2024 is the year of imaginary friends with films such as IF from director John Krasinski and the horror film Imaginary from Lionsgate. Next, we have The Imaginary from director Yoshiyuki Momose, known for working on Studio Ghibli’s animated films including Porco Rosso, Spirited Away, and Grave of the Fireflies. It’s headed to Netflix on July 5, 2024, and it has debuted at the Annecy International Animation Film Festival and Market. I had the chance to watch the animated film, and I believe it’s going to be nominated in a lot of awards shows. The Imaginary is an imaginative, fun, sad, emotional, and captivating tale of the imagination.

I’m usually the type to watch anime in the original Japanese language, but with The Imaginary, the Western setting and the talent had me intrigued. The English dub is solid overall and very fitting with the setting with voice actors including Hayley Atwell as Lizzie, Jeremy Swift as Mr. Bunting, Kal Penn as Zinzan, Louie Rudge-Buchanan as Rudger (very fitting name), and Evie Kiszel as Amanda.

The story follows a young girl named Amanda and her Imaginary friend, Rudger, as they both go on grand adventures. They have a special bond, and they will need each other to escape the wrath of a mysterious figure named Mr. Bunting, a human who can see Imaginaries and also has a taste for Imaginaries. Imaginaries have special bonds with their humans, but once the humans grow older and forget, the Imaginaries disappear. Rudger’s journey leads him into a special sanctuary where forgotten Imaginaries live in.

When watching The Imaginary, I thought about IF a lot since both films came out in the same year. IF follows a real-life girl, but The Imaginary focuses on the young Imaginary boy. Both deal with the loss of a loved one and forgetting imaginary friends, but I have to give it to The Imaginary to deliver a more engaging and heartfelt experience. There are characters that I have cared for and am rooting for, and the film knows how to tug on my heartstrings.

The Imaginary characters are fun and come in all shapes and sizes. A few are even lost Imaginaries from historical figures like Shakespeare and Beethoven. Emily, another human Imaginary, helps Rudger on his journey, and they are accompanied by Snowflake the hippo and Zinzan the cat. The villain is Mr. Bunting, and he is creepy. He’s accompanied by a pale young girl with long black hair (think The Ring), and they may be frightening for younger kids.

With Momose and Studio Ponoc working on the film, the film has that Studio Ghibli touch. To elevate the film even further, the hand-drawn animation features a lot of shadows, highlights and color, giving it a painterly aesthetic.

The Imaginary has a lot of heart and adventure and dives deep into loss and love compellingly. The English dub is top-notch, the animation is imaginative, vivid, and detailed, and the characters are endearing. It’s one of the best-animated films of the year.

Score: 4.5/5 Atoms