Warning: light, non-plot-related SPOILERS for The Imaginary are shared below. If you want to go in fresh, you’ve been warned.
In the upcoming 2024 movie The Imaginary, the world of friendly figments becomes a rich playground for young Imaginary Rudger to adventure with his human friend Amanda. While there have been several pictures that have used this idea as inspiration in this year’s box office market alone, writer/producer Yoshiaki Nishimura’s adaptation of A.F. Harrold’s children’s novel of the same name really explores the concept with a depth and originality that stands out.
As I was offered an interview with Yoshiaki on behalf of the animated original’s July 5th release to people with a Netflix subscription, it was a prime opportunity to discuss just what makes The Imaginary so beautiful. In the process of doing so, one of my favorite moments actually shifted in perspective, becoming even more beautiful in the process.
The Imaginary Scene That Became Even More Beautiful In Context
While this scene isn’t a major plot spoiler, the arc of one of Rudger’s fellow Imaginaries is discussed. So you may want to keep that in mind, just in case you’ve seen The Imaginary’s trailer and want to go in fresh. Anyhow, as Rudger (Louie Rudge-Buchanan) and company step into the mind of young John (Miles Nibbe), they’re greeted with a space opera fantasy that sees them manning a rocket in battle.
On the surface, that sounds like a pretty standard kid’s fantasy, especially in a movie like The Imaginary. That being said, the detail that led to my epiphany was the fact that despite being in John’s imagination, the rocket in question was created to look as if it had been built by cardboard.
After I had mentioned that detail to Yoshiaki Nishimura as something I was in love with, he then offered some further context into that scene. Here’s what Mr. Nishimura told CinemaBlend:
That was really tedious to create. But that cardboard world [with] Cruncher of Bones, that character coming to the story really starts developing that cardboard board world even more. I mean, children’s imagination starts from something small. We might start from a world where they use cardboard, but as you or I did as a child, when you’re imagining things, the [imaginary] world is so real. So the cardboard world is so real and it would turn into a spaceship.
For the uninitiated, Cruncher-of-Bones (Courtenay Taylor) is a really sweet Imaginary that’s basically a tiny walking skeleton. It’s as adorable as you’d expect, and while it’s hard to pick a favorite in this world of imaginary friends, Cruncher was one that I kept pretty close to my heart.
Before we go any further, you need a chance to fall in love with Cruncher-of-Bones as I have. So with that in mind, take a look at this character photo provided for that very purpose:
Adorable, right? Now imagine seeing that little skeleton fly into a scene with a huge cape, acting like a hero out of an upcoming Star Wars movie, while John is humming “Also Sprach Zarathustra” as his theme music. This is one of my favorite moments in The Imaginary, as it provides vital background on how Imaginaries perform “jobs” to keep themselves active.
Those gigs also have the potential to rehome abandoned Imaginaries with new children who could use their services. That look on Cruncher-of-Bones’ face above is a result of that process working as it should, which is a revelation that lead to where my perspective on this moment shifted from joy to pure bliss.
On its own, this moment in The Imaginary is heartwarming to no end; full of the beautiful visuals and emotional heart I highlighted in The Imaginary review, but it was Yoshiaki Nishimura’s context that really sold me on why this scene is so effective. Cruncher-of-Bones becomes John’s new Imaginary friend after this space odyssey, and that photo you see above is from the moment where it happens, as the boy grabs this skeleton’s hand in a bid to keep him in his life.
We see Cruncher and John basically vibing as human and Imaginary in this flight of fancy, and as a result, this cardboard-based world that the child in focus creates becomes even more vibrant. At first, I just really liked the scene because it’s a fantastic spectacle to which the Studio Ponoc artists have given loving life.
But thanks to this creative match working like a charm, Cruncher-of-Bones has a new human and John has a new Imaginary. It’s a payoff that doesn’t hit you over the head. It’s much the same as another robot-based Imaginary finds a new human after being introduced as slowly fading away in the opening act of the film.
While that example is more subtle and plays out without any extended dialogue or focus, it only helps nail how this symbiotic relationship is the crux to The Imaginary. Also, I kind of got attached to that robot in a similar manner as I did with Cruncher-of-Bones. But looking at the photo of that buddy provided above, I dare anyone to challenge those feelings.
As the main story focuses on Rudger and Amanda (Evie Kiszel) trying to evade the nefarious Mr. Bunting (Jeremy Swift), an older man who’s hunting Rudger for his own horrific reasons, our young Imaginary’s quest to stay out of harm’s way becomes even more complicated when he and Amanda are separated.
That circumstance adds urgency to the story, while also organically allowing director Yoshiyuki Momose to fill us in on the rules Imaginaries live by. The drama of that plot is only buoyed even further by this tender moment where imagination brings together two friends who didn’t know they needed each other.
If you’re ready to laugh, cry and feel your heart soar, I highly recommend Netflix’s The Imaginary. You’ll be able to partake in the beauty that lies ahead starting July 5th. While you’re at it, check out the rundown of 2024 Netflix movie and TV release dates, so you don’t miss out on any of the other excitement being offered on this very platform throughout the year.
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