New Studio Ghibli Film 'Kokuriko-zaka kara' out this summer

Raz112

Completely Average High School Student
News of a new Studio Ghibli project was announced last month. It's an adaptation of the shoujo manga 'Kokuriko-saka kara', first serialised in Nagayoshi Magazine in 1980.

It is an adolescent drama about an ordinary schoolgirl who becomes entangled in the noisy mess of a school newspaper department with boys and the student president. 

Ghibli producer Toshio Suzuki commented that they have finally been able to get the go ahead on this shoujo manga picture, and are now currently in the middle of strenuous planning.

It's scheduled to be released this summer, with the script co-written by Hayao Miyazaki, and the film directed by his son, Goro Miyazaki - his second film after Tales from Earthsea.
 
Source:&nbsp; <a href="http://natalie.mu/comic/news/42118">Natalie.mu</a> [Japanese]&nbsp;
More information in English: <a href="http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2010-12-15/ghibli-adapts-kokuriko-saka-kara-manga" target="_blank">ANN</a>
 
Sounds interesting,
I don't yet mind that Goro is directing... he deserves another shot, but I do question if it should be at a studio as big as Ghibli!
 
Forgetting about Tales of Earthsea & Goro Miyazaki for a moment, what do you guys think about the material?

It seems that Ghibli are going for another one of their slice of life films after a stint of fantasy films. However while these films usually don't involve Miyazaki Sr., in this one he's co-writing it. I wonder what changes/effects he will make to the story.

I also wonder if this film will ever see a UK/US release. I have a feeling it won't unfortunately.

I guess we'll just have to wait and see.
 
Raz112 said:
I also wonder if this film will ever see a UK/US release. I have a feeling it won't unfortunately.
Has it not usually been the case that we're provided with Ghibli titles quite adequately? I would go so far as to say we're served "better", if one wishes to use such a term, than America.
I'd expect a release eventually.
 
Raz112 said:
I also wonder if this film will ever see a UK/US release. I have a feeling it won't unfortunately.
It's Ghibi, all their films get brought over even if they're total shite like Earthsea or Ponyo.
 
Raz112 said:
Forgetting about Tales of Earthsea & Goro Miyazaki for a moment, what do you guys think about the material?
I have absolute faith in them to both pick source material and rework it in a way that "should" work. However, it's hard to forget about those two things you mentioned since that's pretty much the only time when that didn't hold true. I'm still looking forward to it, but nowhere near as much as Shinkai Makoto's new movie, for example.
 
@All

Sorry, when I said release, I meant a cinematic release, not DVD/Blu-ray release.

@ilmaestro - I see what you mean and agree for the most part. With regards to Tales of Earthsea, it's a shame it ended up the way it did. But on the other hand, I think the author is partly to blame as for the longest time Hayao Miyazaki pleaded with her to let him make a film to which said no. And then suddenly she turned around years later and asked Miyazaki to direct a film, to which he said no as he was no longer interested. Then somehow Goro got his hands onto it, to which dismayed his father and left Ursula K. Le Guin cautiously optimistic.

However, it seemed everyone ended up disappointed, and so there were no winners.
 
Ryu Shoji said:
"Directed by Goro Miyazaki"

Anticipation levels decreased.
Yeah, but this time Daddy is going to be leaning over his shoulder, something he didn't do with Earthsea as he let the boy get on with it observing his mistakes and weaknesses. :wink:
 
I fail to see the problem with Goro Miyazaki doing this. Tales of Earthsea, while not a great film, was not a bad film either.

Also Goro will never improve if he does not get another chance.
 
mangaman74 said:
Also Goro will never improve if he does not get another chance.
I think conventional wisdom is to watch people come along and improve as they work their way through the industry/sport/company and see if they might have what it takes, not sit them in The Big Chair on the off chance that they find it really comfortable.
 
mangaman74 said:
I fail to see the problem with Goro Miyazaki doing this. Tales of Earthsea, while not a great film, was not a bad film either.

Also Goro will never improve if he does not get another chance.

Absolutely. I had a bit of an argument with people over this. IMO Earthsea is certainly a better all around film than Porco Rosso, and while not great, is certainly watchable.

Equally, I have watched the old Lupin III and Future Boy Conan series. HAving checked which episodes Miyazaki worked on, I can say, while sometimes back then he really hit the mark (The first and last few episodes of FBC) other times he certainly wasn't the writer/director he later became (Lots of the middle episodes of FBC)

Give Goro a chance certainly, though I will agree that being shoved into a multi million project with only scant experience first is not the smartest move for anyone.
 
ilmaestro said:
Raz112 said:
Forgetting about Tales of Earthsea & Goro Miyazaki for a moment, what do you guys think about the material?
I have absolute faith in them to both pick source material and rework it in a way that "should" work. However, it's hard to forget about those two things you mentioned since that's pretty much the only time when that didn't hold true. I'm still looking forward to it, but nowhere near as much as Shinkai Makoto's new movie, for example.

These are my thoughts exactly. I know it's a ghibli film and it's been co-written by Miyazaki and I should be excited, however I can't yet forget about the crushing disapointment that was Earthsea and how it was so poorly handled.

On the other hand it will be interesting to see how Goro will do with his second film and if he can get people to forget about Earthsea. I think one thing that could have worked in his favour is how Eathsea was nearly unanimously slammed by everyone, he knows he has to step up his game and that many will already be counting him out, this situation could potentially provide Goro with enough drive to beat the odds, also hopefully Miyazaki has given Goro a bit more of a schooling in the years since Earthsea. I think he might also feel more comfortable with this Japanese source material.

However I do agree with Ilmaestro, I think it would be far wiser for Goro to slowly gain experience and skill working on various smaller projects first and then building up towards a fully fledged Ghibli epic, rather than jumping in all or nothing style.
 
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