Title: Mary and the Witch’s Flower
MPAA Rating: PG
Director: Hiromasa Yonebayashi
Starring: Hana Sugisaki, Ryûnosuke Kamiki, Yûki Amami
Runtime: 1 hr 42 mins

What It Is: Based on “The Little Broomstick” by Mary Stewart. When a young girl named Mary (Sugisaki) stumbles upon a strange flower called a Fly-By-Night. This grants her the powers of a witch. Along with a magic broomstick and a mysterious black cat she is swept up into the world of witchcraft and magic. When an older witch named Madam Mumblechook (Amami) and Dr. Dee (Fumiyo Kohinata) find Mary they begin to take an interest in her, but especially in the flower she now possesses. 

What We Think: Not only is this a fantastic tale but it’s one told in such a way that your swept up in it the entire time. Using that Japanese anime style keeps the colors vibrant and everything looks and feels like a dream. Like this fantasy world where anything can happen. That might be the point. A magical adventure with a great script good voice acting and stellar animation.This continues a hot streak for Japanese anime. 2017’s Your Name was simply brilliant and took a somewhat overused concept and tells it in a unique way. That’s precisely what this film does.

Our Grade: A, I cannot recommend this more highly. It’s a great film that is fun for the whole entire family. These are the animated films we should be showing to children. One’s that fuel imagination and make children think about what they’re seeing. Japan refuses to let the traditional animation die. I’d like to thank them for that so with that I say arigatogozaimasu (ありがとうございます!). The English dub should be available soon but if you cannot wait a subbed version is still available. Either one will leave you rather happy. Check it out ASAP!