Hayao Miyazaki and the Heron

This documentary chronicles the seven-year production of the film The Boy and the Heron. With exclusive access to Studio Ghibli, the film follows director Hayao Miyazaki as he navigates the challenges of creativity and mortality. It highlights the complex friendship and professional dynamic between Miyazaki and producer Toshio Suzuki, showing how Suzuki encourages the director to push his creative boundaries.

The film was directed by Kaku Arakawa, who previously directed How Ponyo Was Born: Hayao Miyazaki's Thought Process in 2009 and Never-Ending Man: Hayao Miyazaki in 2017. The cast features Hayao Miyazaki and Toshio Suzuki appearing as themselves, along with Takeshi Honda, Masaki Suda, and Kenshi Yonezu. The production also includes archive footage of Isao Takahata.

Produced in Japan by NHK and NHK Enterprises, the documentary has a runtime of 121 minutes. Since its release on October 10, 2024, the film has received positive responses from viewers. It holds a rating of 7.8/10 on IMDb based on 1,400 votes and an identical rating of 7.8/10 on TMDB from 41 votes.