Hayao Miyazaki is no stranger to the world of anime and films as he is responsible for making the notable hits of Studio Ghibli such as Spirited Away, Grave of the Fireflies, and Princess Mononoke to name a few.
After the release of the studio’s latest film Earwig and the Witch, Miyazaki will be going out of retirement to work on his final film for the studio. The upcoming film that he will be working on would be an adaptation of the 1937 novel titled How Do You Live?.
Miyazaki says that it will be a fantasy movie on a grand scale according to his recent interview with the New York Times. How Do You Live? is centered on a 15-year-old boy in Tokyo whose father has recently died. The overwhelmed boy sets out into the city as he finds himself and his purpose.
The recent film by Studio Ghibli, Earwig and the Witch was directed by Miyazaki’s son, Goro Miyazaki. It was a co-production between Studio Ghibli, NHK, and NHK Enterprises. The film was aired on Japanese television on December 30, 2020, and it premiered in theaters on August 27, 2021. Unlike the studio’s previous works that are made in 2D animation, Earwig and the Witch is computer-animated. It is based on the novel of the same name created by Diana Wynne Jones. It received mostly good reviews from critics.
Five of Studio Ghibli’s films are part of the ten highest-grossing anime feature films produced in Japan. Two of their highest ones were Spirted Away in 2001 earning 31.68 billion yen, Princess Mononoke earning 20.18 billion yen.
The studio suspended its productions temporarily in August 2014 due to Miyazaki’s retirement. Then in February 2017, producer Toshio Suzuki announced that Miyazaki will be going out of retirement to direct an upcoming feature film which is How Do You Live?
There is still no word for international screenings of the film as of this time, but many are looking forward to what Miyazaki has up his sleeve for his final film he’ll direct.
READ MORE: Watch: Brief History of Studio Ghibli
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