Hot on the heels of The Borrower Arrietty, Studio Ghibli has just released the trailer for their next film, Kokuriko-Zaka Kara (From Up on Poppy Hill), directed by Gorō Miyazaki, the son of Hayao Miyazaki (Ponyo). Gorō Miyazaki was last seen on Tales from Earthsea.
Based on the serialised manga of the same name from 1980, it tells the story of young girl in 1963 Yokohama who is forced to grow up quickly when her father goes missing.
This will mark the second film in a row from the studio not directed by the legendary Hayao Miyazaki, but the master will be co-writing Keiko Niwa, and music composed by Satoshi Takebe, marking another break from series regular Joe Hisaishi.
The trailer does not come with English subtitles, but it plays out more like a gentle music video. Aoi Teshima, who sang the theme song for the film Tales from Earthsea, sings the theme song for the film. Indeed, it seems to mark a return to the kind of contemporary seaside reminiscence we last saw from the studio in Ocean Waves.
Kokuriko-Zaka Kara will be released in Japan on 16 July 2011 from Toho. It does not currently have an Australian release date.
The Reel Bits is the cinema arm of DVD Bits. Richard can be found on Twitter@DVDBits and Sarah @swardplay. The Reel Bits is also @The_ReelBits.
