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Former Studio Ghibli Inc. director Hiromasa Yonebayashi will release his new animated feature film “Mary and The Witch’s Flower” in the summer, producer and distributor Toho Co. has announced.
Yonebayashi directed “The Secret World of Arrietty” and “When Marnie Was There” at the legendary anime studio.
Following Ghibli’s hiatus from feature-length films, Yoshiaki Nishimura, who served as producer for “The Tale of The Princess Kaguya” and “Marnie” at the anime house, founded new company Studio Ponoc Inc. to imbue the Ghibli spirit into Yonebayashi’s new project.
“To respond to director Yonebayashi’s wish to make another film, we founded a new studio together,” Nishimura told a news conference. “We thought that the new studio would be appropriate to make works that inherited the (creative) blood of Ghibli.”
He added that 80 percent of staff currently working on “Mary” are either ex-Ghibli employees or have worked on Ghibli films.
“Mary” is based on British writer Mary Stewart’s children’s literature “The Little Broomstick,” published in 1971. It tells the story of a red-haired, freckle-faced 11-year-old girl named Mary who is thrown into a bizarre adventure.
“Yonebayashi portrayed sensitive feelings of young girls in ‘Marnie,’ but, in part, he moved away from his forte of making dynamic animation. I thought he should do a fantasy story with an energetic girl running around all over the place for his next project, and suggested the original work,” Nishimura said.
In a 30-second video clip from “Mary” shown to reporters, animated characters drawn in orthodox Ghibli style are seen moving around in a dynamic fashion against the elaborate backgrounds. The new film also features a girl who flies on a broomstick, which is suggestive of “Kiki’s Delivery Service,” and monsters in the tradition of “Howl’s Moving Castle.”
“In addition to packing a lot of action, I want it to be a story--like ‘Arrietty’ and ‘Marnie’--that gives considerable attention to a girl,” Yonebayashi told the news conference. “I want this film to be something that makes the audience want to root for her and inspire them to take a step forward after watching the movie.”
Yonebayashi also shared the story of when he told his mentor and anime maestro, Hayao Miyazaki, about the new feature film production.
“He said, ‘I’m glad!’ with a smile. I was surprised to see him so happy, but conversely, I also felt pressure.”
(THE ASAHI SHIMBUN)
