After a secretive Japanese release that saw no prior promotional efforts, Studio Ghibli has finally pulled back the curtain on Hayao Miyazaki‘s animated fantasy epic The Boy and the Heron. While first-look images have previously offered a glimpse into the enigmatic world, this marks the first time fans are getting an extended look at its characters, setting, and everything in between.
The debut trailer leans strongly into nostalgia, inheriting the 2D animation style that the studio is well known for. It oozes the charm of Miyazaki’s past works, but seems to be more entrenched in the artistic identity of Spirited Away, The Wind Rises, and Howl’s Moving Castle.
“A young boy names Mahito longing for his mother ventures into a world shared by the living and the dead. There, death comes to an end, and life finds a new beginning. A semi-autobiographical fantasy about life, death and creation, in tribute to friendship, from the mind of Hayao Miyazaki,” reads the official logline.
The feature was released in Japan on 14 July as Kimitachi wa do Ikiruka, which translates directly to “How Do You Live” in English. It has since racked up US$52.5 million at the domestic box office, making it Studio Ghibli’s eighth highest grossing title on home turf, and Miyazaki’s first film in 10 years.
Prior to The Boy and the Heron, the internationally renowned filmmaker worked on fan favourites like Spirited Away, My Neighbour Toroto, Howl’s Moving Castle, Princess Mononoke, Ponyo, and more. The Wind Rises was originally announced as his last project before retirement, so it’s widely speculated that Miyazaki will still continue his creative pursuits after this outing (which also aligns with co-founder Toshio Suzuki’s belief).
The Boy and the Heron features the Japanese voices of Soma Santoki as Mahito and Masaki Suda as Grey Heron, in addition to Takuya Kimura, Aimyon, Kô Shibasaki, Yoshino Kimura, Shôhei Hino, and Jun Kunimura. It will open in the U.S. later this year, with no word on a Singapore release just yet.
Si Jia is a casual geek at heart – or as casual as someone with Sephiroth’s theme on her Spotify playlist can get. A fan of movies, games, and Japanese culture, Si Jia’s greatest weakness is the Steam Summer Sale. Or any Steam sale, really.
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