Anpanman movies work because they take a kid's fantasy of being a hero seriously, then immediately test whether that kid actually has what it takes. Apple Boy isn't blessed or chosen, he just has to figure out how to save his entire village from a curse he didn't cause and barely understands. The film costs nothing to enjoy but demands everything from its protagonist, which is exactly why children watching it recognize themselves in his panic and his refusal to quit.

A young would-be hero longs to prove his courage, and his moment arrives when a witch wrecks his village, leaving it unfit for anyone to live in. Rescuing his home now rests on his shoulders. The 2014 Anpanman movie blends action, comedy and fantasy, and it played in theaters as a double bill paired with Tanoshikute Asobi Mama ni Natta Kokin-chan!?.