December 2007

December 16, 2007 "Ponyo On A Cliff" Plot Revealed
Studio Ghibli president and producer Toshio Suzuki appeared on NTV's News Zero and talked about the film's storyline. GhibliWorld has a summary along with a never before released pre-Ghibli work by Yasuo Otsuka, Hayao Miyazaki and Yoshifumi Kondo.

Thanks to Peter van der Lugt for the news.


December 13, 2007 Updated: Studio Ghibli Films on UK TV
A variety of films during prime time and not-so-prime-time hours:

16 December: My Neighbour Totoro (Film4) - 14.55
21 December: My Neighbour Totoro (Film4) - 16.45
26 December: Porco Rosso (Channel 4) - 06:05
26 December: Kiki's Delivery Service (Film4) - 15:10
27 December: Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind (Channel 4) - 06:35
28 December: Castle of Cagliostro (Channel 4) - 06:20
30 December: Kiki's Delivery Service (Film4) - 13:00
31 December: Princess Mononoke (Channel 4) - 12:35

Thanks to Tom Maughan for the news.


December 11, 2007 Ghibli Asemamire Episode 10
Ghibli's weekly radio show hits double digits and GhibliWorld is right behind with an English summary. This week's episode reveals more details on the ever elusive "Ponyo on a Cliff".

Thanks to Peter van der Lugt for the news.


December 7, 2007 "Ponyo" Press Conference
A press conference about the "Ponyo" theme song was held on December 3. A summary:

Joe Hisaishi:
The image album was completed last week.

6 songs based on the poetry of Miyazaki-san are included.

I hit on the melody of the theme song at the time of first
meeting immediately. However, I thought that I might be laughed at because it was too simple of a melody.

When I heard that these 3 people sing this song, I thought
"Really?" (laughs) Because they are not professional singers, there are some problems. However, the concept of this song is a song which children can sing in a kindergarten. I understand that they are representatives of the commoners, and this song is the song which anyone can sing.

Miyazaki:
Chief animator Katsuya Kondo who works next to me, has a 1 year old child, and he screamed for child care. It's linked to the contents of the movie very much. Thus I said to him, "Can you write a song?". He is expecting that he may make a hefty profit. (laughs)

Fujimoto is human father of Ponyo. Katsuya Kondo is right Fujimoto. I think that Fujimoto is a character symbolizing most of the Japanese father.

We think, we row an oar with oneself, try to sail for wind and cross the sea. We leave all the 3D techniques behind and make a picture with the policy that we all draw with a pencil. Therefore I think that the number of the animation cels may become an unprecedented quantity.

Suzuki:
The voice cast has not yet been decided.

The running time is perhaps around 110 minutes. 44 minutes are currently completed.

The second poster will be announced around Golden Week [first week of May].

Thanks to T. Ishikawa for the news.


December 3, 2007 Ghibli Asemamire Episode 9
GhibliWorld closes in on double digits with an English summary of the ninth Ghibli radio episode.

Thanks to Peter van der Lugt for the news.