Photos: Spirited Away

I don't know if Spirited Away is Hayao Miyazaki's greatest movie, but it is probably his most accessible to global audiences. We can all relate to young Chihiro as she is swept into a strange and surreal world, learning the rules of the game and discovering her own hidden strengths. On the surface, she is pouty, disinterested, unhappy, passive. But heroic qualities lie deep underneath, only waiting for trial by fire to be unleashed.

It is a stroke of brilliance that Yubaba, the witch who oversees the spirit bath house, captures part of Chihiro's name, leaving only the first written character, "Sen." At first it feels like a theft, a loss. The girl has been robbed of her identity, and we see Yubaba as a villain as a result. Yet what has really happened is not a loss, but a liberation. "Sen," the true identity of the girl, has become unleashed, free to stretch and grow and learn.

This persona is far more interesting, courageous and dedicated and hard-working. Where "Chihiro" would lie down in the back seat and passively allow life to drive her away, "Sen" takes command of her situation, stands tall, asks questions, demands answers, and works tirelessly for the sake of others.

The scene of Sen in the ghost train has often been described by Miyazaki as the true dramatic climax to the movie. It shows the full emergence of the girl's true self, her true metamorphosis. Compare this moment to that opening scene in the family car, and you'll see what I mean.

For Japanese audiences, Miyazaki is offering a critique of contemporary society, urging the modern Westernized consumer society to sit up, wake up, and regain their connections to their vast cultural heritage. The path to the future lies in the mythic past, not in the Disneyland-esque facade.

Get off the couch. Turn off the idiot box. Remember who you truly are. Reconnect with your roots and with the true self that lies buried within.

The Art of Castle in the Sky

Viz Media has long been supporters of Studio Ghibli, and nowhere better is this shown than in their series of movie art books. The Art of Castle in the Sky is the official companion to the 1986 Hayao Miyazaki movie, and like all the titles in the long-running series, features a massive collection of screenshots, production art, design sketches and informational insights from Miyazaki and his production team.

There are official "Art of..." books for all of the Studio Ghibli feature films, and a number of them have yet to be released in the States. I would certainly love to see all of these released on our shores.

I'm a big fan of this series of books and highly recommend them to all Ghibli Freaks. The cover and layout designs are terrific, the pages large and loaded with details. You pay a little more for the hardcover but you always get your money's worth.

Now if we could only see a digital (.pdf) version of these books! That would be magnificent. Unfortunately, if Amazon subjects major book publishers to the same file-size restrictions as they do with independent and self-published authors, then any future prospects for an e-book release remains grim.

In any case, you should pick up a copy of this book. It will look great on the coffee table or bookshelf.

GKIDS Acquires Mary and the Witch's Flower for Winter Release

GKIDS Films has secured the US rights to Mary and the Witch's Flower in early August, and has begun recording the dub soundtrack for its upcoming theatrical release. The American cast includes Kate Winslet, Jim Broadbent Wing, Ewen Bremner, Louis Ashbourne Serkis, and Ruby Barnhill in the title role. The movie is currently scheduled for a "winter" release.

This is the first movie from Studio Ponoc, a studio founded by former Studio Ghibli producer Yoshiaki Nishimura and staffed by Ghibli alumni. Director Hiromasa Yonebayashi, a protege of Hayao Miyazaki, has previously directed The Secret World of Arrietty and When Marnie Was There.

Mary was released in July to Japanese theaters and received positive reviews from critics and fans. According to Box Office Mojo, the film has earned $27,642,406, making it the 12th highest-grossing movie for the year in Japan.

The movie is adapted from the 1971 children's novel by Mary Stewart, The Little Broomstick. The Japanese screenplay was written by Riko Sakaguchi and Yonebayashi. The American screenplay adaptation was written by David and Lynda Freedman. The English-language soundtrack is produced by Geoffrey Wexler (longtime Ghibli collaborator) and executive produced by Will Clarke.

DT Media Newsletter #1 Out Today

The DT Media Newsletter is going out today to all of our subscribers. I describe our recent move from Minneapolis to Chicago, discuss the latest developments at DT Media (the books), and share some recent links at Ghibli Blog.

Newsletters are sent out bi-weekly, and will be published on Mondays (I wanted to rush the first one out now). Expect the next one to arrive on September 25.

When you subscribe to our mailing list, you will receive a free digital copy of our e-zine, Bocanada #1. This 48-page magazine features articles and reviews of video games, music, hi-fi audio, fine art, and Studio Ghibli movies. All of the content in this issue will appear in our upcoming book titles: Zen Arcade, Pop Life and Greatest Hits.

As always, thanks to everyone for joining, and if you haven't yet signed up, please do so today!

My Neighbor Totoro in Minecraft

This is just too cool to pass up. Alan Becker, a Minecraft enthusiast and Ghibli Freak, assembled a team that faithfully recreated the world of My Neighbor Totoro in Minecraft down to the smallest detail. The latest shaders are used to provide extremely detailed graphics, albeit with the classic 1-meter blocks. Everything looks terrific.

In this video, you will find the rural town on which the movie is based, the family house and yard, and the secret forest path that leads to the giant camphor tree that is home to the Totoro Family. Big Totoro, of course, is found waiting at the bus stop in the rain. Catbus can be found on the top of the tree.

You can see how this world could make for a terrific videogame, in the style of Super Mario 64, all about exploration and discovery and surprises around every corner. I definitely want to play around in this vast garden, don't you? There actually is a website where you can download the texture pack for Minecraft, but it appears to be down at the time of this writing. Hopefully, that will be fixed soon, but it's also possible that copyright issues with Studio Ghibli have forced Becker's team to close down their links.

Here's the video, enjoy:

Studio Ghibli Books: Biblioteca Studio Ghibli: El Viaje de Chihiro

Not to be outdone, Spanish author Marta Garcia Villar has written a new book devoted exclusively to Hayao Miyazaki's 2001 visual masterpiece Spirited Away. This book title shares the same subject as Alvaro Lopez Martin's El Viaje de Chihiro, and although the art design and layouts are slightly different, they are no less impressive and inspiring.

Villar and Martin were the co-authors on Mi Vecino Miyazaki and Antes de Mi Vecino Miyazaki, two hardcover volumes that cover the careers of Isao Takahata and Hayao Miyazaki. Each is an accomplished author in their own right, writing and churning out titles in rapid fashion.

The layout designs are magnificent, very colorful yet restrained. I might enjoy this a little more than Martin's book, and I'm curious to hear which volume fans prefer (the only correct answer, of course, is a tie, as both are excellent). The full-color illustrations are an especially nice touch. This book also includes a few impressive extras, including a bookmark and a pair of laminated illustrations.

At 288 pages, this is an impressive achievement for a single movie. You will find a tremendous amount of content in these pages. Of course, it is in Espanol, but I feel that English-language fans will enjoy owning this fine book. Both Villar and Martin have expressed their wish to have their works published in the USA, so perhaps we ought to help them out.

You can buy this book here: Biblioteca Studio Ghibli: El Viaje de Chihiro.

Studio Ghibli Books: El Viaje de Chihiro

Alvaro Lopez Martin, the publisher of Spain's Generacion Ghibli, released his latest book in June, titled El Viaje de Chihiro. This book is devoted exclusively to Hayao Miyazaki's 2001 blockbuster hit Spirited Away (or The Spiriting Away of Sen and Chihiro, to translate the Japanese title).

Martin also co-wrote (along with Marta Garcia Villar) two previous books about the careers of Hayao Miyazaki and Isao Takahata, Mi Vecino Miyazaki and Antes de Mi Vecino Miyazaki. I contributed a short blurb to the first and wrote the introduction to the second, and they're both magnificent books and must-haves for all Ghibli Freaks. This newest title seeks to continue that successful streak.

Published once again by Diablo, the layouts are terrific, bursting with full-color screenshots and packed with information. You will learn about the many themes and motifs in the movie, commentary by the author, and production artwork.

Once again, I am inspired and a little bit jealous. The writing is impeccable and comprehensive, the art design is lively and readable, and the extensive use of movie screenshots can be enjoyed by all people, regardless of language. It is this final point where Martin has one key advantage over me. Spain and the EU have greater leeway in terms of Fair Use and copyright law. They don't need to seek Studio Ghibli's formal approval for the use of their art assets, where such permission is required in the US.

Lucky for Alvaro Lopez Martin. Lucky for all us readers.

Buy your copy here: El Viaje de Chihiro.

Hey, GKIDS, Release This: Yasuo Otsuka's Joy in Motion

Now that GKIDS has become the exclusive distributor for all things Ghibli, here is a great opportunity to also release the many catalog titles in the studio's home video library. One terrific example is the 2004 documentary, Yasuo Otsuka's Joy in Motion.

This documentary movie originally aired on Japan's NHK TV network, and covers the life and career of legendary animator Yasuo Otsuka. Many milestones of anime history are covered, starting with the Toei Doga feature films, continuing to Lupin the 3rd, Future Boy Conan, The Castle of Cagliostro and Jarinko Chie. As Otsuka-san was also an "elder brother" to Isao Takahata and Hayao Miyazaki, their histories intertwine, and you will find yourself learning about their careers before the founding of Studio Ghibli.

This DVD includes English subtitles for the feature, which is always welcome for overseas fans. There are one or two extras on the disc which do not include subs, but this is common practice.

Joy in Motion was released on the Ghibli ga Ippai label, so it should be easy to negotiate the American distribution rights with NHK. It's not only a great movie about anime history, but also the craft of animation itself. Otsuka retired from animating in the 1980s to become a teacher at the Telecom studio, where he proved to be equally gifted as a mentor to future generations. He spreads his love of drawing and animation, and his students feel genuine excitement at seeing their drawings come to live. Joy in Motion, indeed.

This movie should become standard viewing in every high school in the world. It is an essential viewing for all who are fascinated by animation and wonder, could I do that? The answer is yes, yes you can. All you need is a pencil and a bit of imagination.

C'mon, GKIDS, pick up this title.

Can you think of any other Studio Ghibli library titles that you would like to see released in the West? Share in the comments below.

My Neighbors the Yamadas Blu-Ray Coming to US in Early 2018

Hooray! At long last, we're getting My Neighbors the Yamadas on Blu-Ray!

This was reported in our previous post, but it deserves its own mention. Isao Takahata's 1999 comedy masterpiece will finally arrive in the US on Blu-Ray in early 2018. This title has been available in Japan for many years, but Disney stubbornly refused to release the movie on our shores, leaving us stuck with the older (and inferior) DVD.

This movie really looks sensational on the higher-definition format. The watercolor designs absolutely just pop with detail and color in every frame, with a luminosity and clarity far above the DVD release. Audio quality will be vastly superior, as well, as we should expect.

I'll be first in line to pick up Yamadas when it arrives, and I'm confident all Ghibli Freaks will do likewise. It is easily a must for every movie lover's library. Start saving your pennies now, kids.

The Collected Works of Hayao Miyazaki Blu-Ray Box Set

Just as a friendly reminder, The Collected Works of Hayao Miyazaki, the 2015 Blu-Ray box set, is still available on Amazon. Word has been spreading that this release is no longer in print, which means you better move quickly before it becomes a prized (and very expensive) collectors' item.

Each of the movies in this box set features an all-new HD transfer (different from the previously released BD titles) and accurate English subtitles for all films (although I don't know if Kiki's Delivery Service ever fixed its dubtitles). Bonus features include the 1972 Miyazaki-directed pilot film, Yuki's Sun, which is exclusive to this release.

Why haven't I bought this thing yet? I'm also asking the same question about that Beatles in Mono LP box set. Oh, that's right, money. Whoops.

GKIDS Reissues Studio Ghibli Blu-Rays in October, November, Early 2018

GKIDS Films has secured the home video rights to Studio Ghibli's feature films, and will begin reissuing titles (Blu-Ray & DVD) under their own banner this October, with new cover designs and possibly new bonus features.

Six movies will be released on October 17: My Neighbor Totoro, Kiki's Delivery Service, Princess Mononoke, Spirited Away, Howl's Moving Castle, and Ponyo.

Two movies will be released on October 31: Nausicaa of the Valley of Wind and Castle in the Sky.

Two movies will be released on November 21: Porco Rosso and The Secret World of Arrietty.

Beginning in early 2018, five movies will be released: Pom Poko, Whisper of the Heart (Mimi wo Sumaseba), My Neighbors the Yamadas (!!), The Cat Returns, and Tales From Earthsea.

GKIDS has also stated that no changes will be made to the Ghibli titles currently on their roster, which currently includes Only Yesterday (Omohide Poro Poro), Ocean Waves (Umi ga Kikoeru), From Up on Poppy Hill, The Tale of the Princess Kaguya, and When Marnie Was There.

Grave of the Fireflies is currently distributed by Sentai Filmworks, and Disney will retain the rights to The Wind Rises. There are no plans for GKIDS to secure the rights to either movie anytime soon.

All movies will feature officially-sanctioned English-language dubs, English subtitles with Japanese audio, separate English SDH subtitles, and French subtitles. All movies will be region-locked and will include BD/DVD discs, but no digital release.

This is an exciting move, and one that was expected as GKIDS took over film distribution of the Ghibli catalog, first with theatrical releases and then home video. The migration from Disney has proceeded for several years, and now that Disney's rights are set to expire, that transfer is all but complete.

Now, the big question for diehard Ghibli Freaks: will the problems with several Disney BD titles be fixed? Nausicaa used burnt-in dub credits for the title sequence, regardless of audio track. Castle in the Sky, Kiki's Delivery Service, Pom Poko and Princess Mononoke featured "subtitles" instead of an accurate subtitle track. Ponyo featured a lossy (lower quality) Japanese audio track. GKIDS has promised to address all of these issues, and will work closely with Ghibli on all fronts.

It does appear, sadly, that Kiki will not feature a true English subtitle track. The recent GKIDS theatrical run used the old dubtitle track that has appeared on all home video releases. It's not the end of the world (the quality is pretty good, except for that Hindenberg line at the climax that isn't in the Japanese script). There has been some debate on whether this issue was resolved on the Hayao Miyazaki Blu-Ray box set, so if anyone can chime in with hard evidence, we would be eternally grateful.

Overall, I am quite excited for these new Ghibli Blu-Rays. When I began this website, you could only find a handful of Ghibli films in the States, and even that required some searching around for old VHS or DVD copies. In six months, we will have every feature film ever released by the studio in glorious HD. So we might have to buy some titles again? So what? This is a nice problem to have.

Of course, it goes without saying that the Disney Ghibli titles will soon go out-of-print. If you're a diehard collector, you should probably grab these movies while you can. Just take a look at how much the FOX versions of My Neighbor Totoro (featuring the old 1980s "Streamline" dub) are selling for these days.

Studio Ghibli Overwhelmed by Job Applications For Miyazaki Movie

Studio Ghibli's official blog reported in August that applications for Hayao Miyazaki's upcoming feature film production have greatly exceeded expectations. The studio has received so many resumes, including foreigners, that support staff has been called in to help the screening process.

As of August 10, the initial screening processes has finished, with a second round of screening and exams in September. Those who are accepted will begin training in October, a process that is expected to last six months. Staff will be paid a salary of $1,800 a month, plus transportation expenses.

I am reminded of the golden days at Toei Doga, where ads for animators and artists were placed in daily newspapers, and applicants were tasked to perform an animation test designed by Yasuji Mori that showed a man striking a spike with a hammer in five drawings. Who knows, maybe Miyazaki will pull out that old test just for nostalgia? That would be worth a hoot.

Thanks to Anime News Network for their coverage on this article.

Hayao Miyazaki: The Never-Ending Man on DVD

Last November's NHK TV documentary, Hayao Miyazaki: The Never-Ending Man, has recently been released on DVD in Japan. The disc retails for just over 4,100 Yen, which currently translates to $36 USD.

The program detailed the latest exploits of director Miyazaki as he was working on the Ghibli Museum short film Boro the Caterpillar, and famously revealed that plans were underway for another feature film. That film project is now well underway, and Studio Ghibli is once again waking up to begin a three-year production in October. The title and theme of Miyazaki's new film has yet to be revealed (and, no, it's not Boro).

Unfortunately, this DVD does not include English subtitles. Ghibli is the rare company that includes English subs on their DVDs and Blu-Rays. Nearly everybody else is a bit stingier. Hopefully, we will one day see this program included as a bonus feature once the next Miyazaki film arrives on Super-Mega-Ultra-HD-Turbo format, or however we will be watching movies five years from now.

The New Arrietty Blu-Ray May Include UK Dub

GKIDS Films answered questions from the public on Twitter today, in anticipation of Studio Ghibli's Castle in the Sky's appearance in US theaters. The company has recently secured the US home video distribution rights to nearly all Ghibli films, and will begin releasing Blu-Ray titles under their label.

The question of Arrietty's language soundtracks was raised. While Disney recorded an English-language dub for the film's American release, Optimum UK recorded their own separate dub for the title's UK premier, one that is widely regarded by fans as the superior version.

When asked which English-language dub their release of Arrietty will use, GKIDS offered the following response:

"We are trying to do...both. Bit of a process, but it seems doable.

For many Ghibli Freaks who have imported the Optimum release, this announcement will be met with excitement and dancing in the streets. This movie was the most commercially successful of all the Studio Ghibli movies in America, at least where the theatrical run is concerned. There are many fans who will be thrilled to pick up this new release.

Kudos to everyone at GKIDS, as always.

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Bocanada: a journal of popular culture and the arts is now available! This 48-page full-color e-zine features articles on Studio Ghibli, video games, music, hi-fi audio and art.

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