Belle – Ryû to sobakasu no hime (2021)

Directed by: Mamoru Hosoda | 122 minutes | animation, adventure | Original voice cast: Kaho Nakamura, Ryô Narita, Shôta Sometani, Tina Tamashiro, Lilas Ikuta, Ryôko Moriyama, Michiko Shimizu, Fuyumi Sakamoto, Yoshimi Iwasaki, Sachiyo Nakao, Toshiyuki Morikawa, Mamoru Miyano, Sumi Shimamoto, Kôji I Yakusho,

Although ‘Belle’ is based on the well-known ‘Beauty and the Beast’ fairy tale, the makers succeed in giving it a unique, modern and innovative interpretation. Directed by Mamoru Hosoda, previously known for the Oscar-nominated ‘Mirai’ (2018), the film is set in modern-day Kochi, Japan. Suzu (Kaho Nakamura) is a seventeen-year-old girl who loses her mother at a young age. Her grief makes it difficult for her to make friends and loses the confidence to do what she loved most with her mother: singing. That changes when she is introduced to ‘U’, a virtual world in which she takes on the identity of Belle. For the first time she dares to let her voice be heard again. Belle quickly becomes popular. But when a Beast disrupts her online concert, Suzu is determined to uncover his true identity.

‘Belle’ is above all a film that moves emotionally. You will be taken through Suzu’s grieving process and share with her the joy she has found in the virtual world. Music plays an important role in this. It is Suzu’s outlet and helps her rediscover herself. The expressions in Belle’s face are so well animated that they amplify the emotions in her singing. Her music later develops into a way to connect people and make the world a better place.

The film uses three animation styles to depict the ‘real’ world, the virtual meeting place and the castle of the beast. In the city of Kochi, nature takes center stage, depicted as a beautiful painting. Some landmarks of the city also pass by regularly, including the ‘Sada Chinkabashi’ bridge (the submersible bridge). Due to its use of color and collage-like atmosphere, virtual reality resembles the dream world in the film ‘Paprika’ (Satoshi Kon, 2006). Finally, the animation of the castle is most like Disney’s “Beauty and the Beast” (Gary Trousdale and Kirk Wise, 1991), with dark halls, a room with a broken painting and a dance between Beauty and the Beast.

It is surprising to see a film that takes a positive approach to virtual reality. Of course, ‘U’ is a form of social media where people can easily express their opinion, which can have harmful consequences, and ‘Belle’ also pays attention to this. But this does not overshadow what beauty this world has to offer. It’s not a technology that gets in the way of everyday life, it’s more of an addition. Just like the mobile phone is now a part of our daily life.

‘Belle’ is a wonderful combination of the normal and the abnormal and at the same time manages to bring a classic fairy tale into the modern age. It’s not a real Beauty and the Beast story, but that’s what makes this film so refreshing. By deviating from it, there is more room to deal with other themes, such as the rapidly developing technology, but more importantly the theme of loneliness among young people. The message is clear: together we are strong.