Today’s quick review: Mirai. Four-year-old Kun (Jaden Waldman) lives with his mother (Rebecca Hall) and father (John Cho) in a small house in Japan. But when his mother brings home a new baby sister, Mirai, Kun finds that he’s no longer the center of attention and begins to misbehave. His tantrums continue until he receives a visit from a teenage Mirai (Victoria Grace) from the future, who takes him on a series of fantastic adventures.
Mirai is a Japanese animated fantasy comedy about childhood and family. Mirai is about an ordinary little boy who has an extraordinary series of encounters with his family both past and future. The movie combines inventive fantasy sequences with grounded, true-to-life characters in service of its deeper observations about life. However, a couple of key flaws in its storytelling keep Mirai from attaining the lofty goals it sets out for itself.
Mirai goes far on the backs of its imagination, insight, and animation. The fantasy sequences are as inventive as they are adventurous, ranging from a low-stakes heist to save Mirai’s future love life to a surreal trip through a massive Tokyo Station. The far-flung fantasy is balanced out by the mundane concerns of Kun’s family, from his father’s efforts in managing the house to his mother’s frustrated attempts at dealing with Kun’s misbehavior.
Two main issues hold Mirai back: its protagonist and its episodic nature. Kun is an accurate portrait of a four-year-old boy, which makes him shrill, abrasive, and slow to learn. His behavior does improve over the course of the movie, but in the meantime the audience is left with the frustration of dealing with a child of its own. How much of an issue this is will depend on taste, but Kun is not as immediately likable as other child protagonists.
Mirai’s story is another mixed bag. There’s no overarching plot for the movie to follow, just a series of vignettes that gradually teach Kun to be a better child. Mirai acquits itself well in both the real world and Kun’s fantasies, with the observant eye and fluid animation needed to bring its ideas to life, but the episodes rarely build on one another. Each incident is a self-contained adventure that doesn’t benefit from proximity to its neighbors.
As such, Mirai is a film that’s rewarding but inconsistent. Its childlike fantasy, poignant moments, and overall quality make it a strong pick for fans of Japanese animation. On the other hand, its frustrating protagonist and disconnected story keep it from weaving its best ideas into a masterpiece. How much you get out of Mirai will depend on what you look for in movies. Those who like their stories to live in the moment should give it a shot.
For an animated family comedy with a similar premise and a sci-fi bent, try Meet the Robinsons. For gentler child-oriented Japanese fantasy, try My Neighbor Totoro or Ponyo. For a darker and even more surreal animated fantasy, try Paprika. For a heartwarming comedy with some of the same spirit, try Tokyo Godfathers. For the growth of a slightly older protagonist, try Spirited Away.
7.2 out of 10 on IMDB. I give it a 7.0 to 7.5 for an imaginative premise and flashes of brilliance offset by slight issues with its protagonist and plot.