JONAR COWAN WRITES — Despite Studio Ghibli’s notable reputation for warm, whimsical stories, Goro Miyazaki’s punk and dark art-style Earwig and the Witch fails to reach the expectations for a “Studio Ghibli” animation. Earwig and the Witch was released on Feb. 5. The studio, which was founded by Hayao Miyazaki,…
It’s been a while since I’ve reviewed a film for Asia Media, but after seeing Makoto Shinkai’s “Kimi no Na Wa.” (君の名は。), also known by its Western title, “your name.”, I felt compelled to return to spread the word about what could go down as one of the greatest animated…
ROBERT DYLAN FIELDS WRITES- Many of us in our early teenage years have to cope with self-doubt and struggle with our sense of self-worth. We may sometimes feel isolated from our peers and have difficulty bonding with other people. For some, this struggle can be much more severe, leading many…
ROBERT DYLAN FIELDS WRITES – When most people hear the word “animation,” the first thing that comes to mind are often animated works from figures such as Walt Disney. A lot of the time, however, they do not step back and consider what the word animation really means. The word “animation”…
Last year marked a milestone for the history of animation, as the legendary Hayao Miyazaki (My Neighbor Totoro, Spirited Away) of Studio Ghibli retired from filmmaking after the release of his final film, The Wind Rises. However, this year marks yet another milestone as master animator and Ghibli co-founder…
DYLAN FIELDS WRITES – This weekend the Japan Film Society hosts the 4th annual Los Angeles EigaFest, showcasing contemporary Japanese cinema in the US. A portmanteau of the Japanese word for film (eiga) and ‘festival,’ the name signifies its objectives to “showcase Japanese and Japanese-influenced films that appeal to the…
ROBERT DYLAN FIELDS WRITES – One of the most pressing issues being debated in Japan today is the need to beef up the country’s military presence. Since the end of World War II, Japan has officially gone without an Army (a pacifist constitution being a condition of peace with the Allied…
JEREMIAH FAJARDO WRITES – After decades in the anime and film industries, Hayao Miyazaki, co-founder of Studio Ghibli, has announced his retirement. According to The Japan Times, the shocking news came out of the Venice film festival on September 1. Koji Hoshino, head of Studio Ghibli, told reporters that Miyazaki’s…
