Mirai (Mirai no Mirai)

‘Four-year-old Kun is actually a happy little boy, until everything changes with the birth of his little sister Mirai. Suddenly, his parents seem to have eyes only for the new baby. Kun becomes jealous and feels misunderstood by Mum and Dad, who are telling him off more and more – but then something marvellous happens: In the back garden, the boy meets a mysterious teenage girl who actually claims to be his newborn sister Mirai from the future!” (Kino Rex Bern, 2019)

‘Hosoda’s anime weaves together themes such as sibling rivalry, gender roles and generational succession, as well as Japanese traditions, into a wonderful cinematic narrative about the past, present and future of family bonds. (…) Meanwhile, the audience smiles at the cheerful ease with which Mamoru Hosoda tackles questions of identity on several levels here. What makes a good father, what makes a good mother? What does it actually mean to be a brother? How do I become the person I will one day be?’ (Anke Westphal, epd Film, May 2019)