The Imaginary (2024, dir. Yoshiyuki Momose)

by Jack Martin | Jul 7, 2024

Certificate: PG

Running Time: 108 mins

UK Distributor: Netflix

UK Release Date: 5 July 2024

WHO’S IN THE IMAGINARY (ENGLISH VERSION)?

Louie Rudge-Buchanan, Evie Kiszel, Hayley Atwell, Sky Katz, Kal Penn, Jane Singer, Jeremy Swift, Ruby Barnhill

WHO’S IN THE IMAGINARY (JAPANESE VERSION)?

Kokoro Terada, Rio Suzuki, Sakura Ando, Riisa Naka, Takayuki Yamada, Atsuko Takahata, Issey Ogata, Hana Sugisaki

WHO’S BEHIND THE CAMERA?

Yoshiyuki Momose (director), Yoshiaki Nishimura (writer, producer), Geoffrey Wexler (producer), Agehasprings and Kenji Tamai (composers), Toshihiko Kojima (editor)

WHAT’S IT ABOUT?

An imaginary friend comes across an existential threat…

WHAT ARE MY THOUGHTS ON THE IMAGINARY?

Although Hayao Miyazaki (and his iconic Studio Ghibli) made a fairly triumphant comeback last year with the critically acclaimed and Oscar-winning animated fantasy The Boy and the Heron, even some of its biggest fans would agree that, in comparison to the anime giant’s past work, its imagination was a bit all over the place. Despite its absolutely breathtaking hand-drawn visuals, the film’s plot increasingly relied so much on Wonderland logic – which is to say, none whatsoever – that, after a while, it was difficult to make heads or tails of what Miyazaki was ultimately trying to do, other than get lost in a dream-like landscape.

The irony is that, when it comes to imagination, it is a former protégé of Miyazaki who is currently outpacing the master himself. Yoshiyuki Momose, who previously served as an animator on Ghibli’s Spirited Away and Whisper of the Heart among others, proves himself to be an equally imaginative force with his feature debut called (funnily enough) The Imaginary, an adaptation of A.F. Harrold’s children’s book that has plenty of creative energy to delight younger audiences and impress some of the older ones as well.

Produced by Studio Ponoc, who previously made a splash with their debut feature Mary and the Witch’s Flower back in 2018, The Imaginary focuses on a boy named Rudger (voiced by Louie Rudge-Buchanan in the English dub, and by Kokoro Terada in the Japanese original). However, Rudger is not an ordinary boy – in fact, he’s not even real; he is the imaginary friend of a young girl named Amanda (Evie Kiszel/Rio Suzuki), whom he regularly accompanies on many make-believe adventures in a world she created from her own imagination. However, when a tragic incident separates the pair, Rudger begins to disappear due to being forgotten, a common fate for most “Imaginaries”, as they’re called. However, he’s saved by a mysterious cat named Jinzan (Kal Penn/Takayuki Yamada), who guides him to a magical world inside a library, populated by countless other Imaginaries who have also been forgotten, and with their help Rudger sets out to be reunited with Amanda, even if it means confronting a terrifying entity known as Mr. Bunting (Jeremy Swift/Issey Ogata) who seeks to very literally devour the young boy’s essence – and yes, it is as creepy as it sounds.

Unlike The Boy and the Heron, this is a film that has a strong idea of how to properly flex its imaginative muscles, while keeping them contained within an identifiable narrative that’s easy enough for audiences to follow. Momose, working from a script by Studio Ponoc founder Yoshiaki Nishimura, allows plenty of room for the creativity to flow, with plenty of pleasing ideas such as a city that always changes its appearance every night (one night it resembles Venice, the next it’s Nagasaki), and colourful characters who are very likeable and don’t feel too out of place. In a lot of ways, it feels like an alternate universe version of John Krasinski’s IF, because beyond the similar concept The Imaginary also has a gentle charm about itself that is instantly appealing to both children and adults, as well as an easy accessibility for younger viewers. Between the two, though, this is the stronger film because this one has a bit more to offer in terms of stakes and dramatic capabilities (more on both of those momentarily).

Amidst all its fantastical whimsy, the film does not lose sight of its simple but effective story, which covers some rather mature themes in poignant and extremely touching fashion. For one, it wrestles with the warring concepts of imagination and reality, especially as the human creators of all these imaginary friends start to grow up and experience more complex emotions that no longer required a made-up companion. The film admirably does not offer many easy solutions to these thoughts, though it does backpedal a little bit on certain core developments during its second half, and it invites the audience to engage with them in a reasonably intelligent manner without sacrificing its entertainment value. There are also times when it isn’t afraid to get rather intense, particularly with its unsettling villain whose design makes him look like the combination of all the strangers you were warned not to approach as a child, and a menacing demeanour (complete with a sidekick who’s like if the girl from The Ring was also a Demon Slayer) that might be a bit much for the very little ones.

Of course, it’s topped off by some utterly delightful animation, which here is a neat balance of hand-drawn 2D designs for its characters, and computer-generated imagery that largely provide some formidable backdrops for the tender action in the foreground. There are some gorgeous sequences filled with burning colours and fascinating designs, all of which are mesmerising to look at and provide plenty of visual baggage to match its emotional weight. It’s enough to nearly make you want to lose yourself in this highly imaginative world and, in not too dissimilar ways to IF, make you want to embrace your inner child once more.

For those waiting patiently for Hayao Miyazaki to follow up The Boy and the Heron with yet another fantastical masterpiece, or even for those who might not yet be old enough for some of Ghibli’s more challenging features, The Imaginary is a fanciful offering from Ponoc that should provide plenty of creative juice for any imaginative person out there.

SO, TO SUM UP…

The Imaginary is a delightful family fantasy that manages to flex its creativity without losing sight of its emotional plotting and likeable characters, providing Studio Ponoc a fanciful new entry to big themselves up with in the temporary absence of Hayao Miyazaki and Studio Ghibli.