The Boy and the Heron

Mahito Maki's life changes forever when his mother dies in a tragic fire at a Tokyo hospital. His father marries Natsuko, his mother's younger sister, and they relocate to her rural family home. There, Mahito is frequently bullied by a gray heron, which surprisingly speaks to him and claims his mother is still alive. According to the heron, Mahito can save her from death by entering a mysterious tower.