Hauru no Ugoku Shiro (Howl's Moving Castle)

Translator's notes in yellow.

12/12/03 (Fri.)

The regular rush check. Today there were several cuts which will need retakes. There seem to have been quite a lot lately. With this rush check, we are just short of 400 cuts. With only a little of the year remaining, it seems we might have just one cut too many.

The customary big annual sale for employees. Some are there waiting ten minutes before opening to buy Ghibli merchandise cheaply. Soon after opening, the important items are already sold out. Two or three people look as if they are going to open their own stores. Shimamiya from the administration shouted out "Last chance to buy!" whenever there were only a few left of an item, and with this sort of high-pressure salesmanship, everything sold out.

12/13/03 (Sat.)

The group from production which has been working stealthily for the last few days [see entry for 12/11] left after lunch for a private meeting.

It was decided to set up a animation-checking machine for the use of the production team, so we quickly made preparations. We decided to use a scanner which is not currently being used for finishing. We moved the scanner to the production room. Just when we were getting started, [we realized] that the scanner was only designed for Windows machines. Since we only have Macintosh [scanning] software, our main unit is a Mac. We closed the box we had opened, returned it to the place it came from, and were done for the day.

12/15/03 (Mon.)

The long-awaited additions to the storyboards were finished. But still, this isn't the end. Ah, when will the Howl storyboards be done? We will have a meeting first thing tomorrow with our key animators.

Itoh from the production team decided to buy a Windows machine for his own use. It will have wireless transmission capability so that it can receive mail and connect to the internet even outside. However, Itoh, who doesn't know much about computers, was not able to connect when he subscribed according to the store employee's instructions. Finally, it took two of Ghibli's computer technicians to get it connected. The problem was with the service he had signed up for. Everyone on the production team gave him the apt advice that he would be better off not buying it.

12/16/03 (Tues.)

We quickly set up animation planning meetings for the storyboards which were finished yesterday. In a flash, there were only a few left to do. These storyboards were only finished yesterday, but will there be more before the end of the year? Only the gods know.

12/17/03 (Weds.)

Recently the production rate of key and in-between animation has been extremely good. But since the storyboards are not yet finished, it is hard to judge how much remains to be done. Yet, it seems that the key animation has passed the halfway point. Of course, since the storyboards are still being written, we can't tell what their true position is . . . If they haven't passed that point, what will we do?

Itoh's notebook PC arrived. He quickly opened the box and set it up. As he wiped off the PC and such, the production team teased him, "You're just like a child with a new toy."

12/18/03 (Thurs.)

Key animation production had a slump today. However, since some people were unable to submit cuts which were multiple-use or had connected action, we are looking forward to tomorrow and the day after.

Soon it will be time for New Year's cards. An excited Watanabe said he had to make preparations to send them to various individuals and companies. He bought some business card management software and quickly put everything in order. It was well-done and seemed convenient. The production team was impressed. But, since there were so many addresses, after midnight he said, "I've had enough," letting slip his true feelings.

12/19/03 (Fri.)

The editor Mr. Seyama visited Ghibli and consulted about the editing to be done. You mean there will be a bright future for us?

Today key animation broke through the XXX cut mark. According to the initial plan, it was time to say, "There are XXX cuts left, we've seen the peak!" but since the storyboards are not yet finished, we don't know exactly where we are. Oh, it's always the same thing.