Studio Ghibli's First 3D-Animated Movie Releasing Later This Year

Studio Ghibli is a legendary studio when it comes to anime, and though they have been working with traditional animation this whole time, Ghibli is set to release their first 3D-animated film within the year.

According to Polygon, Ghibli's Aya and the Witch is set to broadcast on the NHK later this winter. The movie is actually based on Earwig and the Witch from author Diana Wynne Jones; the same author behind Howl's Moving Castle.

Here's the synopsis of the original book:

Not every orphan would love living at St. Morwald's Home for Children, but Earwig does. She gets whatever she wants, whenever she wants it, and it's been that way since she was dropped on the orphanage doorstep as a baby. But all that changes the day Bella Yaga and the Mandrake come to St. Morwald's, disguised as foster parents. Earwig is whisked off to their mysterious house full of invisible rooms, potions, and spell books, with magic around every corner. Most children would run in terror from a house like that . . . but not Earwig. Using her own cleverness—with a lot of help from a talking cat—she decides to show the witch who's boss.

As well as the Japanese cover of the novel:

Credit: via Otaku USA Magazine

via: OtakuUSAMagazine

Of course, it's possible the movie won't be following the art of this cover, but then again, the aesthetic is already pretty "Ghibli" on its own. You could even mistake it for a teaser poster.

Though Hayao Miyazaki is working on another movie right now called How Do You Live?, he's still attached as a producer for Aya and the Witch. As far as director credit goes, that belongs to Miyazaki's son Goro, who has experience working on series like Ronja, the Robber's Daughter.

Seeing that this will be Ghibli's first 3D-animated movie, we don't really know what to expect as far as visuals go. With no trailer released, for Aya and the Witch, my guess is that it will look close to Miyazaki's short film, Boro the Caterpillar.

Aya and the Witch comes out later this winter on the NHK.

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