“The Wind Rises” If there’s one word that springs to mind when contemplating Miyazaki Hayao’s final film, it would be “difficult”. And I’ve contemplated it a lot. I saw it in Japanese soon after its theatrical premiere, and seeing it a second time with subtitles has done nothing to help […] Read more
It’s always a thrill to be in the presence of true genius. Takahata Isao, the 78 year-old “other” of Studio Ghibli’s two old lions, is never going to be as well known as his good friend Miyazaki Hayao. His movies are never going to sell as many tickets in Japan, […] Read more
It’s certainly huge news when the most commercially successful anime director ever – by far – announces he’s retiring from directing feature films. This is a day we’ve known was coming for a while, but it’s still sad to see Miazaki Hayao announce he’s retiring from directing features. It’s early […] Read more
“From up on Poppy Hill” One thing’s for sure – it can’t be easy being Miyazaki Gorou. Anyone who pays close attention to anime in its theatrical form has spent plenty of time listening to directors being called “The next Miyazaki”. Makoto Shinkai (cold) and Hosoda Mamoru (a little warmer) […] Read more
As “Arrietty” has just begun a theatrical release, I thought it would be a good idea to top this review. Remember, this is for the subtitled version – I’ve also seen the Disney dub and I can tell you it’s decent, though nowhere near as good (shocking, I know). David […] Read more