In a recent interview with Full Frontal, Koji Takeuchi shared his thoughts on the current state of anime events and the declining importance of animation creators within the context of prominent anime events such as AnimeJapan.
Expressing his reservations about Anime Japan, Takeuchi acknowledged its appeal to certain audience, but underscored the event’s primary focus on merchandising and crowd engagement, which often overshadowing the contributions of animators and directors.
“While Anime Japan serves its purpose for those who are looking forward to it, it primarily revolves around selling merchandise and attracting crowds for commercial purposes. The focus is on gathering voice actors to draw in audiences rather than directly benefiting the animation creators themselves.“
Takeuchi then addressed the diminishing presence of anime creators in such events, attributing it to a lack of platforms for meaningful discussions.
Reflecting on the past, he reminisced about the pivotal role of magazines like...
Expressing his reservations about Anime Japan, Takeuchi acknowledged its appeal to certain audience, but underscored the event’s primary focus on merchandising and crowd engagement, which often overshadowing the contributions of animators and directors.
“While Anime Japan serves its purpose for those who are looking forward to it, it primarily revolves around selling merchandise and attracting crowds for commercial purposes. The focus is on gathering voice actors to draw in audiences rather than directly benefiting the animation creators themselves.“
Takeuchi then addressed the diminishing presence of anime creators in such events, attributing it to a lack of platforms for meaningful discussions.
Reflecting on the past, he reminisced about the pivotal role of magazines like...
- 4/29/2024
- by Ami Nazru
- AnimeHunch
The official website of Cannes Festival announced that Studio Ghibli has been bestowed its Honorary Palme d’Or, marking the first time the honor has been awarded to a group rather than an individual.
Toshio Suzuki, co-founder of the studio, expressed his gratitude for the recognition and spoke of the studio’s journey, from its initial goal of creating high-quality animation for all ages to the global phenomenon it has become.
“I am truly honored and delighted that the studio is awarded the Honorary Palme d’or. I would like to thank the Festival de Cannes from the bottom of my heart. Forty years ago, Hayao Miyazaki, Isao Takahata and I established Studio Ghibli with the desire to bring high-level, high-quality animation to children and adults of all ages. Today, our films are watched by people all over the world, and many visitors come to the Ghibli Museum, Mitaka and...
Toshio Suzuki, co-founder of the studio, expressed his gratitude for the recognition and spoke of the studio’s journey, from its initial goal of creating high-quality animation for all ages to the global phenomenon it has become.
“I am truly honored and delighted that the studio is awarded the Honorary Palme d’or. I would like to thank the Festival de Cannes from the bottom of my heart. Forty years ago, Hayao Miyazaki, Isao Takahata and I established Studio Ghibli with the desire to bring high-level, high-quality animation to children and adults of all ages. Today, our films are watched by people all over the world, and many visitors come to the Ghibli Museum, Mitaka and...
- 4/18/2024
- by Ami Nazru
- AnimeHunch
by Cláudio Alves
NAUSICAÄ Of The Valley Of The Wind (1984) is the only Miyazaki film ever screened at Cannes.
In 1997, to mark the occasion of its 50th edition, the Cannes Film Festival awarded a special Palme des Palmes to Ingmar Bergman. Afterward, and since 2002, it has also attributed the Honorary Palme d'Or to film artists in honor of their esteemed careers. Until now, the prize has gone to directors, producers and actors such as Catherine Deneuve, Manoel de Oliveira, and Agnès Varda, among many others. This year, however, the festival will award its first Palme d'Or to animated cinema and a group rather than an individual. The honoree is Studio Ghibli, cofounded by Hayao Miyazaki, Toshio Suzuki, and the dear departed Isao Takahata. This comes after The Boy and the Heron won the studio its second Oscar and breaks with American dominance over these Honorary awards in the past few years.
NAUSICAÄ Of The Valley Of The Wind (1984) is the only Miyazaki film ever screened at Cannes.
In 1997, to mark the occasion of its 50th edition, the Cannes Film Festival awarded a special Palme des Palmes to Ingmar Bergman. Afterward, and since 2002, it has also attributed the Honorary Palme d'Or to film artists in honor of their esteemed careers. Until now, the prize has gone to directors, producers and actors such as Catherine Deneuve, Manoel de Oliveira, and Agnès Varda, among many others. This year, however, the festival will award its first Palme d'Or to animated cinema and a group rather than an individual. The honoree is Studio Ghibli, cofounded by Hayao Miyazaki, Toshio Suzuki, and the dear departed Isao Takahata. This comes after The Boy and the Heron won the studio its second Oscar and breaks with American dominance over these Honorary awards in the past few years.
- 4/17/2024
- by Cláudio Alves
- FilmExperience
The Cannes Film Festival has a long history of awarding individuals with the Honorary Palme d'or, but this year it will be going to a group for the very first time. That group is Studio Ghibli, which is the latest to receive the prestigious distinction. The award celebrates four decades and over 20 films from the renowned studio, many of which came from esteemed directors like Hayao Miyazaki and the late Isao Takahata. From its establishment in 1985 to today—which sees Ghibli with its own theme park in Aichi Prefecture—Ghibli's impact on animation has been monumental. The Honorary Palme d'or is a non-competitive award typically given to individuals such as actors or directors to mark their career achievements. Along with Ghibli, Star Wars creator George Lucas will also receive one during the closing ceremony of the 77th Cannes Film Festival, which will be held on Saturday, May 25. 2023's honors went...
- 4/17/2024
- by Joseph Luster
- Crunchyroll
Even as the beloved Japanese animation house theoretically winds down, Studio Ghibli is flying high. Hot off the heels of that Oscar win for The Boy And The Heron, the accolades just keep coming – the studio is being recognised at the Cannes Film Festival next month, set to receive an honorary Palme d’or at the 77th rendition of the festival, acknowledging its profound impact on our screens with 24 films across four decades.
Honorary Palme d’or awards are typically reserved for individuals – with George Lucas also set to join the ranks at this year’s festival – so this marks the first time that a group is receiving the honour. “With Ghibli, Japanese animation stands as one of the great adventures of cinephilia, between tradition and modernity,” notes Cannes’ Iris Knobloch and Thierry Frémaux. The award marks yet another positive turn for Ghibli, after The Boy And The Heron sailed...
Honorary Palme d’or awards are typically reserved for individuals – with George Lucas also set to join the ranks at this year’s festival – so this marks the first time that a group is receiving the honour. “With Ghibli, Japanese animation stands as one of the great adventures of cinephilia, between tradition and modernity,” notes Cannes’ Iris Knobloch and Thierry Frémaux. The award marks yet another positive turn for Ghibli, after The Boy And The Heron sailed...
- 4/17/2024
- by Luke Bradley
- Empire - Movies
The Cannes Film Festival will award legendary Japanese anime house Studio Ghibli with its honorary Palme d’Or this year, the first time Cannes has given its highest award to a company instead of an individual.
“For the first time in our history, it’s not a person but an institution that we have chosen to celebrate,” said Cannes Festival president Iris Knobloch and general delegate Thierry Frémaux, announcing the honor on Wednesday. They praised Ghibli’s animated features as filled with characters who “populate our imaginations with prolific, colorful universes and sensitive, engaging narrations. With Ghibli, Japanese animation stands as one of the great adventures of cinephilia, between tradition and modernity.”
Founded in 1985 by Hayao Miyazaki, Isao Takahata, Toshio Suzuki, and Yasuyoshi Tokuma, Studio Ghibli has in the past 40 years, “achieved what seemed to be an impossible feat: Independently producing pure masterpieces and conquering the mass market,” the festival said.
“For the first time in our history, it’s not a person but an institution that we have chosen to celebrate,” said Cannes Festival president Iris Knobloch and general delegate Thierry Frémaux, announcing the honor on Wednesday. They praised Ghibli’s animated features as filled with characters who “populate our imaginations with prolific, colorful universes and sensitive, engaging narrations. With Ghibli, Japanese animation stands as one of the great adventures of cinephilia, between tradition and modernity.”
Founded in 1985 by Hayao Miyazaki, Isao Takahata, Toshio Suzuki, and Yasuyoshi Tokuma, Studio Ghibli has in the past 40 years, “achieved what seemed to be an impossible feat: Independently producing pure masterpieces and conquering the mass market,” the festival said.
- 4/17/2024
- by Scott Roxborough
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Studio Ghibli, the animation studio behind “My Neighbor Totoro” and the Oscar-winning animated feature “The Boy and the Heron,” is being awarded an Honorary Palme d’Or at the 77th annual Cannes Film Festival. It marks the first time that the award will be given to a group.
The studio was co-founded by Hayao Miyazaki and Toshio Suzuki in 1984 following the release of Miyazaki’s “Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind.”
“I am truly honored and delighted that the studio is awarded the Honorary Palme d’Or,” Suzuki said in a statement. “I would like to thank the Festival de Cannes from the bottom of my heart. Forty years ago, Hayao Miyazaki, Isao Takahata and I established Studio Ghibli with the desire to bring high-level, high-quality animation to children and adults of all ages. Today, our films are watched by people all over the world, and many visitors come to the Ghibli Museum,...
The studio was co-founded by Hayao Miyazaki and Toshio Suzuki in 1984 following the release of Miyazaki’s “Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind.”
“I am truly honored and delighted that the studio is awarded the Honorary Palme d’Or,” Suzuki said in a statement. “I would like to thank the Festival de Cannes from the bottom of my heart. Forty years ago, Hayao Miyazaki, Isao Takahata and I established Studio Ghibli with the desire to bring high-level, high-quality animation to children and adults of all ages. Today, our films are watched by people all over the world, and many visitors come to the Ghibli Museum,...
- 4/17/2024
- by Jazz Tangcay
- Variety Film + TV
Studio Ghibli, the acclaimed Japanese animation house known for Spirited Away, My Neighbor Totoro and Oscar-winner The Boy And The Heron, is to receive an honorary Palme d’Or at Cannes – the first time the festival has bestowed the award on a group.
The honour is usually awarded to individuals, which has included Tom Cruise, Michael Douglas and Harrison Ford in recent years and will also be given to Star Wars creator George Lucas at the 77th edition of the festival, which runs May 14-25.
Studio Ghibli is synonymous with veteran directors Hayao Miyazaki and Isao Takahata, who are among...
The honour is usually awarded to individuals, which has included Tom Cruise, Michael Douglas and Harrison Ford in recent years and will also be given to Star Wars creator George Lucas at the 77th edition of the festival, which runs May 14-25.
Studio Ghibli is synonymous with veteran directors Hayao Miyazaki and Isao Takahata, who are among...
- 4/17/2024
- ScreenDaily
Studio Ghibli, the Japanese animation studio co-founded by Hayao Miyazaki, will be feted with the Honorary Palme d’Or at the 77th Cannes Film Festival. This marks the first time Cannes has handed its Honorary Palme d’Or to a collective.
“I am truly honored and delighted that the studio is awarded the Honorary Palme d’Or,” said Toshio Suzuki, co-founder of Studio Ghibli.
“I would like to thank the Festival de Cannes from the bottom of my heart. Forty years ago, Hayao Miyazaki, Isao Takahata and I established Studio Ghibli with the desire to bring high-level, high-quality animation to children and adults of all ages. Today, our films are watched by people all over the world, and many visitors come to the Ghibli Museum, Mitaka, and Ghibli Park to experience the world of our films for themselves.”
Suzuki added: “We have truly come a long way for Studio Ghibli...
“I am truly honored and delighted that the studio is awarded the Honorary Palme d’Or,” said Toshio Suzuki, co-founder of Studio Ghibli.
“I would like to thank the Festival de Cannes from the bottom of my heart. Forty years ago, Hayao Miyazaki, Isao Takahata and I established Studio Ghibli with the desire to bring high-level, high-quality animation to children and adults of all ages. Today, our films are watched by people all over the world, and many visitors come to the Ghibli Museum, Mitaka, and Ghibli Park to experience the world of our films for themselves.”
Suzuki added: “We have truly come a long way for Studio Ghibli...
- 4/17/2024
- by Zac Ntim
- Deadline Film + TV
Hayao Miyazaki is one of the greatest Japanese animators and mangakas of all time. His latest animated film, The Boy and the Heron, won an Academy Award for Best Animated Feature Film this year.
Since the Oscar win, the film has seen an increase in demand, but it was not available to stream anywhere. This is about to change very soon, thanks to a deal between Netflix and Studio Ghibli. While this news will bring joy to anime lovers all over the world, it is bad news for viewers in the US and Japan.
Miyazaki’s film is set to stream on Netflix soon (Source: The Boy and the Heron)
Netflix gets the streaming rights for Hayao Miyazaki’s The Boy and the Heron
Netflix holds the streaming rights to Studio Ghibli Films, which was co-founded by Hayao Miyazaki, Isao Takahata, and Toshio Suzuki. And now, the streaming giant is...
Since the Oscar win, the film has seen an increase in demand, but it was not available to stream anywhere. This is about to change very soon, thanks to a deal between Netflix and Studio Ghibli. While this news will bring joy to anime lovers all over the world, it is bad news for viewers in the US and Japan.
Miyazaki’s film is set to stream on Netflix soon (Source: The Boy and the Heron)
Netflix gets the streaming rights for Hayao Miyazaki’s The Boy and the Heron
Netflix holds the streaming rights to Studio Ghibli Films, which was co-founded by Hayao Miyazaki, Isao Takahata, and Toshio Suzuki. And now, the streaming giant is...
- 3/21/2024
- by Sreshtha Roychowdhury
- FandomWire
Hayao Miyazaki’s The Boy and the Heron (Kimitachi wa Dou Ikiru Ka) will stream on Netflix around the world outside the U.S. and Japan as part of a deal unveiled Tuesday.
Netflix will also nab an additional 22 Studio Ghibli films as it extends its agreement with the revered animation studio founded by Miyazaki, Isao Takahata and Toshio Suzuki. In the U.S., Max recently landed the streaming rights to the anime master’s semi-autobiographical fantasy film to become the exclusive streaming home for the films of Studio Ghibli.
Gkids, which handles North American distribution for Studio Ghibli, and Max signed a multi-year extension of their deal to keep the studio’s library on the Warner Bros. Discovery platform. To secure its own worldwide deal, Netflix extended its pact with Goodfellas and Gkids to release Studio Ghibli films outside the U.S. and Japan.
Netflix will set a premiere...
Netflix will also nab an additional 22 Studio Ghibli films as it extends its agreement with the revered animation studio founded by Miyazaki, Isao Takahata and Toshio Suzuki. In the U.S., Max recently landed the streaming rights to the anime master’s semi-autobiographical fantasy film to become the exclusive streaming home for the films of Studio Ghibli.
Gkids, which handles North American distribution for Studio Ghibli, and Max signed a multi-year extension of their deal to keep the studio’s library on the Warner Bros. Discovery platform. To secure its own worldwide deal, Netflix extended its pact with Goodfellas and Gkids to release Studio Ghibli films outside the U.S. and Japan.
Netflix will set a premiere...
- 3/21/2024
- by Etan Vlessing
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
When Adam Changes, a Canadian animated film about an awkward teenager in suburban Quebec, won the Grand Prix at the Niigata International Animation Film Festival (Niaff).
The festival, now in its second year, ran from March 15-20 in Niigata, a port city two hours north of Tokyo.
Written and directed by Joël Vaudreuil, When Adam Changes premiered at last year’s Annecy International Animation Film Festival. “Coming here and meeting so many people, and being able to meet and talk with the other competition directors was a gift in itself,” said Vaudreuil, acceping the award at Niaff’s closing ceremony.
The festival, now in its second year, ran from March 15-20 in Niigata, a port city two hours north of Tokyo.
Written and directed by Joël Vaudreuil, When Adam Changes premiered at last year’s Annecy International Animation Film Festival. “Coming here and meeting so many people, and being able to meet and talk with the other competition directors was a gift in itself,” said Vaudreuil, acceping the award at Niaff’s closing ceremony.
- 3/21/2024
- ScreenDaily
Max will continue to be the studio’s exclusive streaming home in the United States with tiles including “My Neighbor Totoro,” “Spirited Away,” and more.
Thanks in no small part to the prevalence of streaming media, anime has become an increasingly important part of the American entertainment landscape in recent years. When Warner Bros. Discovery launched the HBO Max streaming service in 2020, the iconic films of Studio Ghibili were included in the catalog. On Tuesday, Wbd announced that it had extended its deal with the Japanese studio and that the recent Oscar-winning film “The Boy and the Heron” will stream on HBO Max’s successive streaming service Max.
HBO Max became the first streaming service to carry Studio Ghibli titles when it launched in 2020. This new multi-year extension will keep the iconic Japanese studio’s films on Max in the United States. Recent Oscar winner “The Boy and the Heron...
Thanks in no small part to the prevalence of streaming media, anime has become an increasingly important part of the American entertainment landscape in recent years. When Warner Bros. Discovery launched the HBO Max streaming service in 2020, the iconic films of Studio Ghibili were included in the catalog. On Tuesday, Wbd announced that it had extended its deal with the Japanese studio and that the recent Oscar-winning film “The Boy and the Heron” will stream on HBO Max’s successive streaming service Max.
HBO Max became the first streaming service to carry Studio Ghibli titles when it launched in 2020. This new multi-year extension will keep the iconic Japanese studio’s films on Max in the United States. Recent Oscar winner “The Boy and the Heron...
- 3/12/2024
- by Matt Tamanini
- The Streamable
Hayao Miyazaki’s Oscar-winning The Boy and the Heron has a streaming destination in the United States.
Max has landed streaming rights to the animated film under an extension of its deal to be the exclusive streaming home for the films of Studio Ghibli, the revered animation studio founded by Miyazaki, Isao Takahata and Toshio Suzuki. Gkids, which handles North American distribution for Studio Ghibli, and Max have inked a multi-year extension to keep the studio’s library on the Warner Bros. Discovery platform.
“Our subscribers are always looking for unique stories, and we are happy to continue to offer these award-winning, critically acclaimed films and to add The Boy and the Heron to our deep and rich Max content offering,” said Elizabeth Bannan Atcheson, vp content acquisitions for Warner Bros. Discovery.
The Studio Ghibli library has been part of Max’s catalog since it launched (as HBO Max) in...
Max has landed streaming rights to the animated film under an extension of its deal to be the exclusive streaming home for the films of Studio Ghibli, the revered animation studio founded by Miyazaki, Isao Takahata and Toshio Suzuki. Gkids, which handles North American distribution for Studio Ghibli, and Max have inked a multi-year extension to keep the studio’s library on the Warner Bros. Discovery platform.
“Our subscribers are always looking for unique stories, and we are happy to continue to offer these award-winning, critically acclaimed films and to add The Boy and the Heron to our deep and rich Max content offering,” said Elizabeth Bannan Atcheson, vp content acquisitions for Warner Bros. Discovery.
The Studio Ghibli library has been part of Max’s catalog since it launched (as HBO Max) in...
- 3/12/2024
- by Rick Porter
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Hayao Miyazaki received his second Academy Award on Sunday for his semi-autobiographical Japanese animated feature picture The Boy and the Heron. The movie, which is rumored to be the last work of renowned Japanese filmmaker Miyazaki, took home the Best Animated Feature Film Oscar at the 96th Academy Awards in Los Angeles.
Hayao Miyazaki’s The Boy and the Heron
Miyazaki’s Oscar triumph makes him the oldest filmmaker to win in the animated feature film category in 21 years. The Japanese anime film previously won a BAFTA and a Golden Globe, positioning it as a serious candidate for accolades. The semi-autobiographical picture, which takes place during World War Two, tells the story of a youngster who, after losing his mother, meets a mysterious speaking heron.
The Boy and the Heron faced out against Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, Elemental, Nimona, and Robot Dreams, but emerged victorious. However, the creators of the...
Hayao Miyazaki’s The Boy and the Heron
Miyazaki’s Oscar triumph makes him the oldest filmmaker to win in the animated feature film category in 21 years. The Japanese anime film previously won a BAFTA and a Golden Globe, positioning it as a serious candidate for accolades. The semi-autobiographical picture, which takes place during World War Two, tells the story of a youngster who, after losing his mother, meets a mysterious speaking heron.
The Boy and the Heron faced out against Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, Elemental, Nimona, and Robot Dreams, but emerged victorious. However, the creators of the...
- 3/11/2024
- by Tarun Kohli
- FandomWire
At the Oscars 2024, there was a big surprise when The Boy and the Heron, the last animated movie by Hayao Miyazaki, beat out the hyped-up Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse. People were scratching their heads, wondering why. Some folks even got into arguments about what makes a movie worthy of an award.
The Boy and The Heron
Then, to make things even more interesting, Chris Hemsworth, the guy who plays Thor in the Marvel movies, showed up to collect the award for The Boy and the Heron. It got everyone wondering why he was there and the film’s journey to the Oscar win.
The Oscar For Best Animated Feature Goes To The Boy And The Heron
The Boy and the Heron just snagged the Best Animated Feature Oscar! People are freaking out, and fans are totally stunned.
This flick, likely Hayao Miyazaki’s last hurrah, just clinched the top spot.
The Boy and The Heron
Then, to make things even more interesting, Chris Hemsworth, the guy who plays Thor in the Marvel movies, showed up to collect the award for The Boy and the Heron. It got everyone wondering why he was there and the film’s journey to the Oscar win.
The Oscar For Best Animated Feature Goes To The Boy And The Heron
The Boy and the Heron just snagged the Best Animated Feature Oscar! People are freaking out, and fans are totally stunned.
This flick, likely Hayao Miyazaki’s last hurrah, just clinched the top spot.
- 3/11/2024
- by Muskan Chaudhary
- FandomWire
Hayao Miyazaki’s “The Boy and the Heron,” likely his final film, has won the Oscar for Best Animated Feature.
It’s Miyazaki’s second Oscar after the Japanese animation master won for “Spirited Away” in 2002. Miyazaki is the most nominated director in the Best Animated Feature category (tied with Pete Docter) with four nominations, including for “Howl’s Moving Castle” and “The Wind Rises.” Miyazaki is now also the oldest winner in the category ever, at 83, with the previous record holder being Mark Gustafson for “Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio.”
“The Boy and the Heron” beat out an impressive field that included Pixar entry “Elemental,” Neon’s “Robot Dreams,” Netflix’s “Nimona,” and Sony’s “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse,” the follow-up to the Oscar-winning “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse” from 2018.
Miyazaki and producer Toshio Suzuki were not present at the Academy Awards ceremony to accept the prize. Their Oscar was accepted on...
It’s Miyazaki’s second Oscar after the Japanese animation master won for “Spirited Away” in 2002. Miyazaki is the most nominated director in the Best Animated Feature category (tied with Pete Docter) with four nominations, including for “Howl’s Moving Castle” and “The Wind Rises.” Miyazaki is now also the oldest winner in the category ever, at 83, with the previous record holder being Mark Gustafson for “Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio.”
“The Boy and the Heron” beat out an impressive field that included Pixar entry “Elemental,” Neon’s “Robot Dreams,” Netflix’s “Nimona,” and Sony’s “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse,” the follow-up to the Oscar-winning “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse” from 2018.
Miyazaki and producer Toshio Suzuki were not present at the Academy Awards ceremony to accept the prize. Their Oscar was accepted on...
- 3/10/2024
- by Brian Welk
- Indiewire
Mermaid fairy tales have enjoyed lasting popularity since Andersen's “The Little Sea Maid” and La Motte-Fouqué's “Undine”. Recent (unequal) reboots can further attest to this enduring appeal. Nothing surprising when considering the universality of these legendary creatures across civilizations and times. As for Japanese folklore, the Ningyo has gained a significant prominence not long ago through Miyazaki's “Ponyo” (2008). Just a decade later, the director of the celebrated “Mind Game” (2004), Masaaki Yuasa, developed his own rendition, this time in the form of a coming-of-age narrative.
on Amazon by clicking on the image below
Kai Ashimoto, a taciturn and disillusioned middle school student, is raised in a small coastal town by a single father in the handcrafted umbrella shop of his grandfather, a retired fisherman. After being exposed for posting music demos online, he agrees to join his classmates, the wannabe Yuho and the carefree Kunio, in a rock band named Seiren,...
on Amazon by clicking on the image below
Kai Ashimoto, a taciturn and disillusioned middle school student, is raised in a small coastal town by a single father in the handcrafted umbrella shop of his grandfather, a retired fisherman. After being exposed for posting music demos online, he agrees to join his classmates, the wannabe Yuho and the carefree Kunio, in a rock band named Seiren,...
- 3/2/2024
- by Jean Claude
- AsianMoviePulse
Studio Ghibli, like Western counterparts Disney, Pixar and the UK’s Aardman, is one of the most important animation studios in movie history. Since its first feature film, “Castle in the Sky” in 1986, Studio Ghibli has delivered two dozen thought-provoking tales beautifully rendered in a unique brand of animation. To date, its output has racked up have a lucky seven Oscar bids for Best Animated Feature.
“Spirited Away” was the first Studio Ghibli movie to break into the Academy Awards conversation and did so with aplomb in 2003. It won the Oscar for Best Animated Feature (Miyazaki the recipient) over “Ice Age,” “Lilo & Stitch,” “Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron,” and “Treasure Planet.”
In 2006, Miyazaki was again nominated — this time for “Howl’s Moving Castle” alongside “Corpse Bride” and “Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit,” with the latter movie, an Aardman creation, reigning victorious.
Miyazaki and Suzuki were the nominees...
“Spirited Away” was the first Studio Ghibli movie to break into the Academy Awards conversation and did so with aplomb in 2003. It won the Oscar for Best Animated Feature (Miyazaki the recipient) over “Ice Age,” “Lilo & Stitch,” “Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron,” and “Treasure Planet.”
In 2006, Miyazaki was again nominated — this time for “Howl’s Moving Castle” alongside “Corpse Bride” and “Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit,” with the latter movie, an Aardman creation, reigning victorious.
Miyazaki and Suzuki were the nominees...
- 2/16/2024
- by Jacob Sarkisian
- Gold Derby
An anime film was bound to make it into the Oscar nominations this year, and the contender this time around is Hayao Miyazaki's The Boy and the Heron . Ghibli's latest film was nominated in the Animated Feature Film Category, where it will compete with Elemental , Nimona , Robot Dreams and Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse . Other nominations include Godzilla Minus One , which is up for the Visual Effects category , and Japanese/German co-production Perfect Days —directed by Wim Wenders and written by Wim Wenders and Takuma Takasaki—which is up for Best International Feature Film . We'll find out who wins when the 96th annual Academy Awards ceremony airs live on Sunday, March 10, 2024 at 4:00pm Pacific Time. Related: The Boy and the Heron Awarded Golden Globe for Best Animated Film Miyazaki previously won an Academy Award in 2002 for Spirited Away , making anime history. His Howl's Moving Castle film was nominated in...
- 1/23/2024
- by Joseph Luster
- Crunchyroll
Updated with producer statement: Hayao Miyazaki’s The Boy and the Heron captured the Golden Globe on Sunday for Best Motion Picture – Animated, adding to its award momentum in recent weeks.
The producers of the film did not travel to Los Angeles, so the trophy was accepted on their behalf during the ceremony. Later, producer and Studio Ghibli co-founder Toshio Suzuki posted a message on X, formerly Twitter.
“Since the beginning of the year,” he wrote in part, “Japan has been hit by a series of tragic earthquakes and accidents. When I hear the reports of many people still waiting for rescue in the disaster areas, I am filled with a sense of despair. In such a situation, I hope the bright news of winning an award can bring a smile to everyone’s face, even if only a little.”
Related: Golden Globes 2024 Winners Photos: Lily Gladstone, Cillian Murphy, Justine Triet,...
The producers of the film did not travel to Los Angeles, so the trophy was accepted on their behalf during the ceremony. Later, producer and Studio Ghibli co-founder Toshio Suzuki posted a message on X, formerly Twitter.
“Since the beginning of the year,” he wrote in part, “Japan has been hit by a series of tragic earthquakes and accidents. When I hear the reports of many people still waiting for rescue in the disaster areas, I am filled with a sense of despair. In such a situation, I hope the bright news of winning an award can bring a smile to everyone’s face, even if only a little.”
Related: Golden Globes 2024 Winners Photos: Lily Gladstone, Cillian Murphy, Justine Triet,...
- 1/8/2024
- by Dade Hayes
- Deadline Film + TV
The Animated World is a regular feature spotlighting animation from around the globe.The Boy and the Heron.“And what about you? What will you create? You take many things from the world, but I wonder what you will give back in return?”—Genzaburo Yoshino, How Do You Live? Part of the genius of Hayao Miyazaki is his ability to captivate his audience so deeply with his films that they don’t realize he is asking an essential question: how do you live? Yet, his films do. Each of them demands that we think, reflect, and change. Visually, they burst like a star in our mind’s eye while the stories slowly lead us toward realization. They warm our hearts while showing us how complex and contradictory people are—by turns selfish and selfless. From Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind (1984) to The Wind Rises (2013), Miyazaki’s stunning, hand-drawn aesthetic and stirring,...
- 1/5/2024
- MUBI
One of the less public-facing key talents at the most publicly scrutinized animation studio in the world, cinematographer Atsushi Okui joined Studio Ghibli in 1993 and has worked on nearly every film from legendary director Hayao Miyazaki since, among them Princess Mononoke, Spirited Away, and his first feature in a decade, The Boy and the Heron.
With that film now in wide North American release from Gkids, we caught up with Okui to gain insight into the particulars of his job title, the process of working with iconic directors, and whether Miyazaki’s reputation for technophobia might be (a little) overblown.
With thanks to interpreter Nao Amisaki.
The Film Stage: You’ve been a director of photography at Studio Ghibli for over 30 years, during which time your title has evolved into “digital imaging director.” For those less-familiar with the animation process, could you explain what a Dp does in animation, and...
With that film now in wide North American release from Gkids, we caught up with Okui to gain insight into the particulars of his job title, the process of working with iconic directors, and whether Miyazaki’s reputation for technophobia might be (a little) overblown.
With thanks to interpreter Nao Amisaki.
The Film Stage: You’ve been a director of photography at Studio Ghibli for over 30 years, during which time your title has evolved into “digital imaging director.” For those less-familiar with the animation process, could you explain what a Dp does in animation, and...
- 12/12/2023
- by Eli Friedberg
- The Film Stage
Every new feature film from Studio Ghibli co-founder Hayao Miyazaki might be the last. Not because the master of animation is now in his 80s, but because for the last couple of decades he's developed a habit of announcing his retirement each time he finishes a movie. His fellow Ghibli co-founder and longtime producing partner Toshio Suzuki recently told Total Film, "I actually believed that [2013's 'The Wind Rises'] was going to be his last film. That he wasn't coming back, that he would retire..."
Fortunately, Suzuki was wrong, and Miyazaki's new film "The Boy and the Heron" has been gladly welcomed by North American fans in its theatrical debut. The animated fantasy adventure landed the top spot at the box office on Friday, grossing $5.56 million, including $2.39 million from Thursday previews. With Friday's numbers in, "The Boy and the Heron" is on track for an opening weekend in the range of $10-11 million, per The Hollywood Reporter.
Fortunately, Suzuki was wrong, and Miyazaki's new film "The Boy and the Heron" has been gladly welcomed by North American fans in its theatrical debut. The animated fantasy adventure landed the top spot at the box office on Friday, grossing $5.56 million, including $2.39 million from Thursday previews. With Friday's numbers in, "The Boy and the Heron" is on track for an opening weekend in the range of $10-11 million, per The Hollywood Reporter.
- 12/9/2023
- by Hannah Shaw-Williams
- Slash Film
Spoilers for "The Boy and the Heron" follow.
Hayao Miyazaki refuses to stop. After threatening to call it quits several times over the years, he broke his 2013 retirement by releasing the 2023 film "The Boy and the Heron." His latest movie may not be his last anymore, but it still serves as the perfect goodbye from one of the greatest animators of all time, and the perfect summary of his body of work.
"The Boy and the Heron" is a semi-biographical story inspired by Miyazaki's own upbringing — as well as his professional relationship with decades-long collaborators Isao Takahata and Toshio Suzuki. Initial reviews for the film praised Miyazaki for combining a personal story with a fantasy adventure. Indeed, the film is so personal that Miyazaki changed the story after Takahata passed away in 2018. Just as the film reaching theaters has a different story than initially thought by Miyazaki, it also has...
Hayao Miyazaki refuses to stop. After threatening to call it quits several times over the years, he broke his 2013 retirement by releasing the 2023 film "The Boy and the Heron." His latest movie may not be his last anymore, but it still serves as the perfect goodbye from one of the greatest animators of all time, and the perfect summary of his body of work.
"The Boy and the Heron" is a semi-biographical story inspired by Miyazaki's own upbringing — as well as his professional relationship with decades-long collaborators Isao Takahata and Toshio Suzuki. Initial reviews for the film praised Miyazaki for combining a personal story with a fantasy adventure. Indeed, the film is so personal that Miyazaki changed the story after Takahata passed away in 2018. Just as the film reaching theaters has a different story than initially thought by Miyazaki, it also has...
- 12/8/2023
- by Rafael Motamayor
- Slash Film
This article contains spoilers for "The Boy and the Heron."
As a prolific director and one of the co-founders of Studio Ghibli, Hayao Miyazaki has become one of the biggest names in animation around the world, possibly the best-known name outside of Walt Disney himself. But it's easy to forget about the other names behind Studio Ghibli.
Studio Ghibli was founded by Miyazaki, fellow director Isao Takahata, and producer Toshio Suzuki in 1985. By that point, the two directors had already spent 20 years working together. First, they worked on the financially disappointing yet hugely influential "The Great Adventure of Horus, Prince of the Sun," as well as on Nippon Animation shows like "Heidi, Girl of the Alps," and "3000 Leagues in Search of Mother." It is a partnership that created a powerhouse in animation, and one that is at the heart of Miyazaki's latest (but no longer last) movie, "The Boy and the Heron.
As a prolific director and one of the co-founders of Studio Ghibli, Hayao Miyazaki has become one of the biggest names in animation around the world, possibly the best-known name outside of Walt Disney himself. But it's easy to forget about the other names behind Studio Ghibli.
Studio Ghibli was founded by Miyazaki, fellow director Isao Takahata, and producer Toshio Suzuki in 1985. By that point, the two directors had already spent 20 years working together. First, they worked on the financially disappointing yet hugely influential "The Great Adventure of Horus, Prince of the Sun," as well as on Nippon Animation shows like "Heidi, Girl of the Alps," and "3000 Leagues in Search of Mother." It is a partnership that created a powerhouse in animation, and one that is at the heart of Miyazaki's latest (but no longer last) movie, "The Boy and the Heron.
- 12/8/2023
- by Rafael Motamayor
- Slash Film
Studio Ghibli, a scrappy Japanese animation studio that was founded in the ‘80s, would go on to become an industry powerhouse that surpasses Disney’s sense of fantasy, Pixar’s emotional catharsis, and the unabashed against-the-grain individualism of DreamWorks Animation. Hayao Miyazaki’s name is often synonymous with Studio Ghibli, the animation studio that he founded with fellow director Isao Takahata and producer Toshio Suzuki. Every Studio Ghibli film is special, but Hayao Miyazaki is an anime auteur whose cinematic offerings become pop culture events that redefine animation and storytelling.
Hayao Miyazaki is a renowned voice in traditional hand-drawn animation whose movies have record-breaking budgets and take over a decade to complete. And every time, they’re worth it. Miyazaki’s feature films may seem like playful escapism to outsiders, but recurring elements and themes define the quintessential Miyazaki experience. Miyazaki’s anime oeuvre may come across as intimidating and impenetrable to newcomers.
Hayao Miyazaki is a renowned voice in traditional hand-drawn animation whose movies have record-breaking budgets and take over a decade to complete. And every time, they’re worth it. Miyazaki’s feature films may seem like playful escapism to outsiders, but recurring elements and themes define the quintessential Miyazaki experience. Miyazaki’s anime oeuvre may come across as intimidating and impenetrable to newcomers.
- 12/1/2023
- by Alec Bojalad
- Den of Geek
The Top 10 Best Studio Ghibli Movies, Ranked From Lowest to Highest (There's a 3-Way Tie for No. 1!)
Studio Ghibli is one of the most beloved animation studios in the world.
The Japanese studio, founded in 1985 by directors Hayao Miyazaki and Isao Takahata, along with producer Toshio Suzuki, is known for creating some of the most critically acclaimed animated films in the world.
The studio’s name, “Ghibli,” is inspired by a Libyan Arabic name for “hot desert wind,” chosen to represent the idea of bringing refreshing new ideas to the Japanese animation industry.
Studio Ghibli is known for its distinctive artistic style, attention to detail and emphasis on storytelling. Their films often feature richly developed characters, fantastical worlds, and themes that touch upon ecological concerns, human relationships, and personal growth.
And while many of the movies are targeted to a family-friendly audience, they often contain deeper philosophical and emotional layers that resonate with viewers of all ages.
We’ve rounded up all of the Studio Ghibli films,...
The Japanese studio, founded in 1985 by directors Hayao Miyazaki and Isao Takahata, along with producer Toshio Suzuki, is known for creating some of the most critically acclaimed animated films in the world.
The studio’s name, “Ghibli,” is inspired by a Libyan Arabic name for “hot desert wind,” chosen to represent the idea of bringing refreshing new ideas to the Japanese animation industry.
Studio Ghibli is known for its distinctive artistic style, attention to detail and emphasis on storytelling. Their films often feature richly developed characters, fantastical worlds, and themes that touch upon ecological concerns, human relationships, and personal growth.
And while many of the movies are targeted to a family-friendly audience, they often contain deeper philosophical and emotional layers that resonate with viewers of all ages.
We’ve rounded up all of the Studio Ghibli films,...
- 11/30/2023
- by Just Jared
- Just Jared
As the co-founder of Studio Ghibli, Toshio Suzuki has worked with director Hayao Miyazaki on many films. With The Boy and the Heron, he was able to help bring Miyazaki’s semi-autobiographical fantasy story to life.
In his most personal work to date, Miyazaki’s The Boy and the Heron follows the story of a young boy named Mahito, who has recently lost his mother. Along with a cunning and deceptive gray heron, he journeys to a mysterious world outside of time where the dead and the living coexist. Suzuki says the core of the story had to change when Miyazaki’s mentor and friend, Isao Takahata, passed away. This led to a focus on the strange friendship between Mahito and the heron.
‘The Boy and the Heron’
Deadline: Where did the story come from?
Toshio Suzuki: [Miyazaki]’s never done a film where he himself is the protagonist, so...
In his most personal work to date, Miyazaki’s The Boy and the Heron follows the story of a young boy named Mahito, who has recently lost his mother. Along with a cunning and deceptive gray heron, he journeys to a mysterious world outside of time where the dead and the living coexist. Suzuki says the core of the story had to change when Miyazaki’s mentor and friend, Isao Takahata, passed away. This led to a focus on the strange friendship between Mahito and the heron.
‘The Boy and the Heron’
Deadline: Where did the story come from?
Toshio Suzuki: [Miyazaki]’s never done a film where he himself is the protagonist, so...
- 11/28/2023
- by Ryan Fleming
- Deadline Film + TV
When Hayao Miyazaki pitched “The Boy and the Heron” to Studio Ghibli co-founder/producer Toshio Suzuki in 2016, he asked permission to make the story about himself. This took Suzuki — his friend of nearly 40 years at the time — by surprise; the legendary anime director isn’t known for getting so personal. And yet this aligned perfectly with the notion that Ghibli films are devoted to reliving memories.
“I agree that it is Miyazaki’s most personal film because he actually told me,” Suzuki told IndieWire over Zoom through an interpreter. Not only is “The Boy and the Heron” inspired by Miyazaki’s childhood (he endured the firebombing of Japan during World War II and his father was director of the family’s aircraft manufacturing factory), but also his career at Ghibli with his two closest friends: the late studio co-founder/director Isao Takahata (“Grave of the Fireflies”) and Suzuki.
“Miyazaki is...
“I agree that it is Miyazaki’s most personal film because he actually told me,” Suzuki told IndieWire over Zoom through an interpreter. Not only is “The Boy and the Heron” inspired by Miyazaki’s childhood (he endured the firebombing of Japan during World War II and his father was director of the family’s aircraft manufacturing factory), but also his career at Ghibli with his two closest friends: the late studio co-founder/director Isao Takahata (“Grave of the Fireflies”) and Suzuki.
“Miyazaki is...
- 11/22/2023
- by Bill Desowitz
- Indiewire
French filmmaker Claire Denis has been announced as the jury president for the Official Section of the 71st San Sebastian Film Festival, running from September 22-30.
Denis will be joined by the German director Christian Petzold; Chinese actress Fan Bingbing; Colombian producer, director, and writer Cristina Gallego; French photographer Brigitte Lacombe; Hungarian producer Robert Lantos; and Spanish actress Vicky Luengo.
The jury awards the Golden Shell for Best Film and the Silver Shell awards for Best Director, Best Leading Performance, and Best Supporting Performance, as well as jury prizes for Cinematography and Screenplay. The Official Awards will be announced and presented at the festival’s Closing Gala on September 30.
The festival also announced today that it will hand Japanese filmmaker Hayao Miyazaki an honorary Donostia Award for career achievement. Miyazaki will receive the award virtually during the opening ceremony on September 22.
Filmmakers also set to attend San Seb include Maite Alberdi,...
Denis will be joined by the German director Christian Petzold; Chinese actress Fan Bingbing; Colombian producer, director, and writer Cristina Gallego; French photographer Brigitte Lacombe; Hungarian producer Robert Lantos; and Spanish actress Vicky Luengo.
The jury awards the Golden Shell for Best Film and the Silver Shell awards for Best Director, Best Leading Performance, and Best Supporting Performance, as well as jury prizes for Cinematography and Screenplay. The Official Awards will be announced and presented at the festival’s Closing Gala on September 30.
The festival also announced today that it will hand Japanese filmmaker Hayao Miyazaki an honorary Donostia Award for career achievement. Miyazaki will receive the award virtually during the opening ceremony on September 22.
Filmmakers also set to attend San Seb include Maite Alberdi,...
- 9/8/2023
- by Zac Ntim
- Deadline Film + TV
More often than not, Hayao Miyazaki’s heroes have been young women — from Ponyo to Princess Mononoke, mischief-seeking Kiki to the two sisters spirited away by furry forest guardians in “My Neighbor Totoro.” That’s the most obvious departure the anime maestro’s fans will notice in “The Boy and the Heron”: It’s about a boy, Mahito Maki (voiced by Soma Santoki), grieving the loss of his mother during wartime. He’s surrounded by women, but this quest falls on the shoulders of a character who’s reportedly closer to Miyazaki than any of his previous protagonists.
In 2013, the world-renowned toon auteur announced his retirement from feature filmmaking. He disbanded Studio Ghibli, the company he’d co-founded, and let its artists scatter to find work where they could. But Miyazaki couldn’t stop drawing. And this time, the adventure he imagined centered on a 12-year-old boy and the...
In 2013, the world-renowned toon auteur announced his retirement from feature filmmaking. He disbanded Studio Ghibli, the company he’d co-founded, and let its artists scatter to find work where they could. But Miyazaki couldn’t stop drawing. And this time, the adventure he imagined centered on a 12-year-old boy and the...
- 9/8/2023
- by Peter Debruge
- Variety Film + TV
Hayao Miyazaki is one of the most influential filmmakers in the history of animation. Studio Ghibli, the Japanese animation studio that he founded with Toshio Suzuki and Isao Takahata, has produced such classics as “My Neighbor Totoro,” “Kiki’s Delivery Service,” and “Princess Mononoke.”
Miyazaki has contended for Best Animated Feature at the Oscars three times: in 2003 for “Spirited Away,” in 2006 for “Howl’s Moving Castle,” and in 2014 for “The Wind Rises.” He won for “Spirited Away,” beating out “Ice Age,” “Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron,” and “Treasure Planet.” Meanwhile, “Howl’s Moving Castle” lost to “Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit” and “The Wind Rises” lost to “Frozen.” Miyazaki was awarded an honorary Oscar in 2015, too, alongside Jean-Claude Carrière and Maureen O’Hara.
And Miyazaki may well be back on the Oscars stage more this year for “The Boy and the Heron.” The story follows a teenage boy who enters a...
Miyazaki has contended for Best Animated Feature at the Oscars three times: in 2003 for “Spirited Away,” in 2006 for “Howl’s Moving Castle,” and in 2014 for “The Wind Rises.” He won for “Spirited Away,” beating out “Ice Age,” “Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron,” and “Treasure Planet.” Meanwhile, “Howl’s Moving Castle” lost to “Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit” and “The Wind Rises” lost to “Frozen.” Miyazaki was awarded an honorary Oscar in 2015, too, alongside Jean-Claude Carrière and Maureen O’Hara.
And Miyazaki may well be back on the Oscars stage more this year for “The Boy and the Heron.” The story follows a teenage boy who enters a...
- 9/7/2023
- by Jacob Sarkisian
- Gold Derby
Exclusive: Sources tell Deadline that the Toronto International Film Festival’s opening night film on Sept. 7, The Boy and the Heron from Hayao Miyazaki, has sold out in record time.
This despite the fact that Miyazaki won’t be in attendance at TIFF in a year that’s heavily relying on the turnout of filmmakers as most actors can’t promote their movies due to the ongoing SAG-AFTRA strike. This is not a shocker in regards to Miyazaki being a no-go at TIFF: He hasn’t done any interviews or appearances for the hand-drawn animated The Boy and the Heron in Japan where the pic opened to fantastic numbers and currently counts a running total box office there of $48M. It was always expected that the filmmaker would not travel to TIFF where The Boy and the Heron is making its international premiere. In a break with tradition, Studio Ghibli...
This despite the fact that Miyazaki won’t be in attendance at TIFF in a year that’s heavily relying on the turnout of filmmakers as most actors can’t promote their movies due to the ongoing SAG-AFTRA strike. This is not a shocker in regards to Miyazaki being a no-go at TIFF: He hasn’t done any interviews or appearances for the hand-drawn animated The Boy and the Heron in Japan where the pic opened to fantastic numbers and currently counts a running total box office there of $48M. It was always expected that the filmmaker would not travel to TIFF where The Boy and the Heron is making its international premiere. In a break with tradition, Studio Ghibli...
- 8/25/2023
- by Anthony D'Alessandro
- Deadline Film + TV
Hayao Miyazaki’s final film, The Boy and the Heron, has a busy schedule for September. The hand-drawn animated feature, which was released in theaters in Japan on July 14, will open the Toronto Film Festival on Sept. 7 and then, just two weeks later, will kick off San Sebastian Festival, opening the 71st edition of the famed Spanish festival Sept. 22.
The movie will screen out of competition at San Sebastian, unspooling at the Kursaal Auditorium after the opening gala.
Producers Studio Ghibli have described the film as “a grand fantasy” loosely inspired by Japanese author Genzaburo Yoshino’s 1937 novel How Do You Live?, a coming-of-age story about the emotional and philosophical development of a young boy after the death of his father. But they have been uncharacteristically secretive about the movie’s content. Ghibli took the unprecedented step of doing no marketing in Japan for the film, releasing no trailers and no plot summary,...
The movie will screen out of competition at San Sebastian, unspooling at the Kursaal Auditorium after the opening gala.
Producers Studio Ghibli have described the film as “a grand fantasy” loosely inspired by Japanese author Genzaburo Yoshino’s 1937 novel How Do You Live?, a coming-of-age story about the emotional and philosophical development of a young boy after the death of his father. But they have been uncharacteristically secretive about the movie’s content. Ghibli took the unprecedented step of doing no marketing in Japan for the film, releasing no trailers and no plot summary,...
- 8/17/2023
- by Scott Roxborough
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
The Boy And The Heron Photo: Courtesy of San Sebastian Film Festival Hayao Miyazaki’s latest film The Boy And The Heron (Kimitachi wa Do Ikiruka) will have its European premiere as the opening night film of San Sebastian Film Festival on September 22.
The animation - which has been described as "a grand fantasy" by Studio Ghibli and which is loosely based on Genzaburo Yoshino’s 1937 coming-of-age novel How Do You Live? - will also open Toronto Film Festival earlier in the month.
Miyazaki founded Studio Ghibli with Isao Takahata in 1985 and has gone on to direct critically acclaimed animations including My Neighbour Totoro, Spirited Away and Howl's Moving Castle, which was Oscar nominated. He also received an Oscar nod for his 2013 feature The Wind Rises, which screened at the festival. San Sebastian has also shown Spirited Away and Ponyo. His latest film will screen out of competition....
The animation - which has been described as "a grand fantasy" by Studio Ghibli and which is loosely based on Genzaburo Yoshino’s 1937 coming-of-age novel How Do You Live? - will also open Toronto Film Festival earlier in the month.
Miyazaki founded Studio Ghibli with Isao Takahata in 1985 and has gone on to direct critically acclaimed animations including My Neighbour Totoro, Spirited Away and Howl's Moving Castle, which was Oscar nominated. He also received an Oscar nod for his 2013 feature The Wind Rises, which screened at the festival. San Sebastian has also shown Spirited Away and Ponyo. His latest film will screen out of competition....
- 8/17/2023
- by Amber Wilkinson
- eyeforfilm.co.uk
Hayao Miyazaki will open the 71st edition of the San Sebastian Film Festival with his latest pic, The Boy and the Heron.
The film will screen out of competition at the festival’s Kursaal Auditorium on September 22, following the opening night gala.
This is the fourth time Miyazaki has played the Spanish festival, but it is the first time he will have participated in the Official Selection. He previously played the Velodrome section with Spirited Away and Gake no Ue no Ponyo / Ponyo on the Cliff by the Sea (2008) and in Perlak with The Wind Rises. Two other Ghibli films have been selected in the Perlak section: Kaguya-hime no Monogatari / The Tale of The Princess Kaguya (2013) by Isao Takahata and La tortue rouge / Red Turtle (2016) by Michael Dudok de Wit.
The Boy and the Heron will make its bow in Spain after opening the Toronto Film Festival on September 7. The...
The film will screen out of competition at the festival’s Kursaal Auditorium on September 22, following the opening night gala.
This is the fourth time Miyazaki has played the Spanish festival, but it is the first time he will have participated in the Official Selection. He previously played the Velodrome section with Spirited Away and Gake no Ue no Ponyo / Ponyo on the Cliff by the Sea (2008) and in Perlak with The Wind Rises. Two other Ghibli films have been selected in the Perlak section: Kaguya-hime no Monogatari / The Tale of The Princess Kaguya (2013) by Isao Takahata and La tortue rouge / Red Turtle (2016) by Michael Dudok de Wit.
The Boy and the Heron will make its bow in Spain after opening the Toronto Film Festival on September 7. The...
- 8/17/2023
- by Zac Ntim
- Deadline Film + TV
With his latest film “Oppenheimer,” Christopher Nolan has returned to war; World War II, specifically. Although the J. Robert Oppenheimer biopic doesn’t feature any scenes of soldiers heading into battle, it’s a war movie at its heart, with the conflict in Europe and Asia motivating the morally reprehensible actions of the Manhattan Project in the States. “Oppenheimer” makes, in some ways, a good companion piece to Nolan’s 2016 hit “Dunkirk”: a more conventional (relatively speaking) depiction of the war, from the perspectives of the ordinary soldiers during the Dunkirk evacuation.
From the moment it ended, World War II has proven fertile ground for hundreds of directors, as Hollywood stars have geared up to fight some Nazis. But, perhaps due to the relative recency and large scope of the conflict, the war has also invited an unexpected level of nuance and diversity of perspectives. One of the earliest...
From the moment it ended, World War II has proven fertile ground for hundreds of directors, as Hollywood stars have geared up to fight some Nazis. But, perhaps due to the relative recency and large scope of the conflict, the war has also invited an unexpected level of nuance and diversity of perspectives. One of the earliest...
- 8/3/2023
- by Kate Erbland and Wilson Chapman
- Indiewire
"Barbenheimer" is the cinematic event of the summer. Greta Gerwig's "Barbie" and Christopher Nolan's "Oppenheimer" are highly anticipated films by two acclaimed directors that could not be more different. One is a deep, subversive exploration of an iconic figure in American history, whose complicated legacy is filled with controversy. The other is a movie about J. Robert Oppenheimer.
What makes this particular case of counterprogramming so unique and fun is that, beyond the tone of both movies, their subject matters themselves are polar opposites. "Oppenheimer" deals with one of the darkest chapters in human history and recreates a nuclear explosion, and "Barbie," well, is a pink-colored party with Ryan Gosling continuing to prove he belongs in comedies. That's what separates this from other competing summer blockbusters like "The Dark Knight" and "Mamma Mia," but it is not the first time a gripping drama about WWII is released on...
What makes this particular case of counterprogramming so unique and fun is that, beyond the tone of both movies, their subject matters themselves are polar opposites. "Oppenheimer" deals with one of the darkest chapters in human history and recreates a nuclear explosion, and "Barbie," well, is a pink-colored party with Ryan Gosling continuing to prove he belongs in comedies. That's what separates this from other competing summer blockbusters like "The Dark Knight" and "Mamma Mia," but it is not the first time a gripping drama about WWII is released on...
- 7/23/2023
- by Rafael Motamayor
- Slash Film
The Studio Ghibli animation is the first from the iconic director in a decade.
The Boy And The Heron, the first film in 10 years from iconic animation director Hayao Miyazaki, has broken box office records on its opening weekend in Japan despite receiving no marketing push.
The Studio Ghibli film, which is locally titled Kimitachi wa Dō Ikiru ka? (How Do You Live?), opened Friday (July 14) and earned $15.46m (Y2.14bn) over four days, which included Monday’s Marine Day national holiday. It was distributed by Toho, which supplied the figures.
It marks the biggest-ever opening weekend for Miyazaki as...
The Boy And The Heron, the first film in 10 years from iconic animation director Hayao Miyazaki, has broken box office records on its opening weekend in Japan despite receiving no marketing push.
The Studio Ghibli film, which is locally titled Kimitachi wa Dō Ikiru ka? (How Do You Live?), opened Friday (July 14) and earned $15.46m (Y2.14bn) over four days, which included Monday’s Marine Day national holiday. It was distributed by Toho, which supplied the figures.
It marks the biggest-ever opening weekend for Miyazaki as...
- 7/18/2023
- by Matt Schley
- ScreenDaily
Gkids, the acclaimed animation producer and distributor, has announced its acquisition of the North American distribution rights to “The Boy and the Heron,” the latest release from Hayao Miyazaki, the Oscar-winning director of “Spirited Away” and “The Wind Rises” and the co-founder of legendary Japanese animation house Studio Ghibli. A North American release is planned for later this year, meaning it will qualify for next year’s Academy Awards.
The film, which is being released in Japan without any trailers, TV spots or even official synopses (the Japanese title is “How Do You Live”), will be produced by Studio Ghibli co-founder Toshio Suzuki and features a musical score by longtime collaborator Joe Hisaishi.
According to the official release: “In an unprecedented decision by Studio Ghibli, no images, trailers, synopses, advertisements, or other information about the film have been made available to the public prior to its release in theaters in Japan.
The film, which is being released in Japan without any trailers, TV spots or even official synopses (the Japanese title is “How Do You Live”), will be produced by Studio Ghibli co-founder Toshio Suzuki and features a musical score by longtime collaborator Joe Hisaishi.
According to the official release: “In an unprecedented decision by Studio Ghibli, no images, trailers, synopses, advertisements, or other information about the film have been made available to the public prior to its release in theaters in Japan.
- 7/14/2023
- by Drew Taylor
- The Wrap
One of the most exciting parts of a new Oscars season is seeing which over-due artists may finally land their first wins or bids. Last year, Todd Field (“Tár”) and Martin McDonagh (“The Banshees of Inisherin”), two revered filmmakers who have had plenty of acclaimed pictures in the past, finally received the first Best Director nominations of their careers. This year, there are several more filmmakers who are on the lookout for their first bids. So, here’s a rundown of five renowned helmers who could be first-time Best Director nominees this year.
Ben Affleck — “Air” (Amazon Studios/Universal)
Starring: Ben Affleck, Matt Damon, Jason Bateman, Viola Davis
Release Date: April 5, 2023
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 92%
“Follows the history of sports marketing executive Sonny Vaccaro, and how he led Nike in its pursuit of the greatest athlete in the history of basketball, Michael Jordan.”
Affleck won Best Picture in his directorial debut...
Ben Affleck — “Air” (Amazon Studios/Universal)
Starring: Ben Affleck, Matt Damon, Jason Bateman, Viola Davis
Release Date: April 5, 2023
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 92%
“Follows the history of sports marketing executive Sonny Vaccaro, and how he led Nike in its pursuit of the greatest athlete in the history of basketball, Michael Jordan.”
Affleck won Best Picture in his directorial debut...
- 7/13/2023
- by Jacob Sarkisian
- Gold Derby
When one thinks of Studio Ghibli, it's hard not to get wrapped up in its magical, cottagecore fuzziness. Less is usually said of Ghibli's more meditative arm, which produced more straight-laced human dramas like the war film “Grave of the Fireflies” and “Only Yesterday”. These evocative works were the contributions of Isao Takahata. The animation director's career, like his colleague Hayao Miyazaki, reveals a penchant for sentimental fantasy. But unlike the latter, Takahata's directorial touch often delved into conflict and human suffering, with gentle but unflinching intricacy. This week, we explore the first feature Takahata ever directed, that put him in collaboration with Hayao Miyazaki, eventually leading to their founding of Studio Ghibli 17 years later.
“The Great Adventure of Horus, Prince of the Sun”, made under Toei in 1968, holds the curious combination of profound melodrama and magical fantasy that is unique to Ghibli's films today. Deriving from an ancient Ainu saga,...
“The Great Adventure of Horus, Prince of the Sun”, made under Toei in 1968, holds the curious combination of profound melodrama and magical fantasy that is unique to Ghibli's films today. Deriving from an ancient Ainu saga,...
- 3/26/2023
- by Renee Ng
- AsianMoviePulse
War is a living nightmare, wreaking its destruction on innocent lives and civilizations. It casts deep wounds that shape our history, present circumstances, and potential prospects for the future.
War has been a central theme in all of human history since its inception. It inspires both captivation and terror, with stories of bravery, resilience, and courage, as well as violence and death. It is the peak of danger – where any semblance of safety or security ceases to exist for those who fight. All that remains are humanity’s yearning for survival against insurmountable odds.
Hollywood has no shortage of war films meant to both awe and educate. Some promote the best humanity can offer as people come together for a common cause. Others reveal the horrific truth behind conflict’s brutality and man’s capacity for harm on an unimaginable scale.
Here is the ultimate fan selection of the top...
War has been a central theme in all of human history since its inception. It inspires both captivation and terror, with stories of bravery, resilience, and courage, as well as violence and death. It is the peak of danger – where any semblance of safety or security ceases to exist for those who fight. All that remains are humanity’s yearning for survival against insurmountable odds.
Hollywood has no shortage of war films meant to both awe and educate. Some promote the best humanity can offer as people come together for a common cause. Others reveal the horrific truth behind conflict’s brutality and man’s capacity for harm on an unimaginable scale.
Here is the ultimate fan selection of the top...
- 3/19/2023
- by Buddy TV
- buddytv.com
The early years of the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature promised a future that never came to pass. Its current state as a depressingly predictable category dominated by whatever Disney released that year is one that feels limited through intention rather than ignorance, and it was 2003’s awarding of Spirited Away that sparked a sequence of events that spawned the show we know today.
Five different studios took home the first six awards. With CG, traditional and stop-motion animation all represented, it seemed like the diversity of animated cinema...
Five different studios took home the first six awards. With CG, traditional and stop-motion animation all represented, it seemed like the diversity of animated cinema...
- 3/9/2023
- by Ryan Gaur
- Rollingstone.com
French sales powerhouse company Wild Bunch International (Wbi) and Studiocanal UK have embarked on a legal battle in the U.K. High Court over rights to Studio Ghibli films in the territory.
Studiocanal UK has taken issue with the 2019 Netflix deal brokered by Wbi giving the platform worldwide streaming rights to much of the Studio Ghibli catalogue.
In a legal claim filed on November 3, the company says the accord had impacted its ability to exploit 15 Studio Ghibli titles in the U.K., included in a home entertainment deal signed in 2015, and renewed in 2017.
The 2019 Netflix deal for worldwide rights (excluding North America and Japan) to 21 Studio Ghibli titles was seen as ground-breaking at that time.
Up until that point, Studio Ghibli films had only been available theatrically and then via DVD, Blu-Ray, or terrestrial broadcast, because co-founders Hayao Miyazaki, late Isao Takahata and Toshio Suzuki had refused to sell the digital rights on a territory-by-territory basis.
Studiocanal UK has taken issue with the 2019 Netflix deal brokered by Wbi giving the platform worldwide streaming rights to much of the Studio Ghibli catalogue.
In a legal claim filed on November 3, the company says the accord had impacted its ability to exploit 15 Studio Ghibli titles in the U.K., included in a home entertainment deal signed in 2015, and renewed in 2017.
The 2019 Netflix deal for worldwide rights (excluding North America and Japan) to 21 Studio Ghibli titles was seen as ground-breaking at that time.
Up until that point, Studio Ghibli films had only been available theatrically and then via DVD, Blu-Ray, or terrestrial broadcast, because co-founders Hayao Miyazaki, late Isao Takahata and Toshio Suzuki had refused to sell the digital rights on a territory-by-territory basis.
- 12/21/2022
- by Melanie Goodfellow
- Deadline Film + TV
Studio Ghibli today announced that renowned filmmaker Hayao Miyazaki will release a new film titled How Do You Live in Japanese theaters on July 14, 2023.
Toho is releasing the pic Japan, which will be Miyazaki’s first feature-length film in 10 years. His last release was the 2013 World War II film The Wind Rises, a fictionalized biographical film about Japanese aviator Jiro Horikoshi.
The studio did not announce any further details about the pic, but it did share a sketch on its social media accounts to accompany the news. The image appeared to be a bird with white and blue feathers.
The new feature film from director Hayao Miyazaki and Studio Ghibli has been announced! How Do You Live (tentative title) opens in theaters in Japan on July 14, 2023. https://t.co/fHnLM6epTS
— Studio Ghibli (@GhibliUSA) December 13, 2022
In an interview with the New York Times last year, Miyazaki said the pic is...
Toho is releasing the pic Japan, which will be Miyazaki’s first feature-length film in 10 years. His last release was the 2013 World War II film The Wind Rises, a fictionalized biographical film about Japanese aviator Jiro Horikoshi.
The studio did not announce any further details about the pic, but it did share a sketch on its social media accounts to accompany the news. The image appeared to be a bird with white and blue feathers.
The new feature film from director Hayao Miyazaki and Studio Ghibli has been announced! How Do You Live (tentative title) opens in theaters in Japan on July 14, 2023. https://t.co/fHnLM6epTS
— Studio Ghibli (@GhibliUSA) December 13, 2022
In an interview with the New York Times last year, Miyazaki said the pic is...
- 12/13/2022
- by Zac Ntim
- Deadline Film + TV
I saw "Spirited Away" for the first time as a child via a rental DVD in a New Hampshire farmhouse buried in snow. I was so taken aback that I had to see it again immediately. This time I demanded that my parents join me. Early in the film, when the heroine Chihiro is threatened by a mysterious frog man, her friend Haku traps him in a magic bubble. "It's a Pokemon!" my mother cried. "He's in a Pokeball!" The visuals of "Spirited Away" had so discombobulated my family that they could only grasp at reference points. Critics were similarly taken aback when the film came to the United States in 2002. Nigel Andrews wrote in the Financial Times that "Spirited Away" is a film that "sums up all existence and gives us a mythology good for every society, amoebal, animal or human, that ever lived."
In the years since it's...
In the years since it's...
- 11/22/2022
- by Adam Wescott
- Slash Film
Studio Ghibli is a revered Japanese animation studio that’s best known for its lineup of heartwarming and sometimes heart-wrenching films. Following the success of Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind, friends and longtime collaborators Hayao Miyazaki and Isao Takahata decided to start their own company. Fast forward to three decades later and Studio Ghibli has become one of the most celebrated studios in the world. However, most of their movies were either difficult to find or expensive to watch. But, thanks to their deals with Netflix and HBO Max, their timeless classics are now just a click away. Miyazaki’s
The Five Best Studio Ghibli Movies...
The Five Best Studio Ghibli Movies...
- 11/20/2022
- by kgayle
- TVovermind.com
There was once a man named Mamoru Hosada who decided to become an anime director. After a phenomenal career at Toei, where he worked on classic episodes of "Digimon" and "Revolutionary Girl Utena," he was recruited by Studio Ghibli to direct their upcoming film "Howl's Moving Castle." Unfortunately, Hosada's project was cursed from the beginning. Much of Ghibli was already busy crafting "Spirited Away." Hosada worked hard to secure a team of animators, but he could only do so much by himself. The harder he worked to keep "Howl's Moving Castle" alive, the faster it became a time and money sink. Sooner or later, the film collapsed, and Hosada was removed from the project. In an interview with Animestyle, Hosada expressed his feelings of guilt for the animators he was forced to abandon. "I had lied to them," he said. "I had betrayed them. Now nobody would trust me again.
- 11/17/2022
- by Adam Wescott
- Slash Film
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