A Look Inside the Fantastically Mad World of the People Behind Studio Ghibli Source: Wild Bunch, GKIDS Inc. Official Movie Site: yumetokyoki.com (Japan), gkidsfilms.com/kingdom (US) GKIDS, a distributor of award-winning animation for both adult and family audiences, is handling the North American release of the Studio Ghibli documentary, THE KINGDOM OF DREAMS AND MADNESS (???????, Yume to Kyoki no Ohkoku, 2013). The film is now playing at the IFC Center in New York, with additional theaters and cities to be announced. The following English language production notes are courtesy of Wild Bunch, the international sales agent for THE KINGDOM OF DREAMS AND MADNESS... ABOUT THE FILM
There have been numerous documentaries about Studio Ghibli made for television and for DVD features, but no one had ever conceived of making a theatrical documentary feature about the famed animation studio. That is precisely what filmmaker Mami Sunada set out to do in her first film since her acclaimed directorial debut, DEATH OF A JAPANESE SALESMAN (?????????, Endingu Nooto, 2011). With near-unfettered access inside the studio, Sunada follows the key personnel at Ghibli -- director Hayao Miyazaki, producer Toshio Suzuki and the elusive “other” director, Isao Takahata -- over the course of approximately one year as the studio rushes to complete their two highly anticipated new films, Miyazaki’s THE WIND RISES (????, Kaze Tachinu, 2013) and Takahata’s THE TALE OF THE PRINCESS KAGUYA (???????, Kaguyahime no Monogatari, 2013). The result is a rare glimpse into the inner workings of one of the most celebrated animation studios in the world, and a portrait of their dreams, passion and dedication that borders on madness. DIRECTOR: MAMI SUNADA Born in 1978, Mami Sunada studied documentary filmmaking while at Keio University before apprenticing as a director’s assistant under Hirokazu Kore-eda and others. Her directorial debut, DEATH OF A JAPANESE SALESMAN, a documentary about her father’s last days after being diagnosed with cancer, garnered numerous first-time director awards. The film’s revenue also surpassed 100 million yen at the box office, exceptional for a documentary. Awards for DEATH OF A JAPANESE SALESMAN (partial list): 28th Fumiko Yamaji Culture Award 36th Hochi Film Award for Best New Artist 52nd Directors Guild of Japan New Directors Award 62nd Ministry of Education Geijutsu Sensho Shinjin Award Production credits (partial list): 2002: LETTER FROM A YELLOW CHERRY BLOSSOM (??????<?>, Tsuioku no Dansu) directed by Naomi Kawase 2006: THE KON ICHIKAWA STORY (?????, Ichikawa Kon Monogatari) directed by Shunji Iwai 2007: STILL WALKING (?????????, Aruitemo Aruitemo) directed by Hirokazu Kore-eda 2009: AIR DOLL (????, Kuuki Ningyou) directed by Hirokazu Kore-eda 2010: ANPO, directed by Linda Hoaglund PRODUCER: NOBUO KAWAKAMI Born in 1968, Nobuo Kawakami graduated from Kyoto University Faculty of Engineering in 1990 and immediately joined Software Japan Laboratory. In 1997, he founded Dwango Company, Ltd. and became its president. He currently serves as Dwango’s chairman while apprenticing as a producer at Studio Ghibli. Since 2006, he has been involved with the operation of the popular video sharing website Nico Nico Douga through the company Niwango, Inc. THE KINGDOM OF DREAMS AND MADNESS is his first film as producer. MUSIC: MASAKATSU TAKAGI Born in 1979, Masakatsu Takagi is both a visual artist who processes material he films himself through animation and other techniques as well as a musician who creates work centered on the use of his long-beloved piano. In 2009, Newsweek Japan named him one of the “100 Japanese People Respected by the World”, earning him worldwide attention. He also scored Mamoru Hosoda’s animated feature WOLF CHILDREN (???????????, Ookami Kodomo no Ame to Yuki, 2012).
ABOUT STUDIO GHIBLI Studio Ghibli is a Japanese animation studio founded in 1985 after the success of Hayao Miyazaki’s 1984 film NAUSICAÄ OF THE VALLEY OF THE WIND (????????, Kaze no Tani no Naushika). Headed by directors Miyazaki and Isao Takahata as well as producer Toshio Suzuki, the studio has since produced some of Japan’s most successful films, including PRINCESS MONONOKE (?????, Mononoke Hime, 1997) and the Oscar-winning SPIRITED AWAY (????????, Sen to Chihiro no Kamikakushi, 2001), the highest grossing Japanese film of all time. In the early years, the production team was hired on a per-project contract basis before the company switched to a permanent employee system. From 1999 to 2005, the studio was a subsidiary of Tokuma Shoten, a publishing company. In 2001, the studio opened the Ghibli Museum, Mitaka. Studio Ghibli is located in Koganei, a suburb of Tokyo.
HAYAO MIYAZAKI
Born in 1941, Hayao Miyazaki is one of the most acclaimed Japanese filmmakers of all time. In 1961, he joined Toei Animation, where he met Isao Takahata and began working as a key animator on numerous projects. He made his feature debut as a director with THE CASTLE OF CAGLIOSTRO (????? ????????, Rupan Sansei: Kariosutoro no Shiro, 1979), then went on to make some of Japan’s most beloved animated films, including CASTLE IN THE SKY (???????? Tenkuu no Shiro Rapyuta, 1986) and MY NEIGHBOR TOTORO (???????, Tonari no Totoro, 1988). His latest film, THE WIND RISES, is his eleventh feature as director, and his last. In September 2013, he announced his retirement from feature-length filmmaking, though he indicated that he intends to continue working in some manner. His nickname is “Miya-san”. Feature Filmography (as director): 1979: THE CASTLE OF CAGLIOSTRO 1984: NAUSICAÄ OF THE VALLEY OF THE WIND 1986: CASTLE IN THE SKY 1988: MY NEIGHBOR TOTORO 1989: KIKI’S DELIVERY SERVICE (??????, Majo no Takkyuubin) 1992: PORCO ROSSO (???, Kurenai no Buta) 1997: PRINCESS MONONOKE 2001: SPIRITED AWAY 2004: HOWL’S MOVING CASTLE (???????, Hauru no Ugoku Shiro) 2008: PONYO ON THE CLIFF BY THE SEA (???????, Gake no Ue no Ponyo) 2013: THE WIND RISES
ISAO TAKAHATA
Born in 1935, Isao Takahata is one of the most influential animation filmmakers in Japan, and a long-time collaborator of Miyazaki. Joining Toei Animation in 1959, he soon became one of its most prolific directors in addition to being active in its labor union. He has directed countless feature films and animated TV series (some of which were later edited into theatrical features), including LITTLE NORSE PRINCE VALIANT (????? ???????, Taiyo no Oji Horusu no Daiboken, 1968), HEIDI, A GIRL OF THE ALPS (??????????, Arupusu no Shojo Haiji, 1974) and ANNE OF GREEN GABLES (?????,Akage no An, 1979). One of his most acclaimed films, GRAVE OF THE FIREFLIES (?????, Hotaru no Haka, 1988), was released as a double feature with Miyazaki’s MY NEIGHBOR TOTORO. His latest film, THE TALE OF THE PRINCESS KAGUYA, was released in Japan on November 23, 2013. His nickname is “Paku-san” (Paku-paku is an onomatopoeia for the sound of eating, similar to “gobble-gobble”). Feature Filmography (as director): 1968: LITTLE NORSE PRINCE VALIANT 1972: PANDA! GO PANDA! (????????, Panda Kopanda) 1981: DOWNTOWN STORY (???????, Jarinko Chie) 1982: GAUCHE THE CELLIST (?????????, Serohiki no Goshu) 1987: THE STORY OF THE YANAGAWA WATERWAYS (??????, Yanagawa 
Horiwari Monogatari) 1988: GRAVE OF THE FIREFLIES 1991: ONLY YESTERDAY (????????, Omoide Poroporo) 1994: POM POKO (???????? ?????????, Heisei Tanuki Gassen Pompoko) 1999: MY NEIGHBORS THE YAMADAS (?????? ????????, Ho-hokekyo Tonari no Yamada Kun) 2013: THE TALE OF THE PRINCESS KAGUYA
TOSHIO SUZUKI
Born in 1948, Toshio Suzuki is the former president of Studio Ghibli and has been the producer for nearly every Ghibli film since ONLY YESTERDAY. He joined the publishing company Tokuma Shoten in 1972 and launched the animation magazine Animage in 1978. After meeting Miyazaki, Suzuki commissioned a manga serial from Miyazaki that became Nausicäa of the Valley of the Wind, which was then adapted into an animated feature by Miyazaki himself. He helped Miyazaki and Takahata found Studio Ghibli before leaving Tokuma Shoten in 1989 to officially join Ghibli. Though he stepped down as president of Studio Ghibli in 2008, he continues to serve as its managing director and executive producer.
OTHER NOTABLES
Hideaki ANNO
Filmmaker best known for directing the enormously popular animated series NEON GENESIS EVANGELION (???????????, Shin Seiki Evangerion). Responding to an ad for animators, Anno was hired by Miyazaki to draw the Giant Warrior at the end of NAUSICAÄ OF THE VALLEY OF THE WIND. He is considered one of the foremost filmmakers in Japan today. Joe HISAISHI One of the most acclaimed film composers in Japan, known for having scored every feature directed by Miyazaki since NAUSICAÄ OF THE VALLEY OF THE WIND as well as seven of Takeshi Kitano’s films. He also scored Yojiro Takita’s Oscar-winning DEPARTURES (?????, Okuribito, 2008). Goro MIYAZAKI Trained and working as a landscape architect, Goro Miyazaki, son of Hayao Miyazaki was initially reluctant to follow in his father’s footsteps, until Suzuki brought him in to design the Ghibli Museum in 1998. Also at Suzuki’s behest, he directed TALES FROM EARTHSEA (????, Gedo Senki, 2006) -- despite fierce opposition from his father -- as well as FROM UP ON POPPY HILL (???????, Kokuriko-Zaka Kara, 2011).
THE WIND RISES
THE WIND RISES is Hayao Miyazaki’s final animated feature. After opening in Japan on July 20, 2013, the film has surpassed 120 billion yen at the box office. Fusing two real-life figures -- Jiro Horikoshi and Tatsuo Hori -- into one fictional character, the film tells the story of a young man who dreams of building planes, and his relationship to the great love of his life, Nahoko.
THE TALE OF THE PRINCESS KAGUYA
THE TALE OF THE PRINCESS KAGUYA is the long-awaited film from Isao Takahata and his first in 14 years. Adapted from the famous Japanese folktale The Tale of the Bamboo Cutter, it tells the story of a mysterious girl -- discovered as a baby inside a stalk of bamboo -- who turns out to be a princess from the moon. The film was originally announced to open simultaneously with THE WIND RISES, but its release date was pushed back to November 23, 2013.
NOTES
How Ghibli Became the Subject of a Documentary
During the summer of 2012, a certain company approached Mami Sunada about creating a documentary about Studio Ghibli. Sunada had just finished working on her first theatrical feature documentary, DEATH OF A JAPANESE SALESMAN, and was hoping to direct a narrative feature next. According to her, it remains a mystery to this day why she was the one who was approached about this Ghibli-related project, but having grown up watching Ghibli films since her childhood, she considered it an honor and instantly agreed to work on it.
From there, Sunada pitched several different ideas to Ghibli’s producer, Toshio Suzuki, but found progress slow to come. She was never given a flat-out “no,” but she was continually told, “I don’t really understand what you want to do.” As Sunada pored through books after books about Ghibli, re-watched Ghibli films, and listened to people talk about Ghibli, her thoughts gradually changed. She then went back to Suzuki and boldly told him, “What I’d like to do is make a theatrical documentary about Ghibli.” The look on Suzuki’s face suddenly changed. “I see. Understood,” he said as he agreed to the proposal. There had been numerous TV documentaries about Ghibli, but apparently Sunada was the first to suggest a theatrical documentary feature about Ghibli. Matters progressed quickly after that. By the fall of 2012, filming had begun as Sunada started frequenting Ghibli alone with a camera in hand, day after day. She began filming without a producer on board, until Suzuki introduced her to Dwango’s Nobuo Kawakami, who had been apprenticing as a producer at Ghibli. Thus began Sunada’s nearly year-long adventure as she found herself getting a nearly unfettered look at the never-before-seen inner workings of Studio Ghibli.
About the Poster Art
Excerpted from Producer Toshio Suzuki’s column in the Chunichi Shimbun newspaper
A film called THE KINGDOM OF DREAMS AND MADNESS will be opening in November. It’s directed by Mami Sunada. She’s a young filmmaker who earned attention for a film titled DEATH OF A JAPANESE SALESMAN, in which she follows her father’s last days before he succumbs to cancer. She appeared before me one day, asking to make a documentary feature with Ghibli as the subject. Not a TV documentary, but a theatrical movie. What’s the difference? I listened to her explanation but couldn’t make much sense of it. Figuring I’ll understand it in time, I agreed to it. It’s been perhaps just over a year since she showed up. The film is almost finished. It’s produced by Dwango’s Nobuo Kawakami. Today I’ll write about the film’s poster and how it came about. It’s already being displayed in theaters, so I’m sure many readers have already seen it. It shows Isao Takahata, Hayao Miyazaki and me seated side by side. Behind us is a large building. If you look closely, it becomes quite obvious that the building is drawn. The sign reads: “Nagomi-sou (Serenity House)”. It would appear that the three of us are at a senior home. Look even closer and you’ll find that the building is in fact Studio Ghibli’s former office. The truth is that this poster art is a prank by Hayao Miyazaki. While we were in production on THE WIND RISES, the French photographer Nicolas Guérin visited Ghibli. His career is dedicated to photographing film directors and producers around the world. To be photographed by him is like a stamp of approval. Miya-san suggested that it would be a good opportunity for the three of us to be photographed together. Indeed, it was true that the three of us had never sat down to have a proper picture taken. Miya-san is never shy about suggesting such things. Takahata-san and I did as we were told. We gathered at the front gate of Ghibli. It was Miya-san who suggested that the three of us sit there together. Then the question became, who will sit in the middle? I suggested Takahata-san, who’s the most senior among us, but somehow I found myself being placed in the middle. The photo session went off without a hitch. Some time later, the photos arrived from France. There were perhaps five photos included. Miya-san chose the one he liked. Of course, he asked neither me nor Takahata-san for our opinions. Before we knew it, he drafted up a sketch of how we wanted the background and asked the resident art director Noboru Yoshida to draw it. In no time, the background was done. Miya-san wrote the “Nagomi-sou” sign himself. Miya-san took a pair of scissors and cut the photo himself, placed it on the background and came up with an ad hoc composite. He then taped it to the wall of the producer’s office. People who visited the room peered curiously at this photo. Seeing that, Miya-san couldn’t have been more tickled. They say we can always find a peaceful moment even when we’re busy, but in Miya-san’s case, that moment can turn into something rather elaborate. When Nobuo Kawakami came to me asking about the poster design, I immediately suggested the photo to him. “It has to be this.” Fortunately, Kawakami was thinking the same thing, and agreed. — Toshio Suzuki
CREDITS Japanese Theatrical Release: November 16, 2013 North American Premiere: September 8, 2014 (Toronto International Film Festival) Technical Specifications Format: Digital Aspect Ratio: 1920 x 1080 Sound: 5.1ch Running Time: 118 Minutes Staff Director: Mami Sunada Producer: Nobuo Kawakami Screenplay: Mami Sunada Cinematographer: Mami Sunada Editor: Mami Sunada Music: Masakatsu Takagi Presented By: Dwango In Cooperation With: Studio Ghibli Production Company: ENNET Domestic Distributor: Toho Co., Ltd. North American Distributor: GKIDS International Sales Agent: Wild Bunch © 2013 dwango
For more information on THE KINGDOM OF DREAMS AND MADNESS, please see the earlier coverage here on SciFi Japan: