MirrorMask Please look forward to it

MirrorMask

Please look forward to it. 12th of August, NEW WORK BY GHIBLI DIRECTOR TAKAHATA ISAO IN THE MAKING: With Miyazakis latest film Ponyo being only two days away from a relatively wide release in the US, news on a new feature by Studio Ghiblis other animation master, director Takahata Isao, is brought. Takahatas last film, My Neighbors the Yamadas, was released no less than 10 years ago, but the maestro of animation realism is finally to return with a new full MirrorMask animated feature. Last Friday, one day after being awarded with an Honorific Leopard by his friend and director Michel Ocelot and while giving his public speech at Locarno International Film Festival, Takahata mentioned the film he is working on is based on the 10th century Japanese folktale Taketori Monogatari The Tale of the Bamboo Cutter. Taketori Monogatari is considered to be Japans oldest extant narrative and tells the story about the life of a mysterious girl called Kaguya-hime. Discovered as a baby inside the stalk of a glowing bamboo plant note: a similar scene interestingly also appears in Takahatas My Neighbors the Yamadas, she is said to be from Tsuki-no-Miyako The Capital of the Moon and has unusual hair that shines like gold. Next to being a very old story, Taketori Monogatari shares a similar popularity to that of classics like Momotaro and Urashimataro and has frequently been made into live-action for example by Ichikawa Kon and animation. It is often parodied on Japanese TV for example this deodorant CM is currently being aired and every Japanese, even very small kids, know the story very well. It is yet unknown if Takahata will faithfully follow Taketori Monogatari s story line, though this would be unlikely. Next to the fact that that would probably mean a boring movie for at least most Japanese, Paku-san Takahata is known for his always original and changing approach, with some assuming he will make a kind of sequel in which Kaguya comes from the moon back to the earth again. Unlike Disney, who have been successful in making animations of old popular tales with their original arrangements of Cinderella, Pinocchio and Snow White, it would be the first time for the famed Studio Ghibli to film such a popular tale. Perhaps the studio considers making a movie based on a MirrorMask popular tale as a risk and wouldnt be an easy guarantee for box office success, but with a story arrangement by Takahata it will surely be surprising. Any further details, including a possible release date, have still to be announced. 1st of August, VIDEO OF NEW GHIBLI COMMERCIAL BY MIYAZAKI GORO: As announced yesterday, Studio Ghibli has made a new 15 second commercial inspired by the work of manga-ka Sugiura Shigeru. The commercial, which has been made for Yomiuri Shimbun, planned by Miyazaki Hayao, directed by Miyazaki Goro and animated by Ohba Kamon, premiered today and Yomiuri Shimbun is currently streaming it online. 31st of July, MIYAZAKI HAYAO TALKS PONYO! Legendary Japanese animator Miyazaki Hayao has been making a series of rare public appearances in support of the American release of his Ponyo later this summer. On behalf of Twitch GhibliWorld Senior Programmer of the Los Angeles Film Festival Doug Jones has hit a number of Miyazakis appearances: the San Diego Comic-Con and the Ponyo press conference at the Four Seasons in Beverly Hills. What follows is not a transcript of any one of those events, but rather elements from each combined and organized by theme for a fascinating look at the man and his work. 31st of July, FULL COVERAGE ON MIYAZAKIS ON-STAGE CONVERSATION: Following yesterdays teaser, today full coverage is brought on the on-stage conversation with Miyazaki Hayao at Berkeley University. Michael Guilln, film critic and colleague over at Twitch, was present to cover this special event for GhibliWorld and the result simply is a must-read article. 31st of July, NEW GHIBLI COMMERCIAL BY MIYAZAKI GORO: Studio Ghibli is to bring a new commercial for their partner Yomiuri Shimbun. This time its production planning has been handled by Miyazaki Hayao and direction has been realized by his son and Gedo Senki director Miyazaki Goro. Stylewise the 15 second commercial has been inspired by manga artist Sugiura Shiguru, an influence that is not new to the studio. Next to Miyazaki and Takahata being fans of his work, Sugiuras name is to be found on Pom Poko s end credits as a thank you for inspiring the films tanuki. As brough by Comic Natalie, Studio Ghiblis new commercial will have its TV premier on August Earlier Studio Ghibli Yomiuri Shimbun commercials can be found on the Ghibli ga Ippai Special Short Short DVD. 30th of July, MIYAZAKI AT BERKELEY COVERAGE COMING UP: Last Saturday Michael Guilln, film critic and colleague over at Twitch, was at a very special Miyazaki event to cover for GhibliWorld. Being currently converted into a must-read article, following is a teaser to warm you up. Still beaming from having been awarded the 2009 Berkeley Japan Prize by the Center for Japanese Studies at the University of California, Berkeley earlier in the afternoon, Hayao Miyazaki walked onto the Zellerbach Auditorium stage to a thunderous standing ovation. Miyazaki conversed with Roland Kelts Tokyo University lecturer and author of Japanamerica. Their conversation animated the adulatory crowd. 29th of July, MORE IMAGERY OF MIYAZAKI IN THE US: With Miyazaki Hayaos visit to the US, yesterday more special events took place: a press conference at the Four Seasons in Beverly Hills more coverage on that soon, Ponyo s premiere at the El Capitan Theatre and AMPAS The Marc Davis Celebration of Animation: Hayao Miyazaki. Presented by Getty Images are various pictures from the last two events, with more imagery to be found here. 27th of July, GHIBLIS FUTURE FEATURE, LAWSONS PONYO BOWL CM: This weeks addition to the official Studio Ghibli diary, Itsumo no Ghibli Nikki, contains a line which very minorly hints about the time line for the next film: Starting next Monday a new member will join the production section. It will help us much, because we will be busy producing the next feature length movie. Furthermore, Studio Ghibli partner Lawson is having a special Ponyo Bowl campaign to promote their original bakery, deserts, sweets and sandwiches. From July 21 till September 30 everyone who collects 20 point about 2000-2500 Yen can get Ponyo bowls. In order to assist the campaign, a CM has been made which features executive officer of Ghibli Museum Yamashita Fumio and former Lawson employee eating Ramen Domburi. 26th of July, VIDEO FOOTAGE OF MIYAZAKI HAYAO AND JOHN LASSETER AT COMIC-CON: Last Friday the Disney Panel at this years San Diego Comic-Con took place and one if its special guests was none other than Miyazaki Hayao. Mike Blake brought GhibliWorld word on Cinema Blend having video footage of it and, even though GhibliWorld was represented there as well and Miyazaki didnt tell anything new due to the basic questions, it is still much worth taking a look.