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The Boy and the Beast

Play trailer Poster for The Boy and the Beast PG-13 2016 1h 59m Action Adventure Fantasy Anime Play Trailer Watchlist
Watchlist Tomatometer Popcornmeter
90% Tomatometer 67 Reviews 89% Popcornmeter 2,500+ Ratings
Kyuta slips into an alternate universe where he is raised by a bear-man, Kumatetsu. Kyuta is eventually thrust into an adventure which spans both worlds.

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The Boy and the Beast

The Boy and the Beast

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Critics Consensus

The Boy and the Beast combines familiar parts to create a gripping, beautifully animated adventure with inventive storytelling to match its visual appeal.

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Critics Reviews

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Tara Brady Irish Times Aug 15, 2017
4/5
[Its] familiar beats cunningly coalesce into an elaborate plot, set to Takagi Masakatsu's bustling score. Go to Full Review Johanna Schneller Globe and Mail May 27, 2016
2.5/4
The soundscape is rich, and the beast-battles well executed. But the characters never develop beyond their two-word descriptors: Conflicted Boy, Lonely Girl, Angry Son, etc. Go to Full Review Sandra Hall Sydney Morning Herald Mar 10, 2016
3/5
The whole thing displays that combination of visual flair and wildly inventive storytelling that distinguishes Japanese animation from the rest of the field. Go to Full Review Douglas Davidson Elements of Madness Aug 18, 2025
... not only are there stories beyond our borders worth seeing, but that not all animation is strictly for young children. Sometimes they’re for mature audiences ready to go on a fantastical adventure that may just heal the hole in your heart. Go to Full Review MaryAnn Johanson Flick Filosopher Nov 30, 2020
A few instances of gorgeous and magical imagery cannot make up for the lack of genuine emotion or a fresh story. Go to Full Review Rachel Wagner Rotoscopers Feb 11, 2019
4/5
The martial arts sequences look very bold and captivating, and all the animation is rendered beautifully. Go to Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Goose R. @rodrigug Apr 6, 2026 Kyuta is a young orphan boy that runs away and lives in the street until he is found by a anthropomorphic bear that’s a king fu master and takes him as an apprentice to the world of the beast. Where there seems to be all kinds of anthropomorphic beasts that appear to have a pesciteraan diet. It’s a feel good story with a good message. Good animation sequences too 🍿🍿🍿🍿/5 on Hulu See more Alessandro A @RT14928326 Oct 20, 2025 Great visuals, compelling story. I can only recommend it. See more Dave H @GridGlory Aug 27, 2025 User reviews on this site, are useless. What do you think Stephen C’s deal is? Stick with the critic reviews! See more Chief B @YouKnowImRight Aug 24, 2025 I read it too fast and thought it was The Boy And The Priest. I just started laughing. See more Stephen C @bob25009 Aug 6, 2025 Success in 1 hour and 59 minutes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Rated PG-13 for Some Violence and Language!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The USA grossed over $446,100.00!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! See more Feb 8, 2021 I expected more magic things from an anime like this with a director like that. See more Read all reviews
The Boy and the Beast

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Cast & Crew

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Mamoru Hosoda

Director

Kumiko Asô

Kyuta's Mother

Rirî Furankî

Monk Momoaki

Suzu Hirose

Kaede

Haru Kuroki

Young Ichirohiko

Mamoru Miyano

Ichirohiko

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The Boy and the Beast

The Boy and the Beast (2015) View more photos

Movie Info

Synopsis Kyuta slips into an alternate universe where he is raised by a bear-man, Kumatetsu. Kyuta is eventually thrust into an adventure which spans both worlds.
Director
Mamoru Hosoda
Producer
Atsushi Chiba, Takuya Itô, Genki Kawamura, Yuichiro Sato
Distributor
Funimation
Production Co
Nippon Television Network, Studio Chizu, Kadokawa Pictures, Inc.
Rating
PG-13 (Some Violence|Language)
Genre
Action, Adventure, Fantasy, Anime
Original Language
Japanese
Release Date (Theaters)
Mar 4, 2016, Limited
Rerelease Date (Theaters)
Aug 18, 2025
Release Date (Streaming)
Jun 7, 2016
Box Office (Gross USA)
$446.1K
Runtime
1h 59m
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