The film follows the story of a young Borrower named Arrietty Clock (voiced by Mirai Shida in Japanese and Bridgit Mendler in English), who lives with her parents, Homily (voiced by Shinobu Ōtake/Moises Arias) and Pod (voiced by Tomokazu Miura/Will Arnett), beneath the floorboards of a house in the countryside. Borrowers are tiny people who live hidden from human sight and “borrow” small items they need from the humans living above them.
Arrietty is adventurous and curious about the world beyond her home, despite her parents’ warnings to avoid being seen by humans. One day, while Arrietty’s father is away on a borrowing mission, she is discovered by a human boy named Sho (voiced by Ryunosuke Kamiki/David Henrie), who has come to stay at the house while he waits for a heart operation.
Despite their size difference and the societal taboo against interacting with humans, Arrietty and Sho strike up an unlikely friendship. Sho learns about the Borrowers and their way of life, while Arrietty discovers that not all humans are dangerous.
However, their friendship faces challenges when Haru (voiced by Kirin Kiki/Carol Burnett), the housekeeper, discovers evidence of the Borrowers’ existence and becomes determined to capture them. Arrietty and her family must work together to outsmart Haru and find a new place to live before they are discovered.
As the Borrowers prepare to leave their home behind, Arrietty and Sho share a heartfelt farewell, promising to remember each other fondly. Sho undergoes his heart surgery successfully, and Arrietty and her family find a new home in the wild, where they can live safely away from humans.
“Karigurashi no Arrietty” is praised for its beautiful animation, enchanting story, and poignant themes of friendship, courage, and the wonder of discovering new worlds. It captures the imagination of audiences of all ages and is considered a beloved addition to Studio Ghibli’s esteemed catalog of animated films.