Hayao Miyazaki fans have a lot to celebrate today. Originally projected for a far later release year, the next movie from the Japanese filmmaker and 2-D animation master has been moved up to mid-2023. Legendary production company Studio Ghibli announced that How Do You Live (which is still not the official title) will premiere in Japan on July 14, which means that the rest of the world will probably get to see it not too long after that. Details from the project are yet to be revealed, and what we know so far is that the animation is a coming-of-age story centered around a boy.
Along with the release date, the Studio Ghibli Japanese account on Twitter also unveiled a new art in a beautiful pencil style, which paired with the previous teaser poster might suggest that the upcoming movie will look very different from previous Miyazaki movies. The director, it’s important to remember, announced his retirement a decade ago. Even though he kept on working, every movie could be his last, and How do You Live certainly has the makings of a swan song.
How do You Live's Hand-drawn Poster Prompts Speculation About the Story
The poster is cryptic on its own: It features a bird-like creature that could very well be the main character in disguise – since under the beak there is an eye that looks more human. Miyazaki’s work has previously featured all sorts of creatures, from supernatural ones to the ordinary, so it’s pretty early to make assumptions about the nature of the story. However, it’s pretty safe to say that How do You Live will feature some slice of life elements, which is a running theme in the filmmaker’s work. If the scale is tipped more to the ordinary, real-life side, this could just be the boy trying to learn more about birds and attempting to live among them out of curiosity.
Last month, Miyazaki also took to Twitter to tease Zen – Grogu and Dust Bunnies, a short film that united Studio Ghibli and Lucasfilm in order to tell an animated story centered around Grogu in celebration of The Mandalorian's third anniversary on Disney+. The character is one of the recent – and most popular – additions to the Star Wars universe, and the short is helmed by first-time director Katsuya Kondo.
The Legacy of Hayao Miyazaki
Hayao Miyazaki is one of the most celebrated filmmakers in the history of cinema. He has written and directed some modern 2-D animation masterpieces like Academy Award winner Spirited Away, Princess Mononoke, Kiki’s Delivery Service, My Neighbor Totoro, and many others. His movies are known for telling stories that are often harsh and political through the eyes of kids and teenagers.
How Do You Live premieres in Japanese theaters on July 14, 2023. A North American release date is yet to be announced by Studio Ghibli.
You can check out the new poster below: