I just got the limited 4-disc edition DVD import as this latest Studio Ghibli DVD was released on July 4. This is the first movie directed by Hayao Goro, Hayao Miyzaki’s estranged son and to say that I was quite disappointed in the movie.
At first when I saw the previews, I thought the art looked a bit like the designs of Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind and Castle in the Sky. But as I watched the movie, there was no usual spark in the scenery or characters, that made the movie lovable like Hayao Miyazaki’s own films. Actually the characters seemed to be quite flat in personality and design. Within the first twenty minutes of the movie, I was wondering when would the movie end.
This movie is based on Ursula K. Le Guin’s science fiction series – The Books of Earthsea and even she, the author was disappointed in the movie as this NY Times article indicates. As of now, I am anxiously waiting for Ponyo On A Cliff to take out the bad taste of this disappointment.
Here is also a video of the movie’s theme song by Aoi Teshima – the voice for Therru.
