These are the notes about the animation and the design aspects of the movie “Kubo And The Two Strings”.
- List some of the symbols used to represent Kubo’s family and ancestors in the film.
The story told by his mother, his father’s robe, the money toy (Mr. Monkey), the banjo, his mother’s strand of hair, the armor, origami paper.
- What are some of the cultural symbols of Japan that are used in the story? How are they used?
The banjo, kimono, origami, Japanese lanterns, samurais, bamboo fields, Japanese style houses. All these elements have been incorporated into the scenery and the characters.
- How is body language used as part of the description of the main character’s personalities?
The main character has some distinct characteristics like feeding and caring for his mother that shows his soft side. At the same time, he is a people pleaser, putting on shows. He is also shown as nonchalant but very brave, fighting for the people he loves.
- Describe some of the kinds of picture conventions used during the animation (film language). Example: extreme close up shots, wide landscape panoramics, quick cuts and scene changes, slow moving camera, dissolves (one image dissolves into another), extreme scale differences, distortion of image, blurred or partially hidden images.
The introduction of Kubo’s mother’s sisters was always associated with dark scenery and intense music. There are several jump cuts shown in these scenes. A lot of close ups of his face (especially during the dream sequence), panoramas of sceneries & landscapes. The dream sequence involved dissolving of images into each other.
- In what ways are landscape and weather used to play a part in the storytelling?
The first scene contains huge waves to depict agitation and turmoil. The sunset is used to represent the depart of the dead. The movie contains a number of seasons as shown by the autumn leaves falling, snowy winter scenes. Rock formations and bamboo fields have been used to depict the Japanese landscape.
- What are some of the main story themes of the film?
This movie explores various themes. Loss of loved ones has been shown when Kubo loses his parents but still decides to fight on. It also shows that loves conquers revenge and hatred when in the end Kubo defeats his grandfather and even changes him for the better. It emphasizes the concepts of teamwork, collaboration and trust as well.
- Does this story relate to other myths or folktales that you know? Explain.
The story of Kubo is similar to the Japanese folklore of Kintaro who was a folk hero with super human strength raised in a mountain hag on Mount Ashigara. Kintaro’s mother too was forced to flee due to a fight between his father and his uncle. Little dolls of Kintaro are put up in Japan in the hope that little boys will become strong and brave like him.
- Describe the most dynamic scene of the movie and how the animators created that excitement through the visual language of design, shape, color, graphics and/or symbol.
The most dynamic scene in my opinion is the dream/hallucination scene shown when Kubo drowns in the garden of eyes. It starts out with a close up shot of his eye and then takes us on a journey. The whole sequence is depicted using origami with jump cuts, panoramas as well as slow moving shots. Strange, whimsical colors have been used to show an almost psychedelic sequence. It is where Kubo sees his grandfather for the first time. It also shows how he fights it out and avoids being sucked into the garden of eyes.
- What was the most emotionally compelling scene? And how was visual language used to convey the feelings?
One of the most emotionally compelling scenes is where the monkey (Kubo’s mother) tells him the story of how it all started. This scene too is shown using origami. It tells us how Kubo’s mother, initially wanting to kill his father, falls in love with him. It forms a connection in the movie as it is the time when Kubo’s father tells her that ‘you are my quest’. This is again repeated when she is dying. It tells a story of forbidden love and how the ‘insect man’ sits and listens to the whole story, oblivious to the fact that he himself is Kubo’s father.
- Did you like the animation? What would you have done better, if anything?
The animation was quite different from the usual animated movies. There was harmony between the animation, music, use of origami and use of intense dialogues. A distinct feature was the animation of old people. There was a discontinuous quality about it, often in jerks to show the movement of old people. I think the animation was done very well as it was dynamic, involving lots of colors and symbolisms.
Some Scenes That I Liked
- The scene at the beginning of the movie where Kubo is shown to be gentle as he tries to feed his mother, who seems dead and hollow from inside. It shows emotions very well even without the use of dialogues.
- The symbolic death of Kubo’s mother’s sister is shown by the broken mask floating underwater.
- The scene where Kubo, on seeing everyone paying their respect to their dead loved ones, tries to talk to his father but is unsuccessful.
- Golden herald used as a symbol – symbolizes the depart of the dead and where they go.
- Another dynamic scene is when, after his parents die, Kubo strikes his banjo to shoe his will to fight on. This causes a tremor to run through the landscape, shaking up the whole place. The next shot is a water droplet falling on the surface of the water, setting off similar ripples in the water. It is used as a comparison between the two.
- There seems to be a continuous and well thought our use of dialogues throughout the movie. A lot of things connect by the end of the movie.
- When Kubo’s parents meet, his father tells his mother ‘you are my quest’. He says this again right before she dies, thus completing the cycle.
- The dialogue ‘every ending is most definitely a new beginning’ is shown when the movie starts out and also ends in the cemetery, signifying a new beginning for Kubo.
