Kubo and the Two Strings

Kubo and the 2 Strings is a 2016 American 3D stop-motion action fantasy film directed and produced by Travis Knight and written by Marc Haimes and Chris Butler. It stars the voices of Charlize Theron, Art Parkinson, Ralph Fiennes, Rooney Mara, George Takei, and Matthew McConaughey. It is Laika's 4th feature film produced. The film revolves around Kubo, a young boy who wields a magical shamisen (a Japanese guitar) and whose left eye was stolen during infancy. Accompanied by an anthropomorphic snow monkey and beetle, he must subdue his mother's corrupted sisters (his aunts) and his power-hungry grandfather Raiden the Moon King who is responsible for stealing his left eye.

Kubo

• [famous line] If you must blink, do it now. Pay careful attention to everything you see and hear, no matter how unusual it may seem. And please be warned: if you fidget, if you look away, if you forget any part of what I tell you, even for an instant, then our hero will surely perish.

Dialogue

Kubo: Who are you? How do you know my name?

Karasu: We're your family Kubo. Your mother's sisters. We've been looking for you for so long. (Washi showed from behind Karasu)

Karasu and Washi: It's so pleasure to meet you Kubo face to face. Come Kubo. Come to your aunties. There's no reason to be afraid. We just need your other eye. (Kubo then runs off into the forest) Your grandfather admires us.

Kubo: Monkey I think he's in trouble! We should help him!

Monkey: Kubo your aunts are still out there! I'm sorry, but we have to head for shore!

[Kubo jumps in the water, leaving Monkey distraught]

Monkey: Kubo! [Runs across the leafy galleon and jumps off to dive in for Kubo, but a mechanical hand attached to a chain grabs her by the leg and pulls her back onto the deck. She looks up above her as Karasu gently floats down towards the boat holding the chain in her hand]

Karasu: Oh how precious. I come here to fish and all I reel in is a wretched ape. It is a shame that this filthy creature is all that's left of my sister's magic.

Monkey: This filthy creature will tear you APART!

[Runs to Karasu with a sword in her hands, jumps up and strikes at her who blocks the attack with a sword of her own]

[Beetle carried Kubo and swim back up on the boat]

Beetle: It's the eyes. He looked at the eyes.

---

Monkey: Let me guess, you have questions.

Kubo: Why did?-

Beetle: I'll start. First question. If i'm Beetle and you're Monkey, why isn’t he called boy?

Monkey: Oh boy.

[Kubo, Monkey and Beetle were trapped by the mystical smoke. Washi then showed up]

Monkey: Release us!

Washi: Oh sister. I remember how we looked up to you. Such a waste. All we ever wish to be a family in our home amongst the stars.

Monkey: I think we're from definitions of family.

[Washi reached out to Kubo]

Beetle: Don't you touch him you witch!

Washi: And then there's you! The thieving insect who stole my sister's soul.

Monkey: What?

Washi: You've been together all this time and you hadn't realized? (Used the smoke to grab an origami version of Hanzo and she turned him into an origami version of Beetle) You took her from us. It's the only thing we took from you. How those memories spill from your head up wiping up the recollection on your obscene union Hanzo.

Beetle: What?

Monkey: Hanzo?

[Kubo is shocked]

Beetle: I-I didn't know.

[Washi used the smoke to throw Beetle against the wall and crashed]

Monkey: No!

Washi: (Turned to face Kubo) I'm forgetting what I came here for.

---

Kubo: [165 minutes later logo] Ready? 3, 2, 1, sing! [sings "Best of Friends" while strums the strings]

---

Kubo: If you must blink, do it now.

[strums the strings and it lights the lanterns on the water]

Kubo: I know why you want my eye. Because without it, I can't look into the eyes of another and see their soul. Their love...

Raiden the Moon King: Everything you loved is GONE! Everything you knew has been taken from you!

Kubo: No... it's in the memories. The most powerful kind of magic there is.

[strums the strings again and summons the spirits from the lanterns, much to the Moon Beast's anger]

Kubo: It makes us stronger than you'll ever be. These are the memories of those we've have loved and lost. And if we hold their stories, deep in our hearts… then you will never take them away from us.