U is the world’s biggest internet community and ethereal singer Belle is its brightest star. From the moment she burst onto the virtual scene, lovers and haters IRL and inside U have been consumed with learning the pink-haired pop icon’s true identity.
17-year-old Suzu (Kaho Nakamura) is horrified by Belle’s success. Devastated by the loss of her beloved mother, the weight of grief has stolen Suzu’s confidence and her voice from her. The act of singing now makes her ill and she has withdrawn from her father and closest friends to mourn alone.
Escaping into U was an act of desperation but the site’s biometric tech draws out its users’ inner strengths and gifts so once inside Suzu couldn’t help giving voice to her pain. Her plaintive song was raw and real and a host of avatars gathered to listen. Checking her phone back home alone in her room the teen saw she had failed to gain a single follower, reaffirming that no one cared.
But U’s algorithm is strong and when Belle’s voice and image combine with the tech powers and celebrity aspirations of Suzu’s best friend Hiro (Lilas Ikuta), everyone takes notice. The girl who for so long remained hidden in the shadows discovers that the social spotlight is inescapable. And then she finds a way to cast her light on those who need it most.
Mamoru Hosoda creates worlds you long to climb inside and with this, his latest Studio Chizu feature, he has truly excelled himself. At once epic in scale and aesthetic; dazzling with sumptuous colour and inventive visuals commanding every inch of the screen; nevertheless this is a deeply personal and intimate film. He pinpoints the phenomenon of individuals floating alone in cyberspace looking for commonality, with extraordinary poignancy.
Belle’s Japanese title is The Dragon and the Freckled Princess (Ryū to Sobakasu no Hime) and somehow that better suits the guilelessness of the film. Suzu is allowed to exist in the awkward place and time between childhood and growing up, to flit between adult insight and infuriating immaturity without the restrictions of standard princess beauty. Belle itself is a thing of beauty, leaving Suzu (and by extension the character of Belle) to be so much more.
A sweet subplot sketching a love triangle (then a square!) between schoolfriends is allowed as much impact as any of the high stakes drama within U. Suzu has been struggling with her evolving feelings for classmate Shinobu (Ryō Narita); the bond which linked them so closely as children has been strained by trauma and the constant eyes upon them. The sensitive writing and the uncomfortable use of pauses articulate the inarticulacy of being a teen with a crush, perfectly.
Belle also speaks the language of loss, eloquently, and is not afraid to prod the painful places. Inside U, Belle’s (Hiro-choreographed) concert is interrupted by the appearance of a dragon avatar – The Beast (Takeru Satoh) – a dark champion from the fight arenas who regularly sabotages community events. Despite her fear, Suzu is intrigued by The Beast’s bruise-like markings and haunted eyes. So she and Hiro make it their mission to unmask him.
Watching Belle is an immersive experience and one to have in front of the biggest screen you can find. The stunning soundtrack and score sweep you into the otherworldliness of U and on a deep dive through the inner life of a lost girl and the connections she makes. It is surprisingly moving and numbers like Gales of Song and A Million Miles Away (both performed by Kaho Nakamura) will drift beside you long after the lights come up.
Mamoru Hosoda has great affection for the quirks of the myriad characters behind the avatars of U and its eclectic population help with the sense that there are infinite stories to be told. The moral at the centre of this story is a more sobering one and mature themes of domestic abuse and turning a blind eye will make this unsuitable for very small children. Our only real criticism is that Belle’s rescue narrative was poorly resolved, creating a clumsy end to an otherwise remarkable film.
Belle opens in UK cinemas on 4th February 2022.
UPDATE – The film is launching in the UK on Blu-ray and DVD on 27th June, with a 4K + BD + CD Deluxe Edition releasing on 7th July.
