History YMMV / KuboAndTheTwoStrings

%% IronWoobie and JerkassWoobie entries have been cut for re-evaluation. If anyone wants these back, please use the [[https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/posts.php?discussion=15391212720A38366900&page=1 Woobie Cleanup Thread]].

* EsotericHappyEnding: While the film clearly has a BittersweetEnding with [[spoiler:both of Kubo's parents now dead]] it's still supposed to lean toward the sweeter side with [[spoiler:Kubo being adopted by his now-amnesiac grandfather and Kameyo.]]

* MexicansLoveSpeedyGonzales: Japan loves the movie. It helps that Creator/{{Laika}} ShowTheirWork and that the Japanese dub is a SugarWiki/SuperlativeDubbing.

* HolyShitQuotient: It starts when Kubo's mother hits her face ''hard'' on a rock, and just builds from there. Plus, the time-lapse demonstration of just how big the skeleton puppet actually was.

* TheyWastedAPerfectlyGoodPlot: Kubo coping with his mother's mental condition is no longer explored after [[spoiler:she turned into Monkey.]]

* AwardSnub: It lost the Oscar for Best Animated Feature to ''Disney/{{Zootopia}}''. To further add salt to the wound, it lost the award for Best Visual Effects to ''Film/TheJungleBook2016''. Fans were very upset although given the unusual number of high caliber animated films that were released in 2016, it was an unfortunate but inevitable case of ThereCanBeOnlyOne [[note]] It did, however, win the BAFTA that year. [[/note]] .

** The twist that [[spoiler: Monkey and Beetle were Kubo's parents the whole time]] isn't exactly hard to see coming, especially once [[spoiler:they start bickering LikeAnOldMarriedCouple. The fact that Creator/CharlizeTheron voices both Monkey and Sariatu also contributes to this, and additionally suggests that the creators thought it was so obvious that Monkey's identity wasn't worth even trying to hide]].
** The blind old man with a moon-like crest on the chest meeting Kubo in his dream during a full moon night turned out to be [[spoiler:the Moon King himself]].

* HeartwarmingInHindsight: With the reveal that [[spoiler:Monkey and Beetle are Kubo's mother and father respectively, it becomes this as Kubo had all that time been travelling with his parents]].
* HilariousInHindsight:
** The film debuted a few months after Blizzard's ''{{VideoGame/Overwatch}}'', a game also featuring [[spoiler:a Japanese feudal-style archer named Hanzo]]. Even better: Hanzo and Genji used to be, conceptually, a single character [[spoiler: named Hanzo that also wielded a bow/arrow and sword]].
** This wouldn't be the last movie Travis Knight directed featuring [[Film/{{Bumblebee}} a child protagonist and their large warrior pal named after a type of insect being pursued by twin antagonists.]]

* TheyWastedAPerfectlyGoodPlot: Kubo coping with his mother's mental condition is no longer explored after [[spoiler:she turned into Monkey]].

* {{Moe}}: Not only is Kubo a HeartwarmingOrphan who deeply cares for his mother, but he also puts up with so much crazy bunk that you just wanna protect the kid!

* {{Moe}}: Not only Kubo is a HeartwarmingOrphan who deeply cares for his mother, but also he puts up with a lot of crazy bunk that you just wanna protect the kid!

* {{HSQ}}: It starts when Kubo's mother hits her face ''hard'' on a rock, and just builds from there. Plus, the time-lapse demonstration of just how big the skeleton puppet actually was.
* IronWoobie: '''Kubo.''' The amount of emotional suffering he went through is just... wow. First, his eye is ripped out by his grandfather at infancy. Then, he spends the next eleven years taking care of his ill mother. And after accidentally staying out past night, the Sisters, Kubo's maternal aunts, come to ''take out his other eye''. [[MamaBear His mother sacrifices herself to keep him safe.]] [[spoiler:And when Kubo learns (at different times) that his mother and father are Monkey and Beetle, respectively, they are both killed by one of the Sisters...''right in front of him.'' And while he manages to defeat his grandfather by weaponizing ThePowerOfLove, his grandfather doesn't remember Kubo.]] And yet, Kubo keeps his kind and brave spirit through it all.
* JerkassWoobie: The Sisters can come off as this. Sariatu is not wrong about them being monsters, but at the same time, they're obviously crushed about their sister's betrayal, and do genuinely believe they're doing what's best for Kubo, [[BlueAndOrangeMorality albeit from a completely alien point of view.]] [[spoiler:The fact they don't get a redemption like their father doesn't help.]]

* {{Moe}}: Kubo, ''Kubo'', '''Kubo''', '''''Kubo'''''; not only is he a HeartwarmingOrphan who deeply cares for his mom, but is also a massive [[TheWoobie Woobie]] who puts up with a lot of crazy bunk that you just wanna protect the kid!

** This wouldn't be the last movie Travis Knight directed featuring [[Film/TransformersUniverseBumblebee a child protagonist and their large warrior pal named after a type of insect being pursued by twin antagonists.]]

** Beetle saves a falling Kubo by pinning his robe to the wall with an arrow. Just a few months before the film's release, [[spoiler:Art Parkinson's character was ''killed'' by an arrow on ''Series/GameOfThrones'' when he was within sight of loved ones he hadn't seen in years. In the books his dead mother was resurrected as a very angry and vengeful living corpse, although it's unknown if her family is aware of this]].

* AwesomeMusic: [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KoujdXqptnc Regina Spektor's cover of "While My Guitar Gently Weeps"]] that plays over the trailer and credits.

** Was [[spoiler: the Moon King]] subject to HeelFaceBrainwashing or was he a decent person who became a god?

* MexicansLoveSpeedyGonzales: Japan loves the movie. It helps that Creator/{{Laika}} ShowTheirWork and that the Japanese dub is a SuperlativeDubbing.

* GermansLoveDavidHasselhoff: Japan loves the movie. It helps that Creator/{{Laika}} ShowTheirWork and that the Japanese dub is a SuperlativeDubbing. It doubles as MexicansLoveSpeedyGonzales because the film is set in Japan.

* GermansLoveDavidHasselhoff: Japan loves ''WesternAnimation/KuboAndTheTwoStrings''. It helps that Creator{{Laika}} ShowTheirWork and that the Japanese dub is a SuperlativeDubbing. Doubles as MexicansLoveSpeedyGonzales.

** The twist that [[spoiler: Monkey and Beetle were Kubo's parents the whole time]] isn't exactly hard to see coming, especially once [[spoiler: they start bickering LikeAnOldMarriedCouple. The fact that Creator/CharlizeTheron voices both Monkey and Sariatu also contributes to this, and additionally suggests that the creators thought it was so obvious that Monkey's identity wasn't worth even trying to hide.]]
** The blind old man with a moon-like crest on the chest meeting Kubo in his dream during a full moon night turned out to be [[spoiler: the Moon King himself.]]

* HeartwarmingInHindsight: With the reveal that [[spoiler:Monkey and Beetle are Kubo's mother and father respectively, it becomes this as Kubo had all that time been travelling with his parents.]]

** Beetle saves a falling Kubo by pinning his robe to the wall with an arrow. Just a few months before the film's release [[spoiler: Art Parkinson's character was ''killed'' by an arrow on ''Series/GameOfThrones'' when he was within sight of loved ones he hadn't seen in years. In the books his dead mother was resurrected as a very angry and vengeful living corpse, although it's unknown if her family is aware of this]].

* IronWoobie: '''Kubo.''' The amount of emotional suffering he went through is just...wow. First, his eye is ripped out by his grandfather at infancy. Then, he spends the next eleven years taking care of his ill mother. And after accidentally staying out past night, the Sisters, Kubo's maternal aunts, come to ''take out his other eye''. [[MamaBear His mother sacrifices herself to keep him safe.]] [[spoiler:And when Kubo learns (at different times) that his mother and father are Monkey and Beetle, respectively, they are both killed by one of the Sisters...''right in front of him.'' And while he manages to defeat his grandfather by weaponizing ThePowerOfLove, his grandfather doesn't remember Kubo.]] And yet, Kubo keeps his kind and brave spirit through it all.
* JerkassWoobie: The Sisters can come off as this. Sariatu is not wrong about them being monsters, but at the same time, they're obviously crushed about their sister's betrayal, and do genuinely believe their doing what's best for Kubo, [[BlueAndOrangeMorality albeit from a completely alien point of view.]] [[spoiler:The fact they don't get a redemption like their father doesn't help.]]
* {{Moe}}: Kubo, ''Kubo'', '''Kubo''', '''''Kubo'''''; not only is he a HeartwarmingOrphan who deeply cares for his mom but is also a massive [[TheWoobie Woobie]] who puts up with a lot of crazy bunk that you just wanna protect the kid!

* TheyWastedAPerfectlyGoodPlot: Kubo coping up with his mother's mental condition is no longer explored after [[spoiler: she turned into Monkey]].

* HeartwarmingInHindsight: With the reveal that [[Monkey and Beetle are Kubo's mother and father respectively, it becomes this as Kubo had all that time been travelling with his parents.]]

* FamilyUnfriendlyAesop: [[spoiler:The Moon King's HeelFaceBrainwashing at the end suggests that if a dangerous individual poses a threat to everyone, [[LaserGuidedAmnesia mindwiping him]] and feeding him lies to convince him to reform is ultimately the one of the better solutions.]]

* AwardSnub: It lost the Oscar for Best Animated Feature to ''Disney/{{Zootopia}}''. To further add salt to the wound, it lost the award for Visual Effects to ''Film/TheJungleBook2016''. Fans were very upset.

** The film debuted a few months after Blizzard's ''{{VideoGame/Overwatch}}'', a game also featuring [[spoiler:a Japanese feudal-style archer named Hanzo]].
*** Even better: Hanzo and Genji used to be, conceptually, a single character [[spoiler: named Hanzo that also wielded a bow/arrow and sword]].

* WinBackTheCrowd: After the mixed reception to the writing quality of ''WesternAnimation/TheBoxTrolls'', many Laika fans were quick to praise ''Kubo'' for a return to the mature smart storytelling that their earlier films were praised for.

* AlternateCharacterInterpretation: