Studio Ghibli, the team behind animated masterpieces such as Grave of the Fireflies, Princess Mononoke, and Spirited Away (just to name a few), have released a trailer for their upcoming film, The Tale of Princess Kaguya. It’s kind of beautiful.
This six minute preview for the movie (which you can also call Kaguya-hime no Monogatari if you prefer its Japanese title) is set to a painfully sweet tune and nothing more. It shows a brief glimpse into the life of a small girl, who we can only assume is the princess, born from a bamboo plant. With images that evoke the classical style of beautiful Japanese water color paintings, the viewer is shown scenes of happiness one moment, only to catch a brief look at the turmoil that lies beneath the seemingly tranquil surface.
Directed by Isao Takahata (who also directed the incredibly sad, and powerfully animated film, Grave of the Fireflies), it is probably safe to say that this film will not be all sunshine and rainbows. Then again, Studio Ghibli films rarely are, often times tackling serious socio-political topics like the horrors of war, and the destruction of natural world.
With a track record full of masterpieces, one thing is for sure, if you love animated films, hand drawn artwork in particular, you should keep an eye on The Tale of Princess Kaguya, set to release in Japan later this month, on the 23rd. Oh, and in case you missed it, famed director and member of Studio Ghibli, Hayao Miyazaki, is saying goodbye to the world of film, but before he does, his final film, The Wind Rises, will be releasing in the U.S. on February 21, 2014.
