Downloads Update - Late, Late Edition

I've been working late tonight updating the Downloads page.  Yawwn!  The following anime links are now available:

1) Shonen Sarutobe Sasuke (Toei, 1959) - English subtitles are finally available, nice!  The English audio ("Magic Boy") is also available.

2) Saiyuki (Toei, 1960) - The video is taken from the German DVD release, with the US dubbed soundtrack ("Alakazam the Great").  We're still waiting for proper English subtitles from the original Japanese release.

3) Anju to Zushio Maru (Toei, 1961) - Toei's fourth animated feature, this is the US dubbed release, "The Littlest Warrior."  Picture is cropped to 4:3 ratio, and the running time is 13 minutes shorter than the Japanese release.

4) Arabian Night: The Adventures of Sinbad (Toei, 1962) - Toei's fifth animated feature is now available in Japanese with English subtitles.  I haven't seen this one yet, so I'm looking forward to watching it.

5) Farewell, Beloved Lupin (Telecom, 1980) - The finale to Lupin III: Series Two, directed by Hayao Miyazaki.  This is a fantastic episode, featuring Sumi Shimamoto as Miyazaki's Heroine in Blue, and the first appearance of the "Superman Robot," which appears in Castle in the Sky and the Ghibli Museum.  Japanese audio with English subtitles.

Tenguri, Boy of the Plains Available on Downloads

 Tenguri, Boy of the Plains (Sougen no Ko Tenguri), the 1977 short film directed by Yasuo Otsuka, with key animation by Hayao Miyazaki and Yoshifumi Kondo, is now available at the Downloads page.  This 22-minute film was produced by Snow Brand Dairy Products, and it's essentially a commercial for Japan's dairy industry.  That said, this is Yasuo Otsuka's only directorial work, and the quality is very high.  Its style and presentation owe a lot to Heidi, and it's an enjoyable little romp.

No doubt Tenguri will score you some cred points among your fellow anime and Ghibli fans.  Big thanks to AnimeCouncil for translating this film in between their bigger projects.

The Anime Production Line

Have you ever wanted to learn about the various elements of Japanese anime production?  Are you scratching your head over terms like settrei, e-konte, and image board?  Ben Ettinger, anime scholar par excellence, explains everything in fine detail at his Anipages blog.  Enjoy.

Ettinger has really been on a tear lately.  I have always credited him as the resident scholar on all things anime, especially its long and storied history.  Be sure to bookmark his site and visit often.

Don Rickles Roasts John Lasseter

As you may have heard, Pixar's John Lasseter was recently honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.  The ceremony was met with the press, the fans, and many of Lasseter-san's friends and coworkers.  And, best of all, Don Rickles was present to roast the man of the hour.  Fantastic!

On a side note, I showed my brother some Don Rickles routines from the Dean Martin Roasts, so that's probably what my wedding reception next year (June/July 2012, hopefully) will look like.

Panda Kopanda Gets a Video Game, Sorta

We can always count on the videogames industry for innovation and original ideas.  Right?  Here's a shameless ripoff of Carnival Games (Nintendo Wii) for Sony's failed Move platform.  And starring the Papa Panda from Panda Kopanda, heh.

Speaking of which, the North American rights to Isao Takahata's two Panda Kopanda films have long since expired. Will any distributors pick up the rights and bring back the DVD?  These were great movies, and not just in that "I am Totoro's grandfather" sense.

Disney Releases US Arrietty Trailer *Spoiler Alert*

Yes, Disney has released their trailer for the upcoming February, 2012 theatrical release of Arrietty.  No, I can't believe I actually have to put a Spoiler tag on the title.  Most, if not all, of the plot is given away in this trailer, including the ending.  God Bless the American Cinema.  In any case, enjoy if you dare.

Poster - The Secret World of Arrietty (US)

Hey, I like this poster.  I like it a lot.

As you can see, Disney has released the movie poster for Karigurashi no Arrietty, in anticipation if its February 17, 2012 theatrical release.  They've stayed quiet on the subject for many months, and as the US continues to fall further and further behind on Studio Ghibli's Blu-Ray releases, the fans have remained hopeful, if a little worried. 

When I look at the poster, I'm struck by the rich color tones and dynamic composition.  With an iconic simplicity, you understand what this movie is about and why you should care.  It seems to fit into the Disney universe, even though, of course, it comes from Studio Ghibli.  Indeed, I suspect that most families who see this poster will conclude that it's Disney's latest animation feature.  Notice how little attention is paid to Ghibli; no mention of its director, or even the name Hayao Miyazaki (who, after all, delivered the script and image boards).  Fascinating!

This is a welcome surprise for me, personally, and I think it's a smart move.  As we all know, it's damn near impossible to get Americans to attend a foreign film, and doubly so for animation.  Ponyo fought with tooth and claw just to earn $10 million at the box office, and that was a record.  The sad truth is that, unless you're associated with one of the major "brand names" (Disney, Pixar, Dreamworks), your animation movie won't go anywhere.

This, to me, reflects the design decisions on Disney's Arrietty poster.  The title itself neatly evokes memories of "The Wonderful World of Disney," the fonts have that nice, magical quality, even the colors appear more saturated in the American style.  This does not appear to be an anime film at all.

Now notice the use of lighting and color on the boy's face and the objects in the frame. Doesn't this almost appear to look like...CGI?  All of the objects - the sugar cube, the jars, the books - look like computer models and not drawn by hand.  Arrietty, of course, is 100% hand-drawn and in 2D, now that Miyazaki has scuttled Ghibli's computer graphics department.

Animation lovers loathe to hear it, but the numbers are undeniable: traditional 2D animation doesn't sell in the United States.  It's the computer-animated look of Pixar and Dreamworks that sells today, to studio bosses and audiences alike.  Even Disney's The Princess and the Frog failed to meet expectations (don't worry, they'll make gobs of money on that franchise).  If you want to sell an animated movie these days, especially one without a merchandising empire to build a fan base, then this is the challenge you must face.  This tells me that Disney is committed to bring Arrietty to the mainstream.

Arrietty is an important Studio Ghibli movie because it marks the beginning of the post-Hayao Miyazaki era.  How will Ghibli fare without its legendary founder?  Can the new generation of directors carry the torch?  What will become of Ghibli's relations with Western distributors?  And, most of all, what about Disney?  Will Disney continue to support the studio, a Ghibli without Miyazaki, or would they conclude that they really only wanted Totoro and Kiki, and it's time to move on?

I think Disney is showing their commitment to the studio, not the man, and that's a very welcome sign.  It bodes well for the future.  I think Arrietty has the potential to become a hit in the States, a goal that remains frustratingly elusive.  Studio Ghibli deserves more than a cult following in the US.  It deserves top tier, blockbuster status.  Disney appears to agree, and they're going to try once again to reach that goal.  All of these elements point in this direction.  Good jaerb!

STEVE JOBS HAS DIED

A shocking and devastating loss for the world, one of the true geniuses of the Computer Revolution.  I'm speechless.  I have no words.

I searched Youtube, and felt this tribute video was the most appropriate.  It fits the mood of the hour and honors Jobs' life.  It's a very touching video, and was created barely over a month ago.  Thank you.

Ni no Kuni - More Gameplay Videos from TGS

I promised to show more gameplay videos of Ni no Kuni from the Tokyo Game Show, and these two videos are absolutely perfect, and quite lengthy, too.  I'm interested in hearing your impressions.

The game follows the old school RPG formula, with a few interesting wrinkles like day/night.  When I see that, I'm obviously thinking of Minecraft.  Will players have to battle monsters at night?  That would be cool.  I wonder if I could chop down those trees and build a house?  Yeah, then I could build a train station and lay down some tracks, so I can get to....ah, whoops, wrong game.

The combat looks very interesting.  This is an area where RPG game mechanics haven't changed in 25 years.  It appears that instead of directly fighting, your characters can send pets who will do the fighting for you.  Shades of Pokemon, but also the great Phantasy Star Online, and it does raise a lot of possibilities.  Will you have to train your pet?  Can they be bred and grown?  Can they evolve into new forms?  I think this could be the key element that could enable Ni no Kuni to break out from a very old and tired genre.

Yes, I know that Ni no Kuni has already been released for the Nintendo DS in Japan, but I haven't seen it, so I'm choosing to follow the PS3 version as a new video game.  I'm looking forward to the surprises.  Until then, I have Saturn, Dreamcast and Minecraft to keep me happy. But, hey, that's me. Enjoy the videos!

Ni no Kuni (PS3) Gameplay Trailer

More Ni no Kuni: Queen of the White Holy Ashes Videos

Alright, now I'm interested.  Ni no Kuni (Another World) on Playstation 3 is looking very impressive, indeed.  I think this system is a better venue for a game of this caliber than a portable, where larger TV screens can really bring this world to life.  This latest footage suggests that the gameplay will be deeply integrated with Studio Ghibli's animated scenes, and the heavily-populated environments and cel-shaded graphics are very promising.  I've recently been playing Phantasy Star Online for Sega Dreamcast, so I'm in a suitably receptive mood.

When it comes to upcoming video games, I am, by nature, skeptical.  It does you no good to become part of the hype machine.  If the final game is good and we're having fun, that's all that counts.  Until then, we should do no more than cross our fingers and hope for the best.  Just knowing that we're actually getting a brand new video game is an event, instead of Cinematic Gun Sequel #2459 and Yearly Franchise Rehash #3196.  Please please please don't let this become yet another generic, formulaic clone.  Surprise us.  Show us something new.

Ni no Kuni is headed to the US just in time for Christmas and New Year's, which is welcome news.  Now if the fine folks at Level 5 would only be so kind as bring Ni no Kuni to the Dreamcast, then we'll really be rolling.

BOMBSHELL: GKids Acquires Theatrical Rights to Studio Ghibli Catalog

GKids, best known as the "Home of the New York Int'l Childrens Film Festival," has announced that they have acquired the North American distribution rights to 13 Studio Ghibli films.  This deal covers theatrical rights, and Disney will continue to hold the home video rights.  "Non-theatrical rights" are mentioned but unspecified.

As soon as I heard of this deal, the first movie that came to my mind, naturally, is Isao Takahata's 1991 masterpiece, Omohide Poro Poro.  Will this movie be included in the distribution deal?  Well...this is where things get interesting.  According to GKids, 13 studio films, 1984-2002, are included in the deal.  However, when you count up the movies from Nausicaa to The Cat Returns, you find...14 films.  One movie is being left out of the deal.  Which one?  I don't yet know.  I'll have to investigate, and lobby hard for all of Ghibli's work to be shown.

GKids has done an excellent job in distributing animated films from around the world.  Such films include The Secret of Kells, Sita Sings the Blues, Summer Wars,Asmur and Asmar, A Cat in Paris, Mia and the Migoo, and Eleanor's Secret.

Variety has more details on this new deal:

Eric Beckman, GKids founder and prexy, told Variety that the distrib is "excited and deeply honored to be working with Studio Ghibli." Beckman said "Nausicaa," "Castle in the Sky," "Spirited Away" and "Totoro" are among his favorite movies, "and they played an early role in my decision to launch GKids.

GKids will kick off the distribution with 10- and 25-year anni screenings of "Spirited Away" and "Castle in the Sky" respectively at the New York Film Fest. New York's IFC Center will also feature a Studio Ghibli retrospective Dec. 16-Jan. 12, with additional retrospectives to be held in the U.S. and Canada during the first half of 2012. Finally, GKids is planning limited releases of select Ghibli pics, some of which have never before seen U.S. theatrical distribution, beginning in late 2012.

Ni no Kuni (Another World) Trailer for PS3

As Ghibli Freaks everywhere are well aware, Studio Ghibli is working in tandem with videogame studio Level 5 to create the adventure/RPG title, Ni no Kuni, or Another World.  The game first emerged in Japan for the Nintendo DS, and now is being ported to the Playstation 3.  I'm sure you'll agree that this is the better platform, as we'll be able to enjoy the vivid artwork and skillful animation on our television screens.

To be honest, I haven't really spent any time on Ni no Kuni because it doesn't appear very inspiring.  Yes, it's always great to see something new from Ghibli, and it's especially nice to see the younger staff involved in side projects.  But there's something rather predictable in the character designs and art direction.  It feels a bit formulaic, almost stereotypically "Miyazaki-esque."  I'm reminded of the Disney movies that followed after Walt Disney's death: competent, skilled, yes, but uninspiring and lacking that creative gusto that made the original classics, well...classics.  Fantasia was an act of courage, a work of mad genius.  Direct-to-DVD sequels are just cynical cash-ins.

I feel the same way towards Ni no Kuni.  Richly colored fantasy worlds, tending towards the surreal, cutesy animal sidekick, elements that could have been swept off the cutting room floor from Howl's Moving Castle.  But Howl was a great movie by a great artist, one who knows how to transcend the banalities of children's fantasy.  Miyazaki is a deeply personal storyteller with a strong Kurosawa and Fellini bent, and he is willing to take creative risks when necessary.  And he honestly doesn't care if he alienates everybody in the process; he's lost money on movies before, he's survived.

Ni no Kuni is a work-for-hire, one that deliberately cashes in on the Ghibli name, without really adding to its legacy in any meaningful way.  It's an interesting experiment, and perhaps a template for future video game projects; I can see the studio expanding its output considerably in the post-Miyazaki era.  At this point, anything is possible, so this is a valuable learning experience, if nothing else.

Anyway, these are only my fleeting opinions on the matter.  If you enjoy this video game, by all means,  buy it for the DS or PS3 and have fun.  If Level 5 releases a Sega Saturn or Dreamcast version, I would be interested.  Hey, stranger things have happened, kids.

Madhouse Shuts Down Production on Satoshi Kon's Final Movie

This is very sad news.  Satoshi Kon died last year while working on his latest film, "The Dreaming Machine."  After his passing, members of the production staff bravely promised to continue work, and insisted that Kon's final work would be realized according to his wishes.  Unfortunately, Madhouse has recently announced that they are scuttling production of The Dreaming Machine, with no future plans of what will become of the film project.

According to Twitch and J-Film Pow-Wow, the movie was much further to completion than initially realized, and this may have been the deciding factor:

Despite character designer Yoshimi Itazu taking detailed instructions left for him by Kon to helm the project production on "The Dreaming Machine" has been halted. As revealed by Madhouse president Masao Maruyama recently, this decision was made after the animation studio faced hard financial times. While 600 completed shots for the film have been completed that is still less than half of the 1,500 that is needed to see the film finished.

At this point, the fate of The Dreaming Machine is unclear.  Personally, I doubt that it will become lost forever.  Sooner or later, someone will come along and attempt to complete the production.  All of this depends on the status of Satoshi Kon's pre-production work, the image boards and the script and whatever instructions he had left.  Such an undertaking, however, would almost certainly be a labor of love, and would probably require a benefactor who doesn't expect to get their investment money back.  Kon may be a cult hero to movie lovers and anime fans, but in the movie marketplace, 3D CGI cartoons-slash-toy-commercials rule the roost.

I hope somebody steps up and finishes Dreaming Machine.  I'm a great fan of Kon's movies, and he had a wonderfully singular vision, futuristic and surreal, skeptical when needed, but never grim nor cynical, and wonderfully humane at the core.  He really was unique, and when I see the formulaic schlock playing at the multiplex, and read of Ridley Scott's plans for a Blade Runner sequel - Play the Happy Meal!  Eat the Video Game! - my heart sinks with despair.  We need true artists to emerge in these times.

Poppy Hill to Premier at Toronto International Film Festival

The Toronto International Film Festival has announced that Studio Ghibli's latest film, From Up On Poppy Hill, will make its debut on the international stage.  This is a surprising coup, as Ghibli's international premiers have occured at the Venice Film Festival.  Excellent news for Toronto!

The 38th Annual Toronto International Film Festival runs September 8-18.  Passes are currently available, and individual tickets will be available on September 3.

Howl, Earthsea and Ponyo: Studio Ghibli's Next Blu-Ray Discs

Studio Ghibli has announced their next pair of Blu-Ray discs: Howl's Moving Castle, and Tales From Earthsea.  Both titles will be released on November 16, and include all the standard features we've come to expect.  And, yes, that means English subtitles and Disney's English-language soundtrack.

In addition, Ponyo will be reissued with a new packaging, in keeping with Ghibli's BD library.  This is, in fact, the same package design as the German BD release, so it's really no surprise at all.  This new release will finally include the US Disney soundtrack, something that was missing from the original Japanese release.

Below the fold are the official specs and features of Ghibli's upcoming Blu-Ray films.  Thanks to Anime Maki and muhootsaver for providing these specs: