Becoming the new El Dorado for fans of animation, and more particularly Japanese animation, Netflix has just acquired a film highly anticipated, which will be released on July 5 on the platform.
Two Ghibli alumni
For several years now, Netflix has been working hard to compete with Crunchyroll in the video market. of Japanese animation. In addition to producing several live-action adaptations, the American company distributes numerous unreleased anime, across the world. likePluto, based on the masterpiece by Naoki Urasawa (Monster,20th Century Boys ). Netflix also signed a juicy deal with Studio Ghibli, which will allow it to distribute Hayao Miyazaki's latest animated masterpiece, The Boy and the Heron.
In addition, Netflix has also signed a contract with the young studio Ponoc, founded by Hiromasa Yonebayashi, historical collaborator of Studio Ghibli, who among other things directedArrietty: The Little World of Thieves andMemories of Marnie. Following the decline of Ghibli's activities, leading to a temporary closure of the studio, halftime of the 2010s,the director founded his own company with other Ghiblialumni. Their first film, Mary and the Witch's Flower, confirmed that the Ponoc studio has not denied its promise. Ghibli's legacy.
After the collection of short filmsModest Heroes (2018), also available on Netflix,the Ponoc studio makes its comeback withAmanda and Imaginary Friends, directed by Yoshiyuki Momose. Key facilitator at Ghibli, having worked on Porco Rosso, Princess Mononoké, Spirited Away, Tales from EarthseaandThe Tale of Princess Kaguya, Momose made his directorial debut on the filmNi No Kuni, inspired by from the game of Level-5 and Ghibli.
ÉWritten by Yoshiaki Nishimura – collaborator of Isa Takahata on The Tale of Princess Kaguya and co-founder of the Ponoc studio -, the film tells us “The fantastic adventures of the two children, launched from Amanda's attic, lead them to discover a magical world of creatures and places never seen before, until a sinister force threatens to destroy this imaginary universe and the friendship that it contains“.
Once again, the Ghibli touch is visible in these very promising first images, both in the design of the characters and creatures and in the sets. There is no doubt that this new film will attract the attention of Ghibli fans… It remains to be seen whether the Ponoc studio will manage to find an identity of its own!
This article interested you? Then don't hesitate to discover the first information on the next film by Hayao Miyazaki.