Kubo and the Two Strings

Everything About Fiction You Never Wanted to Know.

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 was later released in 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.

The film received critical acclaim when it was released and grossed $77 million internationally against a budget of $60 million. Kubo and the Two Strings won the BAFTA and was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature Film and Best Visual Effects in 2016.

Not to be confused for Tite Kubo or Mitsuro Kubō.

Tropes used in Kubo and the Two Strings include:
  • Advertised Extra: Despite being promoted in the ads, George Takei only portrays a minor character.
  • An Aesop: Memories are powerful; 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: There's Charlize Theron, Ralph Fiennes, George Takei, Rooney Mara, just to name a few.
  • All There in the Manual: Some of the important details -- like the names of the Sun Villagers and the locations -- are shown in the scripts, commentary, and official sources.
  • All There in the Script: Some characters' actual names, like the Moon King, Kubo's Mom and Aunts, are this, since the movie doesn't mention 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. Saito was also 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. 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: 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 yell "Enough with the arrows."
  • Arc Words: "Story."
    • "You are my quest."
    • "If you must blink..."
  • The Archer: Mainly Beetle.
  • Armor Is Useless: Beetle's armor didn't protect him during his fight against Washi.
  • Ascend to a Higher Plane of Existence: Kubo's grandpa, the Moon King, wants the titular character to join him in the Moon Kingdom so they can be a family.
  • Attack of the 50-Foot Whatever:When the Moon Beast attacks the Sun Village, it resembles a prehistoric fish.
  • Audible Sharpness: The "Sword Unbreakable" makes a sound of awesomeness when Kubo pulled it out of the Skeleton Demon.
  • Badass Family: This trope is mainly Kubo, Hanzo, and Sariatu's last name.
  • Be Careful What You Wish For: The Moon King wants to be with his grandson, so they can be a family. At the end, he got what he wanted but now has amnesia.
  • Bittersweet Ending: Kubo lost both of his parents, but he has his grandfather, and the whole village to take care of him.
  • Blank Slate: According to the back story of Satiaru, she started as knowing nothing about emotions, heat, warmth, and how good the earth is. Until, she met Hanzo, who taught her all these things...And love. This made her to be a better person.
  • Blue and Orange Morality: The Moon society values family in a very unconventional way.
    • Which is the reason why the Moon King and his remaining daughters went into extreme measures hunting and attempted kidnapping, was because they think Kubo will be happier with them in the heavens and are concerned for his well being.
  • Body Motifs: Eyes. Which are both symbols and Played Straight here.
  • Breaking the Fourth Wall: At the beginning of the film, Kubo does his "If you must blink" speech. This includes some backstory exposition, appearing like he's addressing the audience.
    • This is even mention in the Foreshadowing entry, it seems like Kubo is telling the audience to pay close attention.
    • During the film's end, Kubo says "The End" in a voice over.
  • Brick Joke: While fishing in Long Lake, Beetle was teaching Kubo how to fish by shooting an arrow at a fish, and the fish sinks. During the fight against one of Kubo's aunts, Beetle boards the tiny boat after retrieving the fish the boy shot earlier.
  • Brought Down to Normal: What happens to Raiden, the Moon King, at the end.
  • Cave Mouth: Hooboy, the cave entrance to where the "Sword Unbreakable" is hidden at has what appears to be a gaping maw.
  • Character Name and the Noun Phrase: Kubo and the Two Strings
  • Chekhov's Gun: That village bell? It turns out that it's The Helmet Invulnerable.
    • The bracelet made out of his mother's hair that Kubo wears. He uses this to add to restring his shamisen. - Along with his hair and Hanzo's bow string. The shamisen was then used to defeat the Moon Beast. Earlier, Monkey was telling him about how powerful memories are as one, Kubo uses his and the villagers' memeories as one huge powerful spell.
  • Close Knit Community: The Sun villagers are tight knit to the point that they care about a strange kid, who lives in Mortal's Point, a mountain top cave.
  • Combined Energy Attack: During the final battle, Kubo and the Sun villagers' memories are combined with the young musician's magic to blast the Moon Beast with a spell.
  • Comically Missing the Point: Beetle forgets about 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 forced to wander the Far Lands.
  • Cut Short: In-Universe, but some stories that Kubo tells never gets satisfying endings or were left in a Cliff Hanger Justified. Because Kubo was retelling whatever story of Hanzo his Mom — who struggles with details due to her head injury — told him.
  • Daddy's Little Villains: Karasu and Washi. Sariatus was also this, until she fell in love and got Character Development.
  • Dark Is Evil: The Moon Society characters, like Raiden, Washi, and Karasu are portrayed as this. Averted with Sariatus.
  • Defeat Means Love: Sariatus was sent to kill Hanzo, until he defeated her. Since she already has admiration for him and fought him before, the final defeat made Sariatus fall in love with Hanzo.
  • Dem Bones: The Skeleton Demon, who was based on Gashadokuro.
  • Diagonal Cut: Implied to be how Monkey died in the Fortress battle.
  • Didn't Think This Through: 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 manages to kill one of his aunts with his Magic Music, though Beetle injured Washi earlier.
    • Monkey manages to slay Karasu in a single combat, despite not having her powers and only relying on melee.
    • In the finale, Kubo and the Sun villagers blasted the Moon Beast.
  • Died Happily Ever After: Both Sariatus and Hanzo died together happy, knowing that they'll be together forever. They both can be seen in the ending in as ghosts proudly looking at their son before traveling to the after life.
  • 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." This is for good reasons, because her Dad and sisters are searching for them, plus, they can and will kidnap Kubo. This also resembles a single parent overdoing the warnings so they will not lose custody and the kid won't end up with abusive relatives.
  • A Dog Named "Dog": Beetle is just "Beetle" and "Monkey" is named "Monkey."
    • Beetle discusses this trope, asking "Why isn't Kubo called "Boy"?
  • Don't Explain the Joke: During the beginning fight with Gashadokuro:

Beetle: I've got a bone to pick with you! (aside to Kubo and Monkey) Get it? Because he's made of bones.

  • Doomed Hometown: The village after Karasu and Washi attacked.
    • Before the final battle, only a portion of the Sun Village got destroyed and its residents are safe.
  • Dramatic Slip: While battling Gashadokuro, Kubo trips over a large bone.
    • Earlier, at the Spirits' Gate, Kubo trips while escaping his Aunts.
  • Dynamic Difficulty: Washi were difficult for Kubo, Monkey, and Beetle to defeat.
  • The End: The last line that Kubo says in the movie.
  • Enemy Rising Behind: During the battle with the Moon Beast, the latter does this a few times.
  • Even Evil Has Loved Ones: The villainous Moon King cares about his daughters and extended family...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 the prologue part.
  • Everything's Better with Chickens: Kameyo keeps on requesting the chicken yokai, because it's funny and the paper puppet theater needs some sort humor to balance the drama.
  • Failed a Spot Check: Beetle can't help it, because he's curse and has short-term memory loss.
  • Family-Unfriendly Death: Washi killing Beetle was shown. It's also implied that Monkey was sliced in half.
    • While we don't see it, Monkey slice through Karasu's skull. The only proof that we get was that we see Karasu's mask that was cut in half.
  • Foreshadowing: All of the stories about Hanzo and the god killing weapons that Kubo tells to the village at the beginning of the film.Turns out that they're real all along.
    • 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, when it actually means that his Dad ain't dead.
    • 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. When it was reveal that she's actually one of the Moon King's daughters, this gives more reason why Sariatus is in a catatonic state during day time. - Seeing how we only see the Moon King and his remaining daughters during the night, it's assumed that the rest of the Moon Society can't function in the daytime.
    • Beetle has quite the collection from Hanzo's men. There was a final battle in the past, 'cause Beetle is Hanzo.
    • Both Beetle and Monkey argue like a married old couple. This is because they're both Kubo's parents and they tied the knot.
    • Mr. Monkey, the wooden charm, at the beginning drops hints for the keen eye audience of where Monkey would into the story. He's a she.
    • When Kubo first meets Monkey, she instructs him to get up and she proceeds to make dinner. Like what mothers do. Beetle teaches him how to fish, just like what fathers do.
    • Little Hanzo behaves as a compass to the three MacGuffins. When they go to get the helmet The little origami figure is pointing at Kubo's opposite walking direction. It's revealed that it's a trap by the Moon King.
  • Freudian Trio: Beetle (Ego), Monkey (Superego), Kubo (Id)
  • Full-Moon Silhouette: The Moon King does this during the final battle, then again He is the Moon!
  • 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.
    • Raidan's Moon Beast form has eyes like these.
  • Gory Discretion Shot: In a rather humorous fashion, when Kubo's origami performance got a bit hairy, Hosato quickly covered Mari's eyes.
    • When the sisters get killed, we only see their masks. Blood is not even shown when Beetle got stab.
  • Handicapped Badass: Kubo, since he's missing his eye.
    • Sariatu, who is in a catatonic state and doesn't remember much. But later on it's reveal that in her backstory she can kick butt, even taking on Hanzo. Sariatu is even a badass as a primate.
  • Heel Face Brainwashing: Kubo unleashes his most powerful magic on the Moon King, replacing his memories and turning him to a kind person.
  • 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.
    • The Heavens that the Moon King rules over are described as without the evils, turmoils, and suffering of the mortal world. Though how Sariatu describes it, the qualifications of her son to go there, are Orwellian in nature (judging how the Sisters and Raidan does things and their true nature).
  • The Hermit: Since both Kubo and his Mom live in the Mortal's Point cave high up in the mountains.
  • The Hero's Journey: Kubo's quest to find the armor and defeat the Moon King. At the end, he learns a valuable lesson about family and returns to the village.
  • Heroic Sacrifice: In the prologue, 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. Both Monkey and Beetle died later on near the ending.
  • Hidden in Plain Sight: The "Helmet Invulnerable" was actually used as a bell in the village. No-one knows about this, especially Kubo's Aunts and Kubo, until the latter realizes it.
  • 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!: Kubo says this to his grandfather at the beginning of their Curb Stomp Battle.
  • Insistent Terminology: Monkey states that she's not a "toy", but a charm in her "Mr. Monkey" form.
  • In the Back:How Beetle dies, being stabbed by Washi, who averts this trope by being a Combat Pragmatist.
  • In the End You Are on Your Own:At the end of the movie, Kubo was definitely this.
  • Interspecies Friendship: What Kubo, Monkey, and Beetle are at the beginning of the film. Until the reveals happen.
  • Jerkass Gods: The movies shows that 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 When Kubo adds new makshift strings to his shamisen: his Dad's bowstring, one strand of his mother's hair, and his own hair strand. Those strings together symbolically and literally represents Kubo and the other two strings.
  • Karma Houdini:The Moon King lives to see the credits...Kinda, but he doesn't have memories.
  • Lampshade Hanging: Monkey exams Little Hanzo and outright states that origami figures this complicated and elaborate are impossible.
  • Laser-Guided Amnesia: Both of Sariatu's sisters cast a spell on Hanzo, turning him in Beetle, and draining his memories of him being married to Sariatu.
    • At the ending, Kubo also does this to his grandfather after turning him into a human. It's unknown if this was intentional or not.
  • Leaning on the Fourth Wall: Near the end, Kubo prays that his parents' spirits 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: This happens when Sariatu was sent to kill Hanzo.
  • Luke, I Am Your Grandfather: Averted. Due to Kubo knows about his ties to the Moon King.
    • Washi reveals that Beetle was actually Hanzo to the trio, before she battles them at Hanzo's Fortress.
  • Lured into a Trap:When Kubo and his friends went to an abandon fortress to search for the helmet. Washi and the Moon King set a trap for them.
  • Mama Bear: Sariatus, Kubo's Mom.
  • MacGuffins: The magical sword, shield, and armor.
  • Magical Guide: Monkey is primarily this.
    • Also, Paper Hanzo.
  • 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, the film introduces Kubo was just a baby. Then fast forward 12 years later.
  • Mock Guffin: The sword that was embedded in the skeletal hand, It's not the real "Sword Unbreakable," but a regular sword.
  • Mundane Utility: Kubo just uses his divine demi-god powers, just to put on shows in the village as a storyteller.
    • 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 Coraline. Both movies have, the antagonists (The Moon King/Other Mother who are shapeshifters that are really obsessed with gouging out the protagonist's (Kubo/Coraline)'s eyes out to blind him to humanity/it's a dream world trap, and trapping them in their realm (the Heavens/The Other Realm) 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 that are also pinned on the monster's head, this gave Kubo, Monkey, and Beetle a mad scramble and fight to find the correct one.
  • 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, it collapses.
  • 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 Impenetrable" 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.

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...

  • Peek-a-Bangs: Kubo's hair.
  • Plucky Comic Relief: Beetle is this to a "T".
  • Point and Click Map: In a non-video game example, the movie website used to have 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 direct description...Not a profanity.
  • Quest for Identity: Beetle's arc is this, only remembering that he used to fight alongside 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, but the bump left a scar. This causes her serious medical problems, especially at the present, Sariatu spends most of the day comatose, even when she looks "better", she still has holes in her memories and tremors. This is probably because Like her father and sisters, it can be presumed they're nocturnal. Though Kubo's Mom was the only one shown to be lucid during the nighttime.
    • The armor that Kubo spent the whole time seeking out turns out to be useless. Even if they do work, Kubo's training is next to nil, therefore he can't defeat his grandfather with them.
  • 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: You can fly?!
Beetle: Apparently, yes!

Kubo (To Raiden): No! It's in my memories! The most powerful kind of magic there is! It makes us stronger than you'll ever be. These are the memories of those we have loved and lost. And if we hold their stories deep in our hearts, then you will never take them away from us. And that really is the least of it...

  • 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: The Sisters masks getting shattered are used mainly to symbolize their deaths.
  • 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. While in the final battle with the Moon King, Kubo fixes his shamisen with his mother's hair, his father's bowstring, and his own hair.
  • Quirky Town: The whole Sun Village located bellow the mountains has a strong sense of community, even caring about each other and Kubo. Even at the end when they welcome the brought down to normal Moon King into the community.
  • Samurai: Everything pertaining to Hanzo.
    • Same with Beetle, a giant well, beetle, that used to be one of Hanzo's fellow samurai.
  • Scenery Porn
  • Secretly Dying: After their final battle with Washi, Beetle didn't tell Kubo and Monkey that he's dying, while they attend to him.
  • Sheathe Your Sword: The minute the team retrieve the "Sword Unbreakable", Monkey sheathes it several times whenever combat requires it...And to cut up fish.
    • Kubo does this, during the final confrontation with his grandfather.
  • Shut UP, Hannibal: Monkey does this to one of her Twin siblings and Kubo to his grandfather during the climax.
  • 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.
    • Monkey is Level 5, since Sariatu's soul reincarnated into her son's monkey charm.
  • 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 "Moon Beast Brawl" anyone?, 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 does this as he demonstrates his first time learning archery skill.
  • Surprisingly-Sudden Death: Happens to Beetle, when Washi stabs him in the back.
  • Stealth Pun: When Beetle quips "I got a bone to pick with you." To the Skeleton Demon, why? Because the monster is rather bony.
  • The Stinger: The credits show how the the Skeleton Demon was created and it's the largest puppet ever, plus it survived the encounter after Kubo, Monkey, and Beetle defeated it.
  • 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.
  • Symbolic Blood: When Kubo trips, his origami papers spill all over the cave floor as though it was blood.
  • Take a Third Option: Instead of killing the Moon King. Kubo decides use his shamisen and his most powerful spell to defeat his grandfather...But doing this has an unexpected results
  • 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.
  • Talking to the Dead: In the Bon Festive, Kubo attempts to do this with no such luck. While at the end, he can do this with both parents.
  • Tell Me About My Father: Kubo asks Beetle this, when the latter mentions that Hanzo was his master.
  • That Was Not a Dream: When Kubo found out that the kind old man who was in his dream and told him about Hanzo's fortress was actually his evil grandpa, the Moon King.
  • This Is Gonna Suck: Just when the Hero trio were about to enter the whale carcass, Monkey made a disgusted expression and says:

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."

  • This Is My Story: Kubo states something along these lines at the beginning of the movie, especially when 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: When Monkey was retelling her back story, she 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: When Sariatus and Hanzo were killed off protecting their son. Their spirits are seen in the next Bon Festival, looking proudly at their son.
  • Trailers Always Spoil: The trailers show parts of the ending like Kubo dressed in the armor and wielding the magic sword and even the ending battle where Kubo dukes it out with his grandfather..
  • Trophy Room: Beetle has a cave filled with Samurai memorabilia. Since he's trying to figure out who he was, remember his best friend, Hanzo, and what on earth happen to his boss.
  • 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 it's implied that he goes to town and were he does shows all the time.
  • Villain Beating Artifacts: The "Helmet Invulnerable", "Sword Unbreakable", and "Breastplate Impenetrable."
    • Averted. Since Kubo uses his shamisen as a VBA. Then again he doesn't have any training to use these legendary weapons.
  • Walk and Talk: Monkey tells Beetle to fill them in his life story as they walk, since they're pressed with time.
  • The Weapons of Plot Advancement: The three weapons: "Sword Unbreakable," "Helmet Invulnerable", and "Breastplate Impenetrable."
  • We Can Rule Together: The Moon King states this, even offering that Kubo can go beyond stories...He can be immortal and live with him.
  • When the Clock Strikes Twelve: Kubo has to come back to Mortal's Point, the mountain top cave, before the sun sets.
  • Where It All Began: The movies starts with the Sun Village with the Bon Festival and ends at the Sun Village celebrating the Bon Festival.
  • Windows of the Soul: Since eyes are the windows, therefore the film has this as its running theme.
    • It's also why the Moon King wants to take Kubo's remaining left eye, believing that human connection and empathy is dangerous.
  • 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: Kubo does this when he invokes the I'll Kill You! trope.
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