Japanese film has long explored the risks and rewards of advancing technology, whether in creature features like Godzilla or horror films like Ringu. The animated musical Belle is no exception and, in the tradition of darker sci-fi anime series like Serial Experiments Lain and the .hack franchise, takes place in a world where a large percentage of the world’s population lives their best lives in an alternate, virtual reality known simply as U. Belle is a story of secret identities, virtual reality, and pop music that cautiously touches on themes of trauma and grief.
Within U’s online utopia, a teenage wallflower named Suzu (Kaho Nakamura) transforms and performs as the enigmatic, pink-haired pop sensation Belle (also voiced by Nakamura in a brilliant dual performance). Suzu’s core childhood memories include discovering her gift for making music on her mother’s phone, sitting on her lap and composing songs, and ultimately, losing her mother in a tragic, accidental drowning. Because of this close association between the loss of her mother and music, Suzu cannot sing without triggering a trauma response. As Belle, she can begin to heal herself, though Suzu’s healing is stagnated unless she learns to be vulnerable in her own skin.
Outside of U, Suzu has emotionally shut out her father after her mother’s death. Her small social circle includes an amateur women’s choir where she’s the youngest member by at least twenty years, her tech-savvy best friend Hiro (Lilas Ikuta), her childhood friend and current crush Shinobu (Ryo Narita), a gregarious sportsman named Kamishin (Shota Sometani), and the most beautiful girl in school, Ruka (Tina Tamashiro). Suzu accidentally bases Belle’s looks on Ruka when she uploads a group photo for U to create an avatar for her. Only Suzu’s freckles remain on Belle’s flawless visage.
Belle takes a turn from musical melodrama to cyber sleuthing mystery when a rule-breaking, bruise-covered dragon avatar known as the Beast crashes Belle’s biggest online concert yet. In this version of Beauty and the Beast, “Gaston” is instead a buff bully named Justin (Toshiyuki Morikawa), the leader of a virtual paramilitary group that seeks to “Unveil” rule breakers like the Beast due to a lack of regulation on the site. (In our world, Unveiling would be akin to doxing.)
Suzu becomes a bit obsessive with the Beast, sensing another broken person like herself. She takes it upon herself to locate the Beast’s castle and discover his true identity, hoping to help him heal from whatever is causing his bruises in reality, but Justin catches on and threatens to Unveil Belle’s true identity and bring her fantasy to an end. Suzu must decide between living her fantasy or earning her friend’s trust through an act of vulnerability.
Director Mamoru Hosoda’s loose, animated adaptation of The Beauty and the Beast shines especially bright in two respects: its art direction and soaring musical numbers. U’s colorful, Escher-like design captures the manic glee of overstimulation, a state of mind often linked to excessive screentime. In contrast, Belle’s natural world consists of neutral colors—greys, browns, and lush greens—giving reality a less stimulating, naturalistic palette. The pop songs composed for Suzu feature lush, cinematic instrumentation and dramatic climaxes.
Belle is insightful about the real risks of living a life—authentic or not—online. Toxic online comment sections influence Suzu’s self-worth, whether during the literal worst time in Suzu’s life (her mother’s death) or the best (her chart-climbing success as Belle). Teens and adults alike will relate to the relentless rush of comments that periodically clog the viewers’ screen in Belle, overwhelming the senses with the anonymous opinions of the Internet.
Mamoru Hosoda’s virtual reality musical would make a crowd-pleasing addition to a library’s film programming, using the Beauty and the Beast story to explore subjects relevant to modern viewers, from authenticity to technology. Belle’s simple story and anime tropes may turn off some viewers, but its delicate handling of heavy topics like trauma and grief might create opportunities for important conversations with younger audiences.
What kind of film collection would this title be suitable for?
Belle would be suitable for film collections that include musicals, animation, children’s and family films, and/or international films.
What ages would this children’s film be suitable for?
Belle would be suitable for an audience ranging from ten and older, due to plot points that include heavier topics such as grief, trauma, and child abuse.
What kind of film series would this fit in?
Belle would fit into a film series of contemporary adaptations of fairytales, a series about social media and new realities of living online, or even just a series of movies the whole family could enjoy.