Topic: dfmorgan's Studio Ghibli Marathon

[Critter]

I have a very close friend who is like Antares and just cannot get into anime. I have tried her with everything, Ghibli films, some series, Akira etc but she just doesn't like it, mostly for the visual style. That's understandable, it isn't for everyone. I suppose I like anime so much because I grew up with it, I was watching series like Pokemon and Sailor Moon in my youth before I even knew what anime was so I was already adapted to that visual style.

I must admit that I am one of those people who will watch at least any anime once, purely because of the fact that it is anime. I have watched some series completely that I have often asked myself throughout "why am I watching this?" because I really didn't like it, yet I wanted to complete it anyway.

With the long anime Emma, Naruto, One Piece, Bleach and maybe FMA are really the only "long" anime there are that are popular. There's really only a handful of those ongoing series that people are into, yet on the flip side there are hundreds of anime which are only 12-26 episodes long, or even less. A lot of these are just as popular, sometimes as popular as the big ones. I don't mind the long series myself, I think there's nothing wrong to have something you love which may go on for years instead of just weeks. They may have some slow episodes but the good episodes balance these shows out.

[snowcat]

I know there are alot of short animes, I own alot of them. For me it makes not difference sometimes..... I own all of Peacemaker Kurogane and its boring as for about 90% of the episodes. There is just something very samey about anime sometimes that just does my head in.

[dfmorgan]

MOVIE / DVD INFO:

Title: Grave of the Fireflies
Original Title: Hotaru no Haka
Year: 1988
Director: Isao Takahata
Rating: NR
Length: 90 Min.
Video: Anamorphic Widescreen 1.66:1
Audio: English: Dolby Digital: 2-Channel Stereo, Japanese: Dolby Digital: 2-Channel Stereo
Subtitles: English

Stars:
Tsutomu Tatsumi
Ayano Shiraishi
Akemi Yamaguchi
Yoshiko Shinohara

Plot:
In the aftermath of a World War II bombing, two orphaned children struggle to survive in the Japanese countryside. To Seita and his four-year old sister, the helplessness and indifference of their countrymen is even more painful than the enemy raids. Through desperation, hunger and grief, these children's lives are as heartbreakingly fragile as their spirit and love is inspiring. Grave of the Fireflies is a tale of the true tragedy of war and innocence lost, not only of the abandoned young, but of an entire nation.

Extras:
Scene Access
Feature Trailers
Featurettes
Gallery
Production Notes
Multi-angle
Interviews
Storyboard Comparisons
DVD-ROM Content

My Thoughts:

I finally watched this film through to the end. I still found it moving, especially with the young child Setsuko, but managed to sit and watch all the way. People have said that this film is anti-war, I'm not too sure I agree with that but have to say that it does make you think as it does show a side-effect of war that often isn't shown or covered.

The film is based on a semi-autobiographical novel, as the lead character dies in the opening minutes it can't be a full autobiography. Seita and and his sister Setsuko are left homeless orphans after a firebomb raid on Kobe. They move in with an aunt but relations there become fractious as the aunt sees them as no more than spongers, especially once she has used all their available resources. The two children move out and try to set up a home of their own but even that has its problems. We see the gradual decline of the children until the inevitable happens to Setsuko. Seita continues his decline until we reach the state he is in at the films beginning.

I'm glad that I finally managed to watch this to the end. It is a moving experience made more so maybe because of the age of the leads, a pre or early teen boy and a four or five year old girl, as well as the depiction of the events that cause their life changes from the bombing to their eventual ends.

Nothing less than a 5

Dave

ETA original title

[dfmorgan]

MOVIE / DVD INFO:

Title: My Neighbour Totoro
Original Title: Tonari no Totoro
Year: 1988
Director: Hayao Miyazaki
Rating: G
Length: 88 Min.
Video: Anamorphic Widescreen 1.85:1
Audio: English: Dolby Digital: 2-Channel Stereo, Japanese: Dolby Digital: 2-Channel Stereo, French: Dolby Digital: 2-Channel Stereo
Subtitles: English

Stars:
Noriko Hidaka
Chika Sakamoto
Shigesato Itoi
Sumi Shimamoto
Hitoshi Takagi

Plot:
Critically acclaimed as one of the most delightful and charming family films ever, My Neighbor Totoro is a stunning animated treat full of magical adventure from Hayao Miyazaki.

Follow the adventures of Satsuki and her four-year-old sister Mei when they move into a new home in the countryside. To their delight, they discover that their new neighbor is a mysterious forest spirit called Totoro, who can be seen only through the eyes of a child. Totoro introduces them to extraordinary characters -- including a cat that doubles as a bus! -- and takes them on an incredible journey.

Full of wonder and heart, this spectacular film features the voice talents of Dakota Fanning and Elle Fanning. My Neighbor Totoro is a magical experience for the whole family!

Extras:
Scene Access
Feature Trailers
Featurettes
Multi-angle
Storyboard Comparisons
Closed Captioned

My Thoughts:

OK I won't beat about the bush here this is my favourite Miyazaki film. I first saw it in 1995 on the Fox laserdisc release. This was a Pan & Scan release and was also dubbed, I'm not too sure but it may also have been slightly cut, but even with that hardship I fell in love with the film. I managed to tape a version that Sky Movies showed, still dubbed but now in widescreen. Finally Disney released a proper DVD in 2006 which was widescreen and subbed. Apparently Disney had their own dub created and the only components to remain from the Fox release was the opening and closing songs.

Satsuki and Mei, two young girls, move to the country with their father to be nearer to the hospital where their mother is recovering from an undisclosed illness. The first magic occurs when the girls open various rooms and we see dustbunnies, also known as soot spirits, leaving the rooms from the light in the trademark way that Miyazaki has with small creatures and insects. That evening we see another of the Miyazaki trademarks with the wind blowing the fields and trees. This leads to what I understand was a slightly contentious scene with Disney. We see Mei and her father in the bath and Satsuki beside the bath washing herself and then after completing her washing she jumps in the bath with Mei and her father. The wind is still blowing so they laugh to show that they are not scared. My understanding is that Disney, as a "family" company, didn't like the idea of young children sharing a bath with adults, let alone just their father. However, when they asked Studio Ghibli if they could remove that scene, Disney were reminded that one of the clauses in the contract they had signed was that Disney could not cut any of the films that they agreed to distribute for Studio Ghibli. As an aside there is one film from that original agreement that Disney still hasn't released Only Yesterday, I will cover my understanding of the reason for that when I reach that film in this marathon. When Satsuki is at school Mei wanders off following a couple of small creatures eventually finishing up in the nearby forest under a tall camphor tree with a giant creature Mei calls a Totoro, the Studio Ghibli logo.

There is more in the film but if I carry on as I was above then I would be writing the complete story so I'll stop here. It is magical and even has pathos when they receive some news from the hospital.

This is a magical and wonderful film a double 5 .

Dave

ETA original title

[Achim]

I always imagined this to be a film about, well, a neighbor, and as such not overly exciting. I see I had the wrong improssion and should watch this film.

Intersting, apparently the Totoro was deemed very important by Pixar and they included it/him in  Toy Story 3.

[dfmorgan]

I always imagined this to be a film about, well, a neighbor, and as such not overly exciting. I see I had the wrong improssion and should watch this film.

Intersting, apparently the Totoro was deemed very important by Pixar and they included it/him in  Toy Story 3.

I'm not sure you would ever call this film exciting but, to me, it is magical. The father says to the children that Totoro is the Guardian Spirit or King of the Forest and he will only appear to those that he allows to see him. There are other wonderful nuances within the film, their neighbours son Kanta and his embarrassment at being near the girls but also having a wry smile when he knows he did the right thing to lend them an umbrella in the rain. The wonderful catbus which helps the girls to see their mother. So far as I'm concerned it is just wonderful and delighting and is a film I have used to introduce a few friends into the delights of anime, especially Miyazaki and Studio Ghibli.

Totoro does also make cameo appearances in other Ghibli films and according to Wikipedia also in other series and media as well as the latest one you mention above.

Dave

[dfmorgan]

MOVIE / DVD INFO:

Title: Kiki's Delivery Service
Original Title: Majo no Takkyûbin
Year: 1989
Director: Hayao Miyazaki
Rating: G
Length: 103 Min.
Video: Anamorphic Widescreen 1.85:1
Audio: English: Dolby Digital: 5.1, Japanese: Dolby Digital: 5.1, Spanish: Dolby Digital: 5.1
Subtitles: English

Stars:
Minami Takayama
Rei Sakuma
Mieko Nobuzawa

Plot:
Rarely does a film touch so many hearts or reach such artistic heights as the highly acclaimed Kiki's Delivery Service, the magical adventure of an enterprising young girl who must follow tradition to become a full-fledged witch.

Venturing out, with only her chatty black cat Jiji, Kiki flies off for the adventure of a lifetime. Landing in a far-off city, she sets up a high-flying delivery service. Here begins a wonderful experience of independence and responsibility as she finds her place in the world.

Kiki's Delivery Service showcases the breathtaking animation of legendary Hayao Miyazaki and the star voice talents of Kirsten Dunst (Kiki), Phil Hartman (Jiji), Matthew Lawrence (Tombo) and more. This spectacular 2-disc set will give you an inside look into the acclaimed movie that soars with energy, excitement and the kind of imagination that entertains again and again!

Extras:
Scene Access
Feature Trailers
Featurettes
Multi-angle
Storyboard Comparisons
Closed Captioned
John Lasseter Intro

My Thoughts:

This was my second venture into the world of Studio Ghibli and Hayao Miyazaki. As with My Neighbour Totoro it was on laserdisc but this time it was issued by Disney and was in widescreen although dubbed. Another enjoyable, enchanting film.

Kiki is a young witch who has just turned 13 and is required to leave home for a years training and to find and hone her skills. After leaving home she finds herself in a big city and although some people recognise her for what she is others just ignore and brush past her. After wandering for a while she helps a baker to return a lost item to one of the bakers customers and with this she also finds a place to stay and a career path. Following a couple of setbacks Kiki gets a little disillusioned and loses some confidence, this has a knock-on effect and Kiki finds that her powers are going. However after meeting a friend and visiting one of her earliest customers Kiki manages to turn things round and regains her powers.

Again there is more to this film than I have detailed above but I need to leave room for others to find the details. The usual Miyazaki trademarks are plentiful in this film.

Whilst this is another marvellous, enchanting and magical film, I will only give this a 4 because it it slightly more simplistic.

Dave

ETA original title

[dfmorgan]

MOVIE / DVD INFO:

Title: Only Yesterday
Original Title: Omohide poro poro
Year: 1991
Director: Isao Takahata
Rating: PG
Length: 114 Min.
Video: Anamorphic Widescreen 1.85:1
Audio: Japanese: Dolby Digital: Dolby Surround
Subtitles: English

Stars:
Miki Imai
Toshirô Yanagiba
Youko Honna
Mayumi Iizuka
Masahiro Ito

Plot:
Realising that she is at a crossroads in her life, bored twenty-something office worker Taeko heads for the countryside. The trip dredges up forgotten memories, the first stirrings of childish romance, puberty and growing up, the frustrations of maths and boys. In lyrical switches between the present and the past, Taeko wonders if she has been true to the dreams of her childhood self.

Beautifully evoking both the 1960s and 1980s, Only Yesterday is a double period piece, and the quintessential drama of Japanese schoolday nostalgia. Directed by Isao Takahata and produced by Hayao Miyazaki, it is a classic of the anime medium and the last movie from the world-beating Studio Ghibli catalogue previously unreleased in the United Kingdom… until now.

A tour-de-force about growing up and growing older from the masters of Japanese animation.

Extras:
Scene Access
Feature Trailers
Bonus Trailers
Featurettes
Storyboard Comparisons

My Thoughts:

It is 1982 and Taeko, a 27 year old office worker from Tokyo, has always dreamt of traveling to the countryside for holidays like many of her school friends did every year. She managed it for the first time last year, by staying with her sisters in-laws at their farm, and is to do the same this year. Whilst packing she reminisces of her time at home and school in 1966 when she was ten. The memories continue during the journey and after she has arrived and is working on the farm. Some of the memories tell of trials and tribulations she had and are told to her brother-in-laws friends and family to highlight an event, others are to give a background to Taeko. Memories of first love, disappointments etc. All the while they are helping her to discover herself.

A nice gentle tale of a young woman and how she finds herself. Not too everyones taste but I find this to be well told and enjoyable. The memories are highlighted within the film by having a slight pastel colouring to the scenes rather than the bright colours that are used for the current day Taeko.

As I stated in my My Neighbour Totoro review this film is the only film from the initial agreement with Studio Ghibli that Disney have not released. My understanding, from the interweb and places such as nausicaa.net, is that Disney have a major problem with a sequence within the film. Disney apparently asked permission to cut the sequence out completely but Studio Ghibli reiterated that the agreement clearly states No Cuts. Disney then asked whether they could reword the sequence and Studio Ghibli said that it was part of the agreement that Disney could reword sections to allow for the difference in cultures but they could not change the meaning. Disney therefore decided not to release this title. That is the background and the problem sequence is:-

In one of the reminisces Taeko goes back to a Sex Education class the girls had where they were taught about Periods and Menstrual Panties. The boys find out about this lesson and take the mickey out the girls and look up their skirts to see what panties the girls were wearing that day. The boys also expressed fear of catching Periods if the girls who were missing PE touched the ball.

As a "family" company Disney felt that they couldn't show this sequence. It has been pointed out that Disney, if they so wished, could release the film on one of their more adult lines, e.g. Touchstone, but Disney have so far chosen to keep this film from the American public. There is an on-line petition, links at nausicaa.net, but in 5 years nothing has come of it. The television channel Turner Classic Movies has shown the film a few times in America and it apparently is high on their request for repeats charts. Luckily Madman Entertainment, Australia, and Optimum Releasing, UK, also had an agreement with both Disney and Studio Ghibli to take whichever version was available and Madman obtained a version from Studio Ghibli that they and Optimum had subtitled, deciding that dubbing to the standard of Disney would cost too much and they both released this version in their respective countries.

My rating is a gentle 4

Dave

p.s.
In fact there is another film that Disney have yet to release but that wasn't part of the initial agreement and the lack of release was out of Disney's hands. Tales from Earthsea hasn't been released because The Sci-Fi Channel owned the TV, film and video rights to Earthsea. These rights have now expired and Disney should be releasing Tales from Earthsea to cinemas in the US this August.

[GSyren]

Like Only Yesterday, Tales from Earthsea is available in UK and in Australia. They both have the original Japanese soundtrack as well as an English dub.

[dfmorgan]

Like Only Yesterday, Tales from Earthsea is available in UK and in Australia. They both have the original Japanese soundtrack as well as an English dub.

Yep I know that, it is on my list at the top. In fact Tales from Earthsea as released by Optimum and Madman is the Disneyfied version it was just that Disney couldn't release it in their home territory until now.

Dave

[dfmorgan]

MOVIE / DVD INFO:

Title: Porco Rosso
Original Title: Kurenai no buta
Year: 1992
Director: Hayao Miyazaki
Rating: PG
Length: 93 Min.
Video: Anamorphic Widescreen 1.85:1
Audio: English: Dolby Digital: 2-Channel Stereo, Japanese: Dolby Digital: 2-Channel Stereo, French: Dolby Digital: 2-Channel Stereo
Subtitles: English

Stars:
Shûichirô Moriyama
Tokiko Kato
Sanshi Katsura
Tsunehiko Kamijô
Akemi Okamura

Plot:
Take flight with "Porco Rosso," a valiant World War I flying ace! From tropical Adriatic settings to dazzling aerial maneuvers, this action-adventure from world-renowned animator Hayao Miyazaki is full of humor, courage and chivalry.

When "Porco" - whose face has been transformed into that of a pig by a mysterious spell - infuriates a band of sky pirates with his aerial heroics, the pirates hire Curtis, a rival pilot, to "get rid" of him. On the ground, the two pilots compete for the affections of the beautiful Gina. But it is in the air where the true battles are waged. Will our hero be victorious?

Featuring extrordinary voice talents, this 2-Disc Set is a thrilling ride you'll never forget!

Extras:
Scene Access
Feature Trailers
Bonus Trailers
Featurettes
Production Notes
Closed Captioned
THX

My Thoughts:

The third film that in the late 1990's Sky's The Movie Channel showed in a short season of Studio Ghibli films, the other two were Totoro and Kiki, and thus the third film I saw from Hayao Miyazaki and Studio Ghibli. To be honest this is my least favourite Miyazaki film. There is nothing wrong with it and it has the usual Miyazaki trademarks but it just doesn't grab me like his other titles. Set in a period between the two world wars and in and around the Adriatic Sea Porco Rosso tells the story of a man cursed into the form of a Crimson Pig. He flies a seaplane and helps to fight the local sky pirates. All hostilities are put aside though at the Hotel Adriano, run by his close friend Gina. The pirates employ the services of an American pilot, Curtis, to try to remove Porco. Curtis attacks Porco and damages his plane such that it needs major repairs. Porco takes it to Milan to be repaired by an old friend. There he meets Fio, Porco's friend's granddaughter, who redesigns and updates Porco's plane and returns to the Adriatic with him. The fight between Porco and Curtis recommences and now involves both Gina and Fio. There are lovely touches in this film like when we and Fio see the man behind the pig and then again towards the end when Curtis gets to see the man.

Still an excellent film though and a worthy 4

Dave

[dfmorgan]

MOVIE / DVD INFO:

Title: Ocean Waves
Original Title: Umi Ga Kikoeru
Year: 1993
Director: Tomomichi Mochizuki
Rating: PG
Length: 72 Min.
Video: Anamorphic Widescreen 1.85:1
Audio: Japanese: Dolby Digital: 2-Channel Stereo
Subtitles: English

Stars:
Nobuo Tobita
Toshihiko Seki
Yoko Sakamoto
Yuri Amano
Kae Araki

Plot:
Rarely seen outside of its native Japan and never before released within the U.K, Ocean Waves (also known as Umi Ga Kikoeru and I Can Hear The Sea) is one of Studio Ghibli's most obscure and sought after titles. Directed by Tomomi Mochizuki (Princess Nine) and based upon author, essayist and playwright Saeko Himuro's most popular, best selling novel, Ocean Waves is one of the most poignant and unsung masterpieces within Studio Ghibli's legendary creative output. Wonderfully detailed and incredibly subtle, there are very few films in the histroy of animation that have managed to capture so well the joys and drama of adolescence and teenage alienation.

Kochi is your average coastal town on the sleepy, idyllic island of Shikoku and young Taku is definitely your average high school student. But soon his quiet life will be turned upside down with the arrival of Rikako: a beautiful, female student recently transferred fromTokyo. By the end of term Taku will have learnt a valuable lesson in love and friendship.

Extras:
Scene Access
Feature Trailers

My Thoughts:

I only watched and reviewed this in February so my thoughts are still much the same. At heart a sweet and gentle love triangle. Taku and Yutaka have been friends since starting high school. Yutaka as the class representative is asked to show a transfer student, Rikako, around. Rikako has transferred in from Tokyo following her mothers separation from her father. Taku realises that his friend has feelings for Rikako but tries to not get involved. However fate has other plans and stirs things up until the friendship starts to strain. As a short film there isn't a lot of character development and some bits of the storyline appear rushed. It is obviously not a Miyazaki film as most scenes featuring trees, plants, fields, the sea are static images but then again it was also a low budget film.

A bit of background as, like Only Yesterday, this film has not been released in the US. Apparently, as a made for TV film, Disney decided not to accept this as part of the overall Studio Ghibli catalogue it wished to promote. Optimum Releasing, from the UK, had the opportunity to take this film in 2009 and did so. They released the film to DVD in its original Japanese language with subtitles as part of their Ponyo promotion in early 2010.

Overall still an enjoyable film but I'll drop the 4 rating down to 3 now that I've watched this following other Studio Ghibli titles

Dave

[dfmorgan]

Jimmy, kind sir, please replace the existing review with this.

Thanking You


Dave

[Jimmy]

Done

[dfmorgan]

 

Dave