The Man Who Leapt Through Film: The Art of Mamoru Hosoda

Fan of Japanese animation will enjoy Solomon’s (The Disney Princess: A Celebration of Art and Creativity) informative and interesting profile of Japanese anime director Mamoru Hosoda. Solomon begins the book with a brief profile of Hosoda’s life in Kamiichi before delving into the director’s growing interest in animation and filmmaking during his teenage years. The majority of the book focuses on Hosoda’s professional career in animation, starting with his work at Toei Animation, before his big leap to feature films that included Digimon Adventure, Wolf Children, and a successful adaptation of The Girl Who Leapt Through Time. Solomon gives each film its own analysis, complete with storyboards, film stills, and interviews with Hosoda and other animation filmmakers. It’s this deft incorporation of interviews and visuals that helps readers understand how Hosoda aimed to elevate the art of animation while creating stories and characters with a strong sense of humanity.