Kensuke's Kingdom

Michael Morpurgo's children's story was adapted as an animation by Frank Cottrell-Boyce. At its' heart is ecological issues with inspiration from Robinson Crusoe.

Set in the late 1990s. Michael is a young boy whose family go on a round the world sailing trip after his parents lose their jobs.

Michael has naughtily smuggled his dog Stella onboard. When the boat hits stormy weather. Michael and Stella find themselves stranded in a remote island.

They are not alone. In the island is an elderly Japanese second world war veteran, Kensuke (Ken Watanabe.)

He can only speak Japanese but he provides food for the Micheal.

Eventually young Michael learns to appreciate the beauty of the island environment and how it is in peril.

Especially when hunters arrive to shoot or take the wild animals.

Kensuke has been protecting the animal kingdom.

The animation is good, the story is simple with hope and sadness. It was unexpectedly charming and moving.

This movie would really tries to be simple and effective in that regard. Which it succeeds in quite well.

Very good scenery at nature and whatnot, characters are not deep, as again it's trying to be simple and effective.

Seeing a 2D movie in this day and age being made is a relief to my heart especially one that is clearly using its 3D assets right. It reminds me of tarazan and treasure planet but I'd argue it is doing a better job than both of them. The art styles pretty nice all the characters are very distinct in drawings and have very good features for you to discern that they are different people.

Very much worth watching. And please do this movie does a lot of traditional things which are dying out nowadays in the animation world.

This must be the most beautiful animation film i have ever seen. Great screenplay, magnificent misic, beautifull characters. A big thumbs up to the guys having made this film. Be advised: there are some "violent" scenes in it. So i wouldn't recommend watching the movie with a five-year-old. Advised age would be rather 7/8.

The animation beautifully captures the essence of the book, bringing to life the breathtaking landscapes and the emotional journey of the characters. The relationship between Michael and Kensuke is heartwarming and poignant, as they learn to trust and rely on each other despite their differences.

The film explores themes of friendship, courage, and the power of nature, as Michael discovers the true meaning of survival and the importance of compassion and understanding. The animation is visually stunning, with vibrant colors and stunning scenery that transport viewers to the exotic island setting.

Overall, "Kensuke's Kingdom" is a captivating and inspiring film that will appeal to audiences of all ages. It stays true to the spirit of the original story while adding its own unique visual style and charm. It's a must-watch for fans of the book and anyone who enjoys heartfelt and adventurous storytelling.

I was really sceptic after watching the trailer. That I did after seeing the cast. I wanted to make sure my kids will be on board, but the trailer pushed one of them out of the watchers list. Then we waited and finally we set, as a family, to watch the whole movie and damn...that was a good one.

Now I will look for the book for me and the kids. It is very simple story, that reminded me of "Tarzan" or "Jungle Book" and off course a sprinkle of "Cast Away", it had the magic of both, with a twist. It is a story about a small bubble, that demonstrate that all men can live together, with animals also and without devouring each other.

Michael and his family are going for a world-wide tour, in a boat. Michael will drop from the boat and then will be discovered on an island by an older Japanese survivor, that made himself a private kingdom out of the island and is not willing to share or change anything, while living in the nature.

It is a heart warming and touching story that is simple, short and well performed, as talking about the animation and dubbing. It's book's background (by Michael Morpurgo) and simple, but very successful script (Frank Cottrell Boyce) makes the difference between another kids' movie to this exciting and Heart-wrenching film, that conquers you from the get go.

I have not read the book this is based on so I went in with no expectations. It reminded me a lot of Studio Ghibli films in terms of the animation and the central character's adventure and some of the ecological themes. At times I found Michael to be frustrating as he made one wrong choice after another. But this was balanced out as the film progressed and by the end I really connected with the characters and cared about what was going on. A beautiful, wholesome film with a very emotional conclusion. Well done!