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THE BOY AND THE BEAST
Age 12+ (or 6+ when accompanied by an adult guardian), recommended for ages 10 and up
Lost and lonely in Tokyo, Kyuta meets a bear-like beast that takes him into his world, where the bear warrior trains him to be a great swordsman. Kyuta grows into a young man in this fantastic world, until he manages to open a bridge between the two worlds, and sets out in search of his father.
Meet the director
Mamoru Hosoda
Mamoru Hosoda was born 1967 in Toyama prefecture. In 1991, he joined Toei Animation as an animator before becoming a director. In 2003, he directed SUPERFLAT MONOGRAM, a video for Louis Vuitton. He turned freelance thereafter, and in 2006, he released sleeper hit THE GIRL WHO LEAPT THROUGH TIME, which won the Japan Academy Prize for Best Animation and other awards. In 2009, he released SUMMER WARS based on a story he wrote, which drew an audience of 1.26 million. It swept the animation awards in Japan, was invited to the 2010 Berlin Film Festival, and nominated for the 2011 Annie Award as Best Director. In 2011, Hosoda co-founded animation studio Studio Chizu. WOLF CHILDREN, which he wrote and directed, drew an audience of 3.44 million.