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Cover of Children Who Chase Lost Voices

film

Children Who Chase Lost Voices

2011

The film centers on Asuna, a young girl who spends her solitary days listening to the mysterious music emanating from the crystal radio she received from her late father as a memento. One day while walking home she is attacked by a fearsome monster and saved by a mysterious boy named Shun. However, Shun disappears and Asuna embarks on a journey of adventure to the land of Agartha with her teacher Mr. Morisaki to meet a Shun again. Through her journey she comes to know the cruelty and beauty of the world, as well as loss.

Ages 12+Source checked

Why this age? Frequent peril, frightening creatures, character deaths, a grieving child, supernatural possession, violence, and mature themes about resurrection and letting go may be intense for younger viewers. This is guidance, not a safety guarantee; reading level and family context may differ.

Quick view

At a glance

Recommended age12+

Strongest cautions

  • Death of a character4/5
  • Frightening scenes4/5
  • Religious themes3/5

Strongest positives

  • Courage & resilience4/5
  • Creativity & curiosity4/5
  • Positive messages4/5

What’s in it?

Death of a character4/5
Why this rating?

Death is a central theme, focusing on the loss of family, the death of a young boy, and the quest to resurrect a deceased spouse.

Graphic injury2/5
Why this rating?

Includes depictions of character injuries and some blood, but it is not gratuitous or excessively graphic.

Religious themes3/5
Why this rating?

The fantasy world includes keepers of the dead, psychopomps, a Gate of Life and Death, souls, curses, and resurrection-like spiritual ideas.

Romance1/5
Why this rating?

There is a gentle forehead kiss and an emotionally significant bond between Asuna and Shun, but romance is not the main focus.

Frightening scenes4/5
Why this rating?

Fearsome creatures, underground settings, darkness, kidnappings, attacks, possession, and characters in repeated life-threatening danger create sustained frightening tension.

Violence3/5
Why this rating?

Characters are attacked, ambushed, shot at, bombed, fought, wounded, and threatened with killing; violence is fantasy-adventure rather than highly realistic.

What’s good in it?

Courage & resilience4/5
Why this rating?

Asuna and Shin repeatedly face monsters, violence, grief, and dangerous supernatural forces while making difficult, often compassionate choices.

Creativity & curiosity4/5
Why this rating?

The film strongly sparks imagination through an expansive underground world, invented creatures, supernatural mythology, mysterious technology, and inventive fantasy lore.

Diverse representation2/5
Why this rating?

Portrays characters within a fictionalized setting with different backgrounds, primarily focused on an anime perspective.

Educational value1/5
Why this rating?

It offers incidental reflection on mortality, grief, mythology, and an imagined culture, but it is primarily a fantasy adventure rather than instructional media.

Kindness & empathy3/5
Why this rating?

Characters rescue, care for, shelter, and protect one another, including Asuna treating Shun's injuries and Shin defending Asuna despite conflict.

Positive messages4/5
Why this rating?

The film strongly explores grief, accepting death, living on rather than clinging to the dead, empathy, responsibility, and the consequences of trying to reverse loss.

Good role models3/5
Why this rating?

Asuna shows persistence and emotional growth; Shin protects others and rejects unnecessary killing, while Morisaki's grief-driven choices provide a cautionary contrast.

Family discussion

Talk about it

Conversation starters based on this title’s published content notes.

  1. What did courage look like in this story? Was being brave always the same as being fearless?
  2. How did the story approach death or loss? What helped the characters cope?
  3. Which choice in Children Who Chase Lost Voices would you have made differently, and why?
  4. Who changed the most in Children Who Chase Lost Voices, and what caused that change?
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These content notes are a starting point, not a guarantee. Review the evidence and use your own judgment before choosing a title.

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