Summer Wars

PG

2009

1h 54m

Sci-Fi

Adventure

Anime

List

79%

Tomatometer

24 Reviews

87%

Popcornmeter

2,500+ Ratings

A young math genius solves a complex equation and inadvertently puts a virtual world's artificial intelligence in a position to destroy Earth.

Critics Consensus

Family drama mixes with virtual online action in the breezy and entertaining Summer Wars.

Read Critics Reviews

Anton Bitel

Little White Lies

Far from resorting to easy, reactionary technophobia, Hosoda shows Japan's age-old traditions being upheld throughout different generations, with the beautifully realised digital community of OZ proving as much the solution as the problem.

Mar 28, 2011

Full Review

Joe Morgenstern

Wall Street Journal

The filmmakers can't keep the strands of their clumsy plot straight, but they create brilliant images and manipulate them with blithe abandon.

Jan 20, 2011

Full Review

Steven Rea

Philadelphia Inquirer

An enjoyably trippy Japanese animated feature from director Mamoru Hosoda, Summer Wars combines real-world drama (school crushes, testy relatives) with virtual-world dramatics.

Rated: 3/4

Jan 20, 2011

Full Review

Carson Timar

ButteredPopcorn

Where it is far from perfect, Summer Wars feels perfectly in place in Mamoru Hosoda's filmography.

Rated: B-

Aug 28, 2022

Full Review

Ard Vijn

ScreenAnarchy

I cannot recommend this movie enough.

Jan 15, 2020

Full Review

Rachel Wagner

Rachel's Reviews (YouTube)

It can get a little convoluted but overall it's just so creative.

Rated: 8/10

Feb 12, 2019

Full Review

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Lukas Withthek

Pitch Perfect, critics have to taste

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

04/04/24

Full Review

Nawt W

Summer Wars definitely had me rolling my eyes and feeling frustrated as I watched this mishmash of different themes. Individually, some of these themes could have been enjoyable, but when combined in this childish "Digimon Break the Internet" mashup, it's hard to take anything seriously.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

03/31/24

Full Review

Boop G

The visuals were nice, but the story/plot made me remember the emoji movie existed, enough said.

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

09/02/23

Full Review

Shradha N

This movie is a gem, absolutely ahead of its time! Can't believe Summer Wars was released 15 years ago and still so relatable, what's shown as fiction in this movie, now resonates with our reality. A few highlights include growing popularity of digital avatars, the extent of digital penetration in our everyday lives to the point where it's absence seem unimaginable and highly disruptive, all subtly interwoven within a web of family relationships. A thrilling, insightful yet heartwarming cyberpunk anime! Bet, you will be surprised ;)

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

07/23/23

Full Review

Alex R

Great characters we care and root for . A simple plot about coming of age, family, redemption, identity.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

02/14/23

Full Review

Campbell T

One of my favorite movies ever. Its blend of drama and high stakes with super cool characters and amazing animation, this film truly is anything you could've asked for.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

09/21/22

Full Review

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Mamoru Hosoda

Director

Ryûnosuke Kamiki

Kenji Koiso

Nanami Sakuraba

Natsuki Shinohara

Mitsuki Tanimura

Kazuma Ikezawa

Sumiko Fuji

Sakae Jinnouchi

Ayumu Saitô

Wabisuke Jinnouchi

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Synopsis

A young math genius solves a complex equation and inadvertently puts a virtual world's artificial intelligence in a position to destroy Earth.

Director: Mamoru Hosoda
Producer: Nozomu Takahashi, Takuya Itô, Takafumi Watanabe, Yuichiro Sato
Screenwriter: Satoko Okudera
Production Co: Nippon Television Network
Rating: PG (Language|Incidental Smoking|Action/Violence|Mild Thematic Material|Some Suggestive Content)
Genre: Sci-Fi, Adventure, Anime
Original Language: Japanese
Release Date (Streaming): Nov 22, 2016
Runtime: 1h 54m