‘The Boy and the Heron’ Is Why You Should Renew Your Netflix Subscription

The Boy and the Heron surprised many by beating Spider-Man: Across The Spiderverse in the Best Animated Feature Film category at the 2024 Oscars. Now, you can see exactly why this gorgeous movie took home the trophy.

If you missed The Boy and the Heron in theaters, Netflix has some good news. And it looks like I just found a good reason to keep my Netflix subscription because Miyazaki’s acclaimed film is coming to the streamer soon.

We don’t have a release date for The Boy and The Heron‘s arrival on Netflix yet, so we’ll have to keep waiting for now. Additionally, Netflix isn’t the only company streaming this 2024 Oscar winner. HBO Max has announced that it will add The Boy and The Heron to its library along with the rest of the Studio Ghibli films they’ve licensed to stream.

What makes The Boy and The Heron so special that even Christopher Miller accepted his loss to this “GOAT” film? Firstly, that’s a very based take. Secondly, The Boy and The Heron is a mix of Hayao Miyazaki’s childhood and the book How Do You Live? by Genzaburo Yoshino.

Mahito was just a boy in wartime Japan who lost his mother in a hospital fire. To complicate things, Mahito’s father marries his late wife’s sister, and they all move to the countryside together. Amidst all this, Mahito tries to cope with grief while familiarizing himself with his new environment.

While exploring his family’s vast property, he stumbles upon a magical tower that brings him to a new world. The movie flits seamlessly from one scene to another. And the animation is so stunning you won’t be able to take your eyes off the screen. The Boy and The Heron isn’t just a film; it’s an experience. You’re not watching it just for the plot, but to see how the adventure of Mahito visually unfolds.

(featured image: Studio Ghibli/Netflix)