The Boy and the Beast is somewhat like the Jungle Book, except the jungle has Japanese supernatural creatures competing for deity status, and the human village nearby is the bustling district of Shibuya. But what makes the film different is the main relationship. As boy and beast learn to become apprentice and master, and eventually father and son, their dynamic shifts their lives permanently, transforming their flaws into the keys to the worlds they once felt excluded from. It’s a familiar conflict, but The Boy and the Beast depicts its coming-of-age adventure with beautiful animation, an impeccable score, and unabashed heart.