Kubo and the Two Strings/Characters
WARNING! There are unmarked SPOILERS ahead. Beware.
Heroes
Kubo
Voiced By: Art Parkinson
Kubo is the samurai hero and the Sun Village's friendly neighborhood magic bard.
- Adorably Precocious Child: Since he's a bit serious and mature, it comes with taking care of his mother.
- Age Lift: For the fun of it, one of the artists, Shannon Tindle made a vid sketching a what if Kubo grew up.
- Badass Adorable: Kubo's a cute, sweet pre-teen, whose magic powers are growing and knows the sword.
- Badass Pacifist: He defeats his own grandfather by using a combo of his shamisen powers and The Power of Love.
- Brown Eyes
- Badass Adorable: Kubo is a sweet 12 year old kid, who has magic powers and kinda knows how to use a sword.
- Bad Liar: As a joke, he hits Monkey with one of his paper birds...Next lies about the mosquitoes.
- The Caretaker: Kubo spends most of his life as this, taking care of his Mom.
- Dark and Troubled Past: Of the younger variety. Since his grandfather stolen Kubo's eye when he was just a baby. While hiding, he's taking the day shift of taking care of his comatose mother, who lapses with memory lost. To top everything off, Kubo's father was murdered by the Moon King and the Twins.
- Divine Parentage
- Eyepatch of Power: It's also practical, since he lost his right eye.
- Fearless Fool: This gets Kubo into fights with monsters.
- Hairstyle Inertia: The sketch of a 19-year-old Kubo, just shows that his hair didn't have much change.
- The McCoy
- Kid Hero: He's twelve.
- Like Father, Like Son: According to his Mom, this is where Kubo got his kindness, handsomeness, and etc.
- Loser Son of Loser Dad: The Moon King and Kubo's Aunts, see Kubo merely as this trope. But they still love the kid.
- Magic Music: Kubo has this.
- Musical Assassin: The good guy and heroic version though.
- Paper Master: His magic abilities involves performances and origami.
- The Storyteller: It's his day job, telling the fantastical adventures of Hanzo, the Moon Kingdom, and the quests for three treasures. To enhance his performances, Kubo uses his shamisen and paper-folding abilities. Unfortunately, he can't find a good ending.
- Squishy Wizard
- Weak but Skilled: Though he doesn't have the strength like Monkey or Beetle, but he pulls his own weight by being a highly skilled shamisen player and growing his skills.
- Would Hit a Girl: Since he manages to kill the last remaining aunt of his.
Beetle
Voiced by: Matthew McConaughey
Beetle is a lone wandering Ronin stag beetle, who lived in the Ice Fields.
- Amnesiac Lover: He's actually Hanzo, but with his memory wiped thanks to the Moon King. He and Monkey/Sariatu didn't find this out until the end, though they still have an attraction to each other.
- A Father to His Men: Hanzo was describe has having such charismatic, that he's this.
- The Archer
- Bad Liar: Both he and Kubo touch the rock formation which looks like a skull, Beetle breaks a piece of it, and proceeds to blame Kubo for it...Even though that piece is in his hand!
- Baleful Polymorph: How Hanzo became Beetle, partially human and mostly stag beetle.
- Beware the Silly Ones: Don't be fooled by Beetle's ditzy Cloudcuckoolander demeanor, he's a formidable archer and swordsman.
- Big Creepy-Crawlies: An exceedingly rare good type.
- Boisterous Bruiser
- Curse
- Dual-Wielding: In the fortress battle, he was shown using two swords.
- Disability Immunity: Since Beetle has no memories whatsoever about his past, the Long Lake monster can't put him in a trance.
- Interspecies Friendship: With both Kubo and Monkey.
- Interspecies Romance: His feelings towards Monkey evolved into this later on.Turns out that he's the missing Hanzo and Sariatu/Monkey's husband.
- I Will Definitely Protect You: Beetle says something along these lines, when he found out that Kubo is the son of his Master and the kid wears the robes of Hanzo's army.
- The Ego
- Ground-Shattering Landing: When flying out of the Hall of Bones, Beetle's landing is this. A bit worst, since he's carrying both Monkey and Kubo.
- Mood Whiplash: Beetle returning to the leaf boat and with the fish Kubo shot earlier is this. Since Monkey is currently busy fighting off the Twins.
- Quest for Identity: Beetle was trying to piece his identity for all these years, even collecting samurai stuff as clues.
- Plucky Comic Relief: Beetle wears this trope with pride.
- Throwing Your Sword Always Works: Beetle does this to Washi, the force sends her crashing into wall.
- Ronin: Because he was cursed.
- The Swordmaster: Hanzo was mentioned that he has such amazing kenjutsu skills, enough to match Satiaru.
- Walking Spoiler: His true identity is Hanzo.
Monkey
Voiced by Charlize Theron
Monkey used to be a lucky charm.
- Action Mom: Monkey/Sariatus to a "T."
- Everything Is Better With Monkeys: Anything concerning Kubo's good luck charm.
- Brown Eyes: Monkey/Sariatus has this.
- Came Back Strong:After when Sariatus did her Heroic Sacrifice, she came back as her son's lucky charm and did more heroics.
- Convenient Coma: Sariatus became comatose during the day times.
- Dating What Daddy Hates
- Deadpan Snarker
- Don't Touch It, You Idiot!: Monkey doesn't say this word for word, but warns her two companions to not touch a thing, while being in the Temple of Doom.
- Elopement
- Fluffy Dry Monkey: This happens when a huge flock of origami birds all bypass Monkey.
- Lady of War: Whether she was align with her father or when she got character development, Sariatus is always this.
- Immortal Assassin: According to Monkey when she relates her back story, she was this.
- Intrigued by Humanity: This is also what got Monkey to leave the Moon Society.
- Interspecies Friendship: After when she met Beetle, it was like this.
- Interspecies Romance: Later on the movie, she develop feelings towards Beetle and began flirting with him.
- Katanas Are Just Better: Once she and her group found the "Sword Unbreakable", she uses it in most of their battles.
- Kimono Is Traditional: In flashbacks, visions, and such, Sariatus can be seen wearing this.
- Mayfly-December Romance: Her and Hanzo.
- Defrosting Ice Queen
- Musical Assassin: Sariatus is the expert at all the magical ways of shamisen.
- Magic Music
- Paper Master: Where does one think Kubo learn it from?
- Reincarnation: Sariatus reincarnated into her son's good luck monkey charm.
- Samus Is a Girl: Kubo has been carrying around his lucky charm for a very long time, bestowing it the name Mr.Monkey, until it became alive.
- The Spock
- The Swordmaster
- Tap on the Head: In the prologue, Sariatu got a bump her head which K.O.'s her briefly.
Little Hanzo
Little Hanzo is an overly complicatedly origami figure that preforms.
- Animate Inanimate Object
- Baleful Polymorph: Sorta. Washi uses him as part of a demonstration of a spell that the Moon Society did on the human Hanzo, folding until he becomes a beetle. But this kills the paper figure.
- Cliff Hanger: In the little story show, Little Hanzo was about to fight his arch foe the Little Moon King. When Kubo stop telling what happens next.
- Dying Clue: Before Little Hanzo writters away, he somehow points Kubo in the correct direction of the helmet.
- Plucky Comic Relief: Little Hanzo's size and serious mannerism, though serious, make me a funny relief character besides Beetle whom he was made in the image of
- Silent Snarker: Little Hanzo manages to get some jabs in.
- Shoo Out the Clowns: Little Hanzo's role, when he's not being a compass, is the funniest out of the four and was killed in the climax.
- The Speechless
- Expy: Little Hanzo acts similarly to Gyro's Bulb/Little Helper.
Moon Society Characters
Here are some of the heavenly, rigid, and cold residents of the Moon Society.
Moon King/Raiden
Voiced By: Ralph Fiennes
Raiden, the Moon King, presides over his lunar kingdom and wants to be a family again.
- The Ageless
- Brought Down to Normal
- Glowing Eyes of Doom
- Icy Blue Eyes
- Laser Guided Amnesia: In his own words, "lost his story" after being defeated by Kubo and the Sun Villagers. The latter convinced Raiden that he's model citizen #1.
- Faux Affably Evil: When he first speaks with Kubo, Raiden acts like the granddad Kubo never had. But their second conversation, well, his veneer keeps slipping which shows his inner selfishness and cruelty. At the climax he drops everything and while fighting tortures Kubo.
- Mismatched Eyes: This occurs after Raiden's bought down to normal. One eye is brown and the other is icy, blue-ish grey.
- Mortality Ensues
- Offing the Offspring: Attempts to do this after Sariatu eloped with Hanzo. Went full force during the Curb Stop Battle with his grandson.
- The Omniscient: Raiden, despite being blind, can see everything under the moon. When he notices Kubo out that ONE night, he despatches the twins, Karasu and Washi, to the gravesite in seconds.
- One-Winged Angel: Raiden's Moon Beast form.
- Outliving One's Offspring: By the end of the film, Raiden lost all three of his daughters. He outlived them all.
- Parental Marriage Veto: It's because that Hanzo is a mortal, it's to the point that he believes that the samurai stole his eldest daughter.
- Power Glows: Comes with being a Divine Ruler of the Heavens and Night.
- Puny Earthlings: Sees humans as such, even calling us "bugs."
- Sadly Mythtaken: The Moon King's name is "Radien" officially. Though in Japanese Mythology, Raiden is the god of lightning and storms, who is carefree. Though the Moon King seems to be closer to Tsukuyomi, who's the actual god of the Moon; even the characterization is closer, as a arrogrant douchebag.
- Won't Work On Me: Kubo just holds the Sword Unbreakable out at the Moon King, who proceeds to walk into it without getting injured or slowed down. Even pushing the sword and Kubo's whole body.
- Would Hurt a Child: He ripped out his own grandson's eye when said kid was a baby. To top it all off, he wants to take Kubo's remaining eye, so they'll be together in the Heavens as immortal and as a family.
The Sisters/Kubo's Aunts
Voiced By: Rooney Mara
The Twins are Kubo's aunts and are hunting him down.
- Action girls
- Always Identical Twins: Insanely so.
- The Ageless
- Big Sister Worship: The twins used to admire their big sister, Satiaru.
- Cape Wings: When the Twins are flying/teleporting, their capes are seen as feathery and bird-like.
- Creepy Twins: Up to Eleven
- Daddy's Little Villain: Their relationship with the Moon King is this.
- Dual-Wielding: Washi does this.
- Et Tu, Brute?: Both twins are hurt by Satiaru leaving and see her living with mortals (Even marrying one) as this.
- Evil Aunts Kubo is their nephew yet they're hunting him down on their own father's behalf, just for Eye Scream reasons.
- The Evil Princess: The Twins are this, since they're the Moon King's daughters, and very evil.
- The Faceless: Though we don't see what WAshi and Karasu look like unmasked, only the lower half of one of them after Kubo destroys it. Considering their appearances with the masks on, we probably don't want to see.
- Flight: The twins have this ability.
- Good Smoking Evil Smoking: Washi uses a magic pipe that has a fire demon which creates moving miasma that obeys her will. As long as her pipe is intact.
- The Heavy: The Sisters do the legwork of hero hunting. The Moon King didn't confront Kubo, until both of Kubo's parents are dead.
- Hero-Killer: Both are incredibly powerful and gives Kubo, Monkey, and Beetle a run for their money. Together the Twins can take on their sister and destroy a whole village, even separately they can still pose a challenge. Monkey barely succeeds in killing Karasu, ending up gravely injured while doing so. Near the end, Washi manages to kill both Beetle and Monkey on her own.
- Immortal Assassin
- Improbable Weapon User: Karasu uses this in spades.
- Katanas Are Just Better: According to Washi, they are.
- Knight of Cerebus: Whenever Karasu and Washi shows up, anything lighthearted and humorous immediately leaves. Washi gets triple bonus points for shooing out all three of the clowns at once.
- Master Swordswoman: Washi displays such mastery to be able to wield two katanas.
- Meaningful Name: Karasu and Washi means "Crow" and "Eagle."
- Ominous Opera Cape: This is combine with Fluffy Fashion Feathers and Badass Cape.
- Sibling Team: The rare evil variety. Though they hate being the dynamic duo, since they used to be three, when Satiaru was with them.
- Raven Hair, Ivory Skin: Both of the twins.
- Perpetual Molt: Whenever Kubo's Aunts land, feathers can be seen coming off occasionally.
- Sibling Team: The twins make such a good team, according to Monkey relating her backstory, it was just the three of them kicking butt together.
- Sinister Scythe: Karasu's weapon of choice. They're two small scythes attach to the end of a chain.
- Speak in Unison: At times, the Twins speak and work together around the same time.
- The Un-Reveal: Their faces are not shown. When Kubo battles one of them at Hanzo's fortress, her partially broken mask reveals only her mouth.
- White Mask of Doom: Both wear Porcelain Noh masks.
- Would Hurt A Child: Considering that they stole one of Kubo's eyes when he was a baby, they don't mind doing more bodily harm on him.
Minor Characters
These are some of the residents of the Sun Village, who are full of warmth and joy.
Hashi
Voiced By: Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa
He's one of the Sun Village locals, a samurai in training (and probably the local cop), and lastly, but not least, Kubo's biggest fan.
- Ascended Fanboy: He volunteers for some of Kubo's performances and is one of the villagers, who helps with the final spell.
- Cannot Spit It Out: Hasn't mustered the courage to ask for Kubo's autograph.
- Samurai: According to the official movie site, Hashi is training to be a warrior.
Hosato
Voiced By: George Takei
Hosato is one of the local villagers and he cares about his daughter.
- Brown Eyes
- Doting Dad: Hosato is Ur Example.
- Mentor Archetype: Primarily this to his daughter, teaching her all things Japanese.
- Widow Woman: He's a gender flip version of this trope.
Kameyo
Voiced By: Brenda Vaccaro
Kameyo is Kubo's sponsor, the grandma figure, all round fun guy, and knows how to balance things.
- Big Fun: A gender flip version though, she's young at heart, and likes to suggest stuff to Kubo for his performances and recommends activities to him.
- Brown Eyes
- Fun Personified: She was also this to Kubo, being full of fun and light, and likes to suggests the origami chicken yokai.
- Granny Classic: Kameyo comes across as this as well.
- Grandparental Substitute: She this to Kubo, to the point that she makes sure that the kid doesn't grow up too fast.
- The Sponsor
- Widow Woman: Prior to the film's events, Kameyo lost her husband. The nameless dude has a brief cameo at the end, standing/ghosting beside her for the final showdown.
Mari
Voiced By: Meyrick Murphy
Mari is Hosato's daughter.
- Hair Decorations: Mari is wearing a flower decoration in her hair.
- Kimono Is Traditional
- Pink Means Feminine: Her entire kimono is pink.
- The Unpronounceable: Mari was having trouble pronouncing "Impenetrable." It's justified, since she's a very young girl.