For those who know me well, it’s no secret that I’ve been a fan of Studio Ghibli films since childhood. While I have my favorites, there are a few that don’t resonate with me as much. Unfortunately, The Boy and the Heron falls into that category.

The Boy and the Heron delivers the kind of beautiful animation you’d expect from Studio Ghibli, but it leans a bit too much into surrealism, which might not click with everyone. The visuals are stunning, with dreamlike scenes and strange creatures, but the story itself feels a little too abstract. The way it jumps between reality and fantasy makes it hard to follow and connect with the characters.

The themes of loss and growing up are there, but they often get lost in all the surreal elements, which can feel disjointed. Fans of Miyazaki’s past work might enjoy the deeper symbolism, but for others, the plot can feel confusing and all over the place.

In the end, The Boy and the Heron is a visually impressive film with some interesting ideas, but its heavy use of surrealism makes it harder for me to get into, feeling more like a beautiful puzzle than a clear story.

I’d like to highlight a few things I did enjoy. For example, the Warawara were adorable and reminded me of the Adipose from the Doctor Who episode “Partners in Crime.” The idea that they ascend to the world above to be reborn instantly took me back to The Blue Bird starring Shirley Temple, where she visits a place filled with unborn children.

However, I never quite understood the taboo around visiting the delivery room or why the stone was angry. This is where the surrealism began to lose me, and it only got more confusing with the man-eating parakeets and a parakeet king who wasn’t introduced until near the end. Ultimately, this character disrupted the surreal world the film had created.

While I didn’t entirely dislike the film, it won’t make it into the upper echelon of my favorite Studio Ghibli films, like Howl’s Moving Castle, Princess Mononoke, or Spirited Away—movies I can watch endlessly without ever getting tired of them.