Belle: A Musical Masterpiece

Mamoru Hosoda's newest feature film Belle is finally out in the U.S. and going in I admittedly had very little experience with his movies. In fact, I hadn't seen a single one. However, after the direction and music in Belle blew me away I think I have to change that real soon.

Belle is a great film that's better pacing and story clarity away from being a complete masterpiece, but its emotional weight and beautiful music still leave you in awe. It's totally worth the price of admission (if it's still in theaters) and absolutely worth a watch whenever it hits streaming.

Now I officially can't wait for Hosoda's next film in 2024.

A spoiler free Belle review.

Thanks For Watching!

Music:
NEXT ACCESS - Midnight Pretenders (NEXT ACCESS ネクストアクセス Edit)
Eva - I Blink / She's Gone
HOME - Pyxis
Street Cleaner - Flying Home For Christmas

#Belle #RyuuToSobakasuNoHime #MamoruHosoda #AnimeMovie #Review #Analysis #netflix #anime #beautiful

[jimsaints]

The climax scene alone is better than anything I've ever seen and heard in my life. There are not enough praise words to describe it. The whole movie is not perfect, but still a masterpiece deserving infinite number of re-watches.

[tavvyprods]

I feel there several things that could be further expanded on if the film were to be a franchise (and I’d like the movie even more if they did so) like finding out what happened to the antagonists and the people originally suspected to be a dragon prince & what is done in U.

[Jay-kxjf]

The movie celebrates internet, digital/virtual spaces. It's not a critique of it. It's an acceptance of its tottallity. The good and the bad.

What it can do for people. What it does to people.

[celfhelp]

i've been "into anime" since about 1999-ish? been keeping up with every beat of the medium since then, and specifically followed hosoda from the release of summer wars

while i do think that the 14 minute standing ovation was more for the climax than the film as a whole, i'm still in the apparent western minority in claiming that it's by far his best work, and not just because it's his highest grossing film in Japan. i think that scene is worth the entire film. all of the implications and demonstrations it makes, i honestly still fail to find the words to articulate what i think about it. i've certainly never experienced a theater that still and silent before, with OPPRESSIVELY hopeful tension suffocating all of us (as a musician who is hardcore addicted to sentimentality, i reeled for far longer than 14 minutes because of the climax alone. hahaha)

maybe it's because i'm "getting old", or because i've lost the need for 'resolution' to everything (in art and life both), but i didn't mind the loose ends. i frankly didn't even think about them until i saw them in discussions. specifically, i do think the beast being relatively 'undercooked' was an intentional choice to further build Suzu, and honestly i don't think it would've "worked" nearly as well if he was more fleshed out

sidebar: kaho nakamura is a shining example of what sets many japanese voice actors AND musicians onto their own tier: the emotional bits weren't acting. it wasn't just the character crying, it was the actor genuinely feeling those things and conveying what they themselves feel...like, that's such an incredible feat, especially to capture it in such a raw form that it transcends language.. ugh, it's so great

annnnyway, great video! and boy you do you have an exceptional homework assignment. mirai and wolf children are my 'favorites' after belle, but realistically, they all have their 'special place', and i love all of his works

[OtakuMav]

Great now you're making me want to go see it more than I already wanted to.

[jediarcherbc]

I saw this movie for my birthday this year and it was astounding. I also went into it as my first Hosada movie, and I really enjoyed it on so many different levels. Even the faults that most people cite were good to me.

Then a few days later I watched Hosada's previous film Mirai, and it was horrible. I donKt know how they could have gone from a garbage fire like Mirai to a absolute marvel like Belle.

[jacobstacey]

Watched this with my kids. They loved it, little ones and teenagers. I felt like it was a little incomplete, but that's not the experience the kids had.

[ashleeramey]

It never explains what happened to the abused boys after Suzu scared off their dad

[paulhansenofficial]

A breath of fresh air from all of the bad reviews. This is now one of my favorite anime movies.

[cartergehrke]

how many low fi hip hop beats to study and relax to screens will this movie inspire

[mememan]

The movie was great, but something bothered me about the end. What happened to the kids at the end when Suzu left? Did they go back to their dad?

[BatQueen]

This movie is a huge epic worldwide masterpiece it deserves a sequel and a show series. Plus the ending of the movie there are a lot of questions I have:
- What happened to Peggie Sue?
- What happened to Justin & The Justices?
- What happened to Kei and Tomo?
- What happened to Kei and Tomo’s father?
- Has Belle actually met Peggie Sue in U?
- Will Suzu continue being Belle in U?
- Will there be a Belle 2 plus more sequels and spinoffs of Belle?
- Who is Justin and The Justices in U?
- Who is Peggie Sue in

[karutogarnet]

I don't know why but I found Belle a little disappointing despite still liking it. Maybe it's because the one Hosoda film I've seen is amaizing (wolf children), but oh well, I'm glad that you and so many other people enjoyed it though

[lunaleiwhite]

That's a similar take to what I had. Some bits felt a bit too shallow and glossed over. But overall enjoyed it quite a bit! BTW what anime is the character at 28 sec mark from? That looks like a cool style

[gljames]

I loved that the movie let me fill in the gaps and didn't feel the need for extra exposition beside setting up the concept of U, but I feel that's what detractors disliked about it.

[quartztemplar]

The English Dub is actually better, for once, in an animé

[hamish-k]

I wacth the engine dub, but I believe the dragons dad and justen the 2 main bad guys are the same man in my belief. And they sound the same in England, that is were my mind went to when I watched belle. I don't know if anyone else thinks that but I believe if as true, it adds more to the movie. they jump all over a lot in the story just think people will be able to understand what going on most things people understand. I think the dad of the dragon and justen being the same man is another thing they thought people would add together, but I'm not sure but I like to believe it is. they might sound a lot different in Japan, but I haven't got around to watching that version of belle