“If you must blink, do it now. Pay careful attention to everything you see and hear. If you blink, if you look away, if you forget any part of what I tell you, even for an instant, then our hero will surely perish.” 

Memories of loved ones help people keep going even when things seem grim. 

When Kubo, a one-eyed boy with a gift of origami, summons a vengeful spirit, he goes on a journey to stop his grandfather and aunts from taking his other eye and making him join them as a god, by locating a magical suit of armor. Along the way he meets a talking monkey and a samurai beetle. With their help, he must solve the mystery of his fallen father, and bring honor to his memory and to the memory of his mother. 

As a fantasy-action animated movie, you will be surprised at how much depth was put into the story. There weren’t any loose ends, and it kept you wanting more. At 1hr and 40 minutes, it also isn’t too long. It is geared towards 9-11 ages, without any inappropriate content for that age group. 

Both film critics and audiences give this movie very high marks. Some reviews do talk about a bit of scary imagery, but honestly, I did not find it that scary, as I found many scenes creepy in a cool way. I am pretty certain every 9-year-old kid has seen much scarier scenes. 

The movie reflects on how complex the world is. Even though Kubo lives in a nice, simple village, everything is not what it seems. As life is going on in the village, Kubo’s grandfather, the Moon King, and aunts constantly try to get his second eye, so he could not see the good in the world, like them. 

The movie is about humanity, as Kubo has a chance to become a god, but he refuses it for the people he loves. The village and the villagers represent the humanity that the gods have lost by losing their memories. The characters show how memories are with you forever, no matter how hard you try. It also reminds us that stories are often memories, and they can have a big impact in your life — for good or bad. 

Kubo and the Two Strings is a wonderful story with a lot of depth, if you just pay attention to it. The animation is amazing, and you can tell they put a lot of effort into it. It’s so beautiful when the origami figures come to life and start dancing. I recommend it to anyone wanting to remember that good prevails in life. 

4.5/5 stars.