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Isao Takahata, who gave the world many masterpieces such as Grave of the Fireflies and Pom Poko, is coming out with his first theatrical anime in 14 years. This piece is titled Kaguya-hime no Monogatari, and it is based on The Tale of the Bamboo Cutter, a classic folktale every Japanese person knows. The release date for this film has been set for Nov. 23, and it will release Japan-wide. As Takahata has fans both in Japan and abroad, this is a highly anticipated work.
This anime depicts the real story of the girl Kaguya-hime (Princess Kaguya) who was hidden in The Tale of the Bamboo Cutter, the oldest representative of Japanese monogatari literature. The revealed synopsys says, “The Crime and Punishment of Kaguya-hime. This is the Studio Ghibli version of the story. Why did Kaguya-hime choose Earth of all the countless stars? What does she feel here, why did she have to leave the moon? What is the crime she committed and what is her punishment?” It seems the beautiful fairy tale of the bamboo cutter is about to undergo a daring change in director Takahata’s hands.
A trailer for the movie is already screening in theaters. The visuals of the anime are also gathering interest. The drawings, reminiscent of watercolor paintings, move with drastic force. It will be interesting to see how this is going to be expressed in the film.
Together with the release date, the theme song for the movie was also revealed. The song is titled “Inochi no Kioku” (Memories of Life), and it is performed by Nikaido Kazumi, an artist living in Hiroshima who is also an active priest. When deciding on the theme song, director Takahata sympathized with her unique and awe-inspiring voice that conveys both strength and gentleness. Kazumi’s song will no doubt add to the movie. On the other hand, Joe Hisaishi was chosen for composing the background music.
Studio Ghibli’s newest work and director Hayao Miyazaki’s first work in five years, The Wind Rises, was released to theaters on July 20. Since then, it has become a big hit seen by more than 5 million viewers. Twenty five years have passed since directors Takahata and Miyazaki last released a film in the same year. This last happened in 1988 with the movies Grave of the Fireflies and My Neighbor Totoro. These masters standing together has made 2013 a happy year for fans.
Source: AnimeAnime
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