Belle
Suzu is a 17-year-old high-school student living in a rural town with her father. Wounded by the loss of her mother at a young age, Suzu one day discovers the massive online world "U" and dives into this alternate reality as her avatar, Belle. Before long, all of U's eyes are fixed on Belle, when, suddenly, a mysterious, dragon-like figure appears before her.
The film earned $63.5M at the global box office.
Plot Structure
Story beats plotted across runtime
Narrative Arc
Emotional journey through the story's key moments
Story Circle
Blueprint 15-beat structure
Arcplot Score Breakdown
Weighted: Precision (70%) + Arc (15%) + Theme (15%)
Belle (2021) demonstrates precise dramatic framework, characteristic of Mamoru Hosoda's storytelling approach. This structural analysis examines how the film's 15-point plot structure maps to proven narrative frameworks across 2 hours and 1 minutes. With an Arcplot score of 7.2, the film balances conventional beats with creative variation.
Characters
Cast & narrative archetypes
Suzu Naito / Belle
Kei Shinonome / Dragon
Hiroka Betsuyaku / Hiro
Shinobu Hisatake / Shinobu-kun
Ruka Watanabe / Angel
Justin
Main Cast & Characters
Suzu Naito / Belle
Played by Kaho Nakamura
A shy high school girl who becomes a famous singer in the virtual world U as her avatar Belle. Traumatized by her mother's death, she struggles with self-expression until finding her voice online.
Kei Shinonome / Dragon
Played by Takeru Satoh
A mysterious and feared avatar in U who appears as a beast. He hides a tragic reality as a young man protecting his younger brother from their abusive father.
Hiroka Betsuyaku / Hiro
Played by Lilas Ikuta
Suzu's best friend and confidante who helps manage Belle's online presence. She is supportive, tech-savvy, and serves as Belle's producer and strategist in U.
Shinobu Hisatake / Shinobu-kun
Played by Shota Sometani
Suzu's childhood friend who has feelings for her. He is kind-hearted and protective, often worrying about Suzu's well-being and trying to support her.
Ruka Watanabe / Angel
Played by Tina Tamashiro
The most popular girl in school and a self-proclaimed influencer. She is vain and attention-seeking, initially believing she is Belle until the truth is revealed.
Justin
Played by Kazuhiko Inoue
A self-appointed vigilante in U who leads the Justices to hunt down the Dragon. He represents order and control, seeking to unmask those who break U's rules.
Structural Analysis
The Status Quo at 2 minutes (2% through the runtime) establishes Suzu Naito lives a quiet, isolated life in rural Kochi Prefecture. She cannot sing despite inheriting her mother's beautiful voice, traumatized by her mother's death. She maintains emotional distance from her father and the world around her.. The analysis reveals that this early placement immediately immerses viewers in the story world.
The inciting incident occurs at 14 minutes when Hiro convinces Suzu to join U and create an avatar. Suzu becomes "Belle," and discovers to her shock that she can sing freely in the virtual world—her voice has returned. This disrupts her resigned acceptance of her voiceless existence.. At 12% through the film, this Disruption aligns precisely with traditional story structure. This beat shifts the emotional landscape, launching the protagonist into the central conflict.
The First Threshold at 31 minutes marks the transition into Act II, occurring at 25% of the runtime. This shows the protagonist's commitment to The Dragon violently crashes Belle's major concert, creating chaos and challenging her newfound confidence. Rather than retreat, Belle makes an active choice: she decides to pursue and understand this mysterious, feared creature, entering a new story world of danger and mystery., moving from reaction to action.
At 72 minutes, the Midpoint arrives at 59% of the runtime—notably delayed, an unconventional structural choice. The analysis reveals that this crucial beat Belle and Dragon share an intimate moment in his castle (likely a ballroom scene/dance), and Belle's concert reaches peak success. False victory: it seems Belle has broken through to him and found her purpose. But stakes rise as Justin publicly intensifies his hunt, and the Justices close in., fundamentally raising what's at risk. The emotional intensity shifts, dividing the narrative into clear before-and-after phases.
The Collapse moment at 90 minutes (75% through) represents the emotional nadir. Here, Justin and the Justices successfully unmask and expose the Dragon in U, destroying his avatar and revealing his vulnerability to billions. The Dragon is humiliated and defeated. The virtual sanctuary for Kei and Tomo—their only safe space—is destroyed. "Whiff of death": the death of Dragon's protective identity and the boys' refuge., reveals the protagonist at their lowest point. This beat's placement in the final quarter sets up the climactic reversal.
The Second Threshold at 100 minutes initiates the final act resolution at 83% of the runtime. Suzu makes her choice: she reveals her real face to the entire world of U, unmasking herself as Belle before billions of users. She sings as her true self—vulnerable, authentic, scarred—to prove her genuine love and connection to Kei and Tomo. This synthesis of her virtual confidence and real-world courage launches Act 3., demonstrating the transformation achieved throughout the journey.
Emotional Journey
Belle's emotional architecture traces a deliberate progression across 15 carefully calibrated beats.
Narrative Framework
This structural analysis employs a 15-point narrative structure framework that maps key story moments. By mapping Belle against these established plot points, we can identify how Mamoru Hosoda utilizes or subverts traditional narrative conventions. The plot point approach reveals not only adherence to structural principles but also creative choices that distinguish Belle within the animation genre.
Mamoru Hosoda's Structural Approach
Among the 5 Mamoru Hosoda films analyzed on Arcplot, the average structural score is 7.3, reflecting strong command of classical structure. Belle takes a more unconventional approach compared to the director's typical style. For comparative analysis, explore the complete Mamoru Hosoda filmography.
Comparative Analysis
Additional animation films include The Bad Guys, The Quintessential Quintuplets Movie and Fate/stay night: Heaven's Feel I. Presage Flower. For more Mamoru Hosoda analyses, see Summer Wars, Mirai and The Boy and the Beast.
Plot Points by Act
Act I
SetupStatus Quo
Suzu Naito lives a quiet, isolated life in rural Kochi Prefecture. She cannot sing despite inheriting her mother's beautiful voice, traumatized by her mother's death. She maintains emotional distance from her father and the world around her.
Theme
In flashback, we see Suzu's mother sacrifice herself to save a drowning child, establishing the film's central theme: true courage means risking yourself to help others, even strangers. Hiro or another character likely reflects on this act of selflessness.
Worldbuilding
Establishment of Suzu's world: her high school life, friendships with Hiro, Shinobu, and Kamishin, her strained relationship with her father, and the local rural community. Introduction to the virtual world "U," a massive VR platform with 5 billion users where people create idealized avatar identities.
Disruption
Hiro convinces Suzu to join U and create an avatar. Suzu becomes "Belle," and discovers to her shock that she can sing freely in the virtual world—her voice has returned. This disrupts her resigned acceptance of her voiceless existence.
Resistance
Hiro guides Belle through her early performances in U. Belle experiences initial success and viral fame as a singer. Suzu debates whether to continue this double life, uncertain about this virtual version of herself. She questions if this is real or just an escape.
Act II
ConfrontationFirst Threshold
The Dragon violently crashes Belle's major concert, creating chaos and challenging her newfound confidence. Rather than retreat, Belle makes an active choice: she decides to pursue and understand this mysterious, feared creature, entering a new story world of danger and mystery.
Mirror World
Belle begins connecting with the Dragon, seeing past his fearsome exterior. This relationship becomes the thematic B-story, mirroring Beauty and the Beast—looking beyond appearances to find the wounded person within. It will teach Belle about empathy and courage.
Premise
The "promise of the premise"—Belle and Dragon's developing relationship set against U's spectacular virtual world. Belle discovers Dragon's castle and hidden realm with two younger avatars. Musical sequences showcase Belle's performances. She gradually gains Dragon's trust despite his violent outbursts, while Justin and the Justices hunt him.
Midpoint
Belle and Dragon share an intimate moment in his castle (likely a ballroom scene/dance), and Belle's concert reaches peak success. False victory: it seems Belle has broken through to him and found her purpose. But stakes rise as Justin publicly intensifies his hunt, and the Justices close in.
Opposition
Pressure mounts from all sides. Hiro investigates Dragon's real identity and discovers he is Kei, a boy in Tokyo protecting his younger brother Tomo from their abusive father. Justin escalates the manhunt. The sanctuary Belle and Dragon built is threatened. Suzu realizes the real-world stakes—this isn't just a game.
Collapse
Justin and the Justices successfully unmask and expose the Dragon in U, destroying his avatar and revealing his vulnerability to billions. The Dragon is humiliated and defeated. The virtual sanctuary for Kei and Tomo—their only safe space—is destroyed. "Whiff of death": the death of Dragon's protective identity and the boys' refuge.
Crisis
Suzu's dark night of the soul. She must confront her deepest fears: Will she risk everything to help these boys she's never met in person? Can she be as brave as her mother was? She grapples with her trauma, her fear of vulnerability, and what true courage really means.
Act III
ResolutionSecond Threshold
Suzu makes her choice: she reveals her real face to the entire world of U, unmasking herself as Belle before billions of users. She sings as her true self—vulnerable, authentic, scarred—to prove her genuine love and connection to Kei and Tomo. This synthesis of her virtual confidence and real-world courage launches Act 3.
Synthesis
Suzu travels to Tokyo in real life to find Kei and Tomo. She confronts their abusive father, standing up to him with the courage her mother showed. She offers the brothers protection and help. Both virtual and real-world conflicts resolve as Suzu acts selflessly, embodying the theme fully.
Transformation
Suzu returns home transformed. She sings in the real world with her father and community present—no longer hiding behind Belle. She has found her authentic voice, healed her relationship with her father, and overcome her trauma by choosing courage and empathy, just as her mother did.