Cam Elkin '26
Hayao Miyazaki’s The Boy and the Heron is undoubtedly a masterpiece in every visual aspect that one could think of. It is a testament to Studio Ghibli’s prestige in the field of hand-drawn animation.
As the final work of the director Miyazaki, the film is a perfect farewell to one of the most successful directors of all time who has completely redefined the art of animation. Yet its win in the Best Animated Feature category at the Oscars this year was questionable. Why?
Honestly, if we were actually talking about the most groundbreaking animated movie of the year, possibly even the decade, the award should have certainly gone to Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse.
Let’s start with the numbers. On IMDb, Across the Spider-Verse ranks 38th out of almost every movie ever created, surpassed only by Miyazaki’s Spirited Away in the animated category. The Boy and the Heron does not even place.
While The Boy and the Heron was good, Across the Spider-Verse was a cultural experience to watch for the first time. The film completely redefines animation, using rare techniques like using fewer frames per second to evoke a comic-like world. Every frame is bursting with purpose.
Meanwhile, The Boy and the Heron is debatably on par or beats out Across the Spider-Verse in the visual department, but struggles in its narrative. The plot quickly spirals into complete confusion. The film lacks a coherent story which is certainly needed to fully connect with its audience like most of the other Ghibli films do.
Reviews echo this sentiment. Movie reviewers at The Communicator Magazine describe the narrative as filled with, “So many twists, holes, and unexplained events that happened throughout the movie that caused me to completely give up on understanding the story while I was watching.”
Contrast this with Across the Spider-Verse, which has complete balance with its enticing story with emotional depth and clarity that leaves the viewer locked onto the movie for its entire three-hour run time. Although it had a very frustrating cliffhanger ending, it leaves you excited for the next adventure.
The popular magazine Forbes praises it as, “A brilliant animated movie and, like the first film, honestly one of the best superhero movies I’ve ever seen.” The franchise is not just expanding on the boundaries of animation. It’s transcending the genre entirely.
Miyazaki’s legacy does not come from a single award or film as all of his movies are world-renowned masterpieces. He will always be the master at his craft. However, the Oscars are meant to reward excellence for a single year, not an overarching career. This year’s Oscar belonged to Sony, not Miyazaki.