Kubo and the Two Strings



"If you must blink, do it now."

- Kubo

Kubo and the Two Strings is a 2016 Stop Motion fantasy film directed and co-produced by Travis Knight, starring the voices of Charlize Theron, Art Parkinson, Ralph Fiennes, Rooney Mara, George Takei, and Matthew McConaughey. It is Laika's fourth feature film. Kubo and the Two Strings first premiered at the Melbourne International Film Festival and later on was released to the United States on August 19, 2016.

The story revolves on Kubo, who wields a shamisen and must deal with his grandfather, the Moon King, and is on a quest to find three artifacts to defeat him. Accompanying the young hero are Beetle and Monkey on this dangerous journey.

In the USA, the film soar to critical acclaim when it was release and grossed $77 million internationally against a budget of $60 million. Kubo and the Two Strings won the BAFTA and was one of the nominated for Academy Award for Best Animated Feature Film and Best Visual Effects.

Not to be confused for Tite Kubo or Mitsuro Kubō.


 * Advertised Extra: Despite his character being promoted in the ads, George Takei only portrays a minor character.
 * An Aesop: Memories are so powerful that one can never be separated from those that we love and care about.
 * Ancient Tomb: The appropriately named "Hall of Bones".
 * Adult Fear: Imagine being on the run from your in-laws, because you married a guy they didn't like. Plus, these horrible in-laws are hunting you down and want to gain custody of your child, what's worse is that you even know full well that your in-laws can will abuse your child and do bodily harm.
 * All-Star Cast: Where to start, there's Charlize Theron, Ralph Fiennes, George Takei, Rooney Mara, just to name a few.
 * All There in the Manual: The extra stuff and some of the important details about Kubo and the Two Strings are shown in the scripts, commentary, official sources, like the names of the Sun Villagers and the locations.
 * All There in the Script: Some of the important characters' actual names, like the Moon King, Kubo's Mom and Aunts, are this, since the movie doesn't mention them by their real names.
 * Anachronism Stew: Various different historical elements, influences, and ideas are smooshed together in this film, like Edo, Heian, and whatever Kiyoshi Saito puts in his printmaking, there's also the tidbit that Saito was influenced by Western painters and thinkers, which he fuses into his craft. Some examples can be seen in the Sun Village.
 * And Starring: Ralph Fiennes.
 * Animal Motifs: Beetles, especially concerning Kubo's family. Especially their crest is that of a stag beetle, and cranes, whether it's the real bird flying, squawking, or the origami characters that Kubo crafted.
 * Annoying Arrows: During when the trio are battling the Skeleton Demon, the latter picks up Monkey, Beetle promptly reacts by firing his arrows. Which almost hits her, this made Monkey start yelling "Enough with the arrows."
 * Arc Words: "Story."
 * "You are my quest."
 * "If you must blink..."
 * The Archer: Mainly Beetle.
 * Armor Is Useless:
 * Ascend to a Higher Plane of Existence:
 * Attack of the 50-Foot Whatever:
 * Audible Sharpness: The "Sword Unbreakable" makes a sound of awesomeness when Kubo pulled it out of the Skeleton Demon.
 * : This trope is.
 * Bittersweet Ending:
 * Blank Slate: Since Karasu and Washi wear masks, it seems as though their facial expressions are this for the majority of the film. Even their creepy smile.
 * Monkey attempts to do this as she was telling Kubo that she was his lucky charm come to life.
 * Blue and Orange Morality: The Moon society is basically this.
 * Going a step further, the reason why the Moon King and his remaining daughters did what they did,
 * Body Motifs: Eyes. Eyes are both symbols and Played Straight here.
 * Body Motifs: Eyes. Eyes are both symbols and Played Straight here.

"Beetle: I've got a bone to pick with you! (aside to Kubo and Monkey) Get it? Because he's made of bones."
 * Breaking the Fourth Wall: At the beginning of the film, Kubo does his "If you must blink" speech, also tacks some things to give a backstory exposition, which makes it like he's addressing us. Even mention in the foreshadowing entry, it's seems as though Kubo is telling us to pay close attention.
 * During the film's end, Kubo uses his voice over to say "The End."
 * Brick Joke: While fishing in Long Lake, Beetle has Kubo shooting an arrow at a fish and it sank (He's teaching the pre-teen how to fish). During the fight against one of Kubo's aunts, he returns after retrieving the fish.
 * Brought Down to Normal: What happens to.
 * Cave Mouth: Hooboy, the entrance to where the "Sword Unbreakable" is hidden at is this.
 * Character Name and the Noun Phrase: Kubo and the Two Strings
 * Chekhov's Gun: That village bell? It turns out that it's
 * The bracelet made out of his mother's hair that Kubo wears.
 * Close Knit Community: The Sun villagers are very tight knit to the point that they care about a strange kid, who lives in a mountain top cave.
 * Combined Energy Attack:
 * Comically Missing the Point: Beetle forgets that he was searching for the Breastplate Impenetrable and instead went after the fish Kubo shot earlier.
 * Cool Sword: The Sword Unbreakable.
 * Creative Closing Credits: A 2D-animated Disneyesque showcase of events and characters from the film, with cameos of previous works by Laika.
 * Curse: Beetle explains that he was cursed in this form and force to wander the Far Lands.
 * Cut Short: Not the film itself, but some of the stories that Kubo tells never got satisfying endings or were left in a cliff hanger
 * Daddy's Little Villains: Karasu and Washi.
 * Dark Is Evil: The Moon Society characters, like Raiden, Washi, and Karasu are portrayed as this.
 * Defeat Means Love:
 * Dem Bones: The Skeleton Demon, who was based on Gashadokuro.
 * Diagonal Cut:
 * Didn't Think This Through: This happens when Beetle was teaching Kubo how to hunt using a bow and arrow while at Long Lake.
 * Did You Just Punch Out Cthulhu?: Several times in the movie, for example:
 * Kubo somehow
 * Monkey manages to Despite not having her powers and only relying on melee.
 * Died Happily Ever After:
 * Divine Parentage: Because of Sariatu, Kubo is a demi-god.
 * Does This Remind You of Anything?: Kubo's Mom warning him about the dark and curfew hours resembles "Stranger Danger."
 * A Dog Named "Dog": Beetle is just "Beetle" and "Monkey" is named "Monkey."
 * Beetle questions this trope though, asking why isn't Kubo called "Boy"?
 * Don't Explain the Joke: During the beginning fight with Gashadokuro:
 * Don't Explain the Joke: During the beginning fight with Gashadokuro:


 * Doomed Hometown: The village after when Karasu and Washi attacked.
 * Dramatic Slip: While battling Gashadokuro, Kubo trips over a large bone.
 * Earlier, at the Spirits' Gate, Kubo trips while escaping his Aunts.
 * Dynamic Difficulty:
 * The End: This is the last line that Kubo narrates in the movie: The End!
 * Enemy Rising Behind:
 * Even Evil Has Loved Ones: The villainous Moon King cares about his daughters and extended family...Even though it's twisted and complicated.
 * Exactly What It Says on the Tin: The title explains all there is to know about this movie, without revealing the spoilers.
 * Eye Cam: Done a few times, like when Kubo wakes up to find Monkey calling his name.
 * Eye Scream: How Kubo lost his right eye in his backstory.
 * Everything's Better with Chickens: Kameyo keeps on requesting the chicken yokai, because it's funny and the paper puppet theater needs some sort of balance.
 * Failed a Spot Check: Beetle can't help it, because he's curse and has short-term memory loss.
 * Family-Unfriendly Death:
 * Foreshadowing: All of the stories about Hanzo and the god killing weapons that Kubo tells to the village at the beginning of the film.
 * Kameyo, the friendly old widow, tells Kubo that if he uses a lantern and prayers to the dead spirits, he'll be able to communicate with love ones that died. Later, Kubo tries to talk to his father's spirit, but nothing happens, but the rest of the villager's lanterns lights up. He assumes that his father is ignoring him,
 * During the day, Kubo's Mom is catatonic. Only at night will she be full of energy, this is a result of her bumping her head in the prologue.
 * Beetle has quite the collection from Hanzo's men.
 * Both Beetle and Monkey argue like a married old couple.
 * Mr. Monkey, the wooden charm, at the beginning drops hints for the keen eye audience of where Monkey would into the story.
 * When Kubo first meets Monkey, she instructs him to get up and she proceeds to make dinner.
 * Little Hanzo behaves as a compass to the three MacGuffins. When they go to get the helmet
 * Freudian Trio: Beetle (Ego), Monkey (Superego), Kubo (Id)
 * Full-Moon Silhouette:
 * Giant Eyes of Doom: The Garden of Eyes.
 * Giant Wall of Watery Doom: At the prologue there are huge treacherous waves in the Dark Sea, which Sariatu was sailing through.
 * Glowing Eyelights of Undeath: The Skeleton Demon's eyes need I say more.
 * Gory Discretion Shot: In a rather humorous fashion, when Kubo's origami performance got a bit hairy, Hosato quickly covered Mari's eyes.
 * Handicapped Badass: Kubo, since he's missing his eye.
 * Sariatu, who is sick, depending on her son to take care of her, and doesn't remember much.
 * Heel Face Brainwashing:
 * Hell of a Heaven: How Sariatu see the Moon Society as, especially when she fell in love with Hanzo, after seeing how warm his gaze and his humanity was. Plus, the Moon Society looks down on mortals.
 * Hell of a Heaven: The Heavens that the Moon King rules over are described as . Though how Sariatu describes it, the qualifications of her son to go there, are Owellian in nature (judging how the Sisters and Raidan does things and their true nature).
 * The Hermit: Justified sorta, since both Kubo and his Mom are both hiding from the Twins and the Moon King.
 * The Hero's Journey: Kubo's quest to find the armor and defeat the Moon King.
 * Heroic Sacrifice: Hanzo and his army perished. So that way, Sariatu and Baby Kubo can make their escape. In the early part of the movie, Sariatu died to saved him from her twin sisters.
 * Hidden in Plain Sight:
 * Homage: To Studio Ghibli and various Japanese mediums, like Akira Kurosawa, ink wash paintings, and origami...To name a few.
 * The Beatles band as well, considering the end credits song.
 * There's even homages towards Ray Harryhausen, according to the artbook. Mainly the origami fight in the village.
 * The Hypnotoad: The Garden of Eyes monsters are this in spades.
 * Hungry Menace: Karasu and Washi are describe as being this.
 * Hypnotic Eyes: The many eyes in the aptly named "Garden of Eyes," revealing many secrets to its victims.
 * I'll Kill You!:
 * Insistent Terminology: Monkey states that she's not a "toy", but a charm in her "Mr. Monkey" form.
 * In the Back:
 * In the End You Are on Your Own:
 * Interspecies Friendship: What Kubo, Monkey, and Beetle are at the beginning of the film. Until the reveals happen.
 * Jerkass Gods: The movies shows the gods mainly as jerks, extremely distant, uncaring, and no concept whatsoever about human life. Though, they live in a place, the unchanging sky, but since their nature is sinister, because the gods shown here are coming from during the night.
 * Justified Title: More evident near the end
 * Karma Houdini:
 * Lampshade Hanging: Monkey exams Little Hanzo and states that origami figures this complicated and elaborate are impossible.
 * Laser-Guided Amnesia:
 * At the ending,
 * Leaning on the Fourth Wall: Near the end, Kubo just to be with him at the story's end. This literally happens at the last scene.
 * Left-Justified Fantasy Map: The interactive map in the movie's official website showed the Dark Sea on the left side.
 * Lighter and Softer: Comparing Kubo to Laika's previous animated films, like: Coraline, The Boxtrolls, and ParaNorman, shows that it's a bit more "kid friendly," less frightening imagery and the violence is diluted a bit, even though its themes and the movie in general are still dark as it can come by (like death, immortality, and a lot of eye screams).
 * Lightning Reveal: During the Long Lake battle, one of the sisters disappears but lightning reveals her shadow behind a sail.
 * Love At First Sight:
 * Luke, I Am Your Grandfather: Kubo knows about his ties to the Moon King.
 * Lured into a Trap:
 * Mama Bear: Sariatus, Kubo's Mom.
 * MacGuffin: The magical sword and armor.
 * Magical Guide: Monkey is primarily this.
 * Lured into a Trap:
 * Mama Bear: Sariatus, Kubo's Mom.
 * MacGuffin: The magical sword and armor.
 * Magical Guide: Monkey is primarily this.
 * Magical Guide: Monkey is primarily this.


 * Magic Music: What Kubo does when he plays his shamisen.
 * Martial Arts and Crafts: This is combine with The Power of Rock to Kubo's arsenal.
 * Meaningful Echo: "If you must blink, do it now."
 * The Merch: There's action figures and even these lovely Air Jordans.
 * Metaphorically True: Beetle unknowingly does this, while he was explaining why he's cursed.
 * Metaphor Is My Middle Name: Beetle states "Stealth" is this.
 * A Minor Kidroduction: In the prologue, Kubo was just a baby. Then fast forward 12 years later.
 * Mock Guffin: The sword that was embedded in the skeletal hand,
 * Mundane Utility: Kubo just uses his divine demi-god powers, just to put on shows in the village as a The Storyteller. Before the start of his huge quest.
 * Monkey just uses the "Sword Unbreakable" to make a sashimi.
 * Mysterious Watcher: Beetle was doing this when Kubo and Monkey first arrived in the Far Lands.
 * Mythology Gag: Kubo and the Two Strings has similar eye motifs with . Both movies have, the antagonists (The Moon King/ who are shapeshifters that are really obsessed with gouging out the protagonist's (Kubo/)'s eyes out to blind him to humanity/, and trapping them in their realm (the Heavens/) for all of eternity.
 * Needle in a Stack of Needles: The Sword Unbreakable is pin on the Skeleton Demon's head. But there's other swords also pinned on the monster's head, this gave Kubo, Monkey, and Beetle a mad scramble and fight to find the correct one.

"Beetle: Kubo's story will live on in the people he shares it with, and the people they share it with, and the people they share it with..." "Kubo: You can fly?! Beetle: Apparently, yes!"
 * No Name Given: Throughout the film, characters, like the Sisters, the Moon King, and so forth are not referred to by their actual names...Except by those titles. Until their names were confirmed later on as Karasu, Washi, and Raiden.
 * No Ontological Inertia: While at Long Lake, Monkey states this when Beetle says that he can survive underwater.
 * After the "Sword Unbreakable" was removed from the Skeleton Demon's skull,
 * Not Using the Z Word: There are gods and divide beings, though they're not called "Gods" in the movie.
 * One Size Fits All: The "Breastplate Impentratable" manages to shrink, just to be the right size for Kubo.
 * Overly Long Gag: Whenever Beetle is knocked over and tries to get back up.
 * Peek-a-Bangs: Kubo, himself.
 * Plucky Comic Relief: Beetle is this to a "T".
 * Point and Click Map: In a non-video game example, the movie website has a map about the film's fictional locations that's clickable to find out more about the places the heroes visited.
 * Power Incontinence: When Kubo's magical powers grow, the more it paints him as a target.
 * Precision F-Strike: "Oh, FOOT!"
 * Mortality to the Moon King was described as "hell." The reason why the moral guardians gives this a pass, is because Raiden is using this as a description...Not a profanity.
 * Quest for Identity: Beetle's arc is this, only remembering that he used to fight with Hanzo.
 * Reality Ensues: Some cases of this:
 * At the beginning of the movie, Kubo's mom suffers a blow to the head, though it's difficult to draw blood and leaving a scar. This causes her serious medical problems, especially at the present, Sariatu spends most of the day comatose, even when she looks "better", still has holes in her memories and tremors. This is probably because
 * Remembered I Could Fly: This happens when the Skeleton Demon was about to stomp on both Kubo and Beetle. Beetle picks up Kubo and hovers.
 * Remembered I Could Fly: This happens when the Skeleton Demon was about to stomp on both Kubo and Beetle. Beetle picks up Kubo and hovers.

"'''Kubo"
 * "The Reason You Suck" Speech:


 * Rousseau Was Right: When Hanzo provided Sariatu love, warmth, and his humanity.
 * Rule of Cool: Beetle fires his bow at his expert level underwater and nothing bad happens to Kubo's shamisen after being submerged and caught during a rainstorm. IRL, both would be ruined and need to be fixed.
 * Rule of Symbolism:
 * Rule of Three: Team Kubo: Kubo, Monkey, and Beetle.
 * The Moon King and his two daughters.
 * The shamisen is a traditional Japanese instrument which has three strings.
 * Quirky Town: The whole Sun Village located bellow the mountains has a strong sense of community, even caring about each other and Kubo.
 * Samurai: Everything pertaining to Hanzo.

"Monkey: Once we're inside, you might be tempted to complain about the odor. Keep in mind my sense of smell is ten times stronger than yours."
 * Scenery Porn: All the scenery and backgrounds!
 * Secretly Dying:
 * Sheathe Your Sword:
 * Shut UP, Hannibal: Monkey does this to one of her Twin siblings and
 * Significant Double Casting: Rooney Mara voices both Washi and Karasu.
 * Single-Stroke Battle: In one of the origami tales, Little Hanzo defeats a monstrous spider this way.
 * Sliding Scale of Living Toys:"Little Hanzo" (Level 4), since the little origami figure is shown to move independently on his own, i.e. pointing Kubo to the right directions, fighting, and etc.
 * Slippy-Slidey Ice World: The Ice Fields is this trope, but there's no sign of animal life, not even penguins (Does Beetle count?).
 * Solar and Lunar: Mainly the two villages/society: the aptly name Sun Village exhibits warmth, joy, and togetherness. Whereas the Moon Society is cold, solemn, and has a different sense of community.
 * Spoiled by the Manual: The movie's official website mainly, especially the mini-game tie-ins, the wallpapers, avatars, and the merch ads, which spoils some major plot points in the movie.
 * Spirit World: The Moon Society
 * Splitting the Arrow: Beetle demonstrates his first time learning archery skill and does this.
 * Surprisingly-Sudden Death:
 * Stealth Pun: Beetle quips "I got a bone to pick with you." To the Skeleton Demon, why? Because it's made of bones.
 * The Stinger:
 * Stop Motion: What the whole movie basically is.
 * The Storyteller: Kubo's main job, whenever he's at the Sun Village, he tells of the adventures of Hanzo.
 * Sword of Plot Advancement: The three weapons: "Sword Unbreakable," "Helmet Invulnerable", and "Breastplate Impenetrable."
 * Symbolic Blood: When Kubo trips, his origami paper spills all over the cave floor doing this.
 * Take a Third Option:
 * Talking to Herself: The Sisters, since Rooney Mara does both of them.
 * Talking in Your Dreams: Kubo sometimes hears his mother talking in her sleep.
 * Monkey also finds Kubo does this and calling out for his Disappeared Dad.
 * Talking to the Dead: In the Bon Festive, Kubo attempts to do this with no such luck.
 * Tell Me About My Father: Kubo asks Beetle this, when the latter mentions that Hanzo was his master.
 * That Was Not a Dream: When
 * This Is Gonna Suck: Just when the Hero trio were about to enter the whale carcass, Monkey made a disgusted expression and says:
 * This Is Gonna Suck: Just when the Hero trio were about to enter the whale carcass, Monkey made a disgusted expression and says:


 * This Is My Story: Kubo states something along these lines at the beginning of the movie, especially if he's breaking fourth walls.
 * This Is Reality: What shock Kubo early was that all the Fairy Tales of the mighty samurai warrior Hanzo, his battles with the Moon King and other adventures ARE...All...Real.
 * Thwarted Coup De Grace: Sariatu kills most of Hanzo's men when she went into the fortress and was about to off Hanzo as well. When during their fight, he told her "You are my quest." She changed her mind about following through her father's wishes.
 * Time Passes Montage: When Kubo, Monkey, and Beetle were journeying to Hanzo's fortress.
 * Together in Death:
 * Trailers Always Spoil: The trailers show parts of the ending.
 * Trophy Room: Beetle has a cave filled with Samurai memorabilia. Since he's trying to figure out who he was and remember his best friend, Hanzo.
 * Unreliable Narrator: In a non-malicious way, Kubo's mother is shown as this. Mainly because of her head trauma, which scrambled her memories.
 * Unusually Uninteresting Sight: The whole Sun Village seems to be used to Kubo's magical performances, basically since it's implied that goes to town all the time.
 * Villain Beating Artifacts: The "Helmet Invulnerable", "Sword Unbreakable", and "Breastplate Impenetrable."
 * Walk and Talk: Monkey tells Beetle to fill them in his life story as they walk, since they're pressed with time.
 * We Can Rule Together: The Moon King states this, even offering that Kubo can go beyond stories...He can be immortal.
 * When the Clock Strikes Twelve: Kubo has to come back to Mortal's Point before the sun sets.
 * Where It All Began: The movies starts with the Sun Village with the Bon Festival
 * Windows of the Soul: Since eyes are the theme, so is this.
 * Youkai: All the creatures and monsters that are featured and reference in the movie.
 * The fire-breathing chicken is a "Basam".
 * Whatever the eye creatures that inhabit the "Garden of Eyes."
 * You Shall Not Pass: Sariatu does this, using her final magic, to face off her sisters and send Kubo to safety.
 * You Killed My Father:
 * You Shall Not Pass: Sariatu does this, using her final magic, to face off her sisters and send Kubo to safety.
 * You Killed My Father: