The Secret World of Arrietty
In a world too big to understand, even the smallest act of kindness changes everything.
The Secret World of Arrietty is a heartwarming tale adapted from Mary Norton's classic novel 'The Borrowers,' reimagined by Studio Ghibli with a distinct Japanese sensibility and breathtaking naturalism. It chronicles the life of a tiny family living beneath the floorboards of an old English country house, who survive by secretly borrowing small items from the human world above to sustain their miniature existence. This story serves as a poignant exploration of coexistence, fragility, and the courage required to face a world that is vastly larger than oneself. Unlike many Ghibli entries featuring high-flying magic or ancient spirits, this narrative grounds its wonder in the quiet intimacy of human-dwelling architecture and the delicate balance between two species who must never meet.
Quick Facts
- Director
- Hiromasa Yonebayashi
- Producer
- Toshio Suzuki
- Based on
- The Borrowers, Mary Norton
- Music
- Cécile Corbel
- Cinematography
- Atsushi Okui
- Studio
- Studio Ghibli
- Distributor
- Toho
- Released
- 17 July 2010
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
The Borrowers are an ancient race of diminutive people who have lived alongside humans for centuries, surviving by 'borrowing' tiny objects like sugar cubes, pins, and thimbles. Their society is built on a strict code of secrecy; if a human discovers them, the Borrower family must immediately flee their home to avoid being captured, studied, or harmed. They view the human world as a vast, dangerous landscape where a dropped crumb can be a feast and a falling leaf a shelter. In this specific iteration, the Clock family resides in the under-floor crawlspace of a quiet, aging house. Their existence is precarious, relying on the kindness of nature and their own resourcefulness to gather supplies. However, the arrival of a human boy named Sho disrupts this fragile equilibrium, forcing Arrietty to confront the reality that her world is not meant for discovery.
Reader's Guide
The narrative unfolds as Arrietty and her parents, Homily and Pod, navigate their precarious existence beneath the floorboards. Their delicate routine is violently upended when Sho, a human boy confined to the house by illness, catches a glimpse of Arrietty during a daring borrowing mission. Instead of screaming or reaching out to capture her, Sho responds with quiet curiosity, leaving small gifts that spark a forbidden friendship defying the strict laws of their world. As their bond deepens, Arrietty invites Sho into her perspective, revealing how a garden hose becomes a suspension bridge and a fallen leaf a shelter against the storm. Yet, this intimacy carries a heavy price: Homily's terror mounts with every secret exchange, fearing that one slip will expose them to the terrifying 'human' world. The story crescendos as the Clock family is forced to flee their home, leaving Arrietty to face the heartbreaking reality that some worlds are too vast to share.
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