2009-08-News

Ponyo Japanese BD Release

AV Watch (in Japanese) lists December 8 as the release date for Ponyo on BD. The standard edition is ¥7140 while the special edition bundled with the "making of" documentary is ¥18480. English subtitles are included but not the English dub. A DVD bundle with the film, documentary, and "Joe Hisaishi at Budokan" concert DVD is ¥19110.

Thanks to Frode Aleksandersen for the news.

--LLin 16:47, 31 August 2009 (UTC)

Memorial to animator Yoshinori Kanada

The Sankei News carried a memorial article (http://sankei.jp.msn.com/entertainments/entertainers/090814/tnr0908140816005-n3.htm ) for the animator Yoshinori Kanada who died of myocardial infarction on July 24.

Miyazaki was interviewed for the article, entitled Mourning, an animator Mr.Yoshinori Kanada. The man whom Miyazaki called "Kashira"

(The kanji "Kashira" means "Head". In the workplace of traditional craftsmen, the leader was called "Kashira")

Miyazaki says "He is the only person whom I called Kashira". Miyazaki got to know Kanada around the time of the completing of The Castle Of Cagliostro. Animators whom Miyazaki admired were saying "Kanada is great". Miyazaki eventually got to meet Kanada. "He was dancing while shaking his hips. I thought he was genuine.(laugh) He was a person who had such senses, and something of his endless optimism appeared in his drawings."

Miyazaki says "Unprecedented sharp movement and pose, and he had a superior sense of timing regarding how animation frames matched to a key animation." From a director's point of view, it does not seem that key animation is easy to treat. "He was a person who cannot change his style to a film. I always fought so that only Kashira's work was not discarded and so that his good points were left."

However, there was a big impact of the quantity same as hardship. The biggest impression left on Miyazaki was that scene where the father and daughters enter the bath together in Totoro. "When that key animation, fuss "Waooo, Basyaaaaan" was completed, I thought "Should we do this?". I had a terrible experience with water which overflowed.(laugh) But it became a more pleasant scene than I thought."

Because Miyazaki understood how to accommodate his personality, he assigned Kanada work outside his normal boundaries. There is the another reason why he wanted Kanada to participate in his work. "The workplace becomes bright. When we work into the night, girls are laughing with each other around Kashira before one's noticing it. He was loved by all."

Miyazaki fretted half a day when news of Kanada's death was heard. "The anime boom for which pleasant animators gathered was over far back in the past, but I think that with Kashira's death, it really is over. He is a legendary person. I liked him very much."

"Ceremony to farewell Yoshinori Kanada" by animators who represent Japan such as Miyazaki will be held in Suginami Public Hall on August 30.

Thanks to T.ISHIKAWA for ths translation.

-- Mrgazpacho 13:36, 29 August 2009 (UTC)

Miyazaki on Strong Females and Ponyo

Toshio Suzuki's radio show Ghibli Asemamire has reported on Miyazaki's US trip.

Topics covered include Miyazaki's thoughts about the hiring of studio staff and how films come to be.

Part 1
Part 2

Miyazaki says(13:20) at Berkeley, "Studio Ghibli interviewed 22 animators in April. Only four of those were male. Furthermore, we are thinking of employing about ten more people. 22 people stay, but only one of these is male. I'm thinking that I must make a movie featuring a strong man, because woman are so strong.(laugh)"

"I want to make a movie which makes children feel lucky to be born" Miyazaki said in Venetia. That feeling produced Ponyo. A hint of his next film might hide in Miyazaki's words in the US.

Thanks to T.ISHIKAWA for the translation.

-- Mrgazpacho 17:07, 28 August 2009 (UTC)

Second Weekend Results for Ponyo

Ponyo fell from 9th to 13th place on the weekend box office chart. It earned a little under $2.5 million and has accumulated just above $8.1 million.

--LLin 04:24, 24 August 2009 (UTC)

Ponyo Sticks In Theaters and Other Articles

• The second part of Animation World Magazine's Miyazaki Comes to Town feature is available
• For its second weekend Ponyo remains in the same number of theaters
• NPR with Ponyo: A Role Model For Kids With Autism?

Thanks to Daniel Zelter for the news.

--LLin 15:26, 21 August 2009 (UTC)

Refreshed Batch of Disney DVDs

UltimateDisney.com is reporting that Castle in the Sky, Kiki's Delivery Service, and My Neighbor Totoro will receive "new Special Edition" releases along side Ponyo. It's unknown what changes are in store for the films and as Blu-ray versions of the films haven't been released in Japan it's likely that they'll be DVD releases.

Thanks to Jon Turner for the news.

--LLin 22:34, 18 August 2009 (UTC)

Ponyo on Fresh Air, Box Office Reaction

• Yesterday's Fresh Air program (Aug 17) on NPR ran a glowing review of Ponyo. You can read the transcript or listen to the audio stream.
• On Ponyo's opening weekend: "There is no question it played very well in pure family theaters and in upscale theaters," Disney distribution boss Chuck Viane said.
• Disney asking for feedback via Twitter, "And, if you get to see PONYO this weekend, please @ reply us and tell us what you think! We love hearing from you!"

Thanks to Daniel Zelter for the news.

--LLin 15:15, 18 August 2009 (UTC)

Ponyo Weekend Results, Other Links

• Ponyo landed at #9 in its opening weekend grossing just above $3.5 million with a per average screen take of $3,868. The film should remain in about the same number of theaters next weekend.
• The Guardian's take on Ponyo on the US
• MSN article (Miyazaki still loves hand-drawn animation)
• Animation World Magazine's Miyazaki Comes to Town -- Part 1
• AnimeNation's Ask John looks into Ponyo's box office performance

Thanks to sean and Daniel Zelter for the news.

--LLin 21:45, 17 August 2009 (UTC)

Ponyo Opening in North American Theaters and Related News

• Ponyo opens in over 900 North American theaters today. See it early, see it often.
• San Francisco Examiner article on Miyazaki (Soft voice, strong message from animation master)
• Miyazaki interviewed by Drew McWeeny of AICN
• Miyazaki 101 from Time Out New York
• Miyazaki on DVD from Seattle's Scarecrow Video
• The Honolulu Star Bulletin ponders Ponyo's box office competition
• English voice actors discuss working on the film
• Time Magazine with a article/review and an animated films for grown-ups that features Spirited Away
• New York Times review

Thanks to Daniel Zelter for the news.

--LLin 15:50, 14 August 2009 (UTC)

Ebert Ponyo Review and Other Related News

• 4/4 stars from Roger Ebert, There is a word to describe “Ponyo,” and that word is magical.
• Rotten Tomatoes' Total Recall article recaps Miyazaki's works
• LA Weekly has an interview with Miyazaki
• As does FirstShowing.net
  • See Lasseter-San,_Arigato_(synopsis_-_Page_2) for a description of junket interviews
• The Nichi Bei Times covers Miyazaki's Berkeley visit

Thanks to Daniel Zelter for the news.

--LLin 14:00, 13 August 2009 (UTC)

New Takahata Film

Details on Studio Ghibli's new film by Takahata Isao have been posted at GhibliWorld.

--13:24, 12 August 2009 (UTC)

Ponyo In North American Theaters This Friday

Wondering if Miyazaki's latest work is playing in your neighborhood? Use one of the services below to find out:

• MovieTickets.com
• Fandango

Thanks to The Ghibli Blog for the links

--LLin 03:56, 12 August 2009 (UTC)

Katsuya Kondo Interview

Animation World Magazine conducted an e-mail interview with Ponyo animation supervisor Katsuya Kondo. Topics covered contain minor plot spoilers.

Thanks to Daniel Zelter for the news.

--LLin 22:40, 8 August 2009 (UTC)

UK Ponyo Release Delayed

The UK film magazine Empire (Sherlock Holmes cover) has a ten-page article on Miyazaki ending with "Ponyo is out in early 2010." Some websites are showing a release date of February 5, 2010.

Thanks to David Bates and Andrew Osmond for the news.

--LLin 16:17, 6 August 2009 (UTC)

Video Clips, Nick Park on Ghibli Asemamire

• The puppet company Kawasemiza uploaded a video clip of "Mahoroba no Kodama" directed by Isao Takahata to Youtube
• Yomiuri Online is streaming the newest TV commercial created by Studio Ghibli.
  • Project Lead: Hayao Miyazaki
  • Original Idea: Shigeru Sugiura
  • Direction: Goro Miyazaki
  • Animation: Kamon Ohba
• Nick Park appeared Ghibli Asemamire and discusses his impression of Ponyo around the 20:30 mark.

Thanks to T. Ishikawa for the news.

--LLin 18:08, 1 August 2009 (UTC)