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2010-06-03

Arrietty Finishes Production - In Theatres July 17



Studio Ghibli finished production of Karigurash no Arrietty (The Borrowers) on May 29, according to the official website.  Voice recording is complete, and sound production should be finished by the end of June.

The final Arrietty trailer will be released this month, and the movie will be released in Japanese theatres on July 17.  There is currently no word on an American release.

21 comments:

Dan Hamman said...

Great to see the recent posts, Daniel. Always great to see your writing, so enthusiastic with as much love for Ghibli as you have levelheadedness. Though I'm going to have to request you stop posting about the Nausicaa bluray at least, since there will be (offically) nothing new from Ghibli all year for me!! Such teasing.. (from the UK so we've had Earthsea for a while)

So excited for Arrietty anyway, here's hoping Yonebayashi's enchanting scenes as an animator lend him similar traits as a director. Ghibli are desperate to find their new heir, I really hope he's a serious contender. He's got Japan's best animators and background painters on the team, I'm sure it won't disappoint. I have no idea what to expect, though with love and desire being part of the premise, I hope it's a story as heartfelt as anything Yoshifumi Kondo could have told.

Let's hope international distributors don't sit on this one for too long. It shouldn't be so hard to sell a Borrowers film in the UK at least.

beyond said...

A lot of Japanese say same thing "I saw the second trailer in a theather. I almost cried only by the trailer" on the Twitter.
Of course I saw it. It looks great.

Arrietty might be a masterpiece. Because,when Miyazaki finished a script before the beginning of the production of a film, these films became a masterpiece.
Suzuki says about Arrietty, "When Miya-san writes a script for other staff, it become a good thing.(laughs)"
A lot of people say Miyazaki's film became difficult story, but they don't know that Miyazaki has released many masterpiece films at Ghibli museum.

According to Nishioka, Yoshifummi Kondo was a trainer of Yonebayashi when he was a trainee.
http://blog.karigurashi.jp/index.php?mode=show&date=20100323
Yonebayashi made his debut in Princess Mononoke as an animator.
Probably Kondo is watching Yonebayashi's direcotr debut in heaven.

Nishioka explains that Arrietty refers to Seibien Garden very much.
http://www.seibien.jp/
Ghibli's poroduction diary of Nov 12, 2008 show a picture Miyazaki visits Seibien.
http://www.ghibli.jp/15diary/005554.html

Dan Hamman said...

Can't wait to see the second trailer myself.

Will the animation style be a far cry from Ponyo? The production period has been astonishingly short, I wonder if they've kept up Miyazaki's desire to use more drawings or returned to the more traditionally 'limited' animation style for Yonebayashi's first film?

I understand his wishes for the place to be special, but it would be so nice if the Ghibli museum films were released to everyone soon. I'm sure people would be happy to buy them.

Also @beyond, thank you so much for that information from Nishioka's blog. It's quite frustrating that there are over 166 videos just for arrietty that haven't been translated. I'm sure a text blog would have been easier for most of us, but those with limited Japanese cannot get much from the videos at all.

I really really am keen to see this new trailer haha

Anonymous said...

Here's hoping that Hiromasa Yonebayashi's directorial debut goes well, god knows that Ghibli needs to find more great directors for post-Miyazaki.

Speaking of which they had one in Mamrou Hosoda,who was going to direct Howl's but because the people at Ghibli didn't like his ideas so he quit the project. What a lost for the studio as he has easily became the best anime director in recent memory with Girl Who Leapt Through Time and Summer Wars, both amazing films which I highly recommend

beyond said...

@Daniel
I think Arrietty's animation style is traditional style which most Ghibli fans expect.
Some Japanese say "It was Ghibli Bashiri" about a scene which Arrietty runs in grass in the second trailer. Japanese Ghibli fans call Ghibli's characters running style "Ghibli Bashiri". Bashiri(Hashiru) means Run.

Nishioka announced that Arrietty third (Final) trailer will be released in theaters from June 12.
There are long version (2 minutes) and short version (30 seconds).
http://blog.karigurashi.jp/index.php?mode=show&date=20100604

I guess Arrietty official website update on June 12. Because, according to Suzuki's radio show, Ghibli is preparing new design poster. Probably they announce it with third trailer and change the design of official website.
And I guess second trailer will be released on the official website. Because Gedo Senki trailer was released on the official website.
But if they does not it, probably NTV will air the second or third trailer on July 2.
NTV announced that they will air Pompoko on July 2, Whisper of the heart on July 9, and Totoro on July 16 as Ghibli festival for Arrietty.

Daniel Thomas MacInnes said...

Thanks for the heads-up. I've got June 12 pencilled in the calendar (calendar/art project, acually), and I'll be looking for the trailer and website.

I'm a bit surprised that trailer #2 is still unavailable online. Perhaps I haven't looked hard enough. I spent all last night tracking down Miyazaki's latest comic from the pages of Model Graphix. Hint: it's really fantastic, nine episodes in pencil and watercolor.

The Karigurashi video blogs are a really good idea, but I do wish Ghibli would be kind enough to offer subtitles for English-speaking audiences. Even though their movies are still created for a Japanese audience, their appeal is worldwide. Ghibli is international now, whether they like it or not, and they should embrace the global culture.

Oh, and don't forget Takahata's Anne of Green Gables on the big screen, two new shorts for the Ghibli Museum (including Miyazaki's latest) Nausicaa on Blu-Ray, and Earthsea's arrival in the US. Then the studio takes a break for a few weeks before diving into the next film production.

beyond said...

@Heromaster111
As rummer in Japan, Hosoda could not keep the deadline of storyboards. So Miyazaki was angry.
So we cannot know the truth.

Suzuki mentined in his radio show, when Miyazaki was making Nausicaa, he had worked so hard every day. From 9:00 am to 4:00 am. He ate the lunch in 5 minutes. He worked without doing idle talk.
One day, an animator was late for 5 minutes. Miyazaki was very angry and this animator left the studio.
And Suzuki mentioned that there are many directors who are not announced officially. They suffered from a duodenal ulcer in one week.

And this was mentioned in the radio show, when Ghibli staff demanded a image board from Yonebayashi, he shouted suddenly "I am not Miyazaki-san!!".

Suzuki says "Ghibli is a company to make Miya-san's film. When he is not able to make a film, we cannot but smash a studio."
"Everything repeat the birth - prosperity - end. Glibli is like a small factory in town and has been supported with genius Miya-san. I think Miya-san is suffering between life of the staff and his imagination."
http://www.zakzak.co.jp/gei/2005_06/g2005060709.html

Suzuki mentioned in the press conference of Arrietty, "I'm sorry for Yonebayashi, this is a filler. Because Miya-san cannot taking mound consecutively(laughs)"

We easily say about successor of Ghibli, but we don't know the hardship of working in Ghibli and under Miyazaki.

Dan Hamman said...

So pleased to hear about the animation style being traditionally Ghibli. Most things about the production of this film remind me of the similar circumstances with which Whisper of the Heart was made. Though it may not be the obvious choice, the animation is that film is so emotional and honest, I hope we can see something similar from Arrietty. Have we finally a new Kondo?

Also I have to echo Daniel's wishes about Ghibli creating films as though they are for the whole world also, and we're not just watching them as sloppy seconds. Here's hoping June 12th's an eventful day then!

Stephanie said...

I was just in Japan for a month, and there were Arrietty ads around, especially in department stores near the books. They had a pretty large Ghibli display one week I went in a store, then the next week they had a smaller one with a TV playing a trailer. They were also selling the books it's based off of and several books with images of the movie on the front- not sure what they were though.

Sadly, we did not go to Tokyo or the Ghibli museum ;o; Not by choice- we were a class.

beyond said...

Hiromasa Yonebayashi appears in the Making of Spirited Away.
He wears an orange shirt.(1:52 mark)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bwp3W60YqxQ&playnext_from=TL&videos=30f33en4gP8

Dan Hamman said...

@beyond, if you remember there was another making of spirited away documentary called "Breathing life into drawings" (絵に命を吹き込め)in which Yonebayashi features heavily. It was on youtube once but i think NHK had it removed. Do you know where it's available to watch? It would be great to see some more of Yonebayashi and see how he's changed maybe.

I keep looking at all his scenes, especially the leaping fish waves in ponyo, it's quite amazing.

Anonymous said...

@beyond
That maybe, but like you said who knows. Regardless Ghibli lost a very talented and skilled director who would have done the Ghibli name proud. His 2 films since then have a certain beauty and charm that matches some of Ghibli's best. As of right now it would seem like MADhouse with Satoshi Kon and Hosoda have a much more productive future ahead.

If only Yoshifumi Kondo wasn't taken away from us so early. Whisper of the Heart was an amazing first effort and ranks up there with Shoji Kawamori's Macross:Do You Remember Love?, Miyazaki's Castle of Cagliostro, and Hiroyuki Yamaga's Wings of Honneamise as best directorial debuts by an anime director.

Daniel Thomas MacInnes said...

Studio Ghibli has burned through a lot of would-be directors over the years. They manage to chew them up and spit 'em out in no time at all. These are dedicated, hard-working people even by Japan's standards.

I'm not all surprised to see Miyazaki kick someone's ass for being late on the job. Everyone has to remember - he grew up during World War II. He grew up during those difficult post-war years. You don't work, you don't eat.

The traumas of the post-war years had a deep and lasting impression on the young Hayao Miyazaki. That is the source of his intense, obsessive work ethic.

And for a person like that, who clawed his way to the top, after many peaks and valleys during his career...Good Lord, don't ever miss a deadline. If you show up late for work, you better have bullet holes in you.

And I agree with everyone that Yoshifumi Kondo's loss was immense. However, if he were still alive, he'd be in his 50s today. Ghibli would still need to cultivate younger talent. Remember that Kondo first worked with Miyazaki and Takahata way back in 1971, on Lupin III. He goes way back. And don't forget the short films he directed before Mimi/Whisper: the 1984 Nemo pilot...The Sky Colored Seed...

beyond said...

@Daniel
Unfortunately, I don't know where you can watch it.
NHK is not commercial TV. All Japanese home are forced to pay viewer price. So NHK removes illegal videos on the net.

beyond said...

Arrietty official website announced(lower left) that Arrietty production complete announcement press preview will be held at Tokyo International Forum Hall C
at 6:30 p.m. of July 1. Toho invites 50 people by a lottery.
The stage greeting of the satff and voice cast is held before the screening.
http://www.karigurashi.jp/index.html
http://www.t-i-forum.co.jp/english/facility_each/facility_each_03.html

Usually, production complete announcement pressconference is held before this preview,
Suzuki mentions about world relese and internetional film festival in that.
Spirited Away complete announcement pressconference
http://www.eiga-portal.com/butaiaisatsu/sentochihiro-s/01.shtml

Ponyo, Gedo Senki and Howl were screened at Venetia International Film Festival in September.

beyond said...

In the begining on the second trailer you can listen the narration of 12 years old boy Sho.
This is tanslaton of it.
He says "I spent that summer just a week in the old house my mother grew up. I met the little people girl there whom my mother had talked. Don't be seen by human. It was a rule of little people."

Disease, Garden, Mother etc, these are Miyazaki film's elements.

Anonymous said...

Thanks everyone for all of the information. Even though I have only seen the one trailer and the pencil sketches, I think the film looks pretty good and I hope they only push off the US release for a year.

I am very excited to that Tales of the Earthsea is finaly going to be released in the US!! -I think I am one of the few people who really like it as I have seen the British and Japanese versions.

I will def be checking this beautiful site for those other Arietty trailers. (;

beyond said...

NTV at last aired the second trailer and voice recording this mornig. 71 seconds version. The second version has short version and long version.
Probably it will be available on YouTube.
Correction:
Sho says "I spent that summer just a week in the old house my mother grew up. I met the little people girl there whom my mother had talked."

beyond said...

The second trailer
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zxu7V7TKKyg

Daniel Thomas MacInnes said...

@beyond: Thank you so much for sending the link. I'll write a quick post after I finish this note, and then add the video once I get home (can't do that now, hehe).

And how did this thread hit 20 comments? That creeped up on me real quick. Good to see that Arrietty is getting attention from all the fans.

beyond said...

I'm sorry to write many times.
This is best clip of the second trailer on Youtube. More clearer and you can see the other voice cast recording.
The first clip I recomend you was aired at 6:40 am. This clip was aired at 7:40.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zdndRHrF6Bg&feature

The content of voice recording is different, too.
In the firast clip. Sho says to Arrietty "Do you have a name?", and Arrietty says "Of corse, I'm Arrietty".

But in this clip,
Sho says: Wait, Please do not go.
Arrietty: Do not pay attention to us anymore. I came to say only it.
I want to have a talk with you.

Homily: Arrietty, Did you go outside again? You should clean a little more.

Sadako: My father said he saw a little people in this house. So he had waited all the time.

Spiller: I go. I have this. Eat? Tasty. (He speaks haltingly.)

Pod: My investigation was not enough. I let you feel scary. You must not talk to mother.

Haru: In fact, there is a little people. I saw it.

Because I'm not good at English, please revise and interpret these character's talk by yourself.

According to Arritty bloger Nishioka, when the recording of the last scene was performed, the staff member were filled with tears in a small room behind the voice cast. This last scene seems so wonderful.

By the way, Shinobu Otake(Homily) and Kirin Kiki(Haru) won the best Actress in a Leading Role Award of
the Japanese Academy Award, Keiko Takeshita(Sadako) won the Excellent Actress in a Supporting Role Award, Tomokazu Miura(Pod) won the Excellent Actor in a Supporting Role Award.

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