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I enjoyed IF, John Krasinski’s family film about lost imaginary friends, but many of the critics were quite down on it. A lot of them wittily described it as Iffy, and were probably disappointed when all of their reviews were published and they discovered they’d not been the only ones to think of it. I can see their objections though. The movie had a huge amount of charm but what it lacked was truly captivating ideas and an unlimited sense of adventure.

This new film from Japanese animation company Studio Ponoc is possibly more what they wanted. The basic concept is very similar but here it is extended into an epic tale of magic, friendship, loss and childhood play. Like IF it is probably most suited to a younger audience but unlike the majority of kids cartoon movies it doesn’t substitute good storytelling for sight gags and silly voices. Mores the shame then that this has been released silently on Netflix, only likely to be flagged by your algorithm if you’ve selected to watch any one of the Ghibli movies that have also now found a home on that streamer.

Netflix isn’t the only place this is destined to sit along the work of the legendary Ghibli catalogue though. Studio Ponoc will forever be spoken about in terms of its relation to Miyazaki’s successful animation house as it was born when the great man apparently retired and a lot of the artists started out on their own rather than sit on their hands waiting for someone else to take over. This is only their second feature film but with it they have found their own identity more than they did with Mary and the Witches Flower. The images still look similar, as indeed they do in a lot of Japanese animation, but there are less of the character tropes and mystical and environmental themes familiar from movies like Spirited Away, Howl’s Moving Castle, Princess Mononoke and My Neighbour Totoro.

Of course even without IF, this is not the first film about imaginary friends but unlike most of those that have come before, this is totally from the point of view of the titular made up companion. The child, rather than being the passive partner though is the imagineer. They are the being of wonder. This gives them all of the power with the message that this magic exists in every adolescent – which is lovely and totally true.

You could go and see the latest minions film if you want to then. As far as I am concerned their section in the Olympic Opening Ceremony is already more of them than I wanted to see this summer. If you want something to watch with young ones that celebrates the wonder of childhood and both takes them on a thrilling journey and respects them enough to include genuine but measured threat and real stakes, with spectacular animation, then save your money and search this out at home.