2010-02-News

Miyazaki Appears on Arrietty Blog, Progress Status

The February 18 entry contains a video clip of Miyazaki. According to the blog while preparations for the shooting were underway Miyazaki suddenly showed up (this room is Toshio Suzuki's room) and began to talk at the camera. A rough translation:

What Nishioka (Arrietty blogger) had talked are all lies. Shooting this now? The production team becomes impoverished. Chief animator Kagawa-san and Yamashita-san become impoverished most. Art director Takeshige and director assistance Noboru Yoshida becomes impoverished by another dimension more. The skin of the face of Yoshida-san peels off once in 3rd. He tries various medicine, but it is not yet improved. I think that the unprecedented spurt not to understand what will happen in the future approaches gradually with the time limit. It will be in time or not in time, I do not really understand it. That's all. You are not able to broadcast this, are you? (staff: I think good.)

When Miyazaki leaves the chair at the 1:15 mark the Oscar from Spirited Away can been seen in the background case.

The production status was posted last Sunday:

• Layout: 994 cuts are complete
• Key animation: 654 cuts - 65%
• Chief animator check: 529 cuts - 53%
• Animation: 493 cuts - 49%
• Painting: 356 cuts - 35%
• Background painting: 443 cuts - 44%
• Completed cuts: 332 cuts - 33%

Arrietty has 995 cuts.

Nishioka: Well, though these number shows the critical status, it's a speed-up from the last time. The postponement of the release won't be forgiven because the first day was announced. I think staff members will do their best from now on and continue working. Though it is the critical status, but please expect staff's perseverance. I'll announce the numbers again next month.

Nishioka is accepting questions about Arrietty, people who want to send best wishes to the staff are also encouraged to write-in.

Thanks to T. Ishikawa for the news.

--LLin 02:44, 19 February 2010 (UTC)

Ponyo BD Wins Award, Older Films to be Released on BD

Ponyo won the 2nd annual Grand Prix of The Digital Entertainment Group Japan/Blue-ray Disc Award. Judged by AV and film critics, magazine editors, and representatives from 15 manufacturers, the release beat out 1,100 other works released in 2009 for the award. At the ceremony Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment announced that it will begin BD releases of Studio Ghibli's back catalog this year. Production will be headed by Yoshiichiro Kashiwagi of Panasonic's Hollywood laboratory.

Thanks to T. Ishikawa for the news.

--LLin 14:47, 18 February 2010 (UTC)

Ghibli's Next Film and Arrietty's Advertising Plan

Studio Ghibli has created a Toho Advertising Caravan Report website. The report mentions that "Ghibli to create a film in 2010 and 2011 by a young director".

Four parts of the Arrietty advertising plan were announced:

1. Advance ticket sales begin April 17 with bonus Arrietty mini books - volume one (Character collection) and volume two (Under floor background painting collection). Volume one can be seen on Ghibli's official YouTube channel.
2. A Cecile Corbel concert is planned and she will participate in an advertising campaign starting July 1. She will also participate in one of Japan's numerous music festivals.
3. A big pillar of the publicity blitz is NTV's full-scale coverage and two programs from NHK. One is a documentary program like Ponyo's which is already broadcasting. The other is Cecile Corbel's concert.
4. Director Hiromasa Yonebayashi is not available to the media until the film's completion.

Toshio Suzuki said, "All the usual young directors have developed ulcers within two weeks. However, this time the director takes no notice even if Miyazaki says anything. A calm director." Suzuki also said that he pushed for Elaine Lobl Konigsburg's "(George)" (Japanese title is "I and George") before Miyazaki suggested Arrietty.

Thanks to T. Ishikawa for the news.

--LLin 02:17, 17 February 2010 (UTC)

Miyazaki Films showing in February at National Library of Australia

The Japanese Embassy is presenting 3 Miyazaki films (for free!) at the end of February at the National Library in Canberra.

http://www.au.emb-japan.go.jp/pdf/2010GhibliAnimationPDF.pdf

Thanks to ConMan for the news.

-- Mrgazpacho 13:34, 16 February 2010 (UTC)

Ponyo Opens in the UK

Reviews from different papers:

• Peter Bradshaw (Guardian)
• Wendy Ide (Times)
• Anthony Quinn (Independent)
• Derek Malcolm (London Evening Standard)
• Nigel Andrews (Financial Times)

To coincide with the theatrical release Film4 is holding a "Studio Ghibli Season" with a film playing everyday at 11am through February 16.

Thanks to David Pearce for the news.

--LLin 18:24, 13 February 2010 (UTC)

Totoro Cameo in Toy Story 3 Trailer

Anime News Network reports that Totoro makes an appearance in the recently released third teaser trailer for Toy Story 3. Miyazaki and Toy Story director John Lassiter have a long history of mutual admiration.

Thanks to William Raymer and Daniel Zelter for the news.

--LLin 14:47, 12 February 2010 (UTC)

Arrietty Image CD Tracklist

Arrietty's image song collection "Kari-gurashi" will be released on April 7.

Tracklist:

• 01 A Different World
• 02 Arrietty's Song (English version)
• 03 Sho's Song
• 04 Sho's Lament
• 05 The Neglected Garden
• 06 Forbidden Love
• 07 My First Borrowing
• 08 Our House Below
• 09 Haru's Chase
• 10 Rain
• 11 Spiller
• 12 The Doll House
• 13 Departure at Dawn
• 14 Arrietty's Song (Japanese version)

Sho is a 12 year-old boy who is at the house for recuperation. At a press conference for Arrietty Toshio Suzuki mentioned that Miyazaki likes "Forbidden Love".

Image CDs are inspiried from early drawings and descriptions, every Miyazaki film scored by Joe Hisaishi has had an image CD.

Thanks to T. Ishikawa for the news.

--LLin 19:24, 10 February 2010 (UTC)

Arrietty Trailer on YouTube

An unofficial version is available on YouTube. While no dialogue is present in the 50 second teaser a Cecile Corbel song plays in the background.

Thanks to Mohd Jafar for the news.

--LLin 04:11, 9 February 2010 (UTC)

Arrietty Release Date Revealed

July 17 is the release date for Arrietty. It was announced during Ponyo broadcast TV debut along with a teaser trailer and an interview with theme song/soundtrack writer Cecile Corbel.

Thanks to T. Ishikawa for the news.

--LLin 15:52, 5 February 2010 (UTC)

Ponyo Misses Best Animated Feature Oscar Nomination

Studio Ghibli will remain a one-Oscar house as Ponyo did not move to the nomination phase. Five films, "Coraline", "Fantastic Mr. Fox", "The Princess and the Frog", "The Secret of Kells" and "Up", made the cut (GhibliWorld earlier interviewed "Kells" director Tomm Moore).

--LLin 17:12, 3 February 2010 (UTC)