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Polygon Pictures, a studio highly regarded overseas for Transformers: Prime and Star Wars: The Clone Wars, is challenging itself with a bold TV anime for the domestic Japanese market. The studio is in charge of animation production of the new TV anime Ronia the Robber’s Daughter, which was announced by NHK and Dwango. Ronia the Robber’s Daughter is a fantasy novel by Swedish children’s literature author Astrid Lindgren who is known worldwide for Pippi Longstocking. It will be a work for the whole family to enjoy.
This news comes soon after the November announcement that Polygon Pictures will be creating the TV anime for Tsutomu Nihei’s popular manga Knights of Sidonia. The anime will begin broadcasting this spring, and it will be the first domestic production for the studio.
Ronia the Robber’s Daughter will begin broadcasting on NHK BS this fall. It will be the studio’s second work domestic to Japan, coming soon after Knights Sidonia. It may become the main axis of the domestic TV anime industry.
It seems that Ronia the Robber’s Daughter will become a work talked about on many levels even in addition to Polygon Pictures’ participation. Appointed to the role of director is Gorō Miyazaki whose work includes the animated films Tales from Earthsea and From Up on Poppy Hill. It will be his first time directing a TV anime. Up until now, Gorō has worked on anime at Studio Ghibli. In 2013, Gorō’s father––a director and the face of Studio Ghibli, Hayao Miyazaki––announced his retirement from creating full-length anime. Meanwhile, it became clear that Gorō was burdened with the studio’s full-length anime as the next Miyazaki. This makes him taking on this new anime, as well as it being created by Polygon Pictures, a surprise.
Of course, this doesn’t mean that Studio Ghibli has no part in this work. Studio Ghibli’s name appears in the credits as a collaborator. Even for Studio Ghibli, this is their first time stepping into the realm of TV anime. This is a large undertaking by Studio Ghibli so they decided to join with Polygon Pictures. One reason for this may be Polygon Pictures’ high achievements in overseas animation. To put it another way, it seems they have their sights on overseas development for Ronia the Robber’s Daughter as well.
Source: animeanime
© NHK, NEP, Dwango. Licensed by Saltkrakan AB, The Astrid Lindgren Company
