2010-03-News
Updated: Nausicaa BD Officially Announced
Walt Disney Home Entertainment Japan announced the date and price for the Nausicaa BD.
- Release date: July 14, 2010
- Price: ¥7140
According to the official website other specifications will be announced on April 12.
Translation of Toshio Suzuki's introductory text on the page above:
I watched Nausicaa. Re-encountering the film for the first time in 26 years. There was Miya-san nearby. When a preview room became dark, I was tense. Then Nausicaa began. We never watch a film after it's completed. I don't watch it. Because we cannot go to the next film. However, there were special circumstances this time.
It was the end of last year that the reqest for the next BD title was given by Disney. I thought about nothing, but I answered immediately, "How about Nausicaa?" Ghibli and Disney staff's faces were frozen. They seemed to have planned for Laputa and they thought Nausicaa would be "The Last BD Title" without permission. Then another thought appeared on me with an answer. I want to do a restoration from a clean negative. It was longtime homework for me who was concerned with Nausicaa.
Led by Okui-san of the photography department, an argument began about how to make an original negative of "Nausicaa". However, Okui-san was not involved with the production of Nausicaa directly. What is the standard of the original negative? We can guess, but we do not understand this important part. Digital technology can do anything. It is very easy to change a used thing into a new thing. Then a conclusion came about become Miya-san decided it. Miya-san participated in a meeting. Miya-san's opinion was simple and clear.
Miya-san was watching the Disney Channel in a house well after work. It was broadcasting a show on digital processing, a "makeover" of old works. That is profanity. Miya-san always sent forth a negative opinion about digital processing. A past masterpiece becomes a work without dignity through digital processing. That is quite disrespectful for the person who made it. It is natural for it to seem that a film looks timeworn by aging. Who has the right that makes it a new thing in technology? This was an opinion of Miya-san.
This is Miya-san's opinion. Basically, respect a original thing. We do not clean it than the original, remove the wound of the process of the print, keep the color mistakes, etc.
Okui-san took two months in deference to the opinion of Miya-san and worked hard for data faithfully. It was enough work to lose consciousness.
In this way the preview of March 1 came about.
There is already little staff who remember those days at Ghibli. I persuaded Miya-san who hated watching. When I went to the preview room 10 minutes early Miya-san was already there. In fact, I know that the preview was in the mind of Miya-san for a few days. Miya-san who waited for a re-encounter with Nausicaa was clearly excited.
The screening was over. We waited for an impression from Miya-san in a meeting room. At first Miya-san spoke an impression "looked timeworn", and he said in this way. "Suzuki-san, technically, we have come very far and wide."
The order from Miya-san was one thing: I want a little green to increase where necessary.
Okui-san came my room next day. He said "Miyazaki-san cried, didn't he?" I answered in this way, "Nausicaa is not yet over." Both I and Miya-san remember all of the events and every cut.
Thanks to T. Ishikawa for the news.
--LLin 19:42, 24 March 2010 (UTC)
Arrietty Production Status Update
Nishioka announced the latest Arrietty production stats:
- Layout: 984/997 cuts - 98.7%
- Key animation: 834 cuts - 83.7%
- Chief animator check: 664 cuts - 66.6%
- Animation: 615 cuts - 61.7%
- Painting: 525 cuts - 52.7%
- Background painting: 668 cuts - 67.0%
- Completed cuts: 490 cuts - 49.2%
According to Nishioka, Yonebayashi (the director) is working until 3:00am every day. After some consideration by Miyazaki, Studio Ghibli now prohibits all-nighters in principle. Animators must return to their home at least once a day.
Thanks to T. Ishikawa for the news.
--LLin 06:06, 24 March 2010 (UTC)
Nausicaa (Probable) BD Release
Pocket News is reporting that Walt Disney Home Entertainment registered a secret BD title on Amazon Japan. It lists a release date of July 14, a sales agency of WDHE, and a run-time of 116 minutes. Nausicaa's run-time is 116 minutes
Thanks to T. Ishikawa for the news.
--LLin 00:42, 20 March 2010 (UTC)
New Studio Ghibli CM
Studio Ghibli has made is a new CM, directed by Goro Miyazaki and with animation by Katsuya Kondō, to celebrate the 110th anniversary of Nisshin. Broadcasting of the CM will start tomorrow and impressions can be found online. Details at GhibliWorld.
Quick overview:
- Character design: Toshio Suzuki
- Storyboards: Goro Miyazaki
- Animation: Katsuya Kondō
- Narration: Fuki Kondo (Katsuya Kondō's 5 year-old daughter)
- Song: "Tadaima no Uta"
- Singer: Yamori (Akiko Yano and Ryoko Moriyama's new group)
- The name of the cat is Konyara
- The straw hat of the cat is an idea from Hayao Miyazaki
- Katsuya Kondo drew all animation cels (230 pieces) alone using a brush-pencil
--Kajino P 18:13, 19 March 2010 (UTC)
Ponyo at #3, New/Old Release for Anne of Green Gables
- In it's first week on the video market Ponyo managed to snag the #3 spot on the sales chart for both overall sales at BD sales. 34% of sales were from the BD version and on the rental front the film landed at the 19th spot.
- The Ghibli Museum Diary reports that "Akage no Anne -Road to Green Gables-" will be released as part of the museum's cinema library series. Isao Takahata recut scenes from the first six episodes of the TV series as a theatrical version 100 minutes long but it was not officially released. The official website goes live in late April.
Thanks to Daniel Zelter and T. Ishikawa for the news.
--LLin 13:36, 11 March 2010 (UTC)
Ponyo BD/DVD Released in North America
A wide array of video flavors for Ponyo are unleashed today. To mark the occasion here' some news bits:
- $10 on the Blu-ray and trade in points for a poster.
- review from Brazil
- Hollywood Reported recommends Ponyo
Thanks to João Solimeo, Kevin Thomas, and Daniel Zelter
--LLin 14:50, 2 March 2010 (UTC)