2008-05-News

Mystery Cream Puff Shop

A shop named The cream puff studio of the white mustache opened on May 5. The following is known:

• The shop sells a single item, a cream puff of Totoro, and only sells about 100 per a day.
• This is the only shop which officially recognizes by Studio Ghibli.
• A single worker runs the shop
• It's located in a quiet residential neighborhood
• The picture on the site's opening splash screen is said to have been drawn by Miyazaki's nephew (thanks to GhibliWorld for the correction).
• The name of the Representative Director is Kyoko Miyazaki. According to shop, it is a secret who is she.

Thanks to T. Ishikawa for the news

--LLin 15:58, 31 May 2008 (UTC)

Miyazaki designed inn to open in June

Back in 2005 Miyazaki Hayao rented an old house on a cliff in Tomonoura to come up with ideas for his latest film Ponyo on the Cliff by the Sea. During his 2 month stay there, Miyazaki got involved with the restoration of a historical house from the Edo era. The house was turned into an inn and Miyazaki realized things like drawing its basic design.

The inn, called Onfunayado Iroha, is to be opened in June and GhibliWorld.com brings an article with more details, images and video footage.

Thanks to Peter van der Lugt for the news.

--LLin 15:50, 31 May 2008 (UTC)

Details on Second Ponyo Trailer

According to a staff member of a theater, the second Ponyo trailer will be released in theaters on June 28. An official announcement is expected soon. On June 14 a new flyer with the voice cast details will be distributed, a new poster might also be released.

According to the May 24 production diary, all animation production work (exclude filming work) is finished. A picture shows an empty studio workarea. The May 19 diary states that the target of 160,000 cels was exceeded and the film ended up with about 170,000 cels. With the amount of jellyfishes, fish, coral, and seaweed swimming and moving in the first trailer it's not surprising the animation count kept rising.

Thanks to T. Ishikawa for the news.

--LLin 14:07, 30 May 2008 (UTC)

Preparations for Ponyo's US Release

In the beginning of Ghibli Asemamire episode 31, Toshio Suzuki's mobile telephone rings.

• Kameta: Hello.
• Suzuki: Hello.
• Kameta: I'm Kameta.
• Suzuki: Hi, Kame-san.
• Kameta: Where are you now?
• Suzuki: I'm in Los Angels now. So, I'm not in Japan, thank you in advance for this week's episode.
• Kameta: What are you doing in the US?
• Suzuki: I cannot say (laughs)

The podcast differs from the live broadcast in which Suzuki's last line was, "I cannot say (laughs). In fact, there was a lot of demand for a screening of Ponyo on the Cliff by the Sea from the US. So I came here to..."

Thanks to T. Ishikawa for the news.

--LLin 19:01, 29 May 2008 (UTC)

Ponyo Voice Cast

Lisa, Kouichi, Granmanmare, Fujimoto (from top)

• Ponyo: Yuria Nara
• Sosuke: Hiroki Doi
• Koichi (Sosuke's father): Kazushige Nagashima
• Lisa (Sosuke's mother): Tomoko Yamaguchi
• Guran Manmale (Grande Mere? Great mother (of the sea)?): Yuki Amami
• Fujimoto (Ponyo's father): Jyoji Tokoro

Older people in the day service center where Lisa works:

• Kazuko Yoshiyuki
• Tomoko Naraoka

Additional details can be found at GhibliWorld.com and at Sports Hochi (in Japanese).

Thanks to T. Ishikawa, Ryoko Toyama and Peter van der Lugt for the news.

--LLin 15:49, 28 May 2008 (UTC)

New unseen Ponyo art

GhibliWorld.com brings some new unseen water color art made by Hayao Miyazaki for his latest film Ponyo on the Cliff by the Sea.

An additional watercolor image is located on the cover of Yomiuri Life (close-up at GhibliWorld.com).

Thanks to T. Ishikawa for the news.

--LLin 17:16, 26 May 2008 (UTC)

Princess Mononoke on Film4

Film4 is showing Princess Mononoke on June 10th at 11pm as part of their 100 Films to See Before You Die series.

Thanks to Tom Maughan for the news.

Ponyo Handbill

Scans of the front and back of the handbill are available thanks to contributor Bleu VII.

GhibliWorld.com has a translation of the map notes. Drop us a line if you can translate the other sections.

--LLin 17:25, 7 May 2008 (UTC)