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Change is never easy—and especially when you’re a child, big changes can cause even bigger emotions. In the Japanese animated tale Mirai, a family struggles to adjust to some big changes—and a little boy has some magical assistance to help him deal with his new reality.
Mirai tells the story of Kun (voiced in the English version by Jaden Waldman), a spirited little boy who’s excited about the birth of his new baby sister—until she comes home and changes everything. As his father (John Cho) adjusts to working from home and caring for two children and his working mother (Rebecca Hall) worries about whether she’s doing the right thing for her children, Kun struggles with a full range of emotions. And they often lead him to a magical garden where he can travel back and forth through time to interact with different family members.
Every member of this growing family struggles to adjust to their new life together—and that makes the story both real and relatable. It’s certainly a big change for big brother Kun. No longer the only child, he’s now expected to pick up his toys and be quiet and share his parents’ attention with the new baby—and it isn’t long before the jealousy and frustration come bubbling up into all kinds of over-the-top (yet completely honest) emotions. But it’s not just Kun who’s struggling. His parents are forced to rearrange their schedules and juggle their work with the care of both an infant and a busy toddler. They have their own stress and fears—and any parent will understand their doubts and concerns.
Of course, the film also ventures away from reality as little Kun finds himself learning about his feelings from some unlikely characters—like the family’s dog in the form of a grown man or his baby sister as a teenager. They take him on all kinds of imaginative adventures to learn about jealousy and responsibility—and to discover that it might not be all that bad to be a big brother.
The story is simple, yet it’s also honest in its simplicity. This is what it’s like to be a family—no matter where you may live. It can be stressful and frustrating. There are times when you’ll be sad or angry or even scared. But, in the end, it’s the love that comes shining through.
Mirai isn’t a deep or groundbreaking film, but it’s sweet and sincere—and beautifully animated, too. It’s a lovable change from the usual animated film.
Listen to the review on Reel Discovery:
