2012-03-News

News Bytes

• Arrietty passed Ponyo as the highest-grossing Studio Ghibli film in the US. The film should remain in theaters through at least next weekend.
• The Rhode Island School of Design (via ANN) is granting Hayao Miyazaki, Isao Takahata, and Toshio Suzuki honorary degrees on June 2. Suzuki will attend the graduation ceremony on behalf of the others.
• According to SWITCH magazine's twitter feed, Takahata, Suzuki and Tomoko Yamaguchi (Lisa from Ponyo) visited Kasuga-taisha (a shrine in Nara) last December to watch the Kasuga Wakamiya On-Matsuri. SWITCH's special issue released on March 10 features this trip a Takahata column titled "Animation and Darkness."
• Sean Lennon talks about his experiences with Grave of the Fireflies
• Want to compare the British and American dubs of Arrietty? A "North American" edition BD will be released in Japan with both dubs.
• The Washington DC Cherry Blossom Festival is hosting a four film (Ponyo, Porco Rosso, Princess Mononoke, Spirited Away) marathon on April 15. The price is right at free.
• Goro Miyazaki held a talk show at the Mitaka Anime Festival and revealed that Toshio Suzuki said to him, "study 3D." Goro also mentioned that he doesn't want to release his next film right after two maestros so he said to Yonebayashi, "make a film earlier than me" but Yonebayashi just laughed. It's not known if Suzuki said "study 3D" for the next film or for the far-off future. According to the History of Studio Ghibli page the CG department was reduced and absorbed in visual department after Tales from Earthsea.
• Another question to Goro concerned the studio's release scheduled (exchange tweeted by @purplepig01):
  • Q: Takahata and Miyazaki's new film seems to be completed in summer of 2013. Is the double release like Totoro and Grave of the Fireflies possible?
  • Goro: It depends on Isao Takahata's new film. His first film "Prince of the Sun" was largely behind schedule. "Grave of the Fireflies" was released with being entirely completed. Takahata-san may not be in time for summer of 2013.
• Toshio Suzuki, Kenji Kamiyama, Goro Miyazaki argue about 3D animation on Suzuki's radio show.

Thanks to T. Ishikawa and Daniel Zelter for the news.

--LLin 00:24, 10 March 2012 (UTC)

NHK World Radio Japan Interview with Toshio Suzuki

An English language interview with Toshio Suzuki is available from NHK. The program mentions, "Hayao Miyazaki also started work new film project at the beginning on this month" but it is wrong.

Thanks to T. Ishikawa for the news.

--LLin 01:35, 2 March 2012 (UTC)