arloGet the appMovies like The Boy and the Heron
2023 · Movie · your starting pointIf The Boy and the Heron is the itch, these scratch it — some louder, some quieter. Free ones first.
Movies like The Boy and the Heron, ranked
1. The Boy Who Could Fly (1986)
This film shares the same tender approach to childhood trauma, using magical realism and a mysteriously gifted neighbor to guide a grieving protagonist through emotional transformation in a new home.
2. The Water Horse (2007)
A boy's discovery of a legendary creature becomes a pathway for processing grief and family upheaval during wartime, mirroring the emotional depth beneath fantastical adventure.
3. Guardians of the Ancient Shadow Crown (2014)
Hayao Miyazaki's haunting exploration of grief through a boy's passage into a magical realm mirrors this film's use of discovery and fantastical creatures to process a child's emotional transformation.
4. Wolfwalkers (2020)
Both films use hand-drawn animation to explore how young protagonists discover enchanted realms that challenge their understanding of loss and belonging, with Tomm Moore's visual poetry matching Miyazaki's emotional depth.
Tell me what kind of night it is — I'll pick the one for you.