The title of Miyazaki's new movie raises a lot of questions among fans.
In Japan, the new Miyazaki movie is called "How Do You Live?".
Ghibli probably wanted to avoid cultural misunderstandings.
The Boy and the Heron (Kimitachi wa Dou Ikiru ka) was one of the most anticipated films from Japanese animation maestro Hayao Miyazaki. Of course, because it was supposed to be his farewell (again). The hype didn't stop until the premiere, with interest fueled by great critical reviews. Now it is finally out. But it seems that not all fans are happy about some decisions. The title of the movie is one of the complaints.
The story of the boy and the heron (not at all)
The plot of Miyazaki's movie centers on a 12-year-old boy, Mahito, who loses his mother in an air raid on Tokyo. This trauma becomes the center of the boy's life, and he tries to overcome it throughout the movie. The pain is compounded by his misunderstanding father, who marries his wife's sister shortly after the tragedy and takes the new family to the countryside. It is very difficult for the teenager at the new place: he cannot find a common language with his stepmother, and his peers at school insult him.
In addition, the boy is terrorized by a gray heron that lives near the house. It turns out to be unusual and can even talk. One day, the heron tells Mahito that his mother is alive and he can find her in another world. At first, he doesn't believe it and tries to get rid of the annoying creature, but after his stepmother disappears, he decides to follow the heron.
The Boy and the Heron or How Do You Live?
Many fans were disappointed with the poor choice of title. It implies that the heron should be as much a part of the story as the boy. In fact, he only appears at the beginning and a few episodes later. It might seem that the heron has no value to the story at all. But this is not true, because with his appearance the main story begins. The heron serves as a guide to another world.
The choice of such a title is not so difficult to explain. It is known that the studio comes up with a name for foreign distribution. In Japan, Miyazaki's film is called "How Do You Live?" and refers to Genzaburo Yoshino novel. The plot of The Boy and the Heron has nothing in common with the book's story, but the novel appears in the movie and serves as a metaphor for the entire story.
Ghibli probably wanted to avoid cultural misunderstandings and used a more comprehensible title. Some viewers have also criticized the Japanese title – there is only one scene in the movie where the book has any significance. But none of this seems very important. Loyal fans will enjoy the movie and won't even look at the title.
Not a very good movie title.
Summary:
The title of Miyazaki's new movie raises a lot of questions among fans.
In Japan, the new Miyazaki movie is called "How Do You Live?".
Ghibli probably wanted to avoid cultural misunderstandings.
The Boy and the Heron (Kimitachi wa Dou Ikiru ka) was one of the most anticipated films from Japanese animation maestro Hayao Miyazaki. Of course, because it was supposed to be his farewell (again). The hype didn't stop until the premiere, with interest fueled by great critical reviews. Now it is finally out. But it seems that not all fans are happy about some decisions. The title of the movie is one of the complaints.
The story of the boy and the heron (not at all)
The plot of Miyazaki's movie centers on a 12-year-old boy, Mahito, who loses his mother in an air raid on Tokyo. This trauma becomes the center of the boy's life, and he tries to overcome it throughout the movie. The pain is compounded by his misunderstanding father, who marries his wife's sister shortly after the tragedy and takes the new family to the countryside. It is very difficult for the teenager at the new place: he cannot find a common language with his stepmother, and his peers at school insult him.
In addition, the boy is terrorized by a gray heron that lives near the house. It turns out to be unusual and can even talk. One day, the heron tells Mahito that his mother is alive and he can find her in another world. At first, he doesn't believe it and tries to get rid of the annoying creature, but after his stepmother disappears, he decides to follow the heron.
The Boy and the Heron or How Do You Live?
Many fans were disappointed with the poor choice of title. It implies that the heron should be as much a part of the story as the boy. In fact, he only appears at the beginning and a few episodes later. It might seem that the heron has no value to the story at all. But this is not true, because with his appearance the main story begins. The heron serves as a guide to another world.
The choice of such a title is not so difficult to explain. It is known that the studio comes up with a name for foreign distribution. In Japan, Miyazaki's film is called "How Do You Live?" and refers to Genzaburo Yoshino novel. The plot of The Boy and the Heron has nothing in common with the book's story, but the novel appears in the movie and serves as a metaphor for the entire story.
Ghibli probably wanted to avoid cultural misunderstandings and used a more comprehensible title. Some viewers have also criticized the Japanese title – there is only one scene in the movie where the book has any significance. But none of this seems very important. Loyal fans will enjoy the movie and won't even look at the title.
