HERR DIREKTOR - MAKOTO SHINKAI

MAKOTO SHINKAI INTERVIEW ONLINE Credit goes to Youtube user, TABRISRP, for posting this video online.

Makoto Shinkai

Date of Birth: March 9, 1973
Place of Birth: Koumi-cho, Nagano Prefecture

Best Known For: Voices of a Distant Star, 5 Centimeters Per Second, The Place Promised in Our Early Days

1 Makoto Shinkai graduated from Chuo University, majoring in Japanese literature. 

2 He admires the work of Hayao Miyazaki, particularly Laputa - Castle in The Sky.

3 Learned CG when he worked at a Japanese gaming company.

4 He did all the animation in his early films--most notably the anime short, Voices of a Distant Star.

5 Most of his films have themes about long distances (physical) and its effects on the relationships, wants and dreams of people.

GUNDAM & NISSIN CUP NOODLES UNITE!

GUNDAM & NISSIN CUP NOODLES UNITE!

Here's a little tie-up between one of the biggest anime franchises and the biggest instant cup noodle manufacturer.  Something to pick up the hopes of the Japanese people.

That cup was released last year though...it's a must have.

(Thanks to the Halcyon Realms blog)

Studio Ghibli's Kokurikozaka Kara 2011

GHIBLI'S NEW FILM  KOKURIKOZAKA KARA GOES UNDER OUR RADAR

A new Ghibli film going unnoticed by our blog?  Unthinkable!  But it did happen.  We've been busy.

So let's head straight for the prime rib.

From what we gathered on the net, KOKURIKOZAKA KARA seems to be based on an old shojo manga series published in Japan...way, way back when we were still wearing short pants in grade school.

Set in 1980, the story revolves around a young girl who must grow up quickly when her father goes missing.

The general plot should be the same for the Ghibli film.  But further research reveales that Ghibli's director, Goro Miyazaki, and writers ,Hayao Miyazaki and Keiko Niwa, changed the setting to the early 60s in Yokohama.

So far this coming-of-age anime's been doing well against the big box office heavyweights in Japan.

Enjoy the clips! (No subs yet)