At the altar of Japanese animation stand two masters – Hayao Miyazaki (who is near retiring from filmmaking) and the late Isao Takahata, both of whom are almost universally considered the gold standard for an entire nation’s cinema, and the success it has seen all over the world. However, they’re not the only ones who have left an indelible impression, with many young filmmakers from the newer generation working continuously in their inspirational shadow in an attempt to carry on their legacy. One of the most exciting names currently working is Mamoru Hosoda, who has only made a small handful of films, but continues to be an enormously interesting figure, each one of his films a masterpiece handcrafted from his own existential curiosities, which fuel some of the most magical and profound stories we can ever hope to see. One of his most significant international successes was Mirai (Japanese: 未来のミライ), his absolutely adorable story of a four-year-old boy who grows disillusioned with the arrival of Mirai, his new baby sister, and constantly finds himself be shoved into various moments in his family’s existence – whether travelling to the past or pushed to the future – which at first seems like a random series of events, until he comes to realize there is a reason he is encountering these messages. Mirai is a beautiful, poetic film that proves how anime, which is often ridiculed by cynical viewers as being overwrought at worse, utterly twee at best, can actually harbour a ridiculous amount of depth and nuance when it comes to exploring the human condition, while also showcasing the almost undeniable fact that Hosoda is well on his way to forging an unforgettable career for himself in an industry that can sometimes be a victim of over-saturation – and through fighting through the crowds of similarly-talented directors, he emerges a major, exciting new voice in cinema.

Like his heroes in his field, Hosoda bases the films he makes on his own personal experiences, or at least the curious details about life that compel him to tell stories. Mirai is based on his interest in childhood (a common theme in most of his films), and how we tend to view the world very differently when we’re in our younger years. This is the foundation of the vast majority of coming-of-age stories – there are few that neglect to use this as at least a partial crutch on which to rest most of their narrative, since it is a very effective way of reminding us of our own past and how we have come so far since those carefree years of youth. Hosoda carefully takes this very common trope and turns it into something truly magical, understanding implicitly the boundary that needed to exist between the realism of a young boy growing up, and his relationship with the world around him, in which everything is far more grandiose and mysterious than it actually is. There’s a lot of work that tends to go into these projects, and Hosoda doesn’t waste a single moment in developing the story of Kun and his journey through a world that grows increasingly more confusing the more he ventures out of his comfort zone. Everyday activities are repurposed as enchanting adventures for the young boy, who gets to learn some of life’s most important lessons through gradually encountering a range of characters that teach him more about his future than anyone else – and it only makes sense when we realize how these characters are the embodiment of the future itself, as evident by the title of the film, which translates to “the future”, and refers to both the main character’s newborn sister, and the uncertain journey they take into days to come, which open his eyes and allow him to see everything in a way that he might not have realizes was possible, based on his previous viewpoint.

Mirai is a complex film that can sometimes feel a bit too hurried, especially in how it bounces around different time periods, and doesn’t seem to be too focused on explaining any of it with too much detail, instead leaving it up to the viewer to take what we know and come to some clear conclusions, a daring but worthwhile choice that gives us the credit we deserve to be able to make sense of some intentionally vague scenarios. It only makes the reward of seeing where the film is heading all the more satisfying, especially since Hosoda makes very light work of exploring the depths of humanity through the eyes of this young boy. This is a film that pivots on its director’s ability to plumb the most inconsequential moments for the most genuine, heartfelt emotional content, without it becoming too overwrought. The structure, whereby the protagonist engages in an almost episodic series of adventures through time, allows for it to never fixate on a single moment for too long, and thus gives it a sense of mystery that only reaches a satisfying resolution towards the end, where a tidal wave of emotions descend over us, leaving us thoroughly captivated and moved, after having spent some time voyaging through these vignettes and gaining insights into not only this young boy’s journey into life, but also the history of his family, which is deep and beautifully-constructed by a filmmaker who understood the value of looking beyond the obvious and finding beauty in the most unexpected of places.

Coming-of-age stories are often a dime a dozen, so to find one that is so beautifully composed and meaningful is a special experience. Mirai is a truly unforgettable film – it isn’t particularly detailed, and it leaves a lot of space for the viewer to fill in the gaps with their own perception, providing us the opportunity to mirror our own childhood onto the coming-of-age journey of this adorable protagonist. It’s a film that thrives on its ability to be a stunning but effective tale of finding oneself through confronting our biggest fears and most challenging insecurities, a lesson that is never outdated, regardless of whether we’re in the earliest stages of our development, or at a later point in our lives. This is a film filled with universal truths, all of which come through beautifully well under the assured guidance of a director who could draw the most exquisite scenarios from some very common material, which is a gift that has immediately established Hosoda as one of the most gifted artists working in contemporary cinema. It can sometimes feel somewhat aimless, especially when it deviates into another situation that we may not have much context towards – but this only proves the importance of having faith in a story like this, since that initial confusion will eventually turn into a glorious revelation when we learn what impelled its placement in the story – and Mirai never fails to surprise us with its enormous humanity, its wonderful sense of humour and absolutely delightful approach to the storytelling process which continues to linger in the mind of every viewer who took the opportunity to allow this touching story into our lives.