'Maboroshi' | Date, plot, cast, director and is the Netflix anime worth watching
Movie: Maboroshi
Platform: Netflix
Country of origin: Japan
Date of release: January 15, 2024
Genre: Fantasy drama
Run time: 111 minutes
After a theatrical release in Japan last year, 'Maboroshi' (Japanese title: Alice to Therese no Maboroshi Kojo) is releasing on Netflix on January 15, 2024.
The fantasy anime follows the story of a town where time mysteriously freezes and people deal with the fear of the unknown while daring to bring a change in a static world.
What is the plot of 'Maboroshi'?
A town is paralyzed by the cessation of time following a catastrophic explosion at a steel factory. Masamune Kikuiri, a 14-year-old boy grapples with a reality devoid of escape routes. As the town clings to the hope of returning to normalcy through an imposed rule that nothing must be changed, Masamune sinks into a bleak routine.
Things take a turn when his mysterious classmate Mutsumi guides him to a blast furnace within the steel factory.
Within this industrial crucible, Masamune discovers Itsumi, a girl bereft of speech, behaving like an untamed wolf. The encounter with her sets in motion a subtle erosion of the world's equilibrium.
The official synopsis reads, "A factory explosion plunges a small town into a timeless freeze, leaving 14-year-old Masamune and his pals to grapple with a quickly collapsing reality."
Who are the cast members of 'Maboroshi'?
Junya Enoki
Junya Enoki is a Japanese voice actor known for his work in 'Beyblade Burst Super Z', 'Boruto: Naruto Next Generations' and 'Jujutsu Kaisen'.
He has lent his voice to Masamune Kikuiri, the central character in 'Maboroshi'.
Reina Ueda
The character of Atsumi Sagami has been voiced by Reina Ueda known for 'Dimension W' and 'Hane Sakura'.
Misaki Kuno
Tokyo-based voice actress, Misaki Kuno has worked in the Manga series 'Fly Me to the Moon Season 2' and 'The Diary of Ochibi-san'. She has voiced the character named Itsumi in 'Maboroshi'.
Other voice actors include Kōji Seto as Akimune Kikuiri, Kento Hayashi as Tokimune Kikuiri, Taku Yashiro as Daisuke Sasakura, and Tasuku Hatanaka as Atsushi Nitta.
Who is the director of 'Maboroshi'?
'Maboroshi' is directed by Mari Okada and produced by Tokyo-based animation studio MAPPA. Mari Okada is one of the most celebrated writers in the anime industry and is the recipient of the 16th Animation Kobe Award.
She is known for her manga series 'O Maidens in Your Savage Season'. The distribution rights are held with Warner Bros. Japan and the film was initially released in theatres on September 15, 2023.
Is 'Maboroshi' worth watching?
'Maboroshi' is a visually stunning film with a new thought experiment. It tells us how life would be if the world became static. The film delves into deep human emotions while eventually teaching us to start living every moment.
Anime News Network reviewed the film as "a surreal thought experiment to dive deeply into human nature. It's got a solid cast of characters of all ages with relatable problems and struggles—some of which they can overcome and others they cannot. And if that weren't enough, it's visually stunning—to the point that it's worth a watch on that level alone. Is it the absolute best anime that Mari Okada has ever written? No. But it's certainly in the top 10."
It is recommended to add 'Maboroshi' to your watchlist.
'Maboroshi' trailer