The Studio Ghibli (JP) Discussion Thread

[jello_02]

hello, just skimmed the whole thread for pictures of the japanese packaging on the other blus already released in the studio ghibli line and couldn't find any with detailed interior shots. can anyone help with pics and also i would like to import this edition. any idea on favorable vendors? i saw yesasia has it for around $68, are there any better vendors? thanks in advance

[Jasonic]

Originally Posted by celticmoon

Not to be pessimistic, but I can't imagine Miyazaki or Takahata to keep making films much longer. They really do need a good in-house director or two keep the legacy going once they retire or pass.

It's kind of unbelievable that they haven't really had any rising stars since Yoshifumi Kondo. It's good that it seems that Goro has notably improved with his recent effort (haven't seen it yet), but he clearly isn't enough to carry the studio.

I agree that it would be great if Hosoda were able to come aboard. He would be such a good fit. That said, I guess it's not very likely considering that he started his own studio and has become so huge lately.

I love Hosoda's work. He is my second favorite Animation director after Miyazaki. But I like him being separate from Ghibli. He has his own style and I feel that he could also expand his company to properly compete someday.

Originally Posted by jello_02

hello, just skimmed the whole thread for pictures of the japanese packaging on the other blus already released in the studio ghibli line and couldn't find any with detailed interior shots. can anyone help with pics and also i would like to import this edition. any idea on favorable vendors? i saw yesasia has it for around $68, are there any better vendors? thanks in advance

Amazon.co.jp is what I use. $50 + shipping.

[solesupremebeing]

The cover art for The Cat Returns is easily the worst of them all. The colour isn't great and too similar to Laputa's, the silhouette is a very poor choice, and the English title is unnecessary and in a horrid font. Mononoke Hime looks fantastic though. You win some, you lose some.

[Shingster]

Miyazaki and Takahata are unique talents, many have tried to mimic their style or have been heavily influenced by them, but no-one has really managed to capture that ageless, timeless quality both directors have. Miyazaki is the consummate children's storyteller and Takahata the auteur who's tried to keep the studio in touch with classic Japanese literature. When both finally hang up their pencils the studio will have no choice but to evolve.

Compared to films like Whisper of the Heart & Spirited Away Hosoda's work feels second class, but he's an undoubtedly talented director who I think has better films ahead of him, so he might be a decent fit. Shinkai IMO has struggled with feature-length productions, anything over one hour by him tends to be beautiful to look at but quite superficial and ultimately dull, he's a more talented animation director then storyteller.

I think someone like Akitarô Daichi might be an interesting choice if he teamed up with a really great animation director like Kazuo Oga.

[GC Riot]

Originally Posted by Shingster

Compared to films like Whisper of the Heart & Spirited Away Hosoda's work feels second class, but he's an undoubtedly talented director who I think has better films ahead of him, so he might be a decent fit.

Have you seen Wolf Children? IMO it's by far his greatest achivement to date and ranks among the greatest animated films I've seen. Summar Wars I felt was unique, but his weakest effort (of the three I've seen), and The Girl Who Leapt Through Time I think would fit just nicely in the Ghibli library. But of course, that's just my opinion.

[celticmoon]

Originally Posted by Jasonic

I love Hosoda's work. He is my second favorite Animation director after Miyazaki. But I like him being separate from Ghibli. He has his own style and I feel that he could also expand his company to properly compete someday.

I agree that he has his own voice and style.

I'm trying to figure out if Ghibli has a "house style" or not. Clearly Takahata and Miyazaki have very unique voices that are totally different from one another. Their styles differ pretty drastically IMO. The non-Miyazaki (Hayao), non-Takahata films from Ghibli more closely resemble Miyazaki's style, though that's probably because he has a hand in most of them.

So I think really a director of any style could fit their way into Ghibli, since they don't have a set style. The themes of Hosoda's films align well enough, and his films could possibly even benefit by working within the studio. That said, it's not going to happen, so I guess discussing it too much is pointless.

Originally Posted by Shingster

Miyazaki and Takahata are unique talents, many have tried to mimic their style or have been heavily influenced by them, but no-one has really managed to capture that ageless, timeless quality both directors have. Miyazaki is the consummate children's storyteller and Takahata the auteur who's tried to keep the studio in touch with classic Japanese literature. When both finally hang up their pencils the studio will have no choice but to evolve.

Compared to films like Whisper of the Heart & Spirited Away Hosoda's work feels second class, but he's an undoubtedly talented director who I think has better films ahead of him, so he might be a decent fit. Shinkai IMO has struggled with feature-length productions, anything over one hour by him tends to be beautiful to look at but quite superficial and ultimately dull, he's a more talented animation director then storyteller.

I think someone like Akitarô Daichi might be an interesting choice if he teamed up with a really great animation director like Kazuo Oga.

Though I think he is talented with good to great films, I do agree that Hosoda does not reached the level of Miyazaki/Takahata yet. Honestly, I can't put my finger on it, but I feel that his films are missing that one last touch that would take them to the next level. However, Wolf Children was a beautiful film that was a marked improvement over Summer Wars, which was a good film in its own right, (and it was perhaps better than The Girl Who Leapt Through Time as well) and I agree that I think he will only be going up from here.

Shinkai went Ghibli-esque in Children Who Chase Lost Voices, and personally, I thought it was a pretty good effort. His films are indeed beautiful, but considering the short run-times on most of them, I can understand the assessment that he may be struggling with feature-length films. That said, I think he is also getting better as he goes along, and could perhaps be a decent fit as well.

How about Masaaki Yuasa? His films and projects have a very unique visual style with eccentric animation. Nothing of his really evokes Ghibli at all, but he is beyond talented and it would be interesting to see him do something a bit more conventional and family friendly while maintaining his style and eccentricities.

[jello_02]

Originally Posted by Jasonic

Amazon.co.jp is what I use. $50 + shipping.

thanks. will use that. any pics anyone of previous studio ghibli japan releases so i kinda know what to expect.

[Sinthetic]

Originally Posted by jello_02

thanks. will use that. any pics anyone of previous studio ghibli japan releases so i kinda know what to expect.

Go for CD Japan and look at my Gallery for lots of lovely Ghibli Japanese goodness.

Here is a shot of what all the releases look like inside (apart from the Limited Editions).

[deschain]

Originally Posted by GC Riot

Not only that, but Arrietty was scripted by Miyazaki as well, right? Same thing with Poppy Hill. So even if the other directors do put their own spin on it, it's still based on a Miyazaki blueprint in the end. I wonder what will happen when he actually is gone...
They could always beg Mamoru Hosoda to come back

I was going to say the same thing, i want a director to make something that Miyazaki hasn't had such a huge part in, maybe just an adaption of a manga would be cool but im hoping Goro's next one will have less of his fathers input.

As for Hosoda i think that ship has long since sailed after the Howl's Moving Castle disaster and i think Shinkai just works far to differently from how they work at ghibli and he likes to run his own projects.

I dunno i guess i can kinda see Ghibli just becoming a brand once Miyazaki and Takahata are gone and maybe working with big name established directors in like 10 years time and it being more of a financial thing but who can guess what will really happen. The real problem is when the real boss retires... Toshio Suzuki

I wouldnt have said it a year ago but i do think Miyazaki has another big one left in him

I also got this last week and anyone who's watched it will know how unique and irreplaceable Kazo Oga is too. Its such a great bluray to own and packed with a lot of really awesome content and everything is subbed.

[SquishyMuffin]

I've said it before and I'll say it again;

All this talk just heightens the sad fact that the perfect protege to take over was Yoshifumi Kondo

Maybe Ghibli shouldn't continue as 'Ghibli' after Miyasaki and Takahata retire. It was basically them two that made the studio what it was and is today.

They created it to bring a fresh 'wind' to film/anime industry. I'd rather it left on a high than let that wind go stale and contradict the ethos of the company.

[deschain]

Don't forget that Kondo was only 9 years younger than Miyazaki! So even though he would have made some amazing films if he were still alive today he wouldn't be much further from considering his own retirement.

[SquishyMuffin]

Originally Posted by deschain

Don't forget that Kondo was only 9 years younger than Miyazaki! So even though he would have made some amazing films if he were still alive today he wouldn't be much further from considering his own retirement.

True. But he passed away way too young nonetheless. I cannot stress enough how I feel he 'got' what a Ghibli film was, and had the talent to direct his own subtle take on it (lingering on emotional beats wherever possible and simply living with the characters for a bit). Maybe I'm alone here due to my almost unconditional love towards his only film!

[jello_02]

Originally Posted by Sinthetic

Go for CD Japan and look at my Gallery for lots of lovely Ghibli Japanese goodness.

Here is a shot of what all the releases look like inside (apart from the Limited Editions).

[Show spoiler]

thanks for the pic. thought it would be better, but it is nicer than the us editions imo. in other peoples opinion or guesses do you think that princess mononoke will ever be released in the states?

[GenPion]

Originally Posted by SquishyMuffin

True. But he passed away way too young nonetheless. I cannot stress enough how I feel he 'got' what a Ghibli film was, and had the talent to direct his own subtle take on it (lingering on emotional beats wherever possible and simply living with the characters for a bit). Maybe I'm alone here due to my almost unconditional love towards his only film!

You are definitely not alone here... Whisper of the Heart is one of the best Ghibli films, and one of the greatest films of all time. (Just like most Ghlibi's).

[Sinthetic]

Originally Posted by jello_02

thanks for the pic. thought it would be better, but it is nicer than the us editions imo. in other peoples opinion or guesses do you think that princess mononoke will ever be released in the states?

Possibly by 2015.

[FREYMAX 3D]

Originally Posted by jello_02

thanks. will use that. any pics anyone of previous studio ghibli japan releases so i kinda know what to expect.

Some of the Ghibli Blu-rays on Amazon.co.jp have images of the insides and other details of the boxes as secondary rollover photos below the main photo on their order pages - check out Nausicaa and Laputa...

Here's the one for Nausicaa, it has a booklet inside, and for Laputa, a nice spine shot and inside photos of the discs...

[CatBus]

Originally Posted by jello_02

thanks for the pic. thought it would be better, but it is nicer than the us editions imo. in other peoples opinion or guesses do you think that princess mononoke will ever be released in the states?

I don't know if you've seen this thread or not, but it's worth pointing out:

https://forum.blu-ray.com/showthread.php?t=198117

The Japanese packaging is nice, but I wouldn't buy it just for that. Er, unless I already had a Japanese one for a different film, in which case I would feel COMPELLED to make them match *twitch*...

I buy the Japanese ones for these reasons: the subtitles tend to be more accurate to the Japanese dialogue (rather than transcriptions of the English dub), there are no English titles and dubbing credits (it's a pet peeve of mine to see dubbing credits for a dub I'm not listening to), I'm impatient and like to have my shiny things right now, and, well, I already have some, so I'm pretty much obligated now for the rest.

[GC Riot]

Originally Posted by joelgutheil

Does anyone know if they're up for pre order on CDJapan yet?

Princess Mononoke
The Cat Returns

[Shingster]

Originally Posted by GC Riot

Have you seen Wolf Children? IMO it's by far his greatest achievement to date and ranks among the greatest animated films I've seen. Summer Wars I felt was unique, but his weakest effort (of the three I've seen), and The Girl Who Leapt Through Time I think would fit just nicely in the Ghibli library. But of course, that's just my opinion.

No I haven't, but I'm looking forward to it. My only problem with Hosoda is that so far his films have lacked depth, they're pure crowd-pleasers and little more. That's not a bad thing at all really but Ghibli - or rather Miyazaki & Takahata - has always churned out films with that extra depth, which is the reason why their lesser films like a Cat Returns stick out like a sore. A fun romp like Returns would be a standout title for any other studio. BTW I've reviewed Summer Wars and Girl who Leapt Through Time here if you want to know how I feel about those films.

Originally Posted by celticmoon

How about Masaaki Yuasa? His films and projects have a very unique visual style with eccentric animation. Nothing of his really evokes Ghibli at all, but he is beyond talented and it would be interesting to see him do something a bit more conventional and family friendly while maintaining his style and eccentricities.

I've not seen any of his shows yet, will have to check them out! I see he has worked for Ghibli as an animator, another person I just thought of who also worked for Ghibli in the past is Mitsuo Iso. I thought he showed a lot of promise with Dennou Coil.

[joelgutheil]

Originally Posted by GC Riot

Princess Mononoke
The Cat Returns

Thanks GC! I've ordered from CDJapan since forever and I always seem to get it wrong re postage - am I right in thinking that AirMail is the one which seems to avoid custom fees?