SunnyHello Nice effects though.

JinRoz For all the hype it got I was expecting a lot more!

Reptileenbu Did you people see the same film I saw?

Ella-May O'Brien Each character in this movie — down to the smallest one — is an individual rather than a type, prone to spontaneous changes of mood and sometimes amusing outbursts of pettiness or ill humor.

sirwillisiv People continuously praise Studio Ghibli, but meanwhile there's other anime films that deserve spotlight, and The Boy and the Beast is one of them. Although the two lead characters share a familiar and repetitive chemistry, the film has affective storytelling and superb animation to back it up. A dazzling blend of coming-of-age and fantasy. If you enjoy Hayao Miyazaki's films, do consider viewing Mamoru Hosoda's work: The Girl Who Leapt Through Time, Summer Wars, Wolf Children, and The Boy and the Beast.

dee.reid No, this isn't "Beauty and the Beast" (1991), though this story also involves beasts - in animated form. This is "The Boy and the Beast," the most recent Japanese animation (Anime') offering from director/writer/producer Mamoru Hosoda, who is very quickly becoming one of the greats in Anime' - after such revered Japanese Anime' directors like Mamoru Oshii ("Ghost in the Shell," the "Patlabor" series), Yoshiaki Kawajiri ("Ninja Scroll," "Wicked City," "Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust"), Katsuhiro Otomo ("Akira," "Steamboy") and of course, the now-retired Anime' legend Hayao Miyazaki ("Spirited Away," "Princess Mononoke," "Ponyo," etc.)Hosoda has come a long way from his debut "The Girl Who Leapt Through Time" (2006) and my personal favorite of his, 2009's "Summer Wars." It was the latter film of his that convinced me of Hosoda's true worth as an inspired director.Hosoda's films are not easily categorized, in that they often combine genres ranging from comedy, to science fiction, to fantasy, to heartfelt character-driven dramas. It is this skillful blending of different genres that set his "Summer Wars" apart from a lot of Anime' features produced nowadays (most films, period), and why I considered it one of the best animated films so far this millennium.And now we're at his most recent, 2015's "The Boy and the Beast." While not as strong as his previous entries, it is by no means a wasted effort. True to his form, "The Boy and the Beast" combines different storytelling genres to tell an inspired fantasy tale that while not completely original, does seem fresh and unique given the interesting scenario that the film's events take place in.In Japan's Shibuya district, Ren is a nine-year-old orphan struggling to get by on the streets by any means necessary. One night, he accidentally stumbles upon the so-called "Beast Realm," a world inhabited by, well, beasts, who take on many characteristics shared by those living in the human world. He is taken in by the gruff, unkempt bear-like warrior-beast Kumatetsu (who appears to be based on late Japanese film legend Toshiro Mifune's "Kikuchiyo" character from "Seven Samurai"), who needs an apprentice, as he is competing to become the new lord of the Beast Realm.The two bicker constantly, but over time an unconventional teacher-student/father-son relationship develops between the two, and Ren, who Kumatetsu unceremoniously renamed "Kyuta," becomes a master student who eventually earns the begrudging love and respect of his teacher."The Boy and the Beast" delivers much of what it promises: stunning animation (complemented by helpful CGI in more than a few places), a sincere and heartfelt story, well-timed humor, and stunning action sequences. "The Boy and the Beast" is not "The Girl Who Leapt Through Time" or even "Summer Wars," but this is nonetheless a strong and entertaining entry in a distinguished director's catalog who can only keep going up.8/10

tenshi_ippikiookami "Bakemono no ko" is a very interesting movie with a couple of very good ideas, well developed, with a nice direction and an engaging drawing style.Ren's mother dies, and he has to go to live with some relatives. However, he is not very happy, all angst and desperation and decides to run away. Lost in Tokyo, a beast meets him and offers him to become his apprentice. Kumatetsu, the beast's name, is strong, and wants to become the next Grandmaster. However, he is also lazy and all his disciples end leaving him. Ren decides to follow him and ends in the 'beast world', a kind of parallel world, where he and Kumatetsu will be forced to understand each other.Subtlety be damned, "Bakemono no ko" has its purpose on its face (and on its title, and in every corner of its running time). From "Moby Dick" allusions, to mirrors or the beast-human conundrum, Mamoru Hosoda and the plot don't care about being too obvious. However, the delivery is really good, the pace nice, the characters engaging and easy to relate to and the story sweet but also poignant. The biggest problem is the need to have characters fight as if this was another fighting anime (Dragon Ball or Yu Yu Hakusho style). The need to be strong becomes too much related to physical force and defeating the other, something that could have been developed in a smarter way.Otherwise, a movie worth checking.

WolfTheLycan I'm going to say that this is my favorite anime movie to date. Let me tell you why: the whole movie isn't just about training for the tournament--rather, it's a very touching story about friendship and how the two main characters slowly connect to one another. It also has a laced theme of parenthood which is probably my favorite part of the whole movie. I do have some nitpicks, but none of that really matters because I enjoyed every second of this masterpiece; not a single scene stands out as either boring or forgettable. I love this movie, and I hope to see more from this director!