"The Boy and the Heron" -- the supposedly final film by famed director Hayao Miyazaki -- was released in Japan on Friday, Jul. 14.
It was Miyazaki's first film in 10 years, and it was released with no marketing at all -- no trailers, TV ads, or even an announced plot summary or cast.
According to NHK, this was a film that the Japanese director came out of retirement to make.
It reportedly took him seven years to write the screenplay and script for the movie, which is known as "How Do You Live" in Japan, and renamed "The Boy and the Heron" for the international market.
Worried it won't do well without publicity
In an interview on Jun. 2, producer Toshio Suzuki mentioned how Hollywood producers tended to reveal the plots of their movies in trailers, and worried doing so might end up ruining the mystery and dissuade viewers from watching.
On Jun. 28, he went on to say that "in this age of so much information, the lack of information is entertainment".
However, as the opening date drew closer, even Miyazaki, a legendary director in the animation industry, could not help but worry about the studio's risky strategy.
The director reportedly confided in Suzuki: "I wonder if it'll be okay without publicity... I am beginning to worry. I do believe in you, Mr Suzuki. But I'm concerned... that's all."
His worries were not unfounded.
NHK reported that following the film's release, there were people who took to social media saying that they did not even know the film was premiering until news came out.
Wanting filmgoers to watch the movie with no expectations and foreknowledge of the plot, Studio Ghibli essentially relied on its reputation and a lone enigmatic poster for the film's commercial success.
カヘッカヘッカヘッ pic.twitter.com/uUYHjaNMsX
— スタジオジブリ STUDIO GHIBLI (@JP_GHIBLI) July 13, 2023
But it worked like a charm.
Even with no publicity, "The Boy and the Heron", according to the Hollywood Reporter, is now Ghibli's highest-opening film (by Japanese Yen standards), earning 1.83 billion yen (S$17.4 million) over four days from Friday to Sunday.
Fans lined up early morning for the first screening
NHK reported long lines at the movie’s first screening in Toshima Ward, Tokyo, at 9:30am, on Jul. 14.
This was despite the information blackout and the fact that it was a working day.
One man interviewed by NHK said he was brimming with excitement to watch the movie because of the mystery surrounding its plot.
He added that Miyazaki’s animations usually paid great attention to detail.
Miyazaki directed several other of Ghibli’s acclaimed films, including "Howl’s Moving Castle", "My Neighbour Totoro", and the Oscar-winning, "Spirited Away".
The new film is reported to be over two hours long.
Another man also told NHK that the movie’s storyline was unpredictable, and by the time it was over, his view of the birdlike character featured in the poster had changed completely.
For one woman, she thought that the movie’s beginning hinted to a more sombre tale, but as the film progressed, Miyazaki’s unfolding world exhilarated her in a "Ghibli-esque" way.
The producer has called the film a “younger Miyazaki’s work”, while one NHK reporter who watched it classified the movie as a “Fantasy Adventure”.
International release later this year
Animation distributor GKIDS has announced that Miyazaki’s latest film will be released in North America later this year as “The Boy and the Heron”.
In keeping with Ghibli’s policy, they will not be releasing any further details or marketing materials.
No concrete release date has been announced as of this time.
THE BOY AND THE HERON
Written & Directed by Hayao Miyazaki
Score by Joe Hisaishi
In North American theatres later this year.#君たちはどう生きるか#宮﨑駿 pic.twitter.com/PPnjFTMBFS
— Studio Ghibli (@GhibliUSA) July 14, 2023
Warning: Spoiler alert
Given Ghibli’s current policy on the matter, many fans likely want to watch the movie with no foreknowledge of the plot, just as the studio intended.
Spoiler alert, because here is a short description on what the movie is about.
Fantasy adventure
With the movie out a few days at this point, people have shared the basic plot of the movie.
Here's a condensed summary of the opening premise:
During World War II, 12-year-old Mahito Maki loses his mother to an air raid in Tokyo.
Mahito’s father then remarries his late wife’s younger sister, and they evacuate to her home in the countryside.
As Mahito struggles with grief, school, and his new family, he meets a grey heron who ends up bringing him to an alternate fantasy world, where he learns more about the mysterious death of his mother.
Image from Studio Ghibli's Twitter.
Top photos from Creative Commons and Ghibli's Twitter.