary yes, but not quite imagination-full.
Follow The Imaginary on social media:
- Website: https://www.netflix.com/title/81565710
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/netflixus/
- Twitter: https://x.com/netflix
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/netflix
- #TheImaginary
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The Imaginary, the all-new Studio Ponoc animated anime film is streaming exclusively on Netflix starting Friday July 5, 2024. Will your family be watching?
I was invited to screen the all-new Netflix animated film The Imaginary 2024 in exchange for The Imaginary Movie Review | Safe for Kids? Parents Guide. All photos courtesy of Netflix. Be sure to follow Raising Whasians for more movie reviews, television updates, celebrity interviews, entertainment, and behind-the-scenes info!
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