Kubo and the Two Strings

Travis Knight directs Kubo and the Two Strings, a visually stunning stop-motion adventure that blends Japanese folklore with a heartfelt family drama. The film follows a young boy named Kubo, voiced by Art Parkinson, who lives in feudal Japan and uses origami to bring his stories to life for his village. His quiet existence shatters when he accidentally summons a vengeful spirit from the past, forcing him to flee on a dangerous journey to find his lost father's armor and uncover the truth about his own magical heritage.

This feature marked the directorial debut of Travis Knight, CEO of Laika Entertainment, stepping away from stop-motion production design to helm a narrative. The studio spent years perfecting their technique, utilizing over 500,000 unique facial expressions printed via 3D technology to achieve subtle acting nuances previously unseen in the medium. Dario Marianelli composed the score, weaving traditional Japanese instruments like the shamisen into a sweeping orchestral arrangement that drives the emotional core of the story. [edit]

In a secluded coastal village during the feudal era, a young boy named Kubo spends his days crafting intricate paper figures that come alive through the magic of his shamisen. He shares these tales with the villagers every evening, but strict rules govern his life: he must never play after sunset and must never speak his full name aloud. His mother, Kameyo, watches over him with intense protectiveness, fearing that revealing their lineage will attract danger. On the anniversary of his father's death, Kubo cannot resist telling the story of Hanzo, the legendary samurai warrior. As twilight falls, he plays the instrument, breaking the prohibition and inadvertently summoning the vengeful spirits of two sisters and their tyrannical grandfather, the Moon King.

The attack is immediate and brutal. The Moon King's forces descend upon the village, seeking the magical armor worn by Kubo's father. In the chaos, the Moon King tears out Kubo's left eye and kills his mother. Before she dies, Kameyo gives Kubo a folded paper samurai talisman and urges him to travel to the Temple of the Moon Kings to retrieve his father's armor, which holds the power to defeat the enemies hunting them. Now blind in one eye and alone, Kubo begins a perilous trek across the Japanese countryside.

His journey leads him to a snowy mountain where he meets Monkey, a trickster monkey cursed by the Moon King to live as a small animal. Monkey reveals he was once an ally of Kubo's father and agrees to help the boy regain his strength. They soon encounter Beetle, a cowardly insect samurai also transformed by the Moon King's magic. Despite their differences and initial mistrust, the trio forms an unlikely bond as they face various trials. They navigate a village inhabited by snow demons, escape the clutches of the Moon King's spies in a bustling city, and venture toward the frozen peaks where the Sisters reside.

Throughout their travels, Kubo struggles with grief and the loss of his sight, learning to trust his new companions while piecing together fragments of his father's history. Monkey and Beetle share stories of Hanzo, painting a picture of a man who fought the Moon King long ago to protect his family. The group faces moral dilemmas regarding forgiveness and the nature of memory as they realize the armor they seek might not be what they expect. The Moon King relentlessly pursues them, growing more powerful with each passing day as he consumes memories to fuel his immortality.

As the trio approaches the final destination, the stakes become clear. Kubo must confront the reality of his identity and the sacrifices his parents made to save him. The narrative builds tension as the Moon King closes in, threatening to unleash his full power upon the world if he obtains the remaining pieces of the armor. The journey tests the bonds of friendship forged in fire and highlights the enduring strength of love and storytelling. Kubo learns that his music is more than just entertainment; it is a key to unlocking the true power of his lineage and the only weapon capable of challenging the Moon King's darkness.[edit]