Studio Ghibli Releases Hayao Miyazaki's Final Animated Film
On Friday, July 14, Japan saw the release of a new (and reportedly the last) animated film by acclaimed director Hayao Miyazaki, titled "How Do You Live?". According to the BBC, this film marks Miyazaki's return to the big screen and the first major project by Studio Ghibli after a decade-long hiatus. It premiered simultaneously in IMAX and other premium formats, including Dolby Atmos, Dolby Cinema, and DTS:X.
Hayao Miyazaki, often referred to as the "Asian Walt Disney" by the Western press, needs no introduction. His works such as "Princess Mononoke," "Spirited Away," and "My Neighbor Totoro" are beloved worldwide.
During the post-production stage of "How Do You Live?", Studio Ghibli opted for minimal marketing activities, foregoing trailers, TV spots, and other promotional materials. The film was only accompanied by a single poster featuring a heron. As reported by the Hollywood Reporter, the film's producer and Studio Ghibli's president, Toshio Suzuki, stated in June that the decision to maintain secrecy until the premiere was made to preserve the audience's experience.
"I believe providing too much information will diminish the viewers' interest. Deep down, I think it's what the audience secretly desires."
In 2013, after the release of the animated film "The Wind Rises," Hayao Miyazaki announced his retirement from directing and animating. However, just three years later in 2016, he embarked on the creation of a new film. In 2017, Miyazaki shared his plans to complete the film before the 2020 Olympic Games in Japan. However, during an interview with NHK television channel two years later, Toshio Suzuki mentioned that after 3.5 years of work, only 15% of the total runtime had been completed. Despite a team of 60 animators, Miyazaki's work pace averaged around one minute per month and 12 minutes per year. The entire process was done manually without the use of computer graphics, with Miyazaki personally drawing all the key frames. Producers repeatedly acknowledged that the master filmmaker intentionally took his time to complete his final work, as he did not wish to fully retire. As a result, Studio Ghibli disregarded any strict schedules and earned revenue through streaming previous anime works on platforms like Netflix.
"How Do You Live?" is an adaptation of the novel by Genzaburo Yoshino. The film is set in Japan during World War II and follows the story of a boy named Mahito, who encounters a talking heron in his search for his deceased mother. With the heron's guidance, he discovers a forbidden tower that leads him to an alternative world full of magic and wonders.