Mirai (2018 film)
| Company type | Animated film |
|---|---|
| Industry | Film industry |
| Founded | 2018 |
| Founder | Mamoru Hosoda |
| Headquarters | Yokohama , Japan |
| Products | Animated film |
Mirai is a 2018 Japanese animated film blending adventure, fantasy, and comedy, both written and directed by Mamoru Hosoda, with production handled by Studio Chizu. It debuted on May 16, 2018, during the Directors' Fortnight and was subsequently released in Japan on July 20, 2018. The voice cast includes performances by Moka Kamishiraishi, Haru Kuroki, Gen Hoshino, Kumiko Aso, Mitsuo Yoshihara, Yoshiko Miyazaki, Kōji Yakusho, and Masaharu Fukuyama.
The movie's international rollout featured releases in Australia on August 23, 2018; New Zealand on September 20; the United Kingdom and Ireland on November 2; and North America on November 29. It earned nominations for Best Animated Feature Film at the 76th Golden Globe Awards, the 24th Critics' Choice Awards, and the 91st Academy Awards—becoming the sixth anime to receive an Oscar nod in this category and notably the first non-Studio Ghibli anime to do so. Additionally, it secured the Best Animated Feature — Independent award at the 46th Annie Awards.
Plot
Kun is a young boy of four whose world shifts dramatically following the arrival of his infant sister Mirai. Initially feeling resentment toward the attention she commands from their executive mother and architect father, Kun embarks on magical adventures that transport him through his family's past and future. These extraordinary experiences help him develop empathy and a deeper understanding as he copes with sibling rivalry and family relationships.
Voice cast
- Kun: Moka Kamishiraishi; Jaden Waldman (English)
- Mirai: Haru Kuroki; Victoria Grace (English)
- Father (Otōsan): Gen Hoshino; John Cho (English)
- Mother (Okāsan): Kumiko Aso; Rebecca Hall (English)
- Mysterious Man: Mitsuo Yoshihara; Crispin Freeman (English)
- Grandmother (Bāba): Yoshiko Miyazaki; Eileen T'Kaye (English)
- Grandfather (Jiiji): Kōji Yakusho; Victor Brandt (English)
- Great-grandfather (Sōsofu): Masaharu Fukuyama; Daniel Dae Kim (English)
- Great-grandmother (Sōsobo): Asami Sanada; Stephanie Sheh (English)
Production
Mamoru Hosoda drew inspiration for Mirai from his own son's reactions upon gaining a baby sister, aiming to portray the nuanced emotional landscape of sibling bonds. Selecting a four-year-old lead allowed for an authentic depiction of early childhood viewpoints. To aid animators in capturing realistic movements and expressions, Hosoda brought his children into Studio Chizu as live references. Setting the story in Yokohama serves as a metaphor for familial transformation amid ongoing urban development.
The storyline incorporates personal elements from Hosoda’s family background, including references to his great-grandfather’s wartime injury. To ensure accuracy in design details, experts outside of animation were enlisted: architect Makoto Tanijiri designed the family home shown onscreen, while paper cutout characters were crafted by children’s book illustrators Tupera Tupera. The Shinkansen sequence was developed with input from engineer Hideo Shima to create a more formidable impression.
Music
Masakatsu Takagi returned as composer for Mirai, shifting away from his earlier pop-oriented approach toward a simpler musical style that emphasizes family themes. The film’s theme songs "Mirai no Theme" and "Music Train" were performed by acclaimed singer-songwriter Tatsuro Yamashita, continuing his collaborative relationship with Hosoda since their work on Summer Wars.
Promotion and release
Mirai made its debut at the Directors' Fortnight segment of the Cannes Film Festival on May 16, 2018. It was subsequently showcased at the Annecy International Animation Film Festival as well as the Sydney Film Festival. Distribution responsibilities were managed by Madman Entertainment in Australia and New Zealand, Anime Limited in the United Kingdom and Ireland, and GKIDS across North America.
Marketing initiatives featured Mirai-themed accommodations at the Tokyo Dome Hotel alongside an exhibition displaying production artwork at Gallery AaMo within Tokyo Dome City. In addition, children's picture books inspired by the film were published to coincide with its cinema release.
Box office
During its opening weekend in Japan, Mirai secured the #2 spot, generating roughly ¥400 million (approximately $3.6 million), which reflected a 40% decrease compared to Hosoda's earlier title The Boy and the Beast. In its second weekend, it slipped to #3 with earnings near ¥289 million, eventually accumulating close to $23.7 million domestically. In North America, box office receipts totaled $812,794. The global gross revenue reached about $28.2 million.
Critical response
On Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds a 91% approval rating, with critics applauding its emotional richness beneath its warm animation style. Metacritic assigns it a score of 81 out of 100, signaling widespread acclaim. Reviewers praised Hosoda’s intimate storytelling method and the film’s ability to evoke strong emotions despite its relatively modest scope.
Peter Travers from Rolling Stone gave the film four-and-a-half stars, highlighting its sincere narrative. The New York Times lauded its emphasis on heartfelt moments rather than intricate plot details. Variety described it as Hosoda’s most personal project presented through a family-friendly lens.
Some critiques pointed to outdated gender portrayals and less convincing fantasy elements, noting that certain parts of the story delivered uneven emotional impact.
Accolades
|- Stuttgart Animated Film Festival May 2019 AniMovie Award for Best Animated Feature Film Mirai
|-
Novel
In April 2018, a novel adaptation of Hosoda's film was revealed and subsequently released by Kadokawa in three distinct editions prior to the film's debut in Japan. The initial edition appeared under Kadokawa Bunko on June 15, followed by Kadokawa Tsubasa Bunko on June 30, and finally Kadokawa Sneaker Bunko on July 1, 2018.
The novel's English rights were acquired by Yen Press, with the announcement made during Anime Expo 2018. The English version, translated by Winifred Bird, became available in both hardcover and e-book formats on October 30.
External links
- Articles with short description
- 2018 anime films
- 2018 films
- 2010s films about time travel
- Animated films about time travel
- Animated films about trains
- Animated films set in Yokohama
- Anime films with original screenplays
- Annie Award for Best Animated Feature – Independent winners
- Films about families
- Films about siblings
- Films directed by Mamoru Hosoda
- Films scored by Masakatsu Takagi
- Japan Academy Prize for Animation of the Year winners
- Madman Entertainment anime
- Nippon Television films
- Toho animated films
- Yen Press titles