If you loved
The Secret World of Arrietty
Hiromasa Yonebayashi · Film · 2010
What hooked you in The Secret World of Arrietty was the sense of wonder found in hidden, peripheral worlds existing alongside our own.
Start with the source
The source
The Borrowers
Film · 1997
Books on the same thread
Ronia, the Robber's Daughter
Astrid Lindgren · Book · 1981
Shares a thread with The Secret World of Arrietty: Environmentalism.
If The Secret World of Arrietty captivated you with its focus on young characters navigating nature and family legacy, this classic adventure offers a similarly immersive coming-of-age journey.
The Ironwood Tree
Tony DiTerlizzi, Holly Black · Book · 2004
Shares a thread with The Secret World of Arrietty: Hidden Worlds.
Much like the hidden domestic life of the Clock family in The Secret World of Arrietty, this story reveals a dangerous, magical realm tucked away from the ordinary human world.
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets: The Illustrated Edition (Harry Potter, Book 2)
J.K. Rowling · Book · 2016
Shares a thread with The Secret World of Arrietty: Children's Fantasy.
Fans of The Secret World of Arrietty who enjoyed the tension of a young protagonist discovering a secret society will appreciate the mysterious warnings Harry receives about his hidden world.
Where the Wild Things Are
Maurice Sendak · Book · 2009
Shares a thread with The Secret World of Arrietty: Coming of Age.
The Secret World of Arrietty highlights the imaginative power of childhood, a theme mirrored in this story as a boy sails to a land where monsters dwell in the shadows.
Series on the same thread
Horimiya
Series · 2021
Shares a thread with The Secret World of Arrietty: Coming of Age.
Just as Arrietty must guard the secret of her existence from the human world, the characters here carefully protect their dual identities to maintain their fragile, unexpected friendships.
Trollhunters: Tales of Arcadia
Guillermo del Toro · Series · 2016
Shares a thread with The Secret World of Arrietty: Coming of Age.
The Secret World of Arrietty explores the balance between two worlds, a dynamic that drives this adventure as a teenager discovers a secret realm beneath his own quiet life.
Hunter x Hunter
Series · 2011
Explores: self-discovery, overcoming adversity, friendship.
If the determined spirit of Arrietty resonated with you, this journey of a young boy striving to follow in his father's footsteps offers an equally compelling quest for discovery.
Over the Garden Wall
Patrick McHale · Series · 2014
Explores: Brotherhood, Lost in the Woods, Nostalgia.
This story captures the same sense of isolation and wonder found in The Secret World of Arrietty, as two brothers navigate a strange forest filled with hidden, magical encounters.
Podcasts on the same thread
Hidden Brain
Hidden Brain, Shankar Vedantam · Podcast · 2026
Explores: cognitive bias, human behavior, interpersonal dynamics.
While The Secret World of Arrietty focuses on the hidden lives of miniature people, this podcast offers a similar curiosity about the unseen complexities within our own daily lives.
Everything is Alive
Radiotopia · Podcast · 2024
The Secret World of Arrietty makes the inanimate feel alive through the perspective of the Clocks, a sentiment echoed here as everyday objects share their own hidden, personal histories.
Keep exploring
Common questions
Is The Secret World of Arrietty based on the same story as the 1997 movie The Borrowers?
Yes, both The Secret World of Arrietty and the 1997 film The Borrowers are adaptations based on the same source material about a family of tiny people who live by borrowing items from human inhabitants. Each film offers a distinct visual style and interpretation of the original story.
Does The Secret World of Arrietty feature the same characters as The Borrowers?
Both The Secret World of Arrietty and The Borrowers center on a family of small people living in anonymity within a human house. While they share the same literary inspiration, the specific character portrayals and narrative focus differ between the 2010 animated film and the 1997 live-action adaptation.
Should I watch The Borrowers if I liked The Secret World of Arrietty?
If you enjoyed the premise of The Secret World of Arrietty, you may appreciate The Borrowers. Both films explore the lives of tiny individuals navigating a human world, allowing viewers to see how different directors adapt the concept of living in secret among larger inhabitants.
Is The Secret World of Arrietty a direct sequel to The Borrowers?
No, The Secret World of Arrietty is not a sequel to the 1997 film The Borrowers. They are separate adaptations of the same underlying story. The Secret World of Arrietty was released in 2010 as an independent production directed by Hiromasa Yonebayashi.