October 12, 2024 12:57 pm
Seen all the Ghibli movies? It's time to turn to Ponoc!
When Ghibli fans are in need of new content, they turn to Ponoc, where some of Hayao Miyazaki and Isao Takahata's followers gathered a decade ago.
It's no surprise that their work is featured at prestigious European festivals and that major streaming platforms are eager to show it exclusively online.
Studio Ponoc Is Ghibli's Successor
When Miyazaki and Takahata made their "farewell" films in 2013, it seemed that Ghibli was over, so some of the studio's animators formed Ponoc, which would carry on the glorious traditions of their alma mater.
Their first full-length anime, Mary and the Witch's Flower, fit the bill. The plot was based on the fairy tale by Mary Stewart, the world and characters were designed in the spirit of the work of Miyazaki and his team, and director Hiromasa Yonebayashi had previously created The Secret World of Arrietty.
Ponoc's second full-length film is assembled along similar lines. The Imaginary is based on the novel by A. F. Harrold. The visual solution is already a bit further away from the legacy of Ghibli, but still pays tribute to the works of anime classics.
Director Yoshiyuki Momose's portfolio includes work on literally every Ghibli masterpiece, including Grave of the Fireflies, Porco Rosso, Spirited Away and The Tale of the Princess Kaguya.
What Is The Imaginary About?
Rudger seems like an ordinary boy, but he is actually the imaginary friend of Amanda, a dreamer and fantasist. No one sees him, and it seems that their friendship is in no danger, until Mr. Bunting, the antipode of the world of imaginary creatures, knocks on the door. He has been hunting them for many years in order to suck all the energy out of them.
Another problem of Rudger and others like him is their dependence on humans: if a person suddenly starts to forget an imaginary friend, he disappears. The only saving place is the library – a place where imaginary friends can continue to exist.
The Imaginary Is Reminiscent of the Best Animated Films of Recent Years
Rudger spends most of the movie trying to awaken memories of himself in Amanda's mind and avoid getting caught in Bunting's net. And if the anime is visually reminiscent of Ghibli's work, it is also thematically reminiscent of Coco, Monsters, Inc. and The Boy and the Heron.
Not surprisingly, Netflix was interested in the project: the streaming platform has agreed to premiere all new full-length works by Ponoc online.
Let's hope that the worthy heirs to Ghibli's magic will break free from the existing visual universe and allow themselves more imagination in the next movie.
Seen all the Ghibli movies? It's time to turn to Ponoc!
When Ghibli fans are in need of new content, they turn to Ponoc, where some of Hayao Miyazaki and Isao Takahata's followers gathered a decade ago.
It's no surprise that their work is featured at prestigious European festivals and that major streaming platforms are eager to show it exclusively online.
Studio Ponoc Is Ghibli's Successor
When Miyazaki and Takahata made their "farewell" films in 2013, it seemed that Ghibli was over, so some of the studio's animators formed Ponoc, which would carry on the glorious traditions of their alma mater.
Their first full-length anime, Mary and the Witch's Flower, fit the bill. The plot was based on the fairy tale by Mary Stewart, the world and characters were designed in the spirit of the work of Miyazaki and his team, and director Hiromasa Yonebayashi had previously created The Secret World of Arrietty.
Ponoc's second full-length film is assembled along similar lines. The Imaginary is based on the novel by A. F. Harrold. The visual solution is already a bit further away from the legacy of Ghibli, but still pays tribute to the works of anime classics.
Director Yoshiyuki Momose's portfolio includes work on literally every Ghibli masterpiece, including Grave of the Fireflies, Porco Rosso, Spirited Away and The Tale of the Princess Kaguya.
What Is The Imaginary About?
Rudger seems like an ordinary boy, but he is actually the imaginary friend of Amanda, a dreamer and fantasist. No one sees him, and it seems that their friendship is in no danger, until Mr. Bunting, the antipode of the world of imaginary creatures, knocks on the door. He has been hunting them for many years in order to suck all the energy out of them.
Another problem of Rudger and others like him is their dependence on humans: if a person suddenly starts to forget an imaginary friend, he disappears. The only saving place is the library – a place where imaginary friends can continue to exist.
The Imaginary Is Reminiscent of the Best Animated Films of Recent Years
Rudger spends most of the movie trying to awaken memories of himself in Amanda's mind and avoid getting caught in Bunting's net. And if the anime is visually reminiscent of Ghibli's work, it is also thematically reminiscent of Coco, Monsters, Inc. and The Boy and the Heron.
Not surprisingly, Netflix was interested in the project: the streaming platform has agreed to premiere all new full-length works by Ponoc online.
Let's hope that the worthy heirs to Ghibli's magic will break free from the existing visual universe and allow themselves more imagination in the next movie.
