Studio Ghibli Produces 'Aya to Majo' Anime Film for Winter 2020

by Vindstot
Jun 3, 2020 12:02 AM | 38 Comments

Studio Ghibli announced a 3DCG anime film adaptation of Diana Wynne Jones' children's novel Earwig and the Witch on Tuesday. Titled Aya to Majo, this will be animation studio's first full-length 3DCG project, and is scheduled for a television broadcast on NHK General this winter.

Synopsis
Not every orphan would love living at St. Morwald's Home for Children, but Earwig does. She gets whatever she wants, whenever she wants it, and it's been that way since she was dropped on the orphanage doorstep as a baby. But all that changes the day Bella Yaga and the Mandrake come to St. Morwald's, disguised as foster parents.

Earwig is whisked off to their mysterious house full of invisible rooms, potions, and spell books, with magic around every corner. Most children would run in terror from a house like that... but not Earwig. Using her own cleverness—with a lot of help from a talking cat—she decides to show the witch who's boss. (Source: HarperCollins Publishers)

Staff
Director: Gorou Miyazaki (Coquelicot-zaka kara)
Planning: Hayao Miyazaki (Karigurashi no Arrietty)
Producer: Toshio Suzuki (Kaze Tachinu)
Production, Copyright: NHK, NHK Enterprises, Studio Ghibli

Earwig and the Witch was published in June 2011 and in Japanese by Tokuma Shoten the following July. The story is a companion book to Howl's Moving Castle, another story written by Diana Wyne Jones, which also received an anime film in 2004.

Source: animate Times

Aya to Majo on MAL

News submitted by Aidan

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20 of 38 Comments Recent Comments

this is god telling me to watch a ghibli film

Jun 18, 2020 7:27 AM by gintokisbicep

Terrablu2018 said:
Really sorry that Studio Ghibli will make a film with the 3DCG technique, I love this Studio precisely because it is one of the few if not the only one that does not use CG. It will be interesting to watch it, but also the sign that the Japanese animation is about to become too commercial, in which there is no longer room for romantic people who believe that the only true animation is the one made by hand.

It's not the first time this studio use cg/computer effects tho, I don't think there is any studio that don't use digital tools to make animation at all.

Jun 14, 2020 6:17 PM by Koldmotro

Mildly curious but Gorou and Hayao have never worked well together, hope it's not another disaster.

Jun 7, 2020 1:55 AM by EratiK

Don't even know what to expect. 3DCGI by Ghibli studio...? Well it's year 2020, i no longer care.

Jun 6, 2020 3:18 PM by Sigmar-Unberogen

Really sorry that Studio Ghibli will make a film with the 3DCG technique, I love this Studio precisely because it is one of the few if not the only one that does not use CG. It will be interesting to watch it, but also the sign that the Japanese animation is about to become too commercial, in which there is no longer room for romantic people who believe that the only true animation is the one made by hand.

Jun 6, 2020 10:19 AM by Terrablu2018

How Do You Live? is supposed to be traditionally animated, so my fingers are crossed for getting that someday. I'd never pass up an opportunity to see a new Ghibli film though.

Jun 5, 2020 7:32 PM by robi_i

I'd never thought i'd live to see the day i'd see ghilbi do pure 3cg anime.

Jun 5, 2020 6:06 PM by Disapeared_Ghost

I knew Studio Ghibli was coming back but I’d have never expected a comeback with a 3DCG type of movie. I am a little worried but I mean anime like Dorohedoro and Beastars got it right with the CG so I’m also hyped. Looking forward to this new side of Ghibli and I’m hoping for the best. Maybe they can take the world by storm again!

Jun 5, 2020 7:55 AM by new_Ango

Jesus, thats two whiplashes in one. First of all I though Studio Ghibli was like... dead? That they weren't making anymore movies. Secondly CGI and Studio Ghibli?? I feel like I might faint...

I have literally no idea what the expect

xbobx said:
And so the last bastion of traditional animation falls.
Guess it goes to prove nobody can withstand the flow of time.

We still have Studio Laika making stop motion movies, which I would consider traditional animation. Plus all their movies are also just incredible pieces of art. Still, I severely miss the lack of 2d animation movies have nowadays- especially western movies. So I feel ya

Jun 4, 2020 8:07 PM by Seijatachiiii

And so the last bastion of traditional animation falls.
Guess it goes to prove nobody can withstand the flow of time.

BatoKusanagi said:
Ronja was a really underrated 3DCG work by Ghibli also with Goro Miyazaki directing. Not gonna lie and say that it isn't a bit sad to see Ghibli seem to "jump ship" to CGI, but at least I'll give Gorou the benefit of the doubt on this one. Not to mention Diana Wynne Jones is a brilliant writer.

Also considering how the art and character design from Ni no Kuni II were well received in Japan, it's no wonder Ghibli now wants to try putting it on the silver screen themselves.

Jun 4, 2020 8:03 PM by xbobx

After 6 years, Studio Ghibli finally has made another movie.

Jun 4, 2020 3:48 PM by Taffy_x3

Hmm, could be good, but I'm not getting my hopes super high.

Jun 4, 2020 11:28 AM by malvarez1

I read the words “Goro Miyazaki“ and cried.

Jun 4, 2020 4:50 AM by dan918

deg said:
people are forgetting this Goro director did this previous 3DCG of Ghibli too https://myanimelist.net/anime/22359/Sanzoku_no_Musume_Ronja

I had no idea this actually existed.

Jun 4, 2020 1:00 AM by Nikiforova

Honestly the artstyle just off that promo poster is really turning me off. Unless that's just the book cover or something in which case nevermind. Goro Miyazaki's Tales From Earthsea was a mess I barely remember anymore. One that I'll never revisit. But I did enjoy From Up On Poppy Hill immensely. Never tried Ronja and probably never will. I'm still not a huge fan of 3DCG in animation in general, but if I remember this exists around the time it comes out I may at least check out a few minutes and go from there, we'll see.

Jun 3, 2020 10:42 PM by animefan8800

deg said:
people are forgetting this Goro director did this previous 3DCG of Ghibli too https://myanimelist.net/anime/22359/Sanzoku_no_Musume_Ronja

that's polygon pictures though dude. this is Ghibli's first full length 3dcg project

Jun 3, 2020 8:40 PM by removed-user

A 3DCG movie from Ghibli, totally unexpected but I'm interested.

deg said:
people are forgetting this Goro director did this previous 3DCG of Ghibli too https://myanimelist.net/anime/22359/Sanzoku_no_Musume_Ronja

Wow I never knew this existed lol.

Jun 3, 2020 8:10 PM by MegamiRem

people are forgetting this Goro director did this previous 3DCG of Ghibli too https://myanimelist.net/anime/22359/Sanzoku_no_Musume_Ronja

Jun 3, 2020 6:39 PM by deg

Did I see 3DCG and Ghibli in the same post?

Jun 3, 2020 6:35 PM by chhgn

Theo1899 said:
I wasn't a big fan of tales from earthsea which is a novel adaptation by the same director and studio so I don't have huge hopes but they have had luck with other novel adaptations including western ones so maybe that spirit remains there somewhere.

Tales from Earthsea was pretty bad, in the director's defense, it was his first time directing a film, so.....maybe it'll be better this time(they said trying to remain optimistic, but wary of the film itself)

Jun 3, 2020 5:35 PM by NG_Chloe

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