An early Christmas present came from Studio Ghibli today in the form of an official announcement of its next two feature films:「風立ちぬ」(Kaze Tachinu/The Wind Rises) and「かぐや姫の物語」(Kaguya Hime no Monogatari/The Story of Princess Kaguya), directed by Miyazaki Hayao and Takahata Isao respectively.
Both films are due out in Japan in the summer of 2013 and will premiere on the same day. The announcement did not come out of the blue – it has already been known for a while that both Miyazaki and Takahata were working on projects, and some information about the upcoming films’ contents had been previously circulated – but this was the official announcement, with first posters and all.
More details on each film:
- 「風立ちぬ」(Kaze Tachinu/The Wind Rises)
Kaze Tachinu.
Director: Miyazaki Hayao (「風の谷のナウシカ」/Kaze no Tani no Naushika/Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind, 1984; 「もののけ姫」/Mononoke Hime/Princess Mononoke, 1997; 「千と千尋の神隠し」 /Sen to Chihiro no Kamikakushi/Spirited Away, 2001; 「ハウルの動く城」 /Hauru no Ugoku Shiro/Howl’s Moving Castle, 2004)
Kaze Tachinu is said to be loosely based on Hori Tatsuo’s short novel of the same name (from 1936/37) about Horikoshi Jirō, the designer of the Mitsubishi A6M Zero fighter plane from World War II. Miyazaki first created a manga mini-series about Horikoshi in 2009 and has now turned it into a feature film – though how closely he will stick to the biography of the real-life man and to what degree manga and film adaptation overlap are anyone’s guess at the moment.
The poster, certainly, is quite Miyazaki-like and invokes the feeling of Hauru no Ugoku Shiro for me – that female painter reminds of the young Sophie. (That said, I doubt we’ll get a fantasy world with magicians and witches like in Hauru.) It’s notable that it is a woman that it is depicted, given that the film itself is said to focus on a man - but then Miyazaki nearly always provides us with an interesting female character (if not story heroine).
Official website: kazetachinu.jp (in Japanese only, nothing much to see yet)
- 「かぐや姫の物語」(Kaguya Hime no Monogatari/The Story of Princess Kaguya aka The Tale of the Bamboo Cutter)
Kaguya Hime.
Director: Takahata Isao (「火垂るの墓」/Hotaru no Haka/Grave of the Fireflies, 1988; 「おもひでぽろぽろ」/Omohide Poro Poro/Only Yesterday, 1991), 「ホーホケキョ となりの山田くん」 /Hōhokekyo Tonari no Yamada-kun/My Neighbors the Yamadas, 1999)
Story: Takahata’s project, meanwhile, is based on a 10th century Japanese folktale: that of Princess Kaguya, a mysterious girl that is found inside the stalk of bamboo as a baby (hence the alternative title of Tale of the Bamboo Cutter). Wikipedia has more info on the folktale, but don’t read too much just yet (Wikipedia tends to be quite plot-spoilerish in my experience).
Confession: I haven’t yet watched anything by Takahata (I’m still mentally and emotionally prepping myself for Hotaru no Haka, while Omohide Poro Poro has been lingering in my DVDs-to-watch pile since I bought about a year ago), but the soft, watercolour-like poster certainly matches with style of his 1999 film. It’s all simplistically drawn, but could be very beautiful I think.
Official website: kaguyahime-monogatari.jp
Kaze Tanuchi is Miyazaki’s first project in five years (「崖の上のポニョ」 /Gake no Ue no Ponyo/Ponyo, in 2008, was the last one), while Takahata hasn’t made a full-length feature since Hōhokekyo Tonari no Yamada-kun in 1999 – since forever, really. Given that both Miyazaki and Takahata are getting on in years (the former was born in 1941, the latter in 1935), these may or may not be their final feature-length animations. So let’s look forward to them and hope for a double premiere in London soon after their release in Japan.
Hello, hello Aluaaaaaaa! I had to reply to a shocking revelation you made: YOU NEVER WATCHED A TAKAHATA MOVIE???????
Imma need a eurostar ticket ASAP….
I absolutely love, adore, treasure his Hotaru no Haka (and indeed, you need to be prepared, but you’re taking too long girl!), and Tonari no Yamada-kun was both hilarious and warm. I have also a fond memory of Omoide no Poro-poro, which also share the heartwarming brand Takahata has specialized into.
From the day I’ve heard about Kaguyahime (and the poster! ♥) I’ve been on pins and needles. I confess I’m less thrilled by Kaze Tanuchi, though I miss Miyazaki’s storytelling.
Himonoooooo… yeah, well… at least I’m being honest
. I only have Omoide no Poro-Poro on DVD, the others I still have to get hold off (not difficult, but lacking money).
I think I’m looking forward to both equally. Kaze Tanuchi isn’t as interesting topic-wise, but then again we don’t know what Miyazaki will do with it. (And that poster is already an indication it could be totally different from what we expect – I mean, how does a woman painter connect to story about a guy who designs war planes?)
Have you been watching awesomeness that is Osozaki no Himawari by the way? I wanna talk with someone about that dorama, but everyone on dramabeans only watches the K-stuff (which I can’t handle too much at the moment – only School 2013 is right up my alley, everything else doesn’t even manage to get me interested).
Gah, that dorama has been on my list eons ago, and I still didn’t manage to watch it…しくしく (crying). And it stars Ikuta Tohmygawd. TT__TT
Though I must say that from what I remember, it looked a bit melo/realistic, and I’m not really in the mood for that at the moment. I’d rather a good comedy, I desperately need to LAUGH, and if possible not at my own expense…
I agree with you about the poster, which is the only element that make me still hang on. That, and Miyazaki’s (père) name.
It’s not melo, but it is very much a slice-of-life drama, but it’s just lovely. There is serious stuff but it doesn’t feel too heavy – just very realistic. And Ikuta’s character is quite funny with his excessive enthusiasm, as is Kenta’s Junichi (he’s just so sweet). I was never much into Ikuta previously, but Tohmygawd as you say is really doing it for me here…
There isn’t any comedy dorama on at the moment, is there? I wish. I feel like there isn’t much to watch (J or K or even TW) at the moment. I’m watching Priceless also, which is probably a bit more on the funny side, but it’s still slice of life. How about (re)watching some older stuff? You know, Nodame or Hana Kimi, the totally whacko things that just make you crack up…
You sound terribly pessimistic about Kaze Tanuchi….
Good to see Takahata directing a film again! I remember it was so depressing watching Hotaru no Haka. Makes me wonder what it would have been like to watch a double-bill of that with Tonari no Totoro. The films are at the opposite spectrum of mood! I still think it’s a film one should watch at least once though:)
More Miyazaki film is always a good thing in my book. I just love how Ghibli has pretty much trademarked that style of poster in Kaze Tachinu,
As much as I look forward to these, I still need to catch up with Kokuriko Zaka Kara and Ponyo myself. Been slagging off watching any anime films recently…
I think a double bill of Hotaru no Haka and Tonari no Totoro would be interesting, with Hotaru no Haka first (that way Tonari no Totoro would cheer one up).
The style for both posters is pretty distinct and very recognisable as Studio Ghibli. Visually I’m almost more excited about Takahata, because that watercolour style has a lot of potential and could lead to some gorgeous screen shots. Of course, generally it’s a style that probably we are not so used to…
You better do your catching up – though who knows when we’ll get these two new films outside of Japan. Kokuriko Zaka Kara is lovely, Ponyo is good but it didn’t strike such a chord with me. If not anime, what have you watching instead (if anything)?
Someone on AUKN made the observation that Takahata and Miyazaki are swapping roles with Takahata tackling something fantastical and Miyazaki doing something far more grounded in reality.
Of the two projects Miyazaki’s interests me the most. I find him a better director becaue he is more suited to my whimsical tastes. Given his love of aircraft, it was only a matter of time before he tackled something realistic.
Takahata just destroys me with the films he makes. I ended up crying at the end of Fireflies and Only Yesterday. I still need to watch Gauche the Cellist
I read somewhere that Miyazak is turning away from fantasy due to the 3/11 or something. (I still think there is room for fantasy.)
It’s interesting that some people seem to be more excited about Takahata’s film, and others about Miyazaki’s. I’m pretty much equally excited about both, I mean, two more surely wonderful films coming up soon! What could be better…
I agree with you on all points! I’m still expecting Takahata to give me an emotional punch in the face though…