MAPPA's Maboroshi anime movie is now available on Netflix in sub and dub. If you're wondering about the meaning of the Maboroshi anime movie, we've got you covered in this article.
Spoiler Warning: This article includes spoilers for the Maboroshi anime film, so proceed with caution.
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About Mari Okada’s Maboroshi
Mari Okada is a prolific director, manga artist, and screenwriter who previously worked on Maquia: When the Promised Flower Blooms, Toradora! Gosick, and A Lull in the Sea.
This time, Mari Okada penned Maboroshi, which revolves around a static town where time has stopped, the seasons never change, and its residents remain the same following an explosion at a steel factory.
The anime movie follows Masamune Kikuiri, a 14-year-old middle school student who meets a feral girl and transforms his life, as does his classmate Mutsumi Sagami.
Maboroshi Anime Meaning Explained
The word “Maboroshi” is not unfamiliar since we've come across it many times regardless of the anime genre we’re watching.
Most of the time, it can be heard in a lot of mystery anime because of its meaning and English translation.
Nihongo Master defines the word “Maboroshi” as “phantom; vision; illusion; dream." Word Hippo, on the other hand, adds “apparition” to the meaning of "maboroshi.”
This goes to say that the title of the film is fitting for its premise. The town of Mifuse, where the majority of the film’s premise is set, is an illusion, including the people who reside in it.
As the plot of Maboroshi progresses, the main character finds that they are nothing more than illusions based on reality.
Has Maboroshi Been Translated?
Yes, Maboroshi is also known as Alice and Therese’s Illusory Factory, while the full title in Japanese is Alice to Therese no Maboroshi Koujou, as listed in MyAnimeList.
There’s no direct explanation behind the Alice and Therese part of the title, but it is implied that the anime film drew inspiration from Lewis Carroll’s Alice's Adventures in Wonderland in some aspects.
For instance, Itsumi (Saki) can be considered Alice, the girl who was spirited away, while Therese, although not related to the literary work, is assumed to be Mutsumi.
Meanwhile, the Illusory Factory in the title depicts the steel factory located in the static town of Mifuse that has a sacred machine capable of making sacred dragons (smoke) that close the cracks in the sky.
What do you think about the meaning of Maboroshi? Do you have another interpretation of the film's title? Let us know in the comments!
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