Tales from Earthsea
ゲド戦記
Tales from Earthsea
ゲド戦記
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Watch-outs
What this film brings
Content barometer
Violence
3/5
Notable
Fear
3/5
Notable tension
Sexuality
0/5
None
Language
0/5
None
Narrative complexity
2/5
Moderate
Adult themes
0/5
None
Expert review
Tales from Earthsea is an animated fantasy film with a dark, reflective atmosphere that often feels heavier than a typical family adventure. Sensitive material includes a prince killing his father as a major plot point, repeated threats, a sense of world collapse, scenes involving slavery, kidnapping, psychological control, and several confrontations with weapons or magic. The violence is not especially graphic, but the emotional darkness is sustained, and some sequences may unsettle children because of sadness, mystery, and a genuinely menacing villain. The story also asks for some emotional maturity, since it deals with guilt, fear of death, and an inner struggle that is not always easy for younger viewers to process. Parents are likely to help most by watching alongside children who already handle darker fantasy well, and by talking afterward about fear, remorse, and the scenes where vulnerable characters are put in danger.
Synopsis
Something bizarre has come over the land. The kingdom is deteriorating. People are beginning to act strange... What's even more strange is that people are beginning to see dragons, which shouldn't enter the world of humans. Due to all these bizarre events, Ged, a wandering wizard, is investigating the cause. During his journey, he meets Prince Arren, a young distraught teenage boy. While Arren may look like a shy young teen, he has a severe dark side, which grants him strength, hatred, ruthlessness and has no mercy, especially when it comes to protecting Teru. For the witch Kumo this is a perfect opportunity. She can use the boy's "fears" against the very one who would help him, Ged.
Difficult scenes
The opening sets a harsh tone immediately with a storm, dragons fighting in the sky, and most of all the revelation that Arren has killed his father before fleeing. The scene is not gory, but the idea of parricide can be deeply unsettling for a child, especially because it weighs on the rest of the story. Arren and Therru both face slavers, with pursuit, capture, and a strong sense of helplessness. The danger is clear, young characters are treated like prey, and this may be upsetting for children who are especially sensitive to injustice or abduction themes. Part of the film's tension comes from a mysterious presence following Arren, then from the appearance of his own double. This psychological thread is more disturbing than flashy, and the unease is heightened by the dark atmosphere, the swamp, the castle, and the sorcerer's mental manipulation. The sorcerer's castle brings together several tense scenes involving imprisonment, death threats, and magical confrontation. Even without graphic detail, the sequence can feel intense because of the idea of controlling someone through their true name and the constant fear surrounding the main characters.
Where to watch
No verified platform for the US market yet. We keep this section updated as availability changes.
Availability checked on Apr 01, 2026
About this title
- Format
- Feature film
- Year
- 2006
- Runtime
- 1h 55m
- Countries
- Japan
- Original language
- JA
- Directed by
- Goro Miyazaki
- Main cast
- Junichi Okada, Aoi Teshima, Bunta Sugawara, Yuko Tanaka, Teruyuki Kagawa, Jun Fubuki, Takashi Naito, Mitsuko Baisho, Yui Natsukawa, Kaoru Kobayashi
- Studios
- Studio Ghibli, dentsu Music and Entertainment, GNDHDDT, Hakuhodo DY Media Partners, Mitsubishi, Nibariki, Nippon Television Network Corporation, TOHO
Content barometer
Violence
3/5
Notable
Fear
3/5
Notable tension
Sexuality
0/5
None
Language
0/5
None
Narrative complexity
2/5
Moderate
Adult themes
0/5
None
Expert review
Tales from Earthsea is an animated fantasy film with a dark, reflective atmosphere that often feels heavier than a typical family adventure. Sensitive material includes a prince killing his father as a major plot point, repeated threats, a sense of world collapse, scenes involving slavery, kidnapping, psychological control, and several confrontations with weapons or magic. The violence is not especially graphic, but the emotional darkness is sustained, and some sequences may unsettle children because of sadness, mystery, and a genuinely menacing villain. The story also asks for some emotional maturity, since it deals with guilt, fear of death, and an inner struggle that is not always easy for younger viewers to process. Parents are likely to help most by watching alongside children who already handle darker fantasy well, and by talking afterward about fear, remorse, and the scenes where vulnerable characters are put in danger.
Synopsis
Something bizarre has come over the land. The kingdom is deteriorating. People are beginning to act strange... What's even more strange is that people are beginning to see dragons, which shouldn't enter the world of humans. Due to all these bizarre events, Ged, a wandering wizard, is investigating the cause. During his journey, he meets Prince Arren, a young distraught teenage boy. While Arren may look like a shy young teen, he has a severe dark side, which grants him strength, hatred, ruthlessness and has no mercy, especially when it comes to protecting Teru. For the witch Kumo this is a perfect opportunity. She can use the boy's "fears" against the very one who would help him, Ged.
Difficult scenes
The opening sets a harsh tone immediately with a storm, dragons fighting in the sky, and most of all the revelation that Arren has killed his father before fleeing. The scene is not gory, but the idea of parricide can be deeply unsettling for a child, especially because it weighs on the rest of the story. Arren and Therru both face slavers, with pursuit, capture, and a strong sense of helplessness. The danger is clear, young characters are treated like prey, and this may be upsetting for children who are especially sensitive to injustice or abduction themes. Part of the film's tension comes from a mysterious presence following Arren, then from the appearance of his own double. This psychological thread is more disturbing than flashy, and the unease is heightened by the dark atmosphere, the swamp, the castle, and the sorcerer's mental manipulation. The sorcerer's castle brings together several tense scenes involving imprisonment, death threats, and magical confrontation. Even without graphic detail, the sequence can feel intense because of the idea of controlling someone through their true name and the constant fear surrounding the main characters.