Suzu Naito is a shy, socially awkward 17 year old high school student traumatized by her mother’s death in her youth. Despite her anxieties she has maintained several childhood friendships including her mischievous best friend and computer wiz Hiroka Betsuyaku, who decides to challenge the existing social hierarchy by reinventing Suzu via the singing social media persona Belle, on the U site. This leads to conflict in Suzu’s real and virtual lives.
The Music. The Aesthetic. The Story.
As the third-highest-grossing Japanese film of 2021, this science fantasy film, inspired by Beauty and the Beast, was directed by Oscar-nominated Mamoru Hosoda who brought us modern award worthy classics like summer wars, wolf children, and Mirai