The official title of Hayao Miyazaki’s upcoming animated movie is “How Do You Live?”. There has been no specific date stated, although it is scheduled to be released in 2024.
Due to complications, the movie’s release date was pushed back from its initial October 2017 announcement to coincide with the Tokyo Olympics in 2020.
Miyazaki announced his retirement in 2013, stating that his final picture would be the deeply moving WWII drama “The Wind Rises.” However, his retirement was only temporary because he is already obviously working on a new movie.
As previously indicated by Miyazaki, they were animating “How Do You Live?” at a very fast rate. However, his producer said in an interview from the previous year that COVID had accelerated their production because the animators were able to work from home, and the movie was already halfway done.
About the upcoming film: “How Do You Live?”
Genzaburo Yoshino’s 1937 novel, How Do You Live? was adapted into the movie. The book’s first English translation, with a foreword by Neil Gaiman, was released in October 2021.
“I’m thrilled that Mr. Miyazaki is producing this movie since it will allow me to read Yoshino’s novel, which was written 84 years ago, in English thanks to Bruno Navasky’s tender and brilliant translation.”
The protagonist of the novel is 15-year-old Copper, who is coping with the tragic death of his father.
“Copper is looking out over Tokyo, observing the crowds, and he is starting to rethink the important issues in life. How many people live on this planet? How do they lead their lives?”.
The narrative of the book alternates between Copper’s account and his uncle’s diary entries, in which he offers guidance and teaches Copper important truths about how the world functions.
About Hayao Miyazaki
Hayao Miyazaki was born into a wealthy family in 1941, the same year that Japanese planes attacked Pearl Harbor, and he was four years old when American planes bombed the city of Utsunomiya, where his family had fled Tokyo.
His Father, Katsuji Miyazaki who was born in 1915, was the director of Miyazaki Airplane, his brother’s company that produced fighter plane rudders during WWII.
The person closest to Hayao Miyazaki was his mother, who is described as a tough, intelligent woman who frequently questioned “socially accepted practices.” Despite this, his life took catastrophic turns as World War II raged around him. His intestinal problems as a child led to the prediction that he would not live past the age of 20. He spent the first part of his life feeling like a misfit because of this.
About Studio Ghibli
Hayao Miyazaki, a Japanese film director, producer, screenwriter, author, and manga artist, along with Toshio Suzuki, Isao Takahata, and Toshio Suzuki, formed Studio Ghibli. They’ve made 20 feature films in the last 37 years, as well as countless short films and television commercials.
The term “Ghibli” is derived from the Italian word for “Hot Sahara Wind.” The studio intended to “blow new wind through the anime industry,” hence the name seems appropriate. Hayao Miyazaki’s passion for Italy and aviation is also reflected in the name. His inspiration came from the Italian-made Caproni Ca.309 Ghibli, a Second World War-era surveillance aircraft.
While we wait for the final release, here are the top 3 Studio Ghibli movies to watch.
Top 3 Studio Ghibli movies:
- My Neighbor Totoro (1988)
Hayao Miyazaki’s masterpiece introduces a character as beloved to Japanese audiences as Mickey Mouse is to American audiences, making it not only the best feature that Studio Ghibli has ever produced but, in my opinion, the best animated film ever.
The artistry of the film arises from its simplicity and Miyazaki’s intuitive way of implying that we humans share the world with benevolent spirits who look out for us in times of need.
- Grave of the Fireflies (1988)
Given the stark contrast between “My Neighbor Totoro,” a light fantasy, and this more somber World War II drama from Miyazaki and Isao Takahata.
The animated film “Grave of the Fireflies” (based on Akiyuki Nosaka’s 1967 novel of the same name) illustrates animation’s singular ability to tackle subjects too dark for most audiences to handle via live-action, a lesson that was later applied to movies like “Waltz With Bashir” and “Funan.” Animation is frequently dismissed as a form for children.
- Spirited Away (2001)
Ghibli’s Oscar-winning masterpiece was the first Ghibli film to gross more than $10 million in the United States, and thus the one that established most Americans’ perception of the Japanese animation studio.
The film is the pinnacle of Miyazaki’s imagination, full of iconic visuals and larger-than-life characters that unfold in accordance with the filmmaker’s dream-like logic. This is something to keep an eye out for in all of Miyazaki’s films, as their plots do not follow “traditional” narratives, but instead flow from scene to scene in such a way that the surprises are never quite predictable.
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