Belle
2021 · Movie · PG · 121 min · ★ 7.6 · 89% critics
A shy teenager in a rural town escapes into a vast online world through a dazzling virtual persona. As her sudden fame grows, a strange beast-like presence draws her into an emotional search for connection, courage, and healing.
Also known as Belle: The Dragon and the Freckled Princess
Where to watch
Streaming on HBO Max.
2 hours to watch.
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Details
- Original title
- 竜とそばかすの姫
- Years
- 2021
- Release date
- 2021-07-16
- Language
- Japanese
- Rated
- PG
- Runtime
- 121 min
- Critic score
- 89/100
- TMDB rating
- 7.6/10 (884 votes)
- Box office
- $64,665,994
About
You may like this if you enjoy emotional animated stories that mix music, online identity, and big fantasy feeling, especially if you liked On-Gaku: Our Sound; Not for you if you need tight plotting and clear world rules.
Pros: gorgeous visuals; powerful music moments; heartfelt themes | Cons: uneven story; underdeveloped side characters; unanswered world-building questions
Themes
- friendship
- abusive father
- love
- slice of life
- dead mother
- social network
- inner strength
- anime
- online relationship
- virtual world
- idol
- subjective
Awards & recognition
- Seiyu Awards Special Award · 2022
- Japan Academy Prize — Animation of the Year · 2022 · nominated
Cast & crew
Kaho Nakamura
as Suzu Naito / Belle (voice)
Ryo Narita
as Shinobu Hisatake (voice)
Shota Sometani
as Shinjiro 'Kamishin' Chikami (voice)
Tina Tamashiro
as Ruka Watanabe (voice)
Lilas Ikuta
as Hiroka 'Hiro' Betsuyaku (voice)
Ryoko Moriyama
as Yoshitani (voice)
Michiko Shimizu
as Kita (voice)
Fuyumi Sakamoto
as Okumoto (voice)
Yoshimi Iwasaki
as Nakai (voice)
Sachiyo Nakao
as Hatanaka (voice)
Directed by Mamoru Hosoda