Studio Ghibli's 'Aya to Majo' Announces Main Cast, Additional Staff

NHK announced on their official website the main cast and supporting staff for Studio Ghibli's 3DCG animated film Aya to Majo on Thursday. The film, an adaptation of Diane Wynne Jones' children's novel Earwig and the Witch, will premiere on NHK General TV at 7:30 p.m. (JST) on December 30.

Cast
Aya: Kokoro Hirasawa (Tora-san: Boku ga Neko ni Natta Wake live-action film)
Bella Yaga: Shinobu Terajima (Oh Lucy! live-action film)
Mandrake: Etsushi Toyokawa (Hanbun, Aoi live-action drama)
Thomas: Gaku Hamada (Pokemon Movie 21: Minna no Monogatari)

Staff
Script: Keiko Niwa (Omoide no Marnie), Emi Gunji
Animation Director: Tan Seri
Character, Stage Setting Draft: Miho Satake (Sorairo Magatama)
Character Design: Katsuya Kondou (Mononoke Hime)
Background Art: Yuki Takeuchi
Animation Producer: Kentarou Morishita (Captain Herlock production coordinator)
CG Supervisor: Yukinori Nakamura (Kemushi no Boro)
Sound Director: Kouji Kasamatsu (Karigurashi no Arrietty)
Dubbing Director: Eriko Kimura (Gake no Ue no Ponyo sound director)
Music: Satoshi Takebe (Coquelicot-zaka kara)
Production Supervisor: Isao Yoshikuni (Piano no Mori (2018)), Keisuke Tsuchikashi (Cardcaptor Sakura: Clear Card-hen), Kouji Hoshino (Kaguya-hime no Monogatari)

A band led by Takebe (keyboard) that includes Indonesian singer Sherina Munaf (vocals), Hiroki Kamemoto of GLIM SPANKY (guitar), Kiyokazu Takano of Mrs. GREEN APPLE (bass), and Kavka Shishido (drums) will perform music for the film.

Aya to Majo is being directed by Gorou Miyazaki (Coquelicot-zaka kara, Ged Senki) with planning by his father, Hayao Miyazaki (Tenkuu no Shiro Laputa director). Toshio Suzuki (Sen to Chihiro no Kamikakushi) is producing the film with Studio Ghibli alongside NHK and NHK Enterprises.

Originally set to premiere at the 2020 Cannes Film Festival before the festival was cancelled due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, Aya to Majo is the second anime film adaptation of one of Jones' novels. Hayao Miyazaki and Studio Ghibli adapted her 1986 young-adult fantasy novel Howl's Moving Castle in November 2004, and the film was later nominated for Best Animated Feature at the 78th Academy Awards.

Source: NHK Anime World