The Imaginary is proof that animation is by far the best medium to tell a story like this. Everything runs on imagination and childlike wonder here and the film has more than enough visual beauty, inventive character designs and wonderful adventures to be worthy of its title. It's colourful, emotional and briefly disturbing in ways that all greatest animated films achieve, even if it's not at their level.

Rio Suzuki and Kokoro Terada have all the required energy and childlike innocence, mixed with determination and affecting sadness to lead this with ease. Issey Ogata is surprisingly creepy with an uncomfortable presence that easily matches his character's most disturbing actions and on the other end of the spectrum, everyone else does a great job of being as adorable as the imaginary friends they voice.

Yoshiyuki Momose's direction is endlessly inventive from the very beginning and can handle the bigger tonal shifts in a way that prevents them from feeling jarring. The animation in general is absolutely breathtaking, relishing the opportunity to deliver so much exciting, colourful spectacle. Kenji Tamai's score has the sweeping emotion required to really tug at the heartstrings when necessary.

This sure seems like it belongs in the same universe as Happy! That Imaginary blue donkey. Which was dark, but amazing.

This too. Is dark and amazing. Same plot as Happy too, pretty much.

Just a couple of things keep it from being perfect. THe boy talking at the beginning is super annoying. Just repeating the same line over and over again. 2. Its dark. Very Dark for an animated film.

And the worst thing about this movie is the ending. After all that...reconnecting with BingBon and everything and the characters talk about how this will be their final adventure? But why. This practically ruins the entire rest of the film. It doesnt make any sense within the context of the movie. It just happens for no reason.

Reminds me a lot of Happy, paprika, Studio Ghiibli.

I gonna say, this is my first review in IMDb.

The background and view of the story is amazing. Limited by the discription of protagnist, some supporting characters are some sort of plate. I was really touched by Emily and long for more stories of her and the "reality Girl?" should be added more details (my problems?). The face of her when looking mum and A and her final behavior is quite deep and inspiring.

Good painting style espeacially in the fantasy parts. I don't like too much motto in lines, that's why I said for adults NO.1; NO.2 the movie offers a new perspective for adults to understand children and the set of mum's dog is beneficial; NO.3 it occurs to me some plots in a horror movie, I have forgetten the title, and COCO about the memory of ancestos, which is also about forget.