THE DEER KING
★★★★
OUT 27 JULY / CERT 15 / 114 MINS
DIRECTORS Masashi Ando, Masayuki Miyaji CAST (VOICES) Shinichi Tsutsumi, Ryoma Takeuchi, Hisui Kimura
Sprawling in its scope but intimate at its core, The Deer King is a lush animation that builds a rich fantasy out of simple details, rewarding viewers with an emotional story and intricately constructed world. Directed by former Ghibli staff Masashi Ando and Masayuki Miyaji, it follows gruff warrior Van (Shinichi Tsutsumi), raising an orphan in the wild in the wake of a destructive virus. The film balances the thrill of exploring its world — filled with fascinating spirituality, cursed viral infections and quite dull bureaucracy — with keeping focus on the parental relationship at its heart. Consistently glimmering in sunlight, this animation illuminates the powerful rhythms of human and environmental bonds, whilst petty politics fizzle in the background.