The Boy and the Beast
In Mamoru Hosoda’s The Boy and the Beast, we encounter a narrative deeply resonant with Aristotelian thought, particularly in its exploration of virtue, mentorship, and the balance between reason and passion. The film presents the story of Ren, a boy adrift after the collapse of his family ties, who stumbles into a parallel world and becomes apprentice to the beast Kumatetsu, a warrior as flawed as he is fierce.
From an Aristotelian perspective, the heart of the tale lies in the pursuit of eudaimonia—human flourishing—through the cultivation of virtue. Ren, who begins consumed by anger and alienation, must learn to temper his impulses with discipline and reflection. Kumatetsu, though mighty in body, suffers from arrogance and a lack of self-mastery. Together, their relationship becomes a crucible in which both are refined: Ren gains wisdom and restraint, while Kumatetsu learns humility and the responsibilities of guardianship. The reciprocity here echoes Aristotle’s claim that friendship is essential to moral growth, for it allows individuals to mirror and correct each other’s deficiencies.
The film also dramatizes the Aristotelian struggle between reason (logos) and passion (pathos). Ren’s eventual return to the human world forces him to reconcile these forces within himself. He cannot reject either side—his animalistic instincts, embodied in his training, or his human rationality—but must harmonize them. This balance represents the Aristotelian doctrine of the “Golden Mean,” where virtue arises not in extremes but in measured moderation.
Yet, as a work of art, the film is not without its imperfections. The pacing falters in places, and certain narrative turns lack the polish of Aristotelian unity, in which each event should arise with inevitability from the last. Nonetheless, these flaws do not eclipse the film’s achievement: a meditation on the shaping of character, the struggle toward virtue, and the recognition that strength, divorced from wisdom, remains incomplete.
Ultimately, The Boy and the Beast stands as a modern parable framed in Aristotelian terms. It affirms that true mastery is not the dominance of others but the governance of oneself, and that the path to wisdom lies not in solitary power but in shared humanity, even when that humanity wears the face of a beast.
From an Aristotelian perspective, the heart of the tale lies in the pursuit of eudaimonia—human flourishing—through the cultivation of virtue. Ren, who begins consumed by anger and alienation, must learn to temper his impulses with discipline and reflection. Kumatetsu, though mighty in body, suffers from arrogance and a lack of self-mastery. Together, their relationship becomes a crucible in which both are refined: Ren gains wisdom and restraint, while Kumatetsu learns humility and the responsibilities of guardianship. The reciprocity here echoes Aristotle’s claim that friendship is essential to moral growth, for it allows individuals to mirror and correct each other’s deficiencies.
The film also dramatizes the Aristotelian struggle between reason (logos) and passion (pathos). Ren’s eventual return to the human world forces him to reconcile these forces within himself. He cannot reject either side—his animalistic instincts, embodied in his training, or his human rationality—but must harmonize them. This balance represents the Aristotelian doctrine of the “Golden Mean,” where virtue arises not in extremes but in measured moderation.
Yet, as a work of art, the film is not without its imperfections. The pacing falters in places, and certain narrative turns lack the polish of Aristotelian unity, in which each event should arise with inevitability from the last. Nonetheless, these flaws do not eclipse the film’s achievement: a meditation on the shaping of character, the struggle toward virtue, and the recognition that strength, divorced from wisdom, remains incomplete.
Ultimately, The Boy and the Beast stands as a modern parable framed in Aristotelian terms. It affirms that true mastery is not the dominance of others but the governance of oneself, and that the path to wisdom lies not in solitary power but in shared humanity, even when that humanity wears the face of a beast.
Mini Review: In The Boy and the Beast, the tale mirrors Aristotle’s balance of virtue and flaw. The narrative grapples with growth, discipline, and the tension between instinct and reason. Though uneven at times, its heart lies in the pursuit of self-mastery, reminding us that true strength arises not from brute force but from harmony between beastly passion and human wisdom.