Director Mamoru Hosoda’s The Boy and the Beast (バケモノの子) follows the story of an orphaned 9-year-old named Ren who meanders through a back alley in Tokyo’s Shibuya district and stumbles upon “Jutengai”, an alternate universe populated by humanoid beasts, where he is taken under the wing of a powerful warrior-beast named Kumatetsu, the undisciplined heir to Jutengai’s throne, who needs an apprentice in order to prove himself to Jutengai’s soon-to-be-reincarnated lord (a humanoid rabbit-like creature who is both seemingly naive, yet surpassingly wise). Ren is made to help Kumatetsu develop the discipline necessary to defeat his (Kumatetsu’s) refined and wildly popular rival, Iozen, thereby becoming the new ruler of the land.

*Spoilers ahead*

The Boy and the Beast is not your simple fantastical fairytale; although it incorporates elements of a traditional children’s fable, it is rife with rich thematic significance, and is, above all, a profound commentary on the nature of man. The reason the world of humans and of beasts are separated from one another is not due primarily to differences in appearance – though that probably plays some part – but that human beings have a concealed, yet pervasive darkness in their hearts that threaten to consume them when tapped, and are thus too fragile to dwell in the land of the beasts. Understandably, the beasts are reluctant to allow Ren to remain in Jutengai in fear of the darkness in his heart, but the lord of Jutengai permits it. Here we begin to consider the idea of a darkness that is not only exclusive to the human race, but that also wields a terrifying and potentially all-consuming power.

Kumatestu and Ren are similar in that they were both abandoned by their parents/guardians at a young age; as a result, they are immature, self-centered, in desperate want of attachment and love – though neither of them can translate that longing into words – and alone. As they attempt to navigate their new master-apprentice relationship, they communicate exclusively through petty fights and boorish tirades. Ren begins his discipleship doing simple household chores like cooking and cleaning, but in the meantime – without Kumatestu’s knowledge – he watches Kumatestu train in the front yard, studying his form. Ren learns to mimic Kumatestu’s movements, eventually becoming familiar enough with Kumatestu’s footwork to challenge his master and gain his approval.

As Ren recognizes Kumatestu’s impressive strength and determination beneath his brutish exterior, Kumatetsu in turn recognizes Ren’s perseverance, quick-wittedness, and willingness to grow. Over the course of 8 years, Kumatestu and Ren grow stronger and more mature – as warriors and as relational beings – entering into a relationship embodying that of father and son, united by a love that transcends their two worlds.

Again by chance, Ren returns to the human world and meets a female high school student named Kaede, who offers to help prepare him for college examinations and becomes his first human friend/romantic interest. He also discovers the whereabouts of his father, whom he tracks down – their reunion is one of many mixed emotions, but joyous nonetheless. Ren returns to Jutengai, only to have a falling out with Kumatetsu, who is unhappy with Ren’s newfound attachment to the human world. The two fight, and Ren leaves Jutengai, his relationship with his master fractured.

Back in the human world, Ren begins to struggle to reconcile his dual identity as the son of a human and child of a beast, and he is confronted for the first time since childhood by the darkness bubbling within him. Confused, disoriented, and overwhelmed, he lashes into a sudden fit of rage. Fortunately, he runs into Kaede, who quickly wraps her arms around him to calm his bewildered spirit, and as she holds him says: “I too am sometimes in so much pain that I don’t know what to do… No matter what I do, it feels like something is going to burst inside of my chest. It’s not just you. It’s not just me.”

Once he is reassured and regains control his senses, Kaede ties a red string around his wrist to act as a reminder that he is not alone, that he is loved, and that he is safe in her embrace.

The fateful battle between Kumatetsu and Iozen that the beasts of Jutengai have long been preparing for arrives. Due to his falling out with Ren, Kumatetsu is distracted and is easily overpowered by Iozen. But just as Kumatetsu is on the verge of defeat and all appears lost, Ren – as disciple, as training partner, as faithful son – appears, and he rallies Kumatetsu to victory.

Iozen respectfully accepts loss, but his eldest son, Ichirohiko, who is mentioned briefly throughout the story, is infuriated by his father’s defeat. In the center of his chest appears a menacing, gaping hole – a physical manifestation of the darkness in his heart – that writhes like a whirlpool in the sea. We realize that he, like Ren, is human, thus susceptible to his inner darkness in the land of the beasts.

Using the darkness’ power, he launches a sword through Kumatetsu’s chest. Inflamed by the (supposed) death of his master and friend, the darkness within Ren ignites and nearly swallows his body whole. But at the last moment, Ren sees Kaede’s charm around his wrist, and he immediately regains control of himself and the darkness. Here, we begin to unpack the answer to the big question of both the film and our existence in a broken, distorted world:

What holds the power to overcome the darkness?

Here, in Kaede’s charm, we see that part of the answer is none other than love.

However, though the thought of love rescues Ren from his own darkness’ grasp, it is not enough to eradicate the darkness that consumed Ichirohiko’s body and that is now hungry for Ren’s demise. Ren returns to the human world to find Ichirohiko and engages him in a final battle.

Although he fights his hardest to hold his own, Ren is forced to accept the fact that the darkness is too great and, if not eradicated, will kill everyone in the vicinity, including Kaede. So Ren once again reveals the terrible hole in his chest and begins to pull Ichirohiko’s darkness into himself, knowing it will result in his utter annihilation, but believing it to be the only solution.

Just as he is about to be overtaken, however, help arrives in the form of a flaming sword – Kumatetsu, who, choosing to give up his life in order to save Ren’s, reincarnated into a god in the shape of a sword. The sword, or Kumatetsu, then enters the hole in Ren’s chest in place of the darkness and seals itself within the hole, reviving Ren with newfound courage, confidence, and strength, and together Kumatestu and Ren defeat the darkness and save the world.

Finally, the parallel between the solution to the problem of darkness in their world and in that of our own becomes strikingly clear.

As The Boy and the Beast emphasizes time and time again, all of us have darkness in our hearts, and we all have the potential for great evil, whether or not we choose to admit it. This darkness seethes, almost imperceptibly at times, within our mind, body, and soul, seeking for an opportunity to swallow us whole. It permeates our thoughts, our behavior, and our world. And just as the film rightfully illustrates, we cannot defeat it by our own strength. We are fragile and weak creatures, struggling to survive in an imperfect and corrupted world.

It’s simple – we need help.

And by the grace of God, help came – in the physical manifestation of our creator and King, Jesus Christ, the only human to not hold darkness in his heart, who gave up his life to rescue us from the death we were destined for as a consequence of our sinful nature, of the darkness within us. When we profess Jesus as Lord and Savior, he takes up residence in our hearts, and the indwelling presence of our savior is, like the sword sealed within Ren’s heart, a guarantee of our eternal salvation and a reminder of our safety, security, and strength in our perfect Father and friend. In and through Jesus’ sacrifice on our behalf, we too reign victorious over sin and death. (John 14:20, Galatians 2:20, Revelation 3:20)

The Boy and the Beast was not (as far as I know) written to allude to Christianity, (in fact, it is riddled with elements contrary to Christian doctrine, including polytheism and reincarnation), but the gospel themes throughout the film are nevertheless evident, pointing to our broken human condition and our need for a perfect savior of light and all-consuming love.

¹⁷ so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, 

¹⁸ may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, 

¹⁹ and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. 

²⁰ Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, 

²¹ to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever!

Amen.

– Ephesians 3:17-21