Do you even remember having an imaginary friend? Do you ever wonder where those imaginary friends you had as a kid went? If you do, there is no doubt you’ll experience a sense of nostalgia with Yoshiyuki Momose’s “The Imaginary,” an animated tale debuting on Netflix around the world following its release in Japan at the end of 2023.
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Faithfully adapted from A.F. Harold’s novel of the same name and, like the book, set in the United Kingdom, the movie is mostly from the perspective of Rudger, the three-month, three-week, and three-day-old imaginary friend of young Amanda. A friend Amanda may have conjured following the death of her father. Meanwhile, in the real world, Amanda’s mom is doing her best to keep the bookshop she started with her deceased husband afloat (no easy task). Thankfully, Rudger is there to help Amanda forget about her family troubles as they soar through the sky and explore unknown lands in the depths of her imagination. Of course, Rudger is already obsessed with finding a way to walk in the “real” world to play with Amanda’s friends, as if that will ever happen (I mean, it won’t, right?).
One night, while Amanda sleeps, Rudger meets another imaginary for the first time, a robot that starts to fade away because its young creator has forgotten it. It’s a rude awakening for Rudger that his existence is a ticking clock, and that’s even before the evil Mr. Bunting shows up. Initially appearing as just a random customer in the bookstore, this strange mustached man is on a mission. He has an extraordinarily sensitive nose that can sniff out imaginaries (that are invisible to anyone but other imaginaries and their creators) and, unlike everyday humans, he can interact with them too. Bunting also has his own Imaginary who acts like a super-powered assistant that looks like the girl from “The Grudge” (likely what happens when Japanese animators interpret Emily Gravett’s original illustrations in the book or maybe it’s a fun inside joke, take your pick). She’s neither friendly nor forthcoming about how she got stuck in this gig in the first place.

Hundreds of years old, Bunting needs to suck out the life force of imaginaries to extend his existence and Rudger is one of the most powerful ones he’s encountered in some time. When Amanda tries to stop Mr. Bunting from consuming her imaginary friend, tragedy strikes. And, suddenly, Rudger is on his own. Desperately trying not to fade away.
Luckily, Rudger soon meets Jinsan, a talking cat with one red and one blue eye (I mean, why not), who guides him to the one place Imaginaries can survive, a library. These institutions are filled with books that are formed from imagination which is lifesaving oxygen to the countless “forgotten” imaginaries who live there. While still worried about Amanda’s fate, Rudger makes new friends including Snowflake, a gigantic pink hippopotamus, and Lizzie, surprisingly, the only other “human” appearing imaginary in this literary safe house.
As Mr. Bunting increasingly sniffs his way closer to his prize possession, Rudger is on a mission to find a way to save his friends, both new and old, as well as his fleeting existence. Assuming that’s even possible.
Overall, “The Imaginary” ends up a bit of a mixed bag. The original source material is genuinely enchanting and, in theory, ideal subject matter for masters of Japanese hand-drawn animation. But even with its British setting, the scenario and imagery all feel too familiar. You’ve seen this animated movie in some form or another before. Perhaps even from a Japanese animator. The few surprises come from the serious twists in the story which are often more compelling than the battles and chases we experience in Amanda’s imagination.
The animation studio behind the film, Studio Ponac, also attempts to mix a hand-drawn animation style with CG animation in a manner that is dated, awkward, and, worst of all, distracting. And for a film about imaginary characters, in imaginary worlds, the design of the original creations is often, for lack of a better word, uninspiring. Even for a film in this animated genre, you’d hope for a little more daring. A little more creativity. But, when the animators tackle the quieter, more intimate moments the film sparks. There are moments of genuine magic that make you wonder what this movie could have been. But do they linger like that imaginary friend you’ll never forget? In this case, perhaps not. [C+]
“The Imaginary” will stream on Netflix on July 5