At the heart of 'The Boy And The Beast (2017)' is a compelling, unique and well-observed central relationship. It's this that really drives the experience, evolving over time until it reaches a rather touching climax despite being as brash as they come. The plot, in general, does a good job of balancing the mundane with the not-so-mundane, making everything we see - whether it be born of man or beast - seem grounded and believable. In fact, even the most extraordinary of elements are presented as being, well, ordinary - a wonderful choice that compounds the drama as relatable and nuanced. It's when the movie moves into its final third and starts to introduce some more, I suppose, 'outlandish', genre-specific and seemingly forced aspects that it starts to struggle a bit. By trying to introduce a proper 'villain', it loses a little focus and becomes a lot more generic. Still, this segment is built on theme and character, while leading into an undeniably satisfying conclusion, so it isn't bad, by any means. Neither is a slightly slower section near the flick's mid-section, which takes the plot in an unexpected direction and isn't so much 'worse' as 'different'. It's here that the piece's themes start to really develop, with new ones emerging and old ones solidifying at the same time. The animation style remains consistent and aesthetically-pleasing throughout. It's detailed, fluid and impactful; it really comes to the fore in the few fairly memorable, somewhat 'Rocky (1976)'-like fight scenes. Generally, the picture is highly entertaining. It's engaging, unique and, even, somewhat emotionally resonant. It's not the most memorable experience but, in the moment, it's a very enjoyable one. 7/10

Love anime, especially the best of Studio Ghibli (particularly the likes of 'Spirited Away' and 'Princess Mononoke'),and love animation in general.

Having loved Mamoru Hoshoda's previous three films, it was inevitable that his latest film 'The Boy and the Beast' was highly anticipated. Was not let down, it may be Hoshoda's weakest film but that is just testament to how wonderful 'The Girl Who Leapt in Time' (my favourite),'Summer Wars' and 'Wolf Children' are, though picking a favourite between them was difficult. Because 'The Boy and the Beast' is still a very good film, two thirds of it even being great. Is it the most original anime there is? No, there are some familiar tropes here though in no way is this a bad thing. Have these tropes been executed a little more imaginatively elsewhere? Sure. Does 'The Boy and the Beast' still do a good job with these tropes and the storytelling? Absolutely.

It is somewhat a shame that the final third is not as good as the first two acts. The pacing does lose its excitement while the storytelling itself becomes rushed (especially the main villain's reveal that comes rather suddenly and doesn't feel explored enough) and jumpy, meaning that the film loses some of its cohesiveness.

On the other hand, the animation is amazing. The way it's designed is almost realistically photographic, while there are some inventive shots, very natural character designs and gorgeously detailed and real-looking background art with a great contrast between the vibrant pastel colours of Jutengai and the drabness of Shibuya. The music score is a mix of rousing and melancholic, always easy on the ears and at times dream-like.

'The Boy and the Beast' was clearly written with a lot of thought and insight, and balances the funny and poignant moments beautifully. The story has familiar but universal tropes and very relevant and relatable themes (love, friendship and peace being the big ones),executing them very intelligently and inventively gripping. It's nearly always entertaining and it's touching too, with something for everyone of any age and gender.

Characters are very well-written and interesting, never being too black and white, too perfect or stereotypical. These are characters with flaws but also with enough to make one want to identify with them. The conflicts, in individual characterisation and with how the characters interact, are very believable and delivered with tension. More could have been done with the main villain perhaps but this didn't bother me.

Voice acting is very dynamic and fit the characters very well.

Overall, very good film that may be Hosoda's weakest out of a very strong filmography but is more a beauty than it is a beast. 8/10 Bethany Cox

THE BOY AND THE BEAST is a likable anime feature set in a contemporary urban Japan. It's a little in the spirit of a Studio Ghibli feature, with a young male protagonist entering a bizarre world of monsters and half-human creatures who live by their own strict societal codes. The adventure that follows is sparky, hard-edged, and fast-paced, with lots of humour arising from the characters and action to see it through. The quality of the animation is top-notch, as you'd expect, and if this isn't particularly poignant as a Ghibli film would be, it still impresses.