The Secret World of Arrietty

Arrietty or The Secret World of Arrietty (original title: 借りぐらしのアリエッティ, Kari-gurashi no Arietti) is a 2010 animated film from Studio Ghibli. Written by Hayao Miyazaki and Keiko Niwa after Mary Norton’s books The Borrowers, the film is directed by Hiromasa Yonebayashi.

Plot
The film tells the story of Arrietty, a young Borrower who lives under the floorboards of a typical household. She eventually befriends Shō, a human boy with a heart condition since birth who is living with his great aunt Sadako. When Sadako's maid Haru becomes suspicious of the floorboard's disturbance, Arrietty and her family must escape detection, even if it means leaving their beloved home.

The story takes place in 2010 in Koganei, western Tokyo, and like the novel revolves around a group of "tiny people" who are 10 cm tall and live under the floorboards of a typical human household.

A boy named Shō arrives at the house his mother lived in as a child, to live with his great aunt Sadako. When Shō leaves the car, he sees a cat trying to attack something in the bushes, but the cat leaves after being attacked by a crow. Shō goes to see what the cat was trying to attack. He then sees a Borrower named Arrietty.

That night Arrietty's father Pod takes Arrietty above the floorboards to Shōw her how he gets sugar. Their first stop is the kitchen, then they walk within a wall to reach a dollhouse in Shō's bedroom, to get tissue. Before Arrietty and Pod can leave, Arrietty notices Shō is awake, and accidentally drops the sugar cube they got. Shō tells them not to be afraid of him.

The next day, Shō leaves the dropped sugar cube beside an underground air vent where he first saw Arrietty, but Arrietty's mother Homily warns them not to take it because their existence must be kept secret from humans. Still, Arrietty sneaks out to visit Shō in his bedroom, and the two become friends. On her return, Arrietty is intercepted by her father. Pod and Homily realize they have been discovered, and decide the family must move out of the house.

Shō learns from Sadako that his ancestors have seen Borrowers in this house, and they had the dollhouse made especially for the Borrowers, with working electric lights and ovens. However, the Borrowers had not been seen since, and the dollhouse stayed in Shō's room. Shō uncovers the floorboards above the Borrower household, uproots their kitchen and replaces it with the kitchen from the dollhouse.

Pod returns injured from a borrowing mission, helped by Spiller, a Borrower boy he met on the way. Spiller suggests some places the Borrowers can move to, and, after he recovers, Pod goes to check them out. Arrietty goes to say goodbye to Shō. During their subsequent conversation Shō theorises that the Borrowers are becoming extinct, which hurts Arrietty. Apologising, Shō reveals he has had a heart condition since birth, and will have an operation in a few days. The operation does not have a good chance of success.

Meanwhile Haru, Sadako's maid, notices the floorboards have been disturbed. While Sadako is out, Haru locks Shō in his room, unearths the Borrowers' house and puts Homily in a jar in the kitchen. Haru calls a pest removal company to smoke out the Borrowers and bring them to her alive. When Arrietty returns to find Homily missing and their house disturbed, she goes to Shō for help. Arrietty helps Shō break out of his locked room, Shō then carries Arrietty to the kitchen and distracts Haru while Arrietty rescues Homily. Sadako returns soon after the pest removal company comes, and tells them to leave. Haru tries to prove to Sadako the Borrowers really exist, but Homily has escaped, and there is nothing below the floorboards: The Borrowers have already set off on their move, and Shō has destroyed the remains.

The Borrowers stop for dinner during their move, and Shō's cat spots Arrietty. The cat brings Shō to Arrietty. He gives her a sugar cube as a parting gift, and tells her the Borrowers' fight for survival has given him hope to live through the operation, which will happen in two days' time. In return, Arrietty gives Shō her hairclip. The Borrowers board a teapot, which Spiller steers down a river.

Voice cast

 * Mirai Shida as Arrietty (アリエッティ): A 14-year old borrower who lives with her parents under the floorboards of Shō's house.
 * In the English versions, Arrietty was voiced by Saoirse Ronan the United Kingdom dub and by Bridgit Mendler in the United States dub.


 * Ryunosuke Kamiki as Shō (翔): A 12-year old human boy who becomes Arrietty's friend. He meets Arrietty in the house his mother was raised in, while awaiting heart surgery. Shō is based on The Boy.
 * In the English versions, Shō was voiced by Tom Holland in the United Kingdom dub and by David Henrie in the United States dub, in which the character is renamed Shawn.


 * Shinobu Otake as Homily (ホミリー): Arrietty's mother who has a liking for luxury.
 * In the English versions, Homily was voiced by Olivia Colman in the United Kingdom dub and by Amy Poehler in the United States dub.


 * Tomokazu Miura as Pod (ポッド): Arrietty's father who often borrows in order to provide for the family.
 * In the English versions, Pod was voiced by Mark Strong in the United Kingdom dub, and by Will Arnett in the United States dub.


 * Tatsuya Fujiwara as Spiller (スピラー): A tiny bow-wielding boy who helps Arrietty's family move.
 * In the English versions, Spiller was voiced by Luke Allen-Gale in the United Kingdom dub, and by Moisés Arias in the United States dub.


 * Keiko Takeshita as Sadako Maki (牧 貞子): The younger sister of Shō's grandmother. Sadako is based on Great Aunt Sophy.
 * In the English versions, Sadako was voiced by Phyllida Law in the United Kingdom dub and by Carol Burnett in the United States dub, in which the character is renamed Jessica.


 * Kirin Kiki as Haru (ハル): Sadako's maid who is determined to find the truth behind "little people". Haru is based on Mrs. Driver.
 * In the English versions, Haru was voiced by Geraldine McEwan in the United Kingdom dub and by Gracie Poletti in the United States dub.

Production
Ghibli announced the film in late 2009 with Yonebayashi making his directorial debut as the youngest director of a Ghibli film. Miyazaki supervised the production as a developing planner. The voice actors were approached in April 2010, and Cécile Corbel wrote the film's score as well as its theme song.

Released in Japan on July 17, 2010, The Secret World of Arrietty received critical acclaim, all of whom praised the animation and music. It also became the highest grossing Japanese film at the Japanese box office for the year 2010, and is currently grossing over US$126 million worldwide.

The film also won the Animation of the Year award at the 34th Japan Academy Prize award ceremony.