The Imaginary

is a 2023 Japanese animated fantasy film directed by Yoshiyuki Momose and produced by Studio Ponoc. Based on A.F. Harrold's 2014 novel of the same name, it is Studio Ponoc's first full-length animated film since Mary and the Witch's Flower (2017). The Japanese voice cast includes Kokoro Terada, Rio Suzuki, Sakura Ando, Riisa Naka, Takayuki Yamada, Atsuko Takahata and Issey Ogata. The narrative focuses on Rudger, a boy who is one of the invisible entities known as Imaginaries, created by a girl named Amanda who is coping with emotional loss. The Imaginary is produced with hand-drawn animation. It was originally scheduled to be released between June and August 2022, but it was postponed due to production delays and is scheduled to be theatrically released on December 15, 2023, in Japan. Synopsis In a world where imaginations can live and be eaten by others, Rudger, an Imaginary boy, can be seen by no one but his creator, a girl named Amanda. Their shared existence is confined to the attic of Amanda's residence, where they delve into her vibrant imagination. However, Imaginaries are subject to an inexorable fate: dissolution with human forgetfulness. Baffled by this eventuality, Rudger clings to a glimmer of hope, embarking on an inconspicuous odyssey after Mr. Bunting, who hunts Imaginaries, arrives at Amanda's doorstep. His journey leads him to the enclave referred to as "The Town of Imaginaries", a sanctuary for forgotten Imaginaries. This encounter initiates a monumental voyage that steers the course of familial bonds and cherished connections, shaping their forthcoming trajectories. References