"If you must blink, do it now. Pay careful attention to everything you see and hear, no matter how unusual it may seem. And please be warned, if you fidget, if you look away, if you forget any part of what I tell you, even for an instant, then our hero will surely perish."
Thus begins the saga of Kubo.
I don't want to give away plot details, so I'll talk about themes. There is exploration of family, both good and bad. Well-meaning relatives can want what they feel is best for you, but still be hurting you. But the ones who shelter you, no matter how flawed, will do their best by you. Love is more powerful than violence. You are your memories, and you will live in the memories of others. Fire-breathing chickens provide good comic relief. Heroes come in all shapes. All stories have endings, some happier than others.
The stop-motion animation is stunning, with occasional assists from CGI, usually for water effects. The film is gorgeous, start to finish (even the credits!), and I got more than a little misty-eyed on several occasions.