The Imaginary 2024 Movie Review
Childhood imagination is the most wonderful thing there is, but unfortunately it disappears as we grow older. As a child, everyone has come up with the most bizarre adventures with crazy characters. This is exactly what The Imaginary is about, but as with childish imagination, it can sometimes become chaotic. Nevertheless, Yoshiyuki Momose, once animator at Studio Ghibli, has delivered a beautiful film with its heart in the right place.
In this anime, the wonderful world of imagination is in the spotlight. Amanda recently lost her father. Since then, she has had an imaginary friend named Rudger. Together, they experience the most exciting adventures in Amanda’s imagination. Until they are separated by a fatal incident. The mysterious villain Mr. Bunting is out to devour Rudger. He draws his life force from sucking in imaginations and fantasies. Rudger must flee and find his way back to Amanda, with the help of all kinds of other imaginations.
There are two things that immediately stand out about The Imaginary . First, that Yoshiyuki Momose clearly worked at Studio Ghibli. The well-known charm radiates from him immediately. Second, that the film looks truly beautiful. Some shots look like paintings and especially the backgrounds are often phenomenal. The sharp and flowing animation of all the imaginative, colorful creations complete the work of art.
All this unlimited fantasy and creativity sometimes becomes a bit chaotic and incoherent. At times, so much is happening on the screen that it is hard to follow. This also brings with it the necessary challenges in terms of story: how exactly the imaginary world works is never entirely clear. As a result, you sometimes have to scratch your head at certain scenes. Nevertheless,
the story manages to grab hold and deals with deeper themes such as grief, losing innocence and growing up. At times, the film shifts from serious to funny a bit too quickly, which misses the intended emotional impact. Despite the somewhat messy story, the film has its heart in the right place and a beautiful message. As a result, it feels like a warm reflection of imaginative imagination.
