Famed anime director Mamoru Hosoda is certainly assembling some all-star talent for his latest movie, Belle, and in the new trailer which hit the internet on Thursday, April 1st, we're finally seeing the fruits of those collaborative efforts!
In the new trailer, not only do we get a good look into the character designs created by Disney animator, Jin Kim, but we also get a glimpse into the story and learn that they will release the movie to theaters in Japan this coming July!
Along with Jin Kim, director Hosoda also recruited other talents from around the world to work on this piece including Eric Wong, an architect and designer based in London, to work on the online universe that the main character inhabits as well as Ireland-based Cartoon Saloon to help with the animation alongside Hododa's Studio Chizu.
Studio Chizu describes the story as:
Our protagonist, Suzu, is a 17-year old high school girl, who lives in the countryside of Kochi Prefecture with her father, after losing her mother at a young age.
She loves singing with her mother more than anything else, but as a result of her mother's death was no longer able to sing.
It wasn't long before she and her father grew more and more distant from each other, and Suzu closed her heart to the rest of the world.
When Suzu felt that writing music was her only purpose left in life, she then discovers the massive online space known as "U," where she takes on her persona, Belle.
Another me. Another reality. We are no longer limited to a single world.
Suzu quickly realizes that when she is inside "U" as her avatar, Belle, she can sing quite naturally. As she continues to showcase her own music in the virtual world, she fast becomes the rising star of "U."
Nonetheless, that surprise is short-lived. Suddenly, a mysterious dragon-shaped creature appears before her...
If you're already a regular anime viewer, you're certainly no stranger to the name Mamoru Hosoda. Famed for his larger-than-life movies, which explore emotional depths, Belle looks to be another solid outing for him. While no plans have been announced for an international release as yet, it seems like it's only a matter of time before one is revealed by someone.
With Hosoda being a household name in the anime world and movies that are almost always sure-fire hits, it's hard to imagine a world where there aren't tons of companies already lining up, anxious for their chance to be the one to release this movie out into the world outside of Japan.
Source: Anime News Network
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