How No Country for Old Men Inspired the Scariest Anime Villain of 2024

Not just in the shadow of Studio Ghibli

But The Imaginary is much more than a simple homage. It has dark, existential undertones that contrast with the gorgeous visuals, and Yoshiaki spoke to us about reconciling those ideals – and some unexpected influences.

“I felt the need to show an element of truth in this film, because we don’t all live in a happy, magical, perfect world,” Yoshiaki told Dexerto. “Children observe what the world is like, how adults deal with these challenges, what they do to protect them and be there for them, and I wanted to show that, while also giving them clues as to how they could overcome these challenges themselves.”

What makes The Imaginary so captivating is the level of craftsmanship by Studio Ponoc. Breathtaking set pieces are scattered throughout the Netflix film, with a light show in a library filled with Imaginaries (the in-universe term for imaginary friends) being among the most dazzling.

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The Imagination overflows with creativity

We meet a litany of beings, big and small, who have all served as someone’s best friend at some point. They escape extinction by coming together, by combining their raw imaginative energy.

Yoshiaki expanded on this mythology, resulting in an initial draft that was twice as long as what was shown on screen. It is estimated that the film’s backstory was ten times longer than what is seen and heard in the Imaginaries, but the film required more than just lore.

“I didn’t want everything to be visually logical,” he explains. “I wanted the characters to have a whimsical, absurd feel to them, which ended up being really fun and imaginative.”

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A villain Stephen King would love

What’s much less amusing is Mr Bunting, a disconcerting demon who feeds on imaginations. He appears as a middle-aged man, accompanied by an imaginary ghost resembling a child, and everything about him makes you shudder before he attempts to devour Rudger.

He reminded me of Pennywise the Clown, the shapeshifting, child-eating clown from Stephen King’s It. The filmmakers had another, equally disturbing example in mind.

“(Director Yoshiyuki Momose) was inspired by the book’s illustration and developed it,” Yoshiaki reveals. “In terms of characterization, it’s based on the film No Country for Old Men, the character played by Javier Bardem. That feeling of being followed everywhere you go, with no escape. I wanted to create that sense of dread.”

Much like the faceless character in Spirited Away or the fierce warfare in Howl’s Moving Castle, this wickedness serves as a conduit to a brilliant conclusion. We are stronger than we think, smarter, more creative, and capable of incredible love and kindness.

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Empathy is an artistic quest in itself

These things tend to fade as we get older and get caught up in adulthood. Yoshiaki wants viewers to understand that navigating the world can be an art form as valuable as an imaginary battle or a finger-painting masterpiece.

“People tend to think of imagination as something grandiose, as shown in The Imaginary, which is about creating an entire world through the imagination of one person. But I don’t think it’s limited to that form,” he reflects.

“I strongly believe that empathy is also a form of imagination. The ability to really understand what the person next to you is going through. Or to think about someone who is in a refugee camp in another country, what those children are going through.

“I think the sense of imagination is getting lost more and more in this world. So I want us to really value and think about the possibilities we have to use our imagination in this way. It’s maybe even more important than the power to create.”

The Imaginary is now available on Netflix. Check out our upcoming anime and new movies lists for other releases.