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This week we are joined by Elizabeth Stormfield, specialist in Japanese folklore, to cover three films invoking the spirits. First up is young adult fantasy film The Spiderwick Chronicles (2008) with a young Freddie Highmore pulling double duty as troubled twins Simon and Jared. Next up is Mamoru Hosoda’s award-winning Japanese animated film The Boy and the Beast (2015) / Bakemono no Ko, a tale of two worlds, two fathers and an orphan boy struggling to find his place between both. Lastly we discuss stop-animation quest epic Kubo and the Two Strings (2016) with a Hollywood A-list voice cast, a deep heart and a strong family message at its core. Also: European folklore crossing the Atlantic. Divorce escapism. Lady Cottington’s Pressed Fairy Book (1999). Photographing Fairies (1997). The Faerie Abu Ghraib. F*ck you Chris Carter. Telegraphing Moby Dick. Japanese micro seasons. Bakana! Yōkai. Katana etiquette. Sean William Scott. Waaaaah! Daughters of the Moon King. Unfortunate whitewashing. Eye theft. Noh theatre. Bon Festival. Takiyasha the Witch and the Skeleton Spectre. We play a game of “80% Proof”