The Imaginary (film)

The Imaginary (Japanese: 屋根裏のラジャー, Hepburn: Yaneura no Rajā; lit. 'Rudger in the Attic') is a 2023 Japanese animated fantasy film directed by Yoshiyuki Momose from a screenplay written by Yoshiaki Nishimura, who also produced the film, and animated by Studio Ponoc. Based on A.F. Harrold's 2014 novel of the same name, it is Studio Ponoc's first full-length animated film since Mary and the Witch's Flower (2017). The Japanese voice cast includes Kokoro Terada, Rio Suzuki, Sakura Ando, Riisa Naka, Takayuki Yamada, Atsuko Takahata and Issey Ogata. The narrative follows Rudger, an Imaginary, who spends his days delving into adventures crafted by his creator, Amanda. After a terrible accident separates them, Rudger is forced to confront an inexorable fate to which all Imaginaries are subject: dissolution with human forgetfulness.

The Imaginary is produced with hand-drawn animation. It was originally scheduled to be released between June and August 2022, but it was postponed due to production delays. It was theatrically released in Japan on December 15, 2023, and was released worldwide by Netflix on July 5, 2024. It received positive reviews from critics, who praised its animation, themes, screenplay and visuals.