Following the Japanese theatrical release of Hayao Miyazaki‘s final film, The Boy and the Heron, stills from Studio Ghibli’s latest have surfaced online. The images — sourced from a pamphlet given to moviegoers — provide fans with their very first look of the fantastical film.
Despite being Studio Ghibli’s first movie release without any marketing, The Boy and the Heron was able to garner Japanese audiences’ interest. It currently holds a total domestic gross of over $30 million. At the time of writing, GKIDS hasn’t announced the North American release date for Hayao Miyazaki’s newest animated movie; however, it’s expected to arrive in U.S. theaters later this year.
What is The Boy and the Heron about?
“Through encounters with his friends and uncle, follows a teenage boy’s psychological development,” reads the synopsis. “He enters a magical world with a talking grey heron after finding an abandoned tower in his new town.”
The Boy and the Heron (or How Do You Live) is written and directed by Miyazaki. It features the voices of Soma Santoki, Masaki Suda (The Backwater), singer Aimyon, Yoshino Kimura (Confessions), Shōhei Hino (As Long as We Both Shall Live), Ko Shibasaki (47 Ronin), Takuya Kimura (Howl’s Moving Castle), and more.
Miyazaki is best known for directing classics like My Neighbor Totoro, Kiki’s Delivery Service, Princess Mononoke, Spirited Away, Howl’s Moving Castle, and Ponyo. Fans are now able to celebrate his films through Studio Ghibli’s recently opened theme park, which features attractions and rides inspired by Miyazaki’s work.