take kubo biography

Takefusa Kubo: Barca at 10, Real at 18, now Japan prodigy is powering Mallorca on and off pitch

“I have a good memory of this club from my first spell here,” Takefusa Kubo tells The Athletic . “And the second stage can always be better, no? I have come back with lots of ambition, I want to earn my place here and do important things with this club.”

Real Mallorca’s on-loan attacking midfielder is speaking before their La Liga game tonight (Wednesday) against his parent club Real Madrid at the Bernabeu — a big occasion, for many reasons, in the Spanish capital, on the Balearic Islands and in his home country of Japan.

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Kubo, 20, has been well known for a long time. He joined Barcelona ’s La Masia youth academy at age 10 and was being touted as ‘the Japanese Messi’ before FIFA ’s punishment of Barcelona for breaking international youth-transfer regulations in 2015 meant they had to release him.

The fast-tracking continued back in Japan , where aged 15 he became the youngest debutant and goalscorer in the top-flight J1 League.

Just after turning 18, he started two of his national senior team’s three games when Japan guested in the 2019 Copa America. That same summer, Madrid moved quickly to sign him, then swiftly loaned him to Mallorca for the 2019-20 season.

Kubo was almost an ever-present in the Mallorca XI — scoring four goals and making five assists in playing 35 of 37 La Liga games (he wasn’t in the squad for the opener as he had only signed two days earlier) for a team who spent the season in a futile relegation battle. Which means the supporters at the San Moix Stadium had good memories of him, according to Toru Oshimada, a Japanese-born photographer who covers the team day to day.

“When he was substituted late against Espanyol (Mallorca bounced straight back up to La Liga last season) the other week, he walked along by the sideline and the fans were chanting his name, and he responded to that,” Oshimada tells The Athletic . “He gave his shirt to a kid in the stand and his boots to another fan. There is a strong feeling with the fans.”

Oshimada first came to the Mediterranean holiday island in 2005 when Yoshito Okubo became the first Japanese player in Mallorca’s history. He got to know Okubo personally during the striker’s single season with the club, and also acted as a local guide and fixer when countryman midfielder Akihiro Ienaga played at Son Moix between 2011 and 2013.

“Mallorca is a good place to live, that is clear — for everyone, not just Japanese people,” says Oshimada. “Yoshito and Akehiro did not speak the language when they arrived, that was a barrier for them. Kubo is different — he grew up in Barcelona and speaks perfect Spanish. He has a character which is half European/half Eastern. He has a Japanese face but is like another Spaniard. He doesn’t need a translator — or a tour guide.”

Kubo says he is very happy to have returned to Mallorca — after loan spells at Villarreal and then Getafe last season did not go as planned (37 total appearances, but only 10 starts, one goal and one assist in La Liga) — and has already settled back in.

“It is going well so far, I feel I am improving as a player, I like it here, there is a good vibe in the dressing room,” Kubo says. “Mallorca is such a nice island to live on — there is good food, good beaches, good people, I know from my first year here. Things are very good with the coach (Luis Garcia Plaza), the fans have received me well and shown me affection.”

Mallorca were keen to get Kubo to return, for a variety of reasons, as their CEO of business Alfonso Diaz tells The Athletic .

“It is a double effect,” says Diaz. “Whenever you sign players, it is fundamental they have the characteristics and profile the coach is looking for. Kubo had that — and then there is the impact he has with the media, commercial, internationalisation of the brand. He had all the ingredients to work — and it did the first time he was here.”

During that 2019-20 season, seven of the 10 most-watched La Liga games in Japan featured Mallorca, and more Japanese people watched Kubo in action than saw Lionel Messi play for Barcelona or Karim Benzema for Real Madrid. Mallorca were the fourth-biggest La Liga club on YouTube worldwide — helped by the appeal of the still teenager’s global reach.

It was not just a case of signing Kubo and then sitting back, says Diaz, the club worked hard to promote what they were doing in the Japanese market. They collaborated closely with La Liga’s office in Japan, officials spent time in Tokyo, and launched what Diaz called a “cultural investigation to understand how Japanese people consume football”.

The most obvious benefit for Mallorca during Kubo’s first season was having Japanese electronics giant Konami as an official team sponsor. This season, the club’s main shirt sponsor is the Taica Corporation (who manufacture a gel used to reduce vibrations in products ranging from sports shoes to safety helmets to televisions). There is a big focus on merchandising, online sales and e-commerce — all done directly to Japanese fans, in their language.

La Liga also helps with kick-off times — for example, last weekend’s home game against Villarreal and next Sunday’s one against Osasuna got scheduled for noon Mallorca time — which is 7pm in Japan. The La Liga club’s internal staff then produce extra content which goes out on the local broadcast in Japan specifically for their fans there.

“We cannot show the football action, but we have cameras all over the stadium, the benches, the dressing room; and after the game, we can interview our players,” says Diaz. “That is all translated into Japanese — and via our social networks people can see and understand what we are doing. They can also even speak with Take — fans can interview the man of the match directly.

“This type of interaction is important. The main thing is to speak the language, to be able to speak to them in Japanese and bring them closer to the club and the player in their own language.”

During Kubo’s first loan season at the club, significant numbers of people travelled from Japan to watch games at Son Moix, or even just to see him train.

“Not many local fans go to the training ground when the team was training, but there would almost always be some Japanese fans who had come all the way over,” Oshimada says. “Mallorca’s training ground is not easy to get to from Palma (the island’s capital) city centre, so sometimes I would drop them in my car to the bus stop so they could get back.

“They would say they had come from Tokyo, or Osaka, making a trip around Europe — visiting Rome, Paris, London, Madrid and then Mallorca, just to see Kubo. It’s a long way to come, and there are no direct flights. And once COVID restrictions are lifted, they will start to come again.”

Such an international focus is nothing new for Mallorca, as seen by their past signings of Japanese players Okubo and Ienaga.

But it has been ramped up since the club were bought in January 2016 by Andy Kohlberg, Robert Sarver, who own NBA team Phoenix Suns — last season’s runners-up in the world’s top basketball league — and Steve Nash, one of Phoenix’s greatest players and now head coach of fellow NBA side Brooklyn Nets.

Two seasons ago, Nash told The Athletic the ownership team were taking a patient approach , learning gradually what was required to be a success in La Liga, and building towards long-term stability. This in the context of a club who were heavily in debt when the owners took over, and have played in a different division in each of their six years in charge.

CEO Diaz says that while the team and their fans have been on a rollercoaster of relegations and promotions, the progress off the pitch has been much more steady and linear.

Bringing Kubo back should help on and off the pitch, while the aim at the club is for summer signings of US national team striker Matthew Hoppe from Schalke after their relegation from the German Bundesliga and South Korea midfielder Lee Kang-in from Valencia provide the same “double effect”.

“For sure, we have plans to do the same thing in the US and Korea,” says Diaz. “Our owners are American and we have a young American player with a big future. La Liga also have a very important agreement with (US TV’s) ESPN, so for them too it is a future market with a lot of potential, a big priority for us. Lee is a big star in Korea — another young player with a big future. So the Japan strategy, we are starting to implement in Korea too. We want Korean fans to embrace our club too, and follow us especially.”

Villarreal and Getafe also had similar ideas when Kubo was with them on loan last season, but things did not work out as hoped.

He scored one and provided two assists in his first start for Villarreal in a Europa League group game against Turkish side Sivasspor, but coach Unai Emery did not appear to trust him in La Liga. A January loan to Getafe did not bring the regular starts wished for, although it was his superb, long-range, late winner on the penultimate weekend of the season which confirmed their safety from relegation.

Parent club Madrid have an interest in Kubo playing regularly and gaining experience — with the long-term plan at the Bernabeu involving them making use of his talents on and off the pitch.

Given all the attacking options available to coach Carlo Ancelotti this season, it made sense to loan him out again. There were other clubs interested — especially after he scored three times in five games as Japan made the semi-finals at the Olympic Games on home soil. But the appeal of Mallorca was clear.

Coach Garcia’s team have started the season well, losing only once in their first five games to sit level with Barcelona on eight points. Three clean sheets suggest solid foundations — and much of the onus for creativity is then on Kubo’s shoulders.

Last Sunday, at home to Europa League winners Villarreal, he looked dangerous throughout while stationed on the right of a line of three behind the centre-forward. The plan was especially to break into space, as when he set up an excellent chance which team-mate Dani Rodriguez fired just too high. He began the later counter-attack which was turned into the net by La Liga debutant Hoppe, only for the 20-year-old American to be flagged offside. The game ended 0-0.

“I have come here to be an important player, if circumstances allow it,” Kubo says. “I have to work as hard as possible, to run more than anyone, try harder than anyone and that can help the team to do something good. I am really happy here — the team is going well, we are really looking forward to what is coming.”

What is coming first is the trip to the Bernabeu — a stage where he is yet to perform as a Madrid player.

Mallorca have not won there since 2009, although they did beat Madrid 1-0 at Son Moix early in Kubo’s first loan season, a match in which he played the last half-hour off the bench.

Given the sensitivities around facing his ‘parent club’, he did not want to get into specifics but was clear that each time he takes the pitch his objective is for the team he’s part of to win the game.

“The important thing is the three points in the next game,” Kubo says. “Over the season we have to go for each game, at home or away. We have to aim to play our own way, whoever we are up against, always aim for the three points.”

Mallorca will be putting a special focus on Wednesday’s occasion, with more specific content being made available to their Japanese fans. The club would ideally organise events in Japan for the team’s fans there.

“The pandemic limits us a lot,” chief executive Diaz says. “We would like to put a ‘fans zone’ in Tokyo, to be present there and do something special. But it will (still) be a very special game and we as a club want to make the most of it. Take is playing for Mallorca but against his ‘parent team’, so it will be special for him and for all his fans.”

Longer term, Kubo and Mallorca hope their relationship continues to be positive. Player and club have experienced plenty of changes and challenges in a short space of time and would be happy with a steady but upward curve over the rest of this season.

“We have to go game-by-game,” Kubo says. “But the aim is to stay in this division, that is the most important. And if we can aspire to something more, then great.”

(Top photo: Cristian Trujillo/Quality Sport Images/Getty Images)

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Dermot joined The Athletic in 2020 and has been our main La Liga Correspondent up until now. Irish-born, he has spent more than a decade living in Madrid and writing about Spanish football for ESPN, the UK Independent and the Irish Examiner. Follow Dermot on Twitter @ dermotmcorrigan

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How Real Madrid snatched Takefusa Kubo from under the noses of Barcelona

T akefusa Kubo joined Barcelona when he was 10, spent four years at the club and was singled out as a future star but that future now belongs to their greatest rivals after Real Madrid announced the signing of the Japan international.

Just 18, Kubo was forced to leave Barça in 2015 after the club was investigated for breaking Fifa regulations on signing young players, returning to Japan and joining FC Tokyo’s youth system. Barcelona had hoped to bring the attacking midfielder back when he came of age but instead it is Madrid who have agreed a €2m deal with Tokyo and handed Kubo a six-year contract believed to be worth €1m a season. He will initially join the club’s B team, Castilla, but the plan is he will be incorporated into the first team in his second season.

Barcelona were unwilling to match the demands made by the player, who had also attracted interest from Paris Saint-Germain, and have sought to play down the damage but his decision to join Real Madrid was inevitably greeted by many as a defeat at the hands of their competitors. Although Madrid have not signed him from Barcelona, he was expected to end up at the Camp Nou, where he began.

The frustration is greater because of the manner in which Barcelona lost control of Kubo, who is now a senior international and in the Japan squad that has been invited to play at the Copa América. Kubo was one of a dozen players mentioned in the initial investigation over Barcelona breaking article 19 of Fifa’s regulations on international transfers, designed to protect under-18s. Barcelona protested against the verdict and lobbied for a change of policy but there have been no alterations and those protests did not prevent their punishment.

Josep Maria Bartomeu, the Barcelona president, recently told the Observer : “I spoke to Fifa and I told them that it doesn’t make sense that in every sport everywhere in the world you can give a bursary, a scholarship, to a kid to do sport, to give them the chance to go to a school to learn, except in football. I said: ‘Bloody hell, change it. You’re placing restrictions on someone’s right to personal development.’ There’s even a case for thinking that the ban goes against children’s rights, against the right they have to educate and develop.”

Barça were served with a two-year transfer ban and players were forced to return home. Among them were an American, a Cameroonian, two Dutch players, a Venezuelan, two French footballers, three Koreans and Kubo. Barcelona had expected him to return after a successful spell in Japan but instead he chose Madrid.

In the capital, it was presented as a victory over Barcelona. More significantly, it is part of a shift in policy – dictated by the financial reality of a shifting market place in which they no longer dominate – in which Real have spent the last few years seeking to sign the next generation of stars from Spain and the world.

The most well-known example was Martin Ødegaard, who joined Madrid four years ago aged 16 years and 36 days on a deal that, with incentives, was understood to be worth as much as €6m. Madrid beat competition from clubs across Europe, where the Norwegian been courted, to land him on a six-year deal. Considered by some the great talent of his generation, he signed up and played for Castilla but trained with the first team. But, despite pressure to promote him, he made only two first-team appearances before going out on loan. This July, aged 20, he will return, having spent time at the Dutch sides Heerenveen and then Vitesse, but his future at the club remains uncertain.

Ødegaard is not alone. Before him, when Real signed Casemiro in 2013, he initially joined Castilla, officially on loan, and there are others. The policy has been accelerated in he last two years. In January Madrid signed Brahim Diaz, 19, from Manchester City, while the Brazilians Vinicius Junior and Rodrygo Goes are only 18. Vinicius signed for €46m in May 2017, joining the club in July 2018. Rodrygo cost €45m in June 2018 and joins this summer. Theo Hernández (21), Jesus Vallejo (22), Álvaro Odriozola (23) and Andriy Lunin (20) all broadly fit this policy. Now Kubo joins them and not Barcelona.

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Kubo Takefusa: My breakthrough on the global football stage

The 20-year-old midfielder was one of the stars of the men's football tournament, scoring three goals as Japan just missed out on a historic Olympic ... medal. But time and confidence are on his side: "I started with football to be one of the sport's best," the new La Liga's Mallorca player said.

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Who is Takefusa Kubo? Skillful Liverpool-linked winger with Real Madrid and Barcelona past

Liverpool has been tentatively linked to Takefusa Kubo. Previously on the books at both Real Madrid and Barcelona, the 22-year-old is an exciting player.

• 18:43, 3 MAY 2024

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Liverpool is likely to be linked with an awful lot of wingers this summer. Indeed, the transfer rumor mill has already ground into gear, most recently throwing out the name Takefusa Kubo.

For one thing, there's continued uncertainty surrounding the future of Mohamed Salah . While it seems that Liverpool expects to have him around next season , and intends to open talks over a possible new contract, it does not change the fact that he turns 32 next month.

Meanwhile, it's thought that Arne Slot will be the one chosen to replace Jürgen Klopp . The Feyenoord manager has previously confessed his love of wingers , and his current crop are generally young, pacey and skillful.

READ MORE: Forgotten Liverpool ace could force way into Arne Slot's plans after ranking among best in Europe

READ MORE: Arne Slot could bring unusual habit to Liverpool and FPL managers will hate it

Enter Kubo. The 22-year-old Japan international plies his trade at Real Sociedad, and ' Sam C Reports ', citing a source, claims Liverpool holds an interest. He further suggests that there is a release clause set at $65m (£51m/€60m).

It's a tentative link, admittedly, but who exactly is Kubo, and would a transfer to Liverpool make any sense? He has notched seven goals and three assists in 26 La Liga outings this season, having recorded nine goals and seven assists in the previous campaign.

Those don't immediately scream 'big-money move to Liverpool'. And Kubo would certainly come with some question marks. But it's worth noting that his expected assists are in the 83rd percentile of wingers around Europe's top five leagues over the last year ( FBref ), so any underwhelming returns on that front are down to profligate teammates.

But it's the progressive carries and successful take-ons data where Kubo really stands out. Since his days in the famed Barcelona academy, this has been his calling card, earning him the moniker of the 'Japanese Messi' at one stage.

Interestingly, Kubo is one of a select group to have been on the books at both Barcelona and Real Madrid. He left Barcelona to return to his native Japan with FC Tokyo, but from there, Real Madrid swooped to bring him back to Spain.

His time at Real Madrid was marked by a succession of loans, and he has the unusual distinction of representing Spain's big two without actually making a senior appearance for either. Eventually, he made a permanent move to Real Sociedad in 2022.

Still so young, Kubo has already shouldered a lot of expectations, and has emerged out the other side as one of the brightest La Liga talents. He's also made 34 appearances for the Japan national side.

Liverpool.com says: Liverpool wouldn't want to become the next club to prove too big a leap for Kubo, after Barcelona and Real Madrid. His massive potential is still clear for all to see, and he's starting to come good on it, but you wonder whether an Anfield switch this summer might be just a little too soon.

On the other hand, he has a lot of the attributes Slot likes in a winger, and he's in the age range where the returning Michael Edwards likes to make signings. The link might not be the most reliable, but Kubo is one to keep an eye on all the same.

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#14 Takefusa Kubo

• Date of birth/Age: Jun 4, 2001 (22)

• Height: 1,73 m
• Position: Right Winger
• Caps/Goals: 34 / 4

Last update: Dec 22, 2023

Stats of Takefusa Kubo

This page contains information about a player's detailed stats. In the info box, you can filter by period, club, type of league and competition. The "Detailed stats" tab shows a player's total appearances, goals, cards and cumulative minutes of play for each competition, and indicates the season in which it occurred.

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National team career.

Takefusa Kubo is ready to take Olympics by storm after leading Japan to opening victory

• Gabriel Tan

When a player has come through Barcelona 's famed La Masia academy and then gets signed by Real Madrid as an 18-year-old, it is clear there is some talent there.

Yet, there is sentiment in some quarters that the rising star that is Takefusa Kubo has fizzled out slightly in recent times.

After his match-winning contribution that led hosts Japan to a 1-0 victory over South Africa in the Group A opener of the Olympic Games men's football tournament on Thursday, the next week or so could just be the perfect platform for Kubo to prove he is not going away anytime soon.

If anyone needed a reminder of his raw talent, he only needed four touches to do so.

The first one to effortlessly bring a lofted pass under control just inside the penalty box, and the second to steady.

With his third, and a slight drop of the shoulder, Kubo created just the yard of space he needed between him and his marker to then send the ball arrowing in off the post with his fourth touch.

At a time when the Samurai Blue were struggling to break down a stubborn South African outfit, Kubo's pivotal moment highlighted precisely why he needs to be treated with patience.

His ability to singlehandedly produce a moment of magic is one that will be the difference in converting draws into victories, like he did on Thursday. And it is one that not every player possesses.

While it might seem his name has been mentioned for awhile now, it is worth remembering that Kubo is still only 20 and nowhere near the finished article.

It is for that exact reason that Real have opted to send him out on loan in the past two seasons. First to Mallorca and then to Villarreal , where having being largely limited to substitute appearances, he was shifted on to fellow La Liga outfit Getafe .

As Kubo continues his development, he will thrive and improve with more responsibility being placed on his young shoulders.

That has yet to happen at club level, even in the half-season with FC Tokyo in 2019 where he really rose to prominence and convinced Real to bring him to the Bernabeu.

Nonetheless, this opportunity will be handed to him at the Olympics.

Primarily by virtue because, with the tournament being an under-24 competition with the exception of three overage players, the playing field is far more level compared at full senior club level.

Despite being the fourth-youngest member of the Japan squad, Kubo is also the fifth most-experienced with 11 full caps - only behind the trio of overaged players in Maya Yoshida , Hiroki Sakai and Wataru Endo , and fellow Europe-based starlet Ritsu Doan , who is two years his senior.

But also because there is just no other player among the Samurai Blue ranks with the ability to produce that match-winning moment like he did on Thursday.

For a young player who everyone seems to be waiting on to take the next step, Kubo could just be about to use the next week -- with games against Mexico and France -- to take the Olympics by storm.

And if he does that, and leads Japan into the knockout round and onwards in their quest for the gold medal, it will only give him even more time to shine under the spotlight.

Kubo: “I thought Real Madrid might not even talk to me”

Real sociedad’s new signing explained how he ended up signing for real madrid in an interview with ‘noticias de gipuzkoa’..

Take Kubo is happy in San Sebastián, a city which he freely admits is more beautiful than his hometown, Kawasaki. “It is a city in Kanagawa, a little like Sant Cugat in Barcelona, more or less. It is by the sea, but it’s not very pretty, it’s not like here. I much prefer Donostia,” assured the Real Sociedad player in an interview with Noticias de Gipuzkoa .

The young Japanese player gave an insight into how he ended up in Spain, starting out at Barcelona’s youth academy only to sign for Real Madrid. “I enrolled on a campus in Japan. I was chosen as the best player, so I was taken to a tournament with Barça’s accademy in Spain and there they also declared me the best player and they let me try out with Barça. And it went very well, I was very happy,” he explained.

Kubo remembers that experience perfectly. “We had a very good team: Ansu, Eric, Adrián Bernabé, Mortimer… It was a very good group and every game was about who could score the most goals because victory was almost assured. I got along very well with the players, it was a family group, we all had a very good relationship and the parents of the players treated me very well”, he continued.

🔝 Take Kubo 💙 #AurreraReala pic.twitter.com/4PzWMYVN1d — Real Sociedad 🇺🇸 🇬🇧 (@RealSociedadEN) August 22, 2022

But the dream was soon over. Kubo could not stay at La Masía due to a UEFA sanction . “I still don’t understand why a boy who likes to play football, goes to another country and is banned from playing. That doesn’t happen in tennis. I don’t understand that rule, but that’s the way it is and you can’t do anything,” he added.

Then it was time for him to make a decision. Kubo narrates how he opted for Real Madrid - but first he had to wait until he was 18 years old. “I was at the Copa América and at that moment Madrid came to talk to me. But I didn’t have time to decide, because I had games to play and as soon as it was over, the pre-season would start. So in the end, I chose Madrid.”

And it turned out much better than he expected. “I thought that they wouldn’t even talk to me, but people who reach a very top level, as people, also become great. They have that point of tranquility, and for a young player who is starting out, that they take care of him so well, it’s very good,“ he assured.

Takefusa Kubo

Full Name: Takefusa Kubo

Shirt Name: TAKE

Position: AM,F(RLC)

Age: 22 (Jun 4, 2001)

Nation: Japan

Height (cm): 167

Weight (Kg): 60

Club: Real Sociedad

Squad Number: 14

Preferred Foot: Left

Hair Colour: Black

Hairstyle: Short

Skin Colour: Olive

Facial Hair: Clean

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Player position.

Position Desc: Winger

Player Attributes

Player action image, rating history, player history, real sociedad squad.

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Take Kubo Biography: Wiki, Age, Height, Family, Style of Play, Net Worth

Take Kubo is a Japanese professional footballer who came to prominence for his position as a Right-winger for the Spanish club Real Sociedad and also represents the national team of Japan. He is talented player who can also play as an attacking midfielder. He also has a unique style of play as a winger who possess excellent dribbling skills and shot accuracy.

Take was born Takefusa Kubo on June 4, 2001 in Kawasaki, Kanagawa.

Takefusa Kubo began his football career at the youth level with FC Perisimmon before moving to Tokyo Verdy. He also played for Kawasaki Frontale junior team and then FC Barcelona’s youth academy, La Masia.

He later joined FC Tokyo U-18 team in 2016 and was promoted to the senior side at the age of 15.

He went on a half-year loan to Yokohama F. Marinos on August 16, 2018 before signing a five-year deal for Real Madrid on June 14, 2019. He was expected to play for Real Madrid B during 2019-20 season but only featured with the first team during Real Madrid’s preseason tour of the United States and Germany.

Take went on loan to clubs like Mallorca, Villareal, and Getafe before joining Real Sociedad on a permanent deal on July 19, 2022. He made his debut for Real Sociedad in a 1-0 win against Cadiz in their opening game of the season in La Liga, where he also scored the only goal.

At the international scene, Take Kubo represented Jaoan at the Under-16, Under-17, under-20, under-21, and under-23 levels before being called up to the senior team. He was included in the Jaoan squad for the 2022 FIFA World Cup.

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Achievement

Takefusa Kubo was named as Real Sociedad Player of the Season: 2022-23 and the UEFA La Liga Revelation Team of the Year: 2019-2020.

Social Media

Takefusa Kubo is active on social media. He is on Instagram @takefusa.kubo

Takefusa Kubo earns his career as a footballer. He has a market value of €25 m according to stats from Transfermarkt.

Frequently asked questions

He is a Japanese footballer.

He was born on June 4, 2001.

He is from Kawasaki, Kanagawa.

He plays as a Right-winger.

He has a height of 1.73 m.

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Kubo and the Two Strings

Where to watch.

Rent Kubo and the Two Strings on Fandango at Home, Prime Video, or buy it on Fandango at Home, Prime Video.

What to Know

Kubo and the Two Strings matches its incredible animation with an absorbing -- and bravely melancholy -- story that has something to offer audiences of all ages.

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Travis Knight

Charlize Theron

Art Parkinson

Ralph Fiennes

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One of the most impressive elements of “Kubo and the Two Strings”—besides its dazzling stop-motion animation, its powerful performances and its transporting score—is the amount of credit it gives its audience, particularly its younger viewers.

The Oregon-based animation house Laika has demonstrated a delightfully dark sense of humor and a taste for twisted storytelling in its previous offerings, “ Coraline ,” “ParaNorman” and “ The Boxtrolls .” In “Kubo and the Two Strings,” the directorial debut of Laika CEO Travis Knight , the lead character faces deadly peril from the very first moment we see him. The young Japanese boy who gives the film its title learns early on that the world can be a cruel place, that family can’t necessarily be trusted and that he’ll frequently have to function as the grown-up in the equation when his ailing mother is incapable of doing so.

The script from Marc Haimes and Chris Butler (from a story by Haimes and Shannon Tindle ) has faith that kids can handle such tough stuff and never talks down to them. But Knight and his massive team of animators have packaged these weighty, complex themes within visuals that are just jaw-dropping in both their beauty and craftsmanship. A decade in the making, “Kubo and the Two Strings” is both  painstakingly detailed and epic in scope. Inspired by a multitude of Japanese art forms, it’s textured yet crisp, frighteningly dark yet radiant with bold color. It’s a classic hero’s journey full of action and adventure, but it’s also an intimate fable about love and loss, magic and memory.

Above all else, “Kubo and the Two Strings” is fittingly about storytelling and its capacity to transform and connect us. The timelessness of the film gives it an overall feeling of cinematic grace, with obvious nods to greats ranging from Kurosawa and Miyazaki to Spielberg and Lucas. The resonance of the performances from its excellent voice cast gives it an immediate emotional punch.

“If you must blink, do it now,” the plucky Art Parkinson (of “Game of Thrones”) warns us as the title character. And there is a ton to take in here on every level. Kubo’s mother faced down fierce waves while fleeing her family to protect her newborn son, whose grandfather plucked out his left eye in a vengeful rage. Years later, in a dramatic cliffside cave overlooking the ocean, Kubo lives a quiet life with his fading mother, a once-powerful witch whose true self returns when she tells him stories of his late father, the valiant samurai Hanzo. There’s a great sense of melancholy to these early moments as Kubo struggles to see glimmers of the mother he once knew. While his loneliness is palpable, his resilience is heartbreaking.

With long bangs covering his eye patch, Kubo leaves the cave every day to spin his own magic in the town square, where he plucks his lute-like shamisen and brings his elaborate origami figures thrillingly to life. These brisk melodies provide the basis for Dario Marianelli ’s soaring and deeply moving score. George Takei and Brenda Vaccaro , meanwhile, are among the actors lending their voices to the locals who help create a sense of place.

But Kubo’s mother has warned him that he must return home each day before the sun goes down or else his grandfather, the Moon King ( Ralph Fiennes ), will come after him for his other eye with the help of Kubo’s twin aunts, both of whom Rooney Mara voices with chilling detachment. (Parents thinking about taking your kids to see “Kubo and the Two Strings”: There are several images they might find unsettling, but the sisters are the scariest of all. Imagine the twins from “ The Shining ,” floating above the ground in black hats and capes and Japanese Noh masks.)

One late afternoon, Kubo gets caught up in the emotion of the Obon Festival, which honors the souls of the deceased. He stays out too late and quickly becomes prey, forcing his mother to use the last bits of her magic to rescue him. When he regains consciousness, Kubo finds himself in a harsh, snowy expanse, and the wooden monkey charm he carries everywhere has become a living, breathing, talking monkey named, well, Monkey. Charlize Theron does beautiful voice work as Kubo’s no-nonsense protector; she brings deadpan humor as the much-needed voice of reason as well as a warrior’s honor and honesty.

The two eventually meet up with a beetle named, well, Beetle ( Matthew McConaughey )—actually, he’s half-man, half-beetle—who was a protégé of Hanzo’s. While Monkey is all business, Beetle is an endearingly forgetful if well-intentioned goofball. He certainly lightens things up in this intense affair, but the banter between Beetle and Monkey veers into a hokey, forced jokiness that’s at odds with the film’s prevailing sense of truth. The ever-versatile McConaughey is game for the adventures that await, but the dialogue he’s often saddled with is a rare weak link.

Together, the trio must find three crucial pieces that belonged to Hanzo: The Armor Impenetrable, The Sword Unbreakable, The Helmet Invulnerable. Only then can they defeat Kubo’s enemies. This being a quest, they must endure a series of battles on the way to the climactic conclusion. The most awesome of these, both from a technical and narrative perspective, is the towering, fearsome skeleton with swords sticking out of its skull. (Stay in your seat during the closing credits for a glimpse of what it took to create this creature.) But the ship Kubo whips up using the power of his music and a pile of leaves is just as impressive in its delicate beauty.

The fact that these two extremely different but equally inspired images can co-exist within the same film—a film that’s as poignant for adults as it is entertaining for children—is nothing short of magical.

Christy Lemire

Christy Lemire is a longtime film critic who has written for RogerEbert.com since 2013. Before that, she was the film critic for The Associated Press for nearly 15 years and co-hosted the public television series "Ebert Presents At the Movies" opposite Ignatiy Vishnevetsky, with Roger Ebert serving as managing editor. Read her answers to our Movie Love Questionnaire here .

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Film credits.

Kubo and the Two Strings (2016)

Rated PG for thematic elements, scary images, action and peril.

101 minutes

Art Parkinson as Kubo (voice)

Brenda Vaccaro as Kameyo (voice)

Rooney Mara as Sisters (voice)

George Takei as Hosato (voice)

Ralph Fiennes as Raiden the Moon King (voice)

Charlize Theron as Monkey (voice)

Matthew McConaughey as Beetle (voice)

Cary Hiroyuki-Tagawa as Akihiro (voice)

• Travis Knight

Writer (story by)

• Shannon Tindle
• Marc Haimes
• Chris Butler

Cinematographer

• Frank Passingham
• Christopher Murrie
• Dario Marianelli

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Tracy Spiridakos Finally Reveals the Reason She Left Chicago P.D. (INTERVIEW)

The series' heart-pumping Season 11 finale was the actress' last episode as Detective Hailey Upton.

After seven years, eight seasons, and 140 episodes, Tracy Spiridakos has left  Chicago P.D.

How to Watch

Watch  Chicago P.D. Wednesdays at 10/9c on NBC  and next day on  Peacock .

She's played Detective Hailey Upton since Season 4, but showrunner Gwen Sigan confirmed in January that Spiridakos would be exiting the series following its 13-episode 11th season.

The Season 11 finale, titled "More," aired on May 22 and saw Upton pack up her apartment and leave in a cab headed to O'Hare airport . And while fans are left hanging about where the detective went, we do know why: for a fresh start.

"She's going into this happiness," Spiridakos told NBC Insider. "Which we haven’t gotten to see a lot of with her."

RELATED:  Inside [Spoiler's] Return to Chicago P.D. After 6 Years: "I Burst Into Tears"

But why is the actress leaving the show like a handful of her other fellow One Chicago stars ? Find out, below.

The reason Tracy Spiridakos left  Chicago P.D.

Spiridakos officially decided to leave at the end of Season 10, which is when she told Sigan.

"It was a really hard decision, and I don’t know that there’s ever a right time," the 36-year-old told  NBC Insider . "I think I’ve been on the show for just over seven years, like seven and a half-ish years, and I was just wanting to switch it up and kind of see what else was out there. That was really it.  I’m so close with everybody. With our producers, Gwen, our writers, our cast, our crew. It was a really difficult and emotional time, for sure."

It was a really difficult and emotional time, for sure.” Tracy Spiridakos

When it came to crafting Upton's final season, Sigan told us, "We wanted to earn the goodbye." 

"I t was all about how can we get into all of those deep little pockets of how she’s feeling and the emotion there," she said.

When reflecting on her character's final moments, Spiridakos noted, "W e got to see her kind of go through [it] all... At the beginning there’s the absolute fear of what’s gonna happen to Voight. And she lets that fear overtake her; loses her temper, and you know, starts to feel like she’s losing control. But then we get to see her kind of ground, come back down, and focus that attention and that energy with the team and to outsmart Matson... W e see at the end it’s this really vulnerable and lovely scene with Voight. And [we] see her go in a happy kind of way, which I really liked. "

Tracy Spiridakos' co-stars react to her leaving  Chicago P.D.

While she's looking to what's next in her career, Spiridakos' Chicago P.D.  stars are still coming to terms with her exit. When speaking to  NBC Insider , LaRoyce Hawkins (Atwater) got emotional reflecting on Spiridakos' final days on set.

"It's very heartbreaking, to be honest with you," he told us. "She grew into all of our lives as, like, just a favorite. She brings a light to set that you can't really match, you know what I mean? She's just extremely funny, extremely sweet. She's really like a sister."

RELATED:  A Chicago P.D. Producer Created the Most Emotional Tribute for Tracy Spiridakos

Tearing up, he continued, "Watching her go is gonna be tough for us... but [we're] also very excited for her, right? For whatever's next. Whatever she touches is gonna turn into gold. And so we're proud of her, you know? We'll see what happens, but hopefully she leaves a little bit of that light with us."

Jason Beghe (Voight) echoed Hawkins' sentiments.

"First of all, she’s somebody who I love and care about and respect," Beghe told NBC Insider . "She will always be part of the shop. Even if she doesn't come back and work with us, she's part of my life and she's part of our show. You know, she's changed the show, and therefore even going forward, whether she's in the episode or not, she'll be part of the show."

Chicago P.D.

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'American Idol' 2024 winner revealed: Abi Carter takes the crown as Katy Perry departs

" American Idol " has crowned another winner.

Abi Carter , a 21-year-old musician from Indio, California, won the popular vote to become the "American Idol" Season 22 champion during Sunday night's finale.

Will Moseley , a 23-year-old musician from Hazelhurst, Georgia, and Jack Blocker , a 25-year-old graphic designer from Dallas, Texas, were the runners-up.

The who's who of the music industry was on hand to build up the suspense throughout the three-hour finale, which featured guest performers Jon Bon Jovi , 2004 "Idol" winner Fantasia Barrino , Jason Mraz , Wynonna Judd , Seal , New Kids on the Block and more.

Catching up with the judges: Lionel, Luke and Katy reveal must-haves for Katy Perry's replacement

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Of course, there were also judges Lionel Richie ,  Katy Perry  and  Luke Bryan , who along with host Ryan Seacrest were mourning Perry's final episode of the musical competition show after six years and seven seasons.

Truthfully, it was Abi's to lose as soon as the audience awarded her first performance with applause so long that she broke down in tears and Bryan struggled to get a word in edgewise. What sealed the deal was the approval of none other than Billie Eilish.

What happened last week? Emmy Russell and Triston Harper were sent home: full recap

"I wish you nothing but the best," the Grammy winner said in a pre-recorded video at the time that left Abi sinking to the floor in shock. "I'm here to support you, and I love ya."

Abi had the judges – and viewers – entranced since she auditioned with Eilish's awards bait "Barbie" song,  "What Was I Made For?" which earned her one of three platinum tickets. The moving performance at the piano even had Bryan declaring, “That may be the winner of ‘American Idol.'"

When Abi was announced as the winner, she wasn't the only one drenched in her tears – Perry, whose favorite adjective for Abi this season was "angelic," was also shedding tears as Abi performed the Eilish song that launched her "Idol" career.

Here's what else happened during tonight's finale.

Looking back at Abi's season: See the best moments from her 'Idol' journey

Katy Perry pays tribute to 'Idol' contestants with massive skirt

For Perry's final episode, the Top 12 ladies took to the stage for a mashup of the pop superstar's hits.

Kaibrienne Richins, Emmy Russell and Abi started the segment with a cover of "Teenage Dream" before McKenna Breinholt and Jayna Elise picked up the baton for "Dark Horse." Mia Matthews and Julia Gagnon joined the gang, and they all came together to sing "California Gurls" (sans Snoop Dogg, unfortunately).

All the while, Perry happily chowed down on a slice of pizza. When the tribute performance wrapped, she showed her appreciation by climbing atop the judges' table (and safely getting down with Bryan and Richie's help).

Perry reciprocated the love by incorporating this season's "Idol" contestants, and more from seasons past, into the design of her dress. Showing just how far she came from not being a fan of Jack's audition, the two performed a dramatic duet of "What Makes A Woman" that was one for the history books.

The two singers were slowly elevated until they were levitated way above the stage. Perry was at least a dozen feet above the stage, with the skirt of her dress unfurling to reveal "Idol" contestants from the past seven seasons she's been a judge

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After filming wrapped, Perry revealed to media outlets , including USA TODAY, that the faces on the dress were those of the Top 24 of each of the past seven seasons.

"It was just going to be a pretty skirt with a silver top and I was like, 'No, let's do something. Let's make a moment. Let's pay homage to all the contestants,'" Perry said. "It was just to show how much these kids have really lifted me up."

Another Abi highlight: Singer makes Katy Perry 'scared for my job' with Fall Out Boy cover

What did the 'American Idol' finalists sing?

Abi Carter:

• "Bed of Roses" by Jon Bon Jovi
• "Somewhere" from "West Side Story"
• "River" – duet with Bishop Briggs
• "This Isn't Over" – original single

Will Moseley:

• "It's My Life" by Jon Bon Jovi
• "My Town" by Montgomery Gentry
• "Hold My Hand" and "Only Wanna Be With You" – duet with Hootie and the Blowfish
• "Good Book Bad" – original single

Jack Blocker:

• "I'll Be There for You" by Jon Bon Jovi
• "All My Ex’s Live in Texas" by George Strait
• "What Makes A Woman" – duet with Katy Perry

Emmy Russell speaks out: Top 5 contestant says her elimination was 'God's plan'

Who was in the 'American Idol' Top 12 on Season 22?

• Will Moseley
• Jack Blocker
• Emmy Russell
• Triston Harper
• Julia Gagnon
• McKenna Faith Breinholt
• Kaibrienne "KB" Richins
• Sam "Kayko" Kelly-Cohen
• Mia Matthews
• Roman Collins
• Jayna Elise