The hedgehog decides to venture out in the fog after questioning whether the horse off in the distance can breathe in it. The film approaches spirituality as dangerous and challenging, and full of personal struggle. The hedgehog faces many terrifying things, such as the strange owl and the mysterious catfish. Moreover, he must face the risk of getting lost, losing his jam for his friend, and- supposing his question held truth- suffocation in the fog. Yet still he chose to venture out into the unknown. The film raises many questions for the audience, and doesn't strive to answer any. I can't think of a better way to make a film subtly about spirituality.
I think of Japan, a predominantly Buddhist and Shintoistic culture. Many people do not identify with any religion, in fact most do not. Religion is more of a ritual, more of a cultural truth than a factual or spiritual truth. Moreover, there is no written word like the Bible. The closest thing to it would be the Kojiki or Nihon-ji, which are more of an attempt at historical background and identity through myths within Shintoism. However, there is something unidentifiably relatable about this film. It resonates even with people who would claim to not believe in any form of higher power or spirituality. The film can resonate with people in Japan, America, Russia, and all over the globe because it gives us a longing for the truth. Dangerous and scary as it may be, the film had a way of pointing out what is missing in our lives, even if we can't place what that missing thing is. I hope films like this continue to be made, to encourage people to search for truth even if it is hard to understand and sometimes really scary.
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| The visuals in the film are stunning! This image alone raises questions. |
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| This painting depicts Izanami and Izanagi carving Japan from the waters. |
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