The Deer King

2021 113 min ★ 6.7 Animation, Drama, Adventure, Fantasy

Following a brutal war, former soldier Van toils in a mine controlled by the ruling empire. One day, his solitary existence is upended when a pack of wild dogs carrying a deadly and incurable disease attack, leaving only Van and a young girl named Yuna as survivors. Finally free, the pair seek out a simple existence in the countryside but are pursued by nefarious forces. Intent on protecting Yuna at all costs, Van must uncover the true cause of the plague ravaging the kingdom—and its possible cure.

▶ Watch Trailer

Cast

Shinichi Tsutsumi

Van (voice)

Ryoma Takeuchi

Hohsalle (voice)

Anne Watanabe

Sae (voice)

Hisui Kimura

Yuna (voice)

Atsushi Abe

Yotaru (voice)

Yoshito Yasuhara

Tourim (voice)

Toru Sakurai

Makokan (voice)

Shinshu Fuji

Orphan (voice)

Tomomichi Nishimura

Kenoi (voice)

Tessyo Genda

King Akafa (voice)

Details

Director

Masayuki Miyaji

Screenplay

Taku Kishimoto

Tagline

"Fight to survive."

Status

Released

Original Language

JA

Production

Production I.G, KADOKAWA, Nippon Television Network Corporation, TOHO

Reviews

C

Chris Sawin

July 16, 2022

★ 5/10

_The Deer King_ is as visually gorgeous as any Studio Ghibli film. While its animation pleases on almost every level, its storytelling and pacing is lacking as the film seems to prioritize monotonous dialogue and petty human squabbling over anything remotely exciting. **Full Review:** https://hubpages.com/entertainment/The-Deer-King-2022-Review-A-Gorgeously-Stale-Animated-Film