Fantasy is my genre of choice, and LAIKA is one of those companies that does it beautifully. Kubo and the Two Strings is a beautiful film and one of my absolute favorites from the company. 

The epic fantasy was Travis Knight’s director debut (Bumblebee) and features voice work from not one but two Academy Award® winners, Charlize Theron and Matthew McConaughey. It was written by Marc Haimes and Chris Butler based on a story by Haimes and production designer Shannon Tindle. 

Set in feudal Japan, a 12-year-old Kubo (Art Parkinson) is a one-eyed boy who tends to his ill mother, Sariatu (Theron), in a mountain cave near a village. The precocious and creative young boy earns a living by magically manipulating origami with music from his shamisen as he tells the tale of his missing father, Hanzo (McConaughey), a samurai warrior. 

It’s not a great existence, but it’s a peaceful one. However, that peace is shattered when, one night, Kubo accidentally summons a vengeful spirit from the past. To save his world, Kubo must battle the Moon King (Ralph Fiennes) and other gods and monsters as he solves the mystery of his fallen father, the greatest samurai warrior the world has ever known.

The film has seen several releases to home media, including a collectible steel book release through Shout Factory. With an aspect ratio of 1.85:1, the film, clocking in at about 102 minutes, is not only presented in glorious HD but also a stunning 4K restoration. The set includes audio presented in English (DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1) with French and Spanish subtitles. 

Bonus Content includes:

  • Inside LAIKA; Confronting the Epic Challenges of Kubo and The Two Strings Featuring Rare Test Footage
  • Inside LAIKA: Revisiting the Puppets with LAIKA’s Animation Team
  • Feature-Length Storyboards
  • Character Art, Concept Art and Behind-the-Scenes Photo Galleries
  • Audio Descriptive Track
  • Audio Commentary with Director/Producer Travis Knight
  • Kubo’s Journey
  • Original Featurettes

In addition to Shout Factor’s official store you can also purchase the film through Amazon. There will be more LAIKA reviews soon so…

Stay Tuned!