Hayao Miyazaki’s Retirement Press Conference to be Streamed Live on Nico Nico

September 5 at 10:00 p.m. (PST)

Mikikazu Komatsu (from crunchyroll.com)

September 04, 2013 7:30pm PDT (22 minutes ago)

As reported, it was announced by Koji Hoshino, President of Studio Ghibli, at Venice Film Festival on September 1 that The Wind Rises is 72-year-old anime master Hayao Miyazaki’s last feature film. Hoshino didn’t accept any questions at the conference, but many fans expect Miyazaki will keep making anime short films as supporting features for other directors’ Studio Ghibli films, or for Ghibli Museum. Miyazaki made an anime short Mai and the Kittenbus, a sequel to My Neighbor Totoro, for the museum in 2003. Some think he will be the director of Ghibli Museum. His son Goro Miyazaki served as its director from 2001 to 2005 before he directed Tales from Earthsea in 2006.

 

And there has been a speculation that Hideaki Anno, who voiced the protagonist of The Wind RisesJiro Horikoshi, will finally direct the sequel or reboot of Miyazaki’s 1984 film Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind. That’s the reason why Anno, who has little experience as a voice actor, accepted the offer.

Does Miyazaki choose Anno as his successor instead of his son?

 

Nico Nico Live will stream Miyazaki’s retirement press conference live on Friday, September 6 at 2:00 p.m.

(JST), September 5 at 10:00 p.m. (PST). Let’s hope Miyazaki will answer to all of the questions.

Ghibli’s Hayao Miyazaki to Retire, “The Wind Rises” is His Final Feature

Studio President Koji Hoshino announces retirement of 72-year-old director

Joseph Luster

September 01, 2013 6:12am PDT (one day ago)

For years people have been speculating which film would be acclaimed anime director Hayao Miyazaki’s last, and now we have the answer. Koji Hoshino—President of Studio Ghibli, which was co-founded by Miyazaki—announced that the master is retiring.

Hoshino didn’t go too in depth on the announcement made at Italy’s Venice Film Festival, saying that Miyazaki is retiring from feature-length films and that The Wind Rises (Kaze Tachinu) is his last.

The 72-year-old director’s career has spanned over fifty years and includes many celebrated features, from The Castle of Cagliostro to Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind, My Neighbor Totoro, Princess Mononoke, Spirited Away, and beyond. Hopefully we’ll see something new from him outside of the world of feature film direction in the future.

The Wind Rises opened in Japanese theaters in July, and Disney is set to distribute the film in North America.

Animation Make-overs and more

Scott Green

May 12, 2013

 

 

earlier works versus the Disney versions

 

 

for some non-Disney works…

 

A bit of Gintama

 

Final Fantasy

 

 

Kenshin

 

One Piece

 

Evangelion

 

Inu-Yasha

 

Howl’s

Digimon

 

Tiger & Bunny

 

Plus…

 

“Peanuts” Art Exhibition In Japan Features 40 Japanese Artisans

Move over Hello Kitty, the American beagle is stepping into the world of collaborations

Yomimaid

May 05, 2013

(from crunchyroll.com)

Ms. Hello Kitty has pretty much monopolized the unexpected collaboration market so far, but she is not the only one that shines with interpretations by artists in different fields of art. The “SNOOPY JAPANESQUE: Snoopy x Japanese Artisan” exhibition currently underway at Matsuya Ginza in Japan is exhibiting about 100 art pieces of Peanuts characters interpreted by Japanese artisans of traditional art, such as lacquer-ware, porcelain, and Japanese painting.

Special Effects Legend Ray Harryhausen Passes Away

FX artist was renowned for his stop-motion work in feature films

Joseph Luster

May 07, 2013

(from crunchyroll.com)

If you enjoy special effects in film, no matter the genre, take a moment out of today to tip your hat to the great Ray Harryhausen. The effects legend—who pioneered the practice and was known for his bold use of stop-motion in films ranging from It Came from Beneath the Sea toJason and the Argonauts, Clash of the Titans, and much more—has passed away at the age of 92.

 

Harryhausen’s passing was announced by his family via Facebook, citing the long-standing influence the artist had over the history of Hollywood, with recent quotes and tributes from many famous filmmakers. He certainly had a spirited and storied run, and it’s one that the film industry would be very different without.

 

Whether you feel like reminiscing, or need an introduction to some of what made Harryhausen special, here’s a look at some of the colossal creatures he brought to life:

Long live Dynamation.

T-Shirt Site Offers Hayao Miyazaki x “Wizard of Oz” Mash-up

Design wins Woot’s 300th derby

Scott Green

April 30, 2013

(from crunchyroll.com)

Online retailer Woot’s t-shirt subsite is now selling shirts featuring the design that won its 300th derby. Wizard of “Aw”s is a mash-up of The Wizard of Oz and the works of Hayao Miyazaki, though Spanish artist dijay admits to having never actually seen/read The Wizard of OZ and instead managed to piece enough information together from cultural references to make this design.

 

 

Live-Action Film “Kiki’s Delivery Service” Confirmed

16-year-old Fuka Koshiba makes her film debut as Kiki

(from crunchyroll.com)

Mikikazu Komatsu

April 23, 2013 10:58pm

As we reported early this month, it has been rumored that Takashi Shimizu who is best known as the director of the Ju-on horror film series is on board for a live-action adaptation of Kiki’s Delivery Service, a children’s fantasy novel series written by Eiko Kadono. The rumor is confirmed as true today! Shimizu’s first non-horror film based on the novel series (not Studio Ghibli’s anime film in 1989) is scheduled to be released in Japan in Spring 2014.

Kiki, the 13-year-old protagonist of the series is played by 16-year-old Fuka Koshiba. She was chosen from about 500 candidates in the audition and will make her debut as a movie actress in the film. In order to make Kiki’s flying scenes beautiful, she is doing practice swings with the bokuto (wooden sword for practice) 200 times everyday. The film will start shooting in an island of the Seto Inland Sea of Japan around the end of May.

How do you like Fuka Koshiba as Kiki in the live-action film?
・Fuka Koshiba official blog

 

Photo by Sponichi

 

Photo by Hochi

 

Cover illustrations for the 1st volume of the novel

 

VIDEO: New Trailer for “The Wolverine” Features Much Mayhem in Japan

Opens July 26th

(from crunchyroll.com)

Patrick Macias

April 23, 2013 5:55pm

I can’t say I was too wild about the first solo Wolverine film, but the sequel, set in modern day Japan and due in theaters this summer, is starting to look pretty dang good, especially with the NINJA ON MOTORCYCLES and CRAZY SPEEDING TRAIN battles featured in this new international trailer made especially for Japanese audiences.

The Wolverine opens at your local popcorn emporium on July 26. And while Japan may have gotten this trailer with bonus footage before we did, they’ll have to wait until September 16^th to see Wolverine: SAMURAI (as they are calling it there). But wasn’t Tom Cruise supposed to be The Last Samurai…..?

Me: This movie combines two of my favorite things.  Marvel comics (<3 wolverine) and Japanese fight scenes. I am so excited for this movie! >_<