Movie

The Boy and the Heron

“Where death comes to an end, life finds a new beginning.”

★ 7.4(2,700)20232h 4m

The Boy and the Heron is streaming on Netflix and Netflix Standard with Ads in Germany, and available to rent or buy on Apple TV Store, Amazon Video, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Sky Store, Rakuten TV, maxdome Store, MagentaTV, Kino on Demand, Videoload, Verleihshop and Freenet meinVOD. Availability checked 22 July 2026.

Good to know

Director: Hayao Miyazaki
Release date: 2023-07-14
Runtime: 2h 4m
Language: Japanese
Box office: $294,200,000
Budget: $50,000,000
Status: Released
Country: Japan
Studio: Studio Ghibli

The Boy and the Heron — trailer

About The Boy and the Heron

The Boy and the Heron is a 2023 movie in the Animation, Fantasy and Drama genres, directed by Hayao Miyazaki, starring Soma Santoki, Masaki Suda and Ko Shibasaki. It has a runtime of 2 hours 4 minutes. It holds an average rating of 7.4/10 from 2,700 viewers. Below you can see where to watch The Boy and the Heron in Germany — across streaming, rental and purchase options — along with the full cast, trailer and viewer reviews.

Synopsis

While the Second World War rages, the teenage Mahito, haunted by his mother's tragic death, is relocated from Tokyo to the serene rural home of his new stepmother Natsuko, a woman who bears a striking resemblance to the boy's mother. As he tries to adjust, this strange new world grows even stranger following the appearance of a persistent gray heron, who perplexes and bedevils Mahito, dubbing him the "long-awaited one."

Cast

Soma Santoki

Mahito Maki (voice)

Masaki Suda

Gray Heron (voice)

Ko Shibasaki

Kiriko (voice)

Aimyon

Lady Himi (voice)

Yoshino Kimura

Natsuko (voice)

Takuya Kimura

Shoichi Maki (voice)

Keiko Takeshita

Izumi (voice)

Jun Fubuki

Utako (voice)

Sawako Agawa

Eriko (voice)

Karen Takizawa

Warawara (voice)

Shinobu Otake

Aiko (voice)

Jun Kunimura

The Parakeet King (voice)

Themes & keywords

loss of loved oneworld war iisupernaturaleducationcoming of agespiritualitypovertyteenage boyparallel worldtroubled childhoodsemi autobiographicalbased on myths, legends or folkloremoving to a city1940sanime

Frequently asked questions

Where can I watch The Boy and the Heron in Germany?+

In Germany, you can stream The Boy and the Heron on Netflix and Netflix Standard with Ads. It's also available to rent or buy on Apple TV Store, Amazon Video, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Sky Store, Rakuten TV, maxdome Store, MagentaTV, Kino on Demand, Videoload, Verleihshop and Freenet meinVOD.

Is The Boy and the Heron on Netflix?+

Yes — The Boy and the Heron is available to stream on Netflix in Germany.

How long is The Boy and the Heron?+

The Boy and the Heron has a runtime of 2 hours 4 minutes (124 minutes).

Who stars in The Boy and the Heron?+

The Boy and the Heron stars Soma Santoki, Masaki Suda, Ko Shibasaki, Aimyon and Yoshino Kimura.

When did The Boy and the Heron come out?+

The Boy and the Heron is a 2023 movie directed by Hayao Miyazaki.

What genre is The Boy and the Heron?+

The Boy and the Heron is Animation, Fantasy and Drama film.

Who directed The Boy and the Heron?+

The Boy and the Heron was directed by Hayao Miyazaki.