LogFAQs > #941433276

9. The Boy and the Beast

Red: 2
Genny: 11
Charon: 11
Jona: 16
Karo: 17
Johnbobb: 18
Inviso: 19

Total: 94

Red: Hey look I ranked a movie with animal people in it highly I bet people are totally shocked again. In all seriousness, I enjoyed the double sided growth we see in animal land with master and student both learning from each other. It was both entertaining and functional. We eventually get horrible payoff in the hey isnt that other dude also a human realization that most of us probably make but somehow slips by all the rest of the rest of the characters. The action sequences at the end are good enough to keep attention, at least. Every character ends up having to come to terms with their place in the world, human or otherwise, and I think its rather satisfying.

Genny: This is only the second time I've watched The Boy and the Beast since it premiered in limited American theaters, and as someone who ranked Summer Wars, Wolf Children, and especially The Girl Who Leapt Through Time so highly on previous lists that should be pretty telling. While the general aesthetic is retained, it lacks the same punch as the aforementioned projects by the same studio and/or director. I can't quite pinpoint why I feel that way, but I think it has something to do with the pacing. It's not all bad though. Here's what I liked about the film: the action was great, the relationship between Kyuuta and Kumatetsu is a definite highpoint, and the humor is charming. I also love how Kyuuta came about his alternate name (for anyone who doesn't know, "kyuu" is nine in Japanese, so when Ren refuses to divulge his true name and Kumatetsu asks him how old he is instead, "Kyuuta" was born). I don't like how easily Kyuuta assimilates into the Beast Kingdom, winning the respect of everyone by beating up a few peers with mimicked techniques; nor how easily he assimilates back into human society after growing apart from it throughout his most formative years, and also the "Ren learns to read and write" segments are the most boring scenes in the film. I also don't like how predictable Ichirohiko's backstory truly is. While I understand it needed to happen for Ren to defeat Ichirohiko, I hate that Kumatetsu had to reincarnate so quickly after achieving his goal in the Beast World. Sure he gained the respect and praise that came with being acknowledged as the strongest by his peers, but he never even got the chance to rule as Beast Lord, even if that's not what he wanted the most.

Charon: A very classic example of "master and the student" style storytelling, I liked the world created for the animals. I perceived about halfway through who the villain really was going to be and even why, and even though I did predict it I still think the confrontation and battle between hero and villain here was excellent. I also feel this film was very well voiced, English wise, for what that's worth. It's hard not to judge films on how they sound since the convenience of watching a dub is appealing to me since my eyesight isn't that great to begin with. But yeah, this one hits all the right notes with me.

Jona: This movie would have ranked lower for me if the whole movie was like the first half. While the father-son relationship development between Kumatetsu and Kyuta was likable, it was nothing special. I found the second half of the movie to be really great though. Seeing an older Kyuta get back to the real world and seeing his father and befriending Kaede is really nice. I loved seeing the conflict in Kyuta having to juggle his life in two worlds. It was pretty obvious that Ichirohiko was a human from the beginning but Im just glad it wasnt glanced over. The climax is amazing looking and emotional. While its not as good as some of Mamoru Hosodas other works, its still a really good movie in its own right.

Karo: What It Is:
A young boy journeys to another dimension and goes to a furry convention.

What I Think:
Hosoda had a tough act to follow after his phenomenal 'Wolf Children', but he could certainly do better than this.
So what happens here is this human kid tries to learn kung fu from a beastman who is as childish as he is and somehow this actually works out because of idiotic shounen logic. Most characters are plain irritating, and there is far too much yelling in general. This assault on the senses continues unabated throughout the entire first half of the story. Toss in a generic teen romance that doesnt fit with the rest of the movie at all and a confusing final act that seems rejected from the kingdom hearts storyboards and I don't really know what to think about this film other than 12 year olds on deviantart can design better furries than these.
Hosada still remains a talented director and can still make you feel for characters even as bad as these are, but this is one story that should probably have been dustbinned.

Score: 68/100

Johnbobb: This is definitely one of the simpler films on the list, with a story that's very remiscent of a fairy tale, seemingly inspired by stories like Tarzan and The Jungle Book with a little bit of a spiritual twist. It's a very easy film to enjoy, with the characters being fun and memorable, the action well done, and a predictable but interesting plot. I love the imagery of the giant whale fight (though the Moby Dick references were a little oversimplified, and I have a little bit of issue with the ending. The reincarnation/god/lord situation was never properly explained, so when Kumatetsu reincarnates, the stakes are vague and the action comes across as a bit of a deus ex machina. I could see this being a very good introductory anime movie for someone who hasn't watched any before.

---

https://i.imgtc.com/a6iBg1Y.jpg
Congrats to azuarc on being really good at predicting stuff