Belle

Mamoru Hosoda's follow-up to Summer Wars follows shy teenager Suzu, who transforms into Belle, a world-famous singer, in the virtual world of U.

When Suzu signs up for an account on the virtual reality platform U, she assumes the new identity of Belle, who quickly becomes a world-famous singer. In U, her hidden gifts are amplified, allowing her to become who she is truly meant to be. When she meets a mysterious creature and resolves to find out who he truly is, the virtual and real worlds collide, and Suzu realises she can become a real-life heroine too.

Curator’s note

Although set largely in the vast virtual world of U, Belle is ultimately a story about self-acceptance and finding human connection. Loosely inspired by Beauty and the Beast, the film uses breathtaking digital spectacle to frame a deeply human coming-of-age tale, exploring how technology can foster community rather than isolation.

Like much of Hosoda's work, the extraordinary is grounded in the emotional realities of ordinary life, as Suzu discovers that the voice she finds as Belle was always her own. U offers Suzu the chance to reinvent herself, but the film suggests true strength comes from embracing vulnerability and allowing her online and offline selves to become one. In doing so, Suzu emerges as a distinctly modern anime heroine, one whose greatest power lies not in her online abilities, but in compassion and the courage to be authentically herself.