Animated Films and TV Series that need a Blu-ray Release ASAP, part 2

Today is a glorious day, dear readers. A grave injustice has been corrected. Today is the day that The Iron Giant is finally getting a Blu-ray release and you can finally own this masterpiece in stunning HD and watch hours upon hours of wonderful bonus material. Warner Bros. has finally seen the error of their ways and the fact that they gave The Iron Giant such a splendid release, it's cause for celebration. However, as we can scratch one film from the list, this day is also a reminder that there are still many films and TV series that are awaiting a proper Blu-ray release and it's time for the studios to deliver. 

As with my previous list, from two years ago, this list applies to US releases.

Review: 'The Red Turtle' Delivers A Beautiful and Multi-Layered Tale

The Red Turtle is the first feature film from Michaël Dudok de Wit, and what a good effort it is! The movie is a French-Belgian-Japanese (Studio Ghibli - and more precisely Hayao Miyazaki - was impressed with Dudok de Wit's Oscar-winning short Father and Daughter, and reached out to him) co-production. Here is our spoiler-free review for it.

The 5th A113Animation Awards Results

There were quite a few good animated films in 2015 - some excellent even; but it seems like one in particular was above average. Without further ado, here are our picks for the 5th edition of the A113Animation Awards (the winners are in gold, and there is a breakdown of the results at the bottom of the post)!

The 5th A113Animation Awards Nominations

After one year off, the A113Animation Awards are back! These are our 5th Awards, and we are following the same formula established in the previous years; a few things have changed, though: we're introducing a Best Writing Award, and we've let go of the Ben Kerfoot Award.
Unlike for the past editions, William won't be picking the winners; I (Damien) will, according to my personal taste and based on the films I've seen. Of course William will also choose his favourite 2015 animated film, as will Munir.
The winners will be announced on Saturday 30th January.

'When Marnie Was There' Gets An English Voice Cast

What might be the last movie ever (hopefully not!) from Studio Ghibli, When Marnie Was There, is coming to English-speaking countries soon; so it's only logical that the English voice cast for the film was revealed. And it was today by Deadline.

Watch: New English Trailer for The Tale of the Princess Kaguya

StudioCanal UK's YouTube channel released a new trailer for Ghibli's The Tale of the Princess Kaguya. It features voices from the English dub version, including Chloë Grace Moretz as the titular character, and displays some of the - justifiably - high praise the film has been gathering from critics. The trailer also casually mentions that the Ghibli film is up for a Best Animated Feature Academy Award later today.

Animated Films that Need Blu-ray Releases ASAP

In this day and age, where digital streaming is becoming the norm and physical media is waning, it's nonetheless hard to believe that some of the most celebrated animated films aren't available in HD yet. Here's a list of the films that need a Blu-ray release as soon as possible. This list applies to US releases.

Studio Ghibli's Future: What's Next for the Revered Studio?

After all the craziness that rose up recently over the alleged closure of Studio Ghibli, I was going to write an editorial mourning its closing and celebrating its legacy. Fortunately, those reports have been debunked and Studio Ghibli is still open, albeit not quite as we knew it. A restructuring is imminent and the prospect of closing down its production team is not far fetched. So now that the three people who have managed the studio for 29 years (Hayao Miyazaki, Isao Takahata and Toshio Suzuki) have retired, what's next for the celebrated studio? And what can they do to avoid shutting down? We'll take a look at how things have been running and how the studio can improve those things and re-emerge as a stronger studio, ready to look into the future and continuing to provide audiences with stellar motion pictures.

If Studio Ghibli Films Were Like Other Anime

Earlier this week, I got an amazing surprise on my Facebook account. A video by College Humor  which takes some pretty hilarious liberties in re-imaging Studio Ghibli films as if they were like most Japanese anime. Take a look for yourself. And you're welcome:

When Marnie Was There Cast and Stills

When Marnie was There is due out in Japan on 19th July of this year, and, as is the norm at this point, there are no current release dates for English-speaking countries. However, two Japanese voice artists have been cast, and there are new stills from the film.

Animation Studios' Shophomore Films - From Worst to Best

Many times, animation studios start very strong with a debut feature that is beloved and popular. But, when the time comes to release their second outing, they often stumble. Either they are just a retread of the first film or just aren't as successful as it. However, many of these films have actually improved on their predecessors and are now regarded as masterpieces. Let's take a look on these second (and often underrated) efforts and see how they compare to their immediate predecessors.

BFI Studio Ghibli Feature Film Retrospective

The British Film Institute Southbank will be hosting a retrospective on Studio Ghibli's work over the last 30 years from April through May this year. Not only will they be showing all of their biggest films, but they will also be screening The Wind Rises before it even hits theatres on 9th May. Although the showing of The Wind Rises is set for 23rd April and is already sold out, there are still many films on the roster that are definitely worth taking a look particularly as these films are meant to be enjoyed on the big screen and not on a television set.

New UK Trailer and Release Date for The Wind Rises

The Wind Rises will finally show in the UK on 9th May! Thanks to The Telegraph, we also have a new trailer just for the occasion. Check it out:

The Art of The Wind Rises Book Coming Very Soon

Since it was announced that The Wind Rises would be Hayao Miyazaki's final film, I have been anticipating the release of the art book. Viz Media announced last week, via the Anime News Network, that they would be publishing The Art of The Wind Rises on 8th April - which is just days away - for the price of $34.00 USD/$39.99 CAN.

Totoro Limited Edition T-Shirts!

If you love Studio Ghibli as much as I do (and that's quite a lot), then you go out of your way to commemorate your devotion by looking for awesome fan swag all over the internet. While most people find books, toys, even plush "animals", I still think the best way to show your fanaticism is by wearing it on a t-shirt.

I woke up this morning to find that my favourite online shirt company has released, for 24 hours only, TWO limited edition Totoro designs that are just awesome. Check them out:

The way TeeFury works is simple: they release one (sometimes two) limited edition t-shirts for just 24 hours and if you purchase it for only $11 (plus shipping duh), then it's like you become part of this secret society...I may be stretching that a bit. Regardless, the designs are cool and the fact that you own one of only a few hundred prints of each shirt is kind of awesome to think about.

If you love the graphics above, act fast! There are only 13 hours left... and counting.

Toshio Suzuki of Studio Ghibli to Retire

On hearing that Hayao Miyazaki would be retiring after the completion of The Wind Rises, it was only a matter of time before the other shoe fell. And yesterday, the announcement was made: Toshio Suzuki, one of the co-founders of Studio Ghibli and producer of Spirited Away, Princess Mononoke, Porco Rosso, The Wind Rises, From Up on Poppy Hill, among many others, will be retiring from his post as producer at Studio Ghibli.

The Art of Kiki's Delivery Service Review

When my boyfriend got me The Art of Kiki's Delivery Service for Christmas, I was ecstatic. Kiki's Delivery Service is my favourite Studio Ghibli/Miyazaki film - though I realize it is not the best one of the bunch. It served as my first exposure to the world of Studio Ghibli, and also served to show me that I wasn't alone in adolescence. So I hold this film very close to my heart for expressing how I felt and giving me something new to love. Now, having read The Art of Kiki's Delivery Service, I feel even more strongly about my love for both Studio Ghibli and the film.

86th Annual Academy Awards Predictions

Oscar night is upon us once again, so it's time for me to start pretending I know what I'm talking about and venture my guesses as to what's going to take home tonight's big awards! The animation awards are listed first, then the rest of the categories below that.

4th Annual A113Animation Awards Results

It feels strangely surreal that our little animation blog has been going long enough to be at its 4th annual Awards, but here we are. 2012 was an incredibly strong year for animation, 2013 was less strong. There were some really good animated films released last year, but far fewer great ones than in previous years. As opposed to last year, then, there wasn't much of a spread of awards this year; one film dominated, and you'll never guess which one... So, check out the results below: the winners are in bold and there's a breakdown of who won what and why at the bottom.

A Plea for The Wind Rises to Win the Oscar

With the Oscars right around the corner, we are all being bogged down with promotional petitions and stunts on who should win Best Picture, Best Actor, Best Director and on and on. Some of these promotional petitions may be re-releases, special Q&A screenings, or even sing-along versions of the films. And while I'm sure most people regard the Oscars as the ultimate authority on what merits recognition in the world of motion pictures, there has been more than one occasion where the Oscar has been awarded to what can only be regarded as the most popular film of the year, rather than the best film in the category. Unfortunately, I fear this may be another such year where the film that merits the award for Best Animated Feature will be cast aside for the more popular film of the nominations.