Movie · 2018 · Animation, Family, Fantasy, Adventure, Drama · 1h 38m · PG · Japanese
Curator score: 6.3/10 (82.7K ratings)
I have met the future.
Overview
Unhappy after his new baby sister displaces him, four-year-old Kun begins meeting people and pets from his family's history in their unique house in order to help him become the big brother he was meant to be.
Ratings
Curator score: 6.3/10
IMDb: 7.0/10
Letterboxd: 3.62/5
Rotten Tomatoes: 91%
Metacritic: 81
TMDB: 7.1/10
Director
Mamoru Hosoda
Production
Studio Chizu, D.N. Dream Partners, NTT Docomo, Nippon Television Network Corporation, KADOKAWA
Cast
Moka Kamishiraishi, Haru Kuroki, Gen Hoshino, Kumiko Aso, Mitsuo Yoshihara, Yoshiko Miyazaki, Koji Yakusho, Masaharu Fukuyama, Kaede Hondo, Daniel Dae Kim
Curator Review
Verdict
A tender, visually inventive family fantasy that turns sibling jealousy into a bigger meditation on inheritance, memory, and growing up. It can feel episodic and a little chaotic, but its emotional sincerity and imaginative set pieces make it easy to recommend, especially for viewers who like animated films with heart over plot.
Best for
families with older kids
viewers who enjoy emotional animation
fans of magical-realist storytelling
people interested in stories about siblings and parenthood
audiences who like gentle, reflective fantasy
Skip if
you want a tightly plotted adventure
you dislike child-centered stories
you prefer constant action over domestic fantasy
you are impatient with whimsical, episodic structure
Overview
Mirai is one of those animated films that treats a child’s emotional meltdown as the gateway to something much larger. What begins as a tantrum over a new baby sister opens into a time-bending, house-sized family history lesson, where each encounter reframes what it means to belong to a lineage and to grow into a role you did not ask for.
Worth noting
Mamoru Hosoda blends domestic realism with bursts of fantasy in a way that feels playful rather than grandiose. The film is at its best when it captures the chaos of early childhood: the jealousy, the confusion, the need for attention, and the strange logic kids use to make sense of change.
Bottom line
It is not the most streamlined of his films, and some viewers will find the protagonist deliberately difficult. But the movie’s warmth, visual imagination, and sincere belief that small family moments echo across generations give it a lasting charm. It lands as a sweet, sometimes messy, but genuinely moving piece of family cinema.
Top Letterboxd reviews
Carol Grant (5★) · 1331 likes
"If grandma hadn't let grandpa win that race, we wouldn't be here. Small things like that add up, into something greater than ourselves."
Irwan Nur Rizqi (4★) · 956 likes
Imagine being a 6 y.o. going back in time to meet your 6 y.o. mom and then playing with her, sharing the same innocence and just being a child together, all day long. That would be nice. No, that would be precious.
sofyan (4★) · 467 likes
If grandma hadn't let grandpa win that race, we wouldn't be here. Small things like that add up, into something greater than ourselves.
- Wow.- Simple but special. - Metaphorical. - Heartwarming.- The Cinematography of this film is beautiful. - Loudest kids ever.- Full of good messages. - The script is unique.- Family- Family- And family.- Of course I cried in the ending scene. - It really diserves an Oscar Nominee.
2012 · Animation, Family, Drama · 1h 57m · PG · Curator 8.6/10 (233.9K ratings) · Where to watch: Max
A natural companion piece from the same filmmaker, balancing family intimacy, parenthood, and the bittersweet work of raising children who are becoming themselves.