I’m not familiar with the films of Sunao Katabuchi, but after watching the trailer for In This Corner of the World, I want to seek out his previous anime features: Princess Arete and Mai Mai Miracle. Katabuchi was also an assistant director on Kiki’s Delivery Service, which is my favorite Hayao Miyazaki movie.
There’s a melancholy beauty to In This Corner of the World, which takes place in Hiroshima and Kure in the shadow of World War II. I like the colors and the compositions, and the way the characters are rendered have a quaint personality. The film is an adaptation of a manga by Fumiyo Kouno.
Check out the trailer for In This Corner of the World below.
In This Corner of the World has received excellent reviews and won multiple awards in Japan over the last year for its filmmaking, voice performances, and music.
I’ve included two of the previous trailers for the film in case you’re interested in seeing a bit more.
Here’s an official synopsis of the film:
The award-winning story of IN THIS CORNER OF THE WORLD follows a young lady named Suzu Urano, who in 1944 moves to the small town of Kure in Hiroshima to live with her husband’s family. Suzu’s life is thrown into chaos when her town is bombed during World War II. Her perseverance and courage underpin this heart-warming and inspirational tale of the everyday challenges faced by the Japanese in the midst of a violent, war-torn country. This beautiful yet poignant tale shows that even in the face of adversity and loss, people can come together and rebuild their lives.
In This Corner of the World comes out on August 11th. It is also the closing night film at the 2017 Japan Cuts film festival in New York City, which runs from July 13th to July 23rd.
[via The Playlist]
