The Imaginary is a visually stunning anime film that is packed with emotion and encourages viewers of all ages to embrace their inner creativity.
Studio Ponoc’s The Imaginary is a gorgeously animated film that tells the story of a young girl named Amanda and her imaginary friend Rudger. While it is often cute and hilarious, it is also touching and is unafraid to tackle heavy themes such as loss and grief. A film that will entertain audiences of all ages, as well as teach lessons about keeping the creativity alive and dealing with your trauma in a positive way.
Amanda has a vivid imagination, always creating fun and unique adventures for her and Rudger to go on. When tragedy strikes, Rudger discovers there is a place where forgotten imaginaries go. They must continue to find work or else they will disappear forever.
Isn’t it weird how different movies focusing on the same topics tend to come out around the same time? There have been several films featuring imaginary friends, each with a slightly different take on them, recently, however The Imaginary easily stands above them. This movie does a wonderful job of bringing the novel of the same name (written by A.F. Harrold and illustrated by Emily Gravett) to life.
Nearly everyone in the world has had an imaginary friend, but as they get older, they inevitably forget about them. In The Imaginary, these forgotten friends must get to the safe haven of the library before they fade away. On top of that, they are faced with the threat of a terrifying villain who wants to consume them in order to keep his powers.
The villain is extremely creepy and could be too scary for some younger children, however he has a very cool design. Because of him, the stakes all throughout the film seem high, like there is a true threat out there that Rudger must fight. It is easy to become invested in his journey because he is a lovable character, obviously only wanting to do the right thing.
What is most intriguing about The Imaginary is the plethora of imaginary friends and their unique looks. Only a small handful resemble humans, Rudger included, or animals, as most are more bizarre. This drives home that point that people are different, and that we all use our creativity in different ways, and to imagine different things. Every imaginary is created for a purpose, something that comes into play multiple times in The Imaginary. It is one of the most heartwarming messages in the film.
The Imaginary is visually stunning. The animation is hand-dawn and uses a first-of-its-kind technique of light and shadow, which only heightens the visuals. Studio Ponoc was founded by Yoshiaki Nishimura, former lead film producer at Studio Ghibli, so this should come as no surprise. Viewers are sure to be mesmerized by the gorgeous sequences at all times, but especially during the action sequences.
As mentioned previously, there are some heavy themes, particularly about grief and loss. While this is a film that is acceptable for all ages, just know that there are some particularly difficult moments involving loss that might evoke some tears – especially for sensitive little ones.
Amanda and Rudger have a bond that is extremely powerful. We haven’t seen one like this on screen in a while. What they have is special and it helps to make The Imaginary a truly touching, emotional, and entertaining film. There is a quite a bit of humor weaved throughout, creating laugh out loud moments, however it is more of an adventure-drama than comedy.
The Imaginary teaches viewers the power of imagination through a visually stunning, heartwarming story. Fans of anime will adore this film, but fans of animation, and good storytelling in general, will also connect with it.
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About The Imaginary
Studio Ponoc’s The Imaginary portrays the depths of humanity and creativity through the eyes of young Amanda and her imaginary companion, Rudger, a boy no one can see imagined by Amanda to share her thrilling make-believe adventures. But when Rudger, suddenly alone, arrives at The Town of Imaginaries, where forgotten Imaginaries live and find work, he faces a mysterious threat.
Directed by renowned animator Yoshiyuki Momose (Spirited Away), The Imaginary is an unforgettable adventure of love, loss, and the healing power of imagination.
The Imaginary comes to Netflix on July 5th.
A visually stunning anime film that is packed with emotion and encourages viewers of all ages to embrace their inner creativity and never lose their imagination.
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Tessa Smith is a Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer-approved Film and TV Critic. On Camera personality and TV / Film Critic with 10+ years of experience in video editing, writing, editing, moderating, and hosting.