It is very rare that Studio Ghibli films not directly connected to Hayao Miyazaki get all that much attention in the United States. Ghibli pictures still get more attention than other Japanese animation studios, but it's that Miyazaki magic that Disney banks on to justify the distribution deal. The Tale of Princess Kaguya might change that. Writer/director Isao Takahata (best known for his masterpiece Grave of the Fireflies) pays tribute to one of the most enduring Japanese folktales. "Princess Kaguya," also known as "The Tale of the Bamboo Cutter," is a story about a poor bamboo cutter who finds a tiny princess living inside of a piece of bamboo. He raises her to adulthood when five kings from five different kingdoms propose to her. She will only marry the one who finds the gift that she is truly looking for.
The biggest draw of The Tale of Princess Kaguya is the stunning animation style. Isao Takahata has shaped a film done in the style of Japanese watercolors. It is Studio Ghibli's most expensive film to date and that is because of the amount of time needed to bring this style to life.
We finally have a US trailer (a teaser, really) and now I can't wait for October 17.
For more context, here's the longer Japanese trailer that better showcases the style of the film. The US teaser is a dream sequence within the film with a great sense of rhythm and energy. The rest of the film is more heavily detailed. Note how the story is not showcased at all in these trailers.
The Tale of Princess Kaguya has screened at festivals around the world and has received rave reviews from critics. It appears to be the perfect mash of source material--the oldest folktale Japanese folktale--and art style--the centuries-old tradition of Japanese watercolor painting. While Miyazaki's The Wind Rises did better box office and won more awards in Japan, Takahata's The Tale of Princess Kaguya is not a film you can easily dismiss. Studio Ghibli will have to rely on other creators as their current roster of talent begins to retire and shifting the focus to Takahata's most ambitious film yet is a great start.
