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The Secret World of Arrietty

The Secret World of Arrietty

Discover a secret world within our own.

201094 minGMidcredits score: 97th percentile of all films
Director
Hiromasa Yonebayashi
Starring
Mirai Shida, Ryûnosuke Kamiki, Tomokazu Miura, Keiko Takeshita

14-year-old Arrietty and the rest of the Clock family live in peaceful anonymity as they make their own home from items "borrowed" from the house's human inhabitants. However, life changes for the Clocks when a human boy discovers Arrietty.

Where to watch

Where can I watch The Secret World of Arrietty?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists The Secret World of Arrietty streaming on HBO Max and to rent or buy on Prime Video.

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Highlights

What stands out about The Secret World of Arrietty?

The Secret World of Arrietty earns 12 badges, led by Modern classic and Top 5% of films.

Show 4 more
  • Rank
  • Reception
  • Craft and mood
  • Awards and box office
  • Content
  • Cast

Reception

Is The Secret World of Arrietty worth watching?

The Secret World of Arrietty's Midcredits score is the 97th percentile of all films, from 689K ratings across 5 sources. 86% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

97th percentile

Better received than 97% of films

95th percentile among Animation97th percentile among 2010s
Acclaim (how much people like it)95th
Approval (how many liked it)96th

78 /100

95th percentile of all films

93rd percentile among Animation95th percentile among 2010s

Critics 80 · Audience 78

Critics and audiences broadly agree.

Rating distribution

A tight consensus around 7.7 — people broadly agree on this one.

86% liked it

96th percentile of all films

94th percentile among Animation96th percentile among 2010s
86% rated it 7–1014% rated it 1–6

Critics 94% · Audience 86%

On Rotten Tomatoes, a bigger share of critics approved than audiences.

Awards

0 Oscars won · 0 Oscar noms · 10 wins / 5 noms overall

82nd percentile

689K ratings across platforms

64th percentile among Animation83rd percentile among 2010s
TMDB popularity, last 155 days to Oct 26Down 13% in 30 days

Box office

Budget$23M
Opening weekend$6.4M
Domestic gross$20M
Worldwide gross$149M

Returned 6.5× its budget — 88th percentile earner in its genre.

What reviewers say

Common ground

Both camps recognize this as a quiet, visually beautiful, small-scale story that prioritizes mood over dramatic propulsion.

Fans praised

  • visually stunning hand-drawn animation with extraordinary attention to detail in the miniature world
  • gentle, soulful storytelling that prioritizes atmosphere and wonder over action
  • beautiful Celtic-inflected score and immersive sound design that sell the scale shifts

Detractors panned

  • plodding pace with little plot progression or meaningful conflict
  • bland, underdeveloped characters beyond the heroine, especially the villain with no clear motive
  • unsatisfying, abrupt ending that fails to deliver a climax or resolution

What stands out

Cinematography85

lush hand-drawn backgrounds and inventive perspective shots acclaimed by nearly all

Atmosphere85

immersive sense of scale and cozy summer setting consistently praised

Sound and music80

Cécile Corbel's Celtic score widely praised as beautiful and fitting; some find it intrusive

Emotional impactDivisive70

bittersweet friendship moves many fans; detractors find the emotion unearned

CharactersDivisive60

Arrietty loved as strong curious heroine but parents and boy seen as one-note; villain lacks motivation

PacingDivisive55

relaxed rhythm loved by fans as meditative; detractors call it glacial and boring

Plot and storyDivisive50

simple premise praised by some as charming but widely criticized as too thin with no real stakes

EndingDivisive35

abrupt bittersweet departure leaves many wanting more closure or a real climax

Preferred by

No notable difference between any of the groups: each pair ranks it within 10 percentile points.

  • Women vs men 2 points apart
  • Under-30s vs over-30s 4 points apart
  • Critics vs users even
  • US vs non-US 4 points apart

Watch experience

What is The Secret World of Arrietty like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Quiet and reflective: browse every movie of this kind

Watch this when you are in a patient, quiet mood.

It is gentle, takes its time and leaves you bittersweet. Skip it when you want things to move fast.

ToneFeelDemandwhat the answer rests onexact position · filled zone: the category

What it asks of you

Patience.

What it feels like

Quiet and reflective.

Moods
ContemplativeMelancholicHopeful
Heaviest: late
Register
Tender · 13% of filmsWarm
Told as
Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.
ToneThe film treats its tiny world and characters with earnest warmth and a quiet, melancholic wonder, never ironic.
The rideThe film maintains a gentle, wistful atmosphere, with its most poignant emotional weight arriving during the farewell and the final message of hope.
StructureThe story unfolds in a straightforward chronological order as Sho recalls his summer with Arrietty.

How it leaves you

what you carry away

Bittersweet.

BittersweetHopeful
Why it leaves you this wayThe film ends with the Borrowers leaving for a new life and Sho recovering, leaving a mix of loss and hope.
How it ends · evidence
Bittersweet ending

Story archetype

where it sits among all films
Monster — 21% of films. A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated.Rags — 3% of films. A rise from lowliness to fortune, status, or recognition.Quest — 10% of films. A journey toward a defined objective, with companions and obstacles.Voyage — 4% of films. Into a strange world and back again, changed.Comedy — 11% of films. Confusion and cross-purposes resolved into harmony.Tragedy — 9% of films. A flaw or fixation drives the protagonist to ruin.Rebirth — 13% of films. A stalled or darkened life reopened and renewed.Mystery — 7% of films. A question drives the story — who did it, what happened, what is real — until it is answered.No archetype — 22% of filmsPredator — 6% of films. A creature or killer hunts the protagonists (Jaws, Alien).Tyrant — 6% of films. A human villain holds power over the hero's world (Die Hard).Invasion — 2% of films. An external force attacks the home or world (Independence Day).Oppressive state — 2% of films. A government, its agencies or a secret faction inside them is the monster (V for Vendetta).Corporate villainy — 1% of films. A company or its bosses are the monster (Erin Brockovich).Institutional injustice — 1% of films. A court, prison, police force, school or church is itself the enemy (Spotlight).Class system — under 1% of films. The gap between rich and poor, or a rigid hierarchy, is the monster (Parasite).Technology turns — under 1% of films. Technology people rely on becomes the threat (The Terminator).Inner demon — 1% of films. The monster is within — addiction, illness, a dark double.Underdog triumph — 2% of films. Rise through competition or contest (Rocky).Social ascent — under 1% of films. A climb in class or status (Pretty Woman).Fame and fortune — under 1% of films. An artistic or showbiz rise (A Star Is Born).Rise and fall — under 1% of films. Wealth or power gained, self lost (Scarface).Hidden worth revealed — under 1% of films. The protagonist's true value finally recognized.Treasure hunt — 1% of films. Retrieve an object of value (Raiders of the Lost Ark).Rescue — 4% of films. Retrieve or save a person (Saving Private Ryan).Mission — 5% of films. Accomplish or destroy a defined objective (Mission: Impossible).Journey home — under 1% of films. The goal is getting back (Finding Nemo).Pilgrimage — 1% of films. The journey itself transforms; the destination is symbolic.Portal fantasy — under 1% of films. Transported into another world (The Wizard of Oz).Fish out of water — 2% of films. Displaced into an unfamiliar social world (Elf).Survival ordeal — 1% of films. Trapped in a hostile environment, fighting back (Cast Away).Time displacement — under 1% of films. Unstuck in time (Back to the Future).Descent — 1% of films. A night-journey into an underworld or subculture (After Hours).Romantic comedy — 4% of films. Lovers kept apart by confusion, united at last.Comedy of errors — 3% of films. Mistaken identity or misunderstanding drives the plot.Farce — 2% of films. Escalating absurd chaos and coincidence (The Hangover).Buddy comedy — 1% of films. A mismatched pair forced together (Rush Hour).Comedy of manners — 1% of films. Social codes and class satirized (Clueless).Hubris — 1% of films. Pride or ambition invites the fall (There Will Be Blood).Obsession — 2% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Corruption arc — 2% of films. Step-by-step moral decay (The Godfather).Doomed love — 2% of films. Love destroyed by circumstance (Brokeback Mountain).Crushed by fate — 3% of films. Destroyed by forces beyond the protagonist's control.Redemption — 3% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Healing — 5% of films. Recovery from grief or trauma (Good Will Hunting).Liberation — 2% of films. Breaking free of a confining life (Room).Second chance — 2% of films. A stagnant life re-opened to love or purpose (Groundhog Day).Puzzle — 1% of films. A clue-by-clue puzzle you can try to solve before the reveal (Knives Out, Clue).Investigation — 5% of films. A long pursuit of the truth that may never be fully solved (Zodiac, Memories of Murder).Enigma — 2% of films. The mystery is what is real, or what is actually happening (Mulholland Drive).MonsterInvasion
Every story archetype, clockwise from the top
  • Monster 21% (this title): Predator 6% · Tyrant 6% · Invasion 2% (this title) · Oppressive state 2% · Corporate villainy 1% · Institutional injustice 1% · Class system under 1% · Technology turns under 1% · Inner demon 1%
  • Rags 3%: Underdog triumph 2% · Social ascent under 1% · Fame and fortune under 1% · Rise and fall under 1% · Hidden worth revealed under 1%
  • Quest 10%: Treasure hunt 1% · Rescue 4% · Mission 5% · Journey home under 1% · Pilgrimage 1%
  • Voyage 4%: Portal fantasy under 1% · Fish out of water 2% · Survival ordeal 1% · Time displacement under 1% · Descent 1%
  • Comedy 11%: Romantic comedy 4% · Comedy of errors 3% · Farce 2% · Buddy comedy 1% · Comedy of manners 1%
  • Tragedy 9%: Hubris 1% · Obsession 2% · Corruption arc 2% · Doomed love 2% · Crushed by fate 3%
  • Rebirth 13%: Redemption 3% · Healing 5% · Liberation 2% · Second chance 2%
  • Mystery 7%: Puzzle 1% · Investigation 5% · Enigma 2%
  • No archetype 22%

Overcoming the monster: A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated. · Invasion: An external force attacks the home or world (Independence Day).

21% of films fit this archetype

with Rebirth underneath

Why this archetypeThe Borrowers must flee their home after being discovered by humans, with the family forced into a perilous escape and a rescue of the mother from captivity.

What it's about

7 groups · 53 themes
Bonds — 27% of filmsSelf — 22% of filmsPower — 7% of filmsMorality — 16% of filmsSurvival — 15% of filmsSociety — 9% of filmsIdeas — 5% of filmsRomantic love — 15% of filmsMarriage — 2% of filmsFamily bonds — 21% of filmsParenthood — 2% of filmsFriendship — 9% of filmsLoyalty — 4% of filmsIdentity — 14% of filmsComing of age — 5% of filmsAging — under 1% of filmsSelf-worth — 7% of filmsAmbition — 7% of filmsPurpose — 9% of filmsMemory — 3% of filmsObsession — 3% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Power — 2% of filmsCorruption — 3% of filmsGreed — 3% of filmsClass — 3% of filmsOppression — 4% of filmsFreedom — 5% of filmsJustice — 13% of filmsDuty — 2% of filmsRevenge — 4% of filmsGuilt — 3% of filmsRedemption — 6% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Forgiveness — 1% of filmsSacrifice — 4% of filmsBetrayal — 5% of filmsDeception — 9% of filmsSurvival — 17% of filmsWar — 1% of filmsViolence — 4% of filmsMortality — 2% of filmsGrief — 6% of filmsTrauma — 7% of filmsMental illness — 1% of filmsAddiction — 1% of filmsIllness and disability — under 1% of filmsCommunity — 14% of films. Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Isolation — 5% of filmsPrejudice — 3% of filmsDisplacement — 1% of filmsFaith — 3% of filmsTradition vs change — 2% of filmsFame — 3% of filmsLegacy — 4% of filmsFate — 1% of filmsFree will — under 1% of filmsTruth — 4% of filmsHope — 5% of filmsNature — 2% of filmsArt — 4% of filmsTechnology — 1% of filmsSelfFriendship
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 27% (this title): Romantic love 15% · Marriage 2% · Family bonds 21% · Parenthood 2% · Friendship 9% (this title) · Loyalty 4%
  • Self 22%: Identity 14% · Coming of age 5% · Aging under 1% · Self-worth 7% · Ambition 7% · Purpose 9% · Memory 3% · Obsession 3%
  • Power 7%: Power 2% · Corruption 3% · Greed 3% · Class 3% · Oppression 4% · Freedom 5%
  • Morality 16%: Justice 13% · Duty 2% · Revenge 4% · Guilt 3% · Redemption 6% · Forgiveness 1% · Sacrifice 4% · Betrayal 5% · Deception 9%
  • Survival 15%: Survival 17% (this title) · War 1% · Violence 4% · Mortality 2% · Grief 6% · Trauma 7% · Mental illness 1% · Addiction 1% · Illness and disability under 1%
  • Society 9%: Community 14% · Isolation 5% · Prejudice 3% · Displacement 1% · Faith 3% · Tradition vs change 2% · Fame 3% · Legacy 4%
  • Ideas 5%: Fate 1% · Free will under 1% · Truth 4% · Hope 5% (this title) · Nature 2% · Art 4% · Technology 1%

Bonds

Friendship · 9% of filmsSurvivalHope · 5% of films
Celebrates its theme: Affirms its theme — this is good and worth having.Intimate stakes: Consequences reach a person or a household.Dual lead
How it treats its themeThe film explores a fragile, cross-species friendship that gives both parties courage and hope in the face of existential vulnerability.
StanceThe film celebrates the power of friendship and the will to live, affirming that even fragile ties can give strength and hope.

The world

ContemporarySuburbanRuralDomesticMagical realism
FolkOrchestral classicalForeground music · original score · Cécile Corbel
Settinga secluded old house in the Japanese countryside
MusicFeatures Celtic harp and gentle vocals, reinforcing the fairy-tale mood.

Content guide

Is The Secret World of Arrietty okay for kids?

G

The Secret World of Arrietty is rated G. As of August 19, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at minimal (13/100), sexual content at minimal (9/100), language at minimal (5/100), drug and alcohol content at minimal (7/100) and frightening material at mild (19/100). Overall it is heavier than 6% of G-rated films.

Ratings in 23 other countries
  • UKU
  • CanadaG
  • AustraliaG
  • Germany0
  • FranceTP
  • IrelandG
  • JapanG
  • South KoreaALL
  • BrazilL
  • CzechiaU
  • Denmark7
  • FinlandS
  • HungaryKN
  • MexicoA
  • Netherlands9
  • PolandAL
  • PRG
  • Russia6+
  • SpainAPTA
  • Sweden7
  • Switzerland12
  • Taiwan普遍級
  • TürkiyeGenel İzleyici Kitlesi
Overall
None / Minimal · all five categories
Heavier than 1% of all filmsHeavier than 6% of G-rated films
Violence & Gore
None / Minimal
light for a G-rated film
heavier than 13%
Sex & Nudity
None / Minimal
light for a G-rated film
heavier than 23%
Profanity
None / Minimal
light for a G-rated film
heavier than 19%
Alcohol & Drugs
None / Minimal
light for a G-rated film
heavier than 16%
Frightening / Intense
Mild
light for a G-rated film
heavier than 15%

Point along a line to see a well-known title at that level.

Nothing here is extreme. The strongest element is frightening material, heavier than 15% of G-rated films.

Source: Midcredits content scores, 0 (none) to 100 (severe) per category, with each standing ranked against other films that have them.

What content warnings does The Secret World of Arrietty have?

MovieCove's classifier found 3 depicted content warnings in The Secret World of Arrietty: Animal cruelty (mild), plus 2 withheld here because they would spoil the plot. 1 more is mentioned only, in dialogue or backstory (behind the spoiler gate). Each is backed by a verbatim quote from the parents' guide notes; a missing warning is not a guarantee of absence.

MildAnimal cruelty

Mentioned: referenced in dialogue or backstory, not shown in the story’s present.

Cast and crew

Who is in The Secret World of Arrietty?

Cast

Mirai Shida
as Arrietty
Breakout: Their highest-reaching film role at the time, and they went on to a career at least 3 times their standing then.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Ryûnosuke Kamiki
as Sho
Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Tomokazu Miura
as Pod
Career best: Their highest-reaching film role by billing, audience size and rating.
Keiko Takeshita
as Sadako Maki
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Kirin Kiki
as Haru
Shinobu Ôtake
as Homily
Tatsuya Fujiwara
as Spiller
Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Shin'ichi Hatori
as Yûbin haitatsuin
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.

Crew

More like this

What are movies like The Secret World of Arrietty?

Movies like The Secret World of Arrietty include When Marnie Was There (2014), Ponyo (2008) and Spirited Away (2001). Of the 12 closest matches, most are magical-realist films, and several are family adventures.

Balanced: every group counts the same, and production only breaks ties.

Hayao Miyazaki wrote 7 of these 12. Those cards say what else they share.

Explore by

What else shares a premise, people or place with The Secret World of Arrietty?

1.8K other films share the rarest tag below, follows: adventurer. Each tag opens Browse with the films that share it.