Summer Wars

Always protect your network.

2009 • 114 min • Animation · Science Fiction

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Synopsis

Teenage math whiz Kenji Koiso agrees to take a summer job at the Nagano hometown of his crush, Natsuki. When he arrives, he finds that her family have reunited to celebrate the 90th birthday of their matriarch. His job: pretend to be Natsuki's fiancé. Meanwhile, his attempt to solve a mathematical equation causes a parallel world's collision with Earth.

Our family guide

Best from age 10

Movie Knight Score

1057 reviews

100 Reviewers · 1 · 51%
75 Audience · 1056 · 49%

A teenage math genius is roped into pretending to be his crush's fiancé during a family reunion, while simultaneously trying to stop a rogue AI from causing chaos in a virtual world and the real world. This vibrant anime blends family drama with thrilling cyber-action.

Violence & peril: 3/10
Language: 1/10
Drinking, drugs & smoking: 1/10
Romance & sensuality: 1/10
Scary moments: 4/10

Heads up

Some animated action sequences can be intense
Brief, mild peril and suspense
The villainous AI can be visually unsettling at times
Minor coarse language occasionally

What it models well

Family unity and support
Responsibility and problem-solving
Bravery in the face of crisis
Teamwork and cooperation

Talk about it after

The impact of artificial intelligence
Protecting personal data online
The meaning of family connections
The difference between virtual and real-world consequences

Written by the Movie Knight editorial team for Summer Wars. Our own words, our own scoring — always double-check against your family's standards.

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Top billed cast

Director: Mamoru Hosoda • Crew: Satoko Okudera

Trailers & clips

Reviewer notes

RecommendedTrusted family reviewers
It’s really quite apposite to watch this film at a time when governments across the world are merrily acquiescing to the demands of global tech to facilitate the rampant advance of AI.…
CinemaSerf, TMDB Community