KUBO AND THE TWO STRINGS

US, 2016, 102 minutes, Colour.
Voices of: Charlize Theron, Matthew Mc Conaughey, Brenda Vaccaro, Art Parkinson, Rooney Mara, Ralph Fiennes, George Takei, Cary- Hiroyuki Tagawa.
Directed by Travis Knight.
Kubo and the Two Strings is an entertaining animated feature which should appeal to younger audiences as well as families.

It is not surprising to see a Japanese story and animation these days with so many films coming from Japan itself and, especially, the Ghibli Studios. But, this is an American production, writers and director as well as voice cast.

The filmmakers show great sensitivity towards Japan as well sensibility about its characters, history, culture, mythmaking, rituals as well as the beauty of its locations.

During the final credits, there is a focus on the making of the puppets, especially the Cockroach, which are used in the film – an insight into the type of animation that is present. The landscapes are quite vivid, the characters well drawn, there is a great deal of action and special effects.

The film opens with Kubo and his mother caught up in a huge storm at sea but finally landing on the beach and becoming resident on high rock above the village. Kubo is active but his mother has long periods of distraction, not being aware of where she is, but at night, cautioning Kubo not to stay out after dusk. In the meantime, he goes down into the village, well-received, with his strings, plucking them and narrating heroic stories. He also has an extraordinary origami talent, creating creatures, especially a small origami warrior, and many others in action.

One afternoon, he follows the crowd to a cemetery, sees a girl invoking her grandmother and decides to pray and call on his father – to no avail. But he is caught in the cemetery after dark and suddenly dark and sinister creatures swoop down on him and the village, two sisters, his aunts who are vengeful about their other sister, his mother, who set out on a quest to destroy a Lord but fell in love with him, married him and had Kubo. The father, the Moon King, has urged them to seek out this sister, Kubo and destroy them.

What follows are adventures at sea, in an origami boat, with a warrior beetle turning up, a bit slow on the uptake but genial, who protects Kubo and his mother who has been transformed magically into the form of a monkey toy that the boy had. Once again there are storms, with the Cockroach, Kubo diving into the sea to find a suit of armour, the Beetle having to rescue him, their arriving on land and, of course, a final battle confrontation with the Moon King who can transform himself into a dragon and the avenging sisters.

The characters are much more interesting than in many an American animation film and there is plenty of good dialogue and, certainly, plenty of action sequences.

Art Parkinson voices Kubo while Charlize Theron is his mother. Rooney Mara voices the sisters and Ralph Fiennes their father. But, many times, Matthew Mc Conaughey steals the show as the Beetle.

1. An entertaining story? Creative animation? The Japanese setting, characters, sensibility – from an American perspective? Japanese action and traditions?

2. The American makers, open to Japanese sensibilities and stories, creating the characters, the dialogue, the interactions? Using Japanese legends and customs?

3. The animation, the puppets – the final credits indicating the making of the puppets? Settings, action, the effects, especially the origami creations and beyond? The music, the chords, the visualising of the stories?

4. The voice cast, an American production?

5. The opening, the sea, the mother and son, the high waves, the voice-over telling the story, listeners being attentive? Arrival on land, their dwelling on the high rock, the house, the sad mother, and not being present in mind? Kubo, his care, looking at the village, going down, telling his stories, the encouragement from the old lady, the various members of the audience? His not to be out after dusk, the threat of destruction? His not finishing the stories? The origami, creating the warrior, the duck, special effects, action? The repetition of the stories? His mother’s evening consciousness, her warnings?

6. The old lady, the fireworks, going to the cemetery, the child wanting to communicate with her grandmother, Kubo praying, not getting an answer, the dark coming down? The arrival of the vengeful sisters, the darkness and cloud, the dust, overwhelming, destroying the village and the people? Kubo’s mother, exercising her magic – and enlivening his toy monkey?

7. The warrior coming alive, the Beetle, his character, human, slow-witted, with the origami warrior?

8. The action, cockroach, the fights, destruction?

9. The monkey, his mother, her care, his making the boat, on the sea, the storm, destruction?

10. The two sisters, their story, their relationship with the mother as there are other sister, her mission from her father to destroy the warrior, falling in love, changing? The birth of her son?
The family anger, the quest against them? The death of her husband?

11. Undersea, the restoration of the boat, finding the suit and Kubo putting it on? The danger in the sea, Kubo mesmerised by the eyes, the Beetle diving and saving him?

12. On land, the helmet, the drawing about the action? His mother and father? The moon grandfather, the sisters? The battles, the old king turning into a dragon, the swordplay, destruction?

13. The reconciliation, the people from the village, Kubo and his mother and father, the happy ending?