Thanks to GKIDS, fans of Mamoru Hosoda can check out his latest work “Mirai” in selected theaters in North America.

“Mirai” puts the spotlight on a young boy named Kun as he watches his family change over the presence of his new baby sister Mirai. He clearly notices the amount of attention his parents give her and tries to take some for himself. As his parents switch off responsibilities when his mother goes back to work, Kun’s jealousy grows and makes things difficult for his struggling dad. When things reach a boiling point, Kun finds the small family garden transformed into a magical place where he meets people that are strangely familiar to him. One of the visitors is a older version of Mirai and she needs Kun’s help to secure her future. While her request seems like a one-time thing, it leads to an adventure through time and a lesson on loving others.

“Mirai” is a very wholesome movie about the growing pains in the family. Audience members will find moments relatable whether it’s from their childhood or parenthood. The film also has several elements reminiscent from Hosoda’s previous works like “The Girl Who Leapt Through Time” and “Summer Wars”. The production team also uses different art styles to reflect the time periods to help define where Kun goes. The film finds a way to give itself a circular story even though it branches out beyond the original timeline. The shape presents a sense of security that everything will work out. While it doesn’t have any grand fights or tense atmosphere, its fantastical exploration brings a lot of wonder.

For those that attended screenings hosted by Fathom Events, a special interview with Hosoda played after the film. It was conducted during the famous Cannes Film Festival where it was part of this year’s Director’s Fortnight selection. He spoke that having his second child was an inspiration for “Mirai” and his son had a dream of meeting his baby sister who was in the form of a teen. Kun’s great grandfather was based off of his wife’s grandfather. He mentioned that raising his kids was like reliving his childhood and a chance to redo life and experience the nostalgia. Director Hosoda called his film “modest” due to the lack of action or drama but also “an epic” since it was a story passed down through the generations.

To find more information on “Mirai” including theater showings and news, visit GKID’s page. The movie recently received nominations for the upcoming Golden Globes (Best Motion Picture – Animated) and Critic’ Choice Awards (Best Animated Feature). Fans will have to wait for the official announcements next month on January 2019.

In case there are no nearby showings of “Mirai”, Yen Press released the novel written by Hosoda. Check out the online preview here.