Mirai, My Little Sister is a film by Hosoda Mamoru. This film takes us on a poetic journey through time and family. Hosoda Mamoru, a renowned Japanese director, has made a name for himself in the world of animation. Notably with notable works such as The Girl Who Leapt Through Time, Wolf Children and The Boy and the Beast. In 2018, he offers us a new dive into a universe that is both intimate and fantastical with Mirai, My Little Sister (Mirai no Mirai in Japanese). This film, full of tenderness and poetry, delicately addresses universal themes. Such as family, childhood and self-discovery through a unique and imaginative approach.
The Story of Kun and Mirai
Mirai, My Little Sister follows the adventures of Kun, a four-year-old boy. His life is turned upside down by the arrival of his little sister, Mirai. Used to being the center of his parents’ attention, Kun feels a mixture of jealousy and confusion. Indeed, this new member of the family monopolizes his parents’ love. One day, while he takes refuge in the garden, Kun discovers a magic tree. It transports him through time. He meets different versions of his family, including a teenager who turns out to be Mirai from the future.
Through these time travels, Kun learns to understand his emotions. But also to appreciate his family from a different angle, and to accept his little sister. Meetings with his ancestors and future versions of his loved ones allow him to grasp the importance of family ties and intergenerational transmission.
An intimate and universal story
Hosoda Mamoru delivers here a deeply human story. A story centered on the emotions and psychological development of a child. Unlike his previous works, which often mixed grandiose themes with apocalyptic stakes, Mirai, my little sister is a more intimate story, but just as powerful. The fantastic is used as a tool to explore Kun’s interiority. This makes complex notions such as jealousy, brotherly love, and the construction of identity accessible to young viewers.
Animation at the service of emotion
The animation, as always in Hosoda’s works, is of great beauty. The sets are neat, oscillating between realism and dreaminess. With sequences where everyday life is transformed into magical tableaux, full of colors and fluid movements. The use of 3D, mixed with traditional animation, creates striking visual effects. Particularly during the time travel scenes, where space and time seem to distort around Kun.
The music, composed by Masakatsu Takagi, perfectly accompanies the different atmospheres of the film. Which adds an extra layer of poetry to the whole. Each note seems to resonate with the emotions of the characters, reinforcing the viewer’s immersion in this tender and melancholic universe.
A tribute to family and childhood
Mirai, my little sister is a tribute to the family in all its complexity and richness. Hosoda, who has become a father himself, seems to want to share his own experience of fatherhood, his doubts, his joys and his discoveries. Through Kun’s eyes, the viewer is invited to rediscover the magic of everyday life. But also to appreciate the little moments that make family relationships great.
The film reminds us that each member of a family, whether a distant ancestor or a newborn baby, has a crucial role to play in shaping our identity. Hosoda tenderly shows that family is an inexhaustible source of memories, lessons and love, a treasure to cherish and understand.
Conclusion
With Mirai, My Little Sister, Hosoda Mamoru has created a touching work, both personal and universal, that speaks to the heart of every viewer, regardless of age. The film succeeds in capturing the magic of childhood while addressing profound themes with a lightness and poetry rare in animated cinema. It is a journey through time and emotions, an exploration of what binds us to each other, within a family, from one generation to the next. A true ode to life and family love.
