Synopsis
Kyuta, a boy living in Shibuya, and Kumatetsu, a lonesome beast from Jutengai, an imaginary world. One day, Kyuta forays into the imaginary world and, as he's looking for his way back, meets Kumatetsu who becomes his spirit guide. That encounter leads them to many adventures.
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Cast
- Koji YakushoKumatetsu (voice)
- Aoi MiyazakiYoung Kyuta (voice)
- Shota SometaniTeenage Kyuta (voice)
- Suzu HiroseKaede (voice)
- Lily FrankyHyakushūbō (voice)
- Yo OizumiTatara (voice)
- Kazuhiro YamajiIozen (voice)
- Mamoru MiyanoTeenage Ichirohiko (voice)
- Kappei YamaguchiTeenage Jiromaru (voice)
- Haru KurokiYoung Ichirohiko (voice)
Recommendations
- 90
Los Angeles Times
Hosoda brings emotional depth to what could easily have become a formulaic martial arts saga. Instead, Boy and Beast is a bracing tale of two flawed individuals who find the love and discipline they need to assume their rightful places in their respective worlds. - 80
The Hollywood Reporter
Rising to the challenge of delivering a rousing finale, Hosoda does sock over a spectacular climactic battle on and below the streets of Tokyo with imaginative aplomb. - 80
Variety
Though it piles all sorts of emotional baggage onto a series of already-tired believe-in-yourself cliches, Hosoda’s over-complicated script has the virtue of expressing itself less via words than it does through truly spectacular set pieces. - 75
The Film Stage
The style isn’t necessarily inferior to Studio Ghibli—it’s just different.... But once the shift in plot occurs to add drama, the visuals change as well. - 70
Arizona Republic
The Boy and the Beast might not quite have the storytelling sophistication to win over every adult, but for teens and tweens in the midst of their own coming-of-age stories, it has the potential to be a wondrous eye-opener. - 63
Washington Post
It is the world of man, not beast, that makes this coming-of-age movie most touching. - 63
Boston Globe
For answers, prepare to sit through two hours of complications, though you will probably figure it out before the spectacular ending. - 50
The Playlist
There are elements of The Boy And The Beast that undoubtedly reinforce the promise that Hosoda holds: it’s a treat to look at, is inventive in spots, and will probably be eaten up by younger viewers. But it ultimately proves both narratively unsatisfying and emotionally lacking.
